Friday Night Movies 237

I don't know if it was one of those harmonic convergences you hear about or just a daft bit of luck but tonight both our selections turned out to be entertaining, especially our second feature. Both Joe and Sperhauk had films from Netflix, and each had the others movie in their queues. I guess that's NetFlix for ya.

I hadn't heard of Onechanbara Bikini Samurai Squad before. It's based on a Japanese video game set in a world where zombies are over running the place and killing the living for snacks. The zombies move slowly but have super fast kung fu skills when there's a meal to be had. Our heroine Aya is a troubled young lady with a tragic past. But then again, the current zombie fest doesn't bode well for anyone. Anyone except the doctor who created the zombie horde with his genetic experiments that is. What a dick guys like that are, ruining everything with their selfish desires. He's still at it in his odd shaped building, screwing with people. He's the man responsible for the death of Aya's father. Aya's teamed up with a tubby yakky guy who doesn't look like the end of the world kept him from eating well. He talks all the time and runs screaming when there's a fight. He only has a knife. We all guessed he hadn't gotten enough game points to get a sword yet. They are joined by a gal with a magical shotgun that never needs reloading. Unlike our heroine she isn't wearing a bikini. So far there isn't much of a bikin squad. At least that fat guy isn't wearing a bikini. They run about and meet up with a never ending supply of the undead. There are a few lulls in the action for some introspective backstory. Turns out they all have it against the doctor, and Saki, his schoolgirl uniform wearin', sword tottin' sidekick. In one of those melodramatic backstory moments we find out that Saki is Aya's little sister. Saki was passed over for her dad's favorite and she, feeling spurned, burns her bridges behind her by running off with the doctor and slashing her dad a good one while Aya watches in the bushes unnoticed. They have some sucky life huh. There's lots of zombie killin' and rushing about. Swords flash and shotguns blast. Fatty gets his ownback when he finally gets enough points to pick up a sword and finish off the evil doctor. Sadly shotgun gal doesn't make it. I bet if she had worn a bikini she might have lived. Naughty schoolgirl Saki doesn't fair too well getting sliced into nothingness by the finally avenged Aya. Her and yakky head into the sunset ready to kick some more zombie ass. Certainly more entertaining than many video game adaptations but not an entertaining as our second feature.

Pineapple Express stars Seth Rogan and James Franco as a couple of pot heads who have a big adventure. You might have seen the two guys come into their own since they worked together on Freaks and Geeks back some years ago. Rogan also co-wrote the screenplay that was directed by David Gordon Greene, a director of some movies I haven't seen. Seth witnesses a murder. Gary Cole and Rosie Perez are the bad guys and they done the murder. Seth runs to James, the pot dealer that he's only known for 2 and a half months, and brings a shitstorm of trouble to that poor sap. Gary finds a roach that was tossed into the street where Seth was parked and he recognizes the weed. It's pineapple express, and Gary only sold some to Red, who only sold some to James. Oh, oh. That's a darn easy trail to follow. Seth and James start running and pretty much don't stop. There's a lot of physical comedy sandwiched in between the life threatening situations. Mostly only bad guys get slaughtered, especially near the end when there is a massive shootout at the secret underground lair that Gary grows his bud in. It blows up real good. I thought it was a non-stop laugh riot with lots of fun stuff going on. It'll be 7 bucks at Target before too long. I'd certainly pick one up when I see it.