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ClareR (5726 KP) rated Afraid of the Christmas Lights in Books

Dec 1, 2020

I don’t like Christmas books. Usually. I like A Christmas Carol, but I tend not to read many modern Christmas books - unless they’re children’s ones at work, or when I used to read them for my own children when they were little. Which is probably why I liked this so much. Usually in anthologies, there will be a few standout stories that make reading the collection as a whole worthwhile, but I’ve really struggled to single out one or two - I enjoyed them all far too much for that.

Most of the stories are set around Christmas with only a couple of exceptions. That didn’t cause me to like them any less though. The real standouts for me (if I absolutely HAVE to choose!) were: Phoebe Morgan’s Unexpected Present - the gift wrapped so nicely in expensive M&S paper being the main protagonists husband; The Switch by James Delargy had a Stephen King vibe to it (and I should add that it wasn’t because of The Green Mile!); Fresh Meat by Elle Croft gives new meaning to a raw meat diet for your cat; and The Vigilante by Clare Empson was a sad story of a Charles Dickens look-a-like who tries to save victims of crime in the dead of night.

If you need an excuse to buy this, then the proceeds go to ESDAS and Rights of Women, both domestic abuse charities.

Many thanks to The PIgeonhole for serialising this book, and to the authors who joined in. As always, it was a great experience!!

Kudos

Andrew Kennedy (199 KP) rated Undead (2003) in Movies

Jul 14, 2019

Undead (2003)

2003 | Horror

6.3

(3 Ratings)

Movie Rating

I watched a Top 30 zombie movies video on YouTube and this film was on it. I have never heard of it before then and given that it was a micro budget film from Australia that was big on the festival circuit in 2003, probably not surprising it had passed me by.
First up, if you want a serious zombie film like 28 Days or Romero's Dead films look elsewhere, you won't enjoy this. If however you don't mind some slapstick gore and tounge firmly in rotted cheek humour and like early Peter Jackson splatter horror Braindead this is for you.
In a quaint Aussie fishing village meteorites fall from the sky and before you can say this looks familiar the townsfolk are turned to the ravenous undead.
Yes the acting is hammy, the dialogue at times is weird but this film is at its heart, fun. Blood, gore and brains soak the screen as things break down. Also, what is in the rain?
Characters are a bit stereotypically but I feel the ending is the most satisfying ending to a zombie film ever. Yes it looks on paper like an idea that shouldn't work but somehow it does.
Good debut from the Spierig brothers made for $2 million Aussie dollars and effects done on a laptop. It's better then some big studio zombie flicks.
Lot of negative reviews of this on IMDb, I don't understand why it's by no means perfect but it's a lot of fun with a great early Peter Jackson vibe.