The Main Staple for Any Zombie's Diet

Easy Brains Oven

Some have said I have the brains in the family. But now, you can make your own brains with the all-new Easy Brains Oven!

Walker? Walking Dead? Easy Brains Oven?

Zombies

The Walking Dead has been on hiatus since December and with the second half of the season starting on February 9th, let us take a look back at the start of fourth season and forward to the upcoming episodes. The story surrounds a former sheriff, Rick, and his son in a world overrun by the walking dead, essentially zombies. 

The Walking Dead new season

Season four on AMC started up with Rick and his group of survivors holed up in a prison, the big walls and cages formerly used to keep criminals in, now used to keep the walking dead out. Surving a secondary purpose as well, it offers some sort of protection against the monsters of the new world, the other human survivors.

And the Governor came back, making peace with his losses and seemingly no longer with a chip on his shoulder. But we saw that the Governor still crosses those lines Rick will not, in the anything goes attempt to survive.

The Walking Dead

Conditions have changed radically for Rick, Carl, Michonne, and the rest of survivors as the mid-season finale saw the prison breached. The outcome of The Governor’s final attack, also saw the group splintered leaving Rick and Carl on their own, with the well-being of the rest of the crew in question, and more members either dead, or presumed dead or lost.

Typical of the television series and the novels from which it was inspired, season four and TWD in general, is filled with twists and turns. Any regular viewer, will by now have realized, no one is safe. The only constants in the Walking Dead are zombies, zombie swarms and that characters die.

Attempting to find additional realism in a world of post-apocalyptic fantasy, the survivors of Rick's team are faced with an everyday malady. A virus is killing off the healthy members.

Any of the main characters could die or disappear at any moment. Your time invested to get to know any one of them may be for naught.

Part of the back story, humans are infected if they get bit. Or, if they die they will awaken as zombies. So, let us assume the bite causes the infection via a blood infection. Otherwise, if it were an airborne infection, there would be no show. Everybody would be zombies. So, if the infection is passed on through blood, why don't the survivors get infected by blood splatter? They don't wear masks, or goggles, yet they are covered by zombie blood and guts.

Okay, okay, suspending belief is required in most fantasy stories. 

So what's up next for the Rick, Glenn, Michonne and the rest of the survivors? I won't reveal any spoiler details. That wouldn't be fair. But the upcoming few episodes will show how some stay safe, and others move on to face new challenges. They won't have each other to fall back on as the group was splintered. Untied we stand. Divided? Check out the Walking Dead season four mid season preview below.

Apparently this is part of a Writing Challenge. To see more, go to www.WeWorkForCheese.com . Today's theme is Zombies.

World War Z

World War Z is an apocalyptic adventure movie that features Gerry (Brad Pitt), a United Nations investigator racing against time, and around the world, attempting to save human life from a zombie epidemic. Lane really racks up those air miles.

With a mix of strong acting, a strong visual appeal and an interesting story instead of just CGI and effects, World War Z is a treat to watch. Hardly a groundbreaking film, it is a new take on that old story of the overachieving everyday guy facing horror and desperation, doing whatever he can to survive. It is a well made action picture hinging on Pitt’s solid, charismatic performance.

A joy for the zombie fan, whether you are a lover of the runners from 28 Days Later or the slow walkers of George Romero or The Walking Dead. Unlike TWD though, this movie managed to be frightening while showing little gore. It is a smart and well crafted and a thrilling film.

World War Z is a based on the novel by Max Brooks. While adapted from the novel, the film is only loosely based on the series of interviews of which the book is made up. Brooks, son of Mel, also wrote the Zombie Survival Guide and was a staff writer on Saturday Night Live.

The only issue I have with the movie was the reliance on email by the various government and military bodies. If the zombie scare was so urgent, why didn't anyone just pick up the phone?! Cell phone out of range? No quarters for the payphone? We still have land-lines, and from the plot, satellite telephones are readily available.

This film is intense. You feel the panic and tension, especially as the film first unfolds. The director, Marc Forster, nurtures the tension for almost the entire run of the film.

World War Z was originally intended as a trilogy. Those plans were quashed when rewrites and reshooting were required. The film was set to open in December 2012 but was pushed back six months. There is talk now of at least one more sequel. What with the great opening weekend results ($66 million), WWZ's start makes it the most successful debut for an action film since Avatar. What would the sequel be called anyway? World War Y? Armistice Day of the Dead?

And it is probably one of the best big budget films year to date. I will leave you with one last suggestion before I end my review of World War Z. When flying, always sit in first class.

World War Z

The Walking Dead

Season three of the Walking Dead has come to an end on AMC. I have seen most every episode of The Walking Dead with the exception of a couple at the start of season three. Having read every single one of the graphic novels, I eagerly anticipated the 2010 premiere of the AMC television series when it first launched. And then every subsequent episode, from week to week. Why I missed a few recent episodes is another story. I will catch up over the summer hiatus.

