After a horrible breakup, a slacker ends up chaperoning a school trip
to impress the teacher and ends up in the midst of a zombie outbreak. COMEDY/HORROR
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Little Monsters (2019)Written and Directed by Abe Forsythe
Starring Lupita Nyong’o, Alexander England, Kat Stewart, Nadia Townsend, Marshall Napier, Diesel La Torraca, Josh Gad |
I haven't thought highly of Hulu's original movies. They just didn't pop. It wasn't until the Book of Filmgazm (check out the podcast if you don't know about the Book) gave us Little Monsters for the podcast that I sat down and watched one of them. From now on, I'll definitely be searching through Hulu's original movies, because Little Monsters was one of the most charming, quirky, and lovable zombie comedies I've ever seen. It takes the tropes of the zombie subgenre and merges them the romcom formula in a way that I didn't think was possible. It's like Shaun of the Dead with a kindergarten class.
Alexander England plays Dave, a washed-up guitarist living with his sister after a bad breakup. After he learns that his nephew's kindergarten teacher Miss Caroline (Nyong'o) is super hot, he volunteers to chaperone a field trip so he can impress her. Next door to Pleasant Valley Farms is an army base where a zombie virus causes an outbreak. Now, Dave is forced to step up and help Miss Caroline protect the children, with the help of disgruntled kids show host Teddy McGiggle (Gad, who I couldn't stand until this movie). Along the way, Dave realizes what's important in life and he and Miss Caroline start to fall for each other. Also, the grisly zombie kills remind us that this is a horror movie first. Little Monsters is a wonderful little comedy that I will be adding to my yearly watchlist. It's a great horror romcom that will be fun to show your friends, and there are so many hilarious moments that will keep you laughing the whole time. England and Nyong'o have terrific chemistry, and they both play such likable characters. I'm so happy this turned out to be a fun, entertaining hit and I can't wait for more people to see it. |
Horror comedies can have a tendency to lean towards one or the other. Sometimes the comedy will be more predominant. And sometimes the horror will be the main draw. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it can make for an uneven viewing experience. But, when they do land, they tend to be one of the more memorable times at the movies. Zombieland, Shaun of the Dead, and Ghostbusters are just some of the ones I can think of off the top of my head. The list goes on, though. And, Little Monsters, can definitely be added to that list.
Alexander England is our main star here as the slacker who shows zero intention of changing. If there is one complaint I have with this movie, by the way, it’s the beginning of this character’s arc. He is purposely presented as a complete dick in the beginning and it does start to irritate more than entertain. He improves as the film progresses, though. Plus, he shows a natural talent for comedic timing as he does also provide many of the film’s bigger laughs. Lupita Nyong’o is both hilarious and badass as the teacher, Miss Caroline (and, yes, don’t think the movie takes advantage of her name with a certain song). Even Josh Gad, who I tend to not find very funny, actually has several laugh out loud moments and nearly steals the show. Now, while this movie is very funny, it also features plenty of horror and gore. This is still a zombie movie and, luckily, they don’t shy away from the carnage candy. Little Monsters is a solid addition to the horror comedy library. The actors all do a great job, including the child actors. And we know how that aspect can be really bad sometimes. The humor is spot on. And the horror is suitably tense. For the most part, if you have a Hulu account and it’s a rainy day, Little Monsters is a good way to spend an hour and a half of your life. |