Even though I've seen most every episode, I did not love the show at the start. But I was spellbound. I could not miss an episode. But I wouldn't say I loved The Walking Dead.

TWD and I did spend time together over the next three years and we have grown to love each other. This realization finally struck during the last season finale.

The Walking Dead Season 4

I have compared this series to Battlestar Galactica, the tremendous space adventure drama of just a couple years ago. Both series explored the human race's struggle to survive after being nearly wiped out. When devoid of all hope, a spark grows amongst the remaining survivors and from this small spark there is hope. Both series show the struggle of humans to survive, and while both being based in the fantastical science fiction, are rugged and believable.

BSG was a better show.

If you have read the graphic novels, or seen at least a number of the episodes, you know that the main characters are just as likely to die as the walk-ons. There are no designated red shirt wearers here.

This is a brutal show. Brutal in that it is filled with gore, murder, blood, despair, corruption. It also shows heroic characters filled with hope and passion to live. Characters willing to put everything on the line so that their friends and family survive the living nightmare. And not to mention powerful acting and superior writing.

Forget about the zombie genre for a moment, why has post-apocalyptic literature been so popular over the decades?

From The Day of the Triffids, The Chrysalids to The Stand and The Road. Popular novels and each having been made into film. And  not to mention the Mad Max series or The Day After Tomorrow and the multitude of over films.

TWD may be escapist viewing but not of the relaxing kind. You may feel just as wound up as you would say after watching a Denis Leary monologue.

If you have seen the show, or are a fan, I am interested in hearing some feedback.

What did you think of the finale? What do you think about the changes they have made from the graphic novels to the screen? The new characters? The characters that died prematurely, or lived longer than expected? Are you as excited about season four of The Walking Dead as I am? Starts in October.

The Walking Dead Season 3

The Last Stand: Dead Zone

The Last Stand: Dead Zone is the latest edition to The Last Stand series of epic zombie games. The games  are a product of renowned game designer ConArtist. The latest, Dead Zone uses some features from Union City and is the most daring and boldest of the series. Currently in its Beta version and only available through Facebook, The Last Stand: Dead Zone is a fun, challenging and a real time waster if you let it. And I mean that in a good way.
TLS and TLS2 were third-person shooter zombie games and featured a shoot 'em up to defend your camp. The third, Union City, was an adventure-travel through the mean streets, looking for survivors, weapons and food. 

The Last Stand: Dead Zone - City Map. Yes, my character's name is StubbornFool Com.

There are a couple drawbacks to the game, I will get to that later. Overall it is a blast. The idea in The Last Stand: Dead Zone is to grow your compound. DZ is a mix of role playing, logic, and adventure and is as much different, as it is more advanced than its predecessors. Instead of running and escaping you are building a home, scavenging for tools and food for survival. You characters will build, gather scraps to build a home and compound and new society all the while shooting and pummelling zombies.

What the programmers need to do is to take this out of real time and speed up game play. There are some free options to to speed up play by up to five minutes. Otherwise you can pay real cash.

TLS: Dead Zone - Mission

The length of certain missions prevents you from playing continuously throughout the day. You will need to take at least fifteen minute breaks as the game progresses, and up to two hours, as your team returns from their more advanced missions. This too can be sped up if you are willing to spend some real cash. Options are there for community play, whether attacking or helping other players. Otherwise you are smashing AI driven zombies and invading homes set up by the system.

And now the negatives. It's has the potential to be a money grab. Real time needlessly extends the game. The concept of a real time game is to ensure the gamer comes back. It extends playtime over days and even months. It also frustrates those amongst us who want to see a conclusion to their game. I finally gave up on Mafia Wars after realizing there was no end in sight. Just as you are approaching the finish line, it would be moved back 100 metres and your sprint would become a marathon.

You can play for free, pay as little a a couple of bucks (dollars, pounds or Euros, hey it's Facebook, all money is taken equally) in real money to buy fuel which will help you complete your tasks. Again, let me restate, you can play for free without any setbacks.

If you have an older computer or a slow video  card you may experience slow play. Make sure that your video card is supported at Stage3D unsupported chipsets. Just like any game with a good following, you can check out the Wiki here. Walkthroughs are available. And as it is a Facebook game, you won't have much luck finding game cheats. The Last Stand: Dead Zone is violent, creative and fun for any zombie enthusiast and the adventure - RPG gamer. If you like Mafia Wars or The Walking Dead, The Last Stand: Dead Zone can be considered a combination of the two.

The Walking Dead Year 2

TWD: Walker

Season 2 of The Walking Dead kicked off Sunday night and picked up where season 1 left off. Oh, just the usual. Panic, disaster, gore, death and mayhem. The group of survivors are heading down the highway after having just left the Center for Disease Control. Led by former Sheriff Deputy Rick Grimes, the group includes his wife, his partner Shane and the others that first met up in Atlanta. The opening sequence features Rick's monologue over a walkie-talkie to Morgan, a survivor he encountered weeks before, who may or may not be on the other end.

Is it just me? What is happening to Rick's accent? Andrew Lincoln, the actor who plays Rick Grimes is from London, England. During his conversations with the other characters, his interpretation of an American accent was near flawless. In his attempt at a southern drawl during the monologue though, Lincoln was all over the place, moving in and out of the Kentucky-ish accent.

Grimes and his Zombie Friend

The show picks up similar in tone to last season, if not a little slower. With a full 13 episode arc for this year, expect more character development to go along with the action. If episode 1 is any indication, this season will up the gore factor, so that it more closely resembles the graphic novels on which they are based. And so far we are getting to know some of the secondary characters as both Daryl (played by Norman Reedus) and Lori Grimes (Sarah Wayne Callies) both had moments to shine.
If I had a critique of the debut season was that it did not stick close enough to the novels. Too many new characters were introduced. That being said, Frank Darabont did a wonderful job and he was a major reason the show was such a hit. With Darabont gone from the series, it is left to be seen how the second time around will fare.
From the preview for episode two, it looks like The Walking Dead will move ahead with more excitement. And typical of the books, the first episode ends with a doozy of a cliffhanger.

And here's the Trailer for Season Two of The Walking Dead.

Kids in the Hall Zombies

In honour of the long awaited season 2 premiere of the acclaimed AMC TV series The Walking Dead, I give you the Kids in the Hall skit, Zombies.

The Walking Dead Game

It started with the graphic novels, then on to the TV series. The folks over at AMC have created a pretty cool interactive website, included are some themed Walking Dead games. Under AMC Originals click the link to the The Walking Dead page. On it you have the option of The Survival Test, Trivia Tests Comic Book quizzes or The Atlanta Run. Atlanta Run is well crafted but simple RPG. I originally embedded the game into this post but my browser kept crashing. So here is the direct link to the game. Look for season two of The Walking Dead to start sometime in October 2011 on AMC. As of today no official announcement has been made.

The Walking Dead

If you are a fan of The Walking Dead, you already know that the televised episodes started airing on AMC on October 31st. This first season is to run six episodes, it took AMC only two eps to announce it has renewed the show for a second season. Look for a thirteen show arc in year two of TWD.
There is plenty of violence and gore in this show. What's different about this series and the books from which it originates, is that the surviving humans aren't spending all their time hacking up zombies. The last forty or so years of zombie movies was all chase, run, hack, shoot. Yes, in TWD there is plenty of fighting off the undead but consider it a drama where the humans must also fight off the monsters that they themselves are becoming as society regresses.
The show is going strong pulling in 5.1 million viewers in its third week, up from 4.7 million the week prior. Another 5.3 viewed its Halloween night premiere.

Here's a short clip from the show



Just kidding that's Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard in the 1940 movie The Ghost Breakers.
If you haven't seen it yet, here's the trailer for the The Walking Dead. Consider this a warning, while the teaser below is cleaner than the actual show, don't click play if you are bothered by gore.

The Walking Dead

Road of the Dead - A Zombie Killing Game

The undead have taken over the city, and you must escape. No, no, sit down. It's a game. In Road of the Dead, you the driver must run over the zombies, and crush the soldiers that are trying to prevent your escape. Fulfil that double fantasy of yours of driving on the open road and destroying the walking dead. Who doesn't like a road trip? I call shotgun!

You must protect your vehicle and yourself. Avoid the vehicles blocking the road while sparing the lives of the civilians. Your progress gets saved at various checkpoints. You keep driving for as long as your car is intact and you aren't shot up by the soldiers or helicopter.

The customizable controls are not the easiest and in their default setting will cause carpel tunnel syndrome. Just go the options menu and change the settings, so that your steering is on one side of the keyboard and your honking and shooting, and punching is on the other side.

Look at the hideous zombie. Oh wait. That's Steve Buscemi.

Sunday Game Of The Week - Sonny

Sonny is my pick for game of the week. This could very well be the game of the decade. Sonny is an interactive epic RPG. Hosted at Armor Games, the cool graphics and great characters helped make Sonny one of the classics. It is also one of the most popular web games in recent years. In Sonny, you get thrown into the battle immediately as a reanimated corpse, gaining allies, weapons and strength and move through this linear story line, all the while guided by some basic scripted dialogue.

The author, Jakrin Juanbanich, better known as Krin, has put out several other terrific games but Sonny is my favourite. The game takes you through turned based battles against humans and humanoids of ever increasing power. Sonny is popular, already over 7 million gameplays on Armor Games, so popular it garnered a sequel. Sonny II has had 14 million hits. I consider the original far superior to the sequel. It's not new, but if you haven't discovered it yet, it's time to play Sonny.