Fido

[Kurosawa Fan]

Holy crap. A friend and I sat down after pizza and beer and watched this last night. I figured I'd like it, but not as much as I did. It was hysterical. Everything from the children's "outdoor time" and the Lassie spoof to the final showdown with the two bullies had me laughing until there were tears in my eyes. Especially the bullies. After it was over we went back and watched that scene three more times. Start to finish that's one of the funniest 10 minute stretches of film I think I've ever seen.

The moment that Fido grabs the fat bully by his waistband and hurls him into the bushes I totally lost it. Watching that kid sail into the brush, only to have Carrie-Anne Moss unload about 12 shots from a 6-shot gun into his head, I was literally having a hard time breathing the first time through. And the way Tim Blake Nelson got Timmy into the back room of Zomcon. Wow.

I implore people to check this out. I can't remember having more fun watching a movie. I don't want to talk it up too much here, because there are funnier films out there, but Fido was such a fun viewing I just had to gush about it. I think "fun" is the perfect word for it. Even when I wasn't doubled over, the film was a lot of fun from start to finish.

[balmakboor]

It's refreshing to read something so favorable about it (other than in Fangoria). This looks like something I'll really enjoy.

[Kurosawa Fan]

I can't believe I forgot to mention Carrie-Ann Moss. She was fantastic. I read meg and Spinal (I think it was them) mentioning that she should have been nominated in our Match Cut Awards, and I figured they were overemphasizing her performance, but they weren't. I wish I had seen the film before the deadline to nominate, because I most certainly would have put her on my ballot. She could have played the role with a "winking at the audience" style, but instead she plays it straight and sincere, and considering the premise and the things she's asked to do in the film that's an impressive accomplishment.

[Kurosawa Fan]

It's refreshing to read something so favorable about it (other than in Fangoria). This looks like something I'll really enjoy.

It was such an entertaining send up of the "Leave it to Beaver" universe, and such a demented way to take it on. I can't use the word "fun" enough when talking about this film.

[Russ]

I was curious before, but now it's a definite rental. Thanks, KF.

[chrisnu]

:cool: Good little film. A lot of fun, as you mentioned. Not only was Moss excellent, Dylan Baker was also very good. I imagine we're going to be seeing K'Sun Ray in many more things soon.

[Thirdmango]

I saw it at sundance, and I was quite a bit underwhelmed by the whole thing. I loved the production. The colors were awesome. But the story didn't really impress me. The short film we saw before hand I liked better.

[megladon8]

It's refreshing to read something so favorable about it (other than in Fangoria). This looks like something I'll really enjoy.


I've been praising it for a year :)

So glad you loved it KF. It's a great, refreshing zombie comedy that doesn't rely on gore.

I love that it's basically Lassie with a zombie.

[Lasse]

I really liked it. That scene KF mentioned was fantastic. I watched it several time, and laughed hard every time. :lol:

[Sycophant]

I forget... does anyone else here besides me and teh mango not like this movie?

[balmakboor]

I saw this last night and loved it. I agree that the story isn't much and mostly consists of riffs on cliches about the 50s and from "boy and his dog" type stories. But it is every bit as well-crafted of an evocation of the period as Far From Heaven and it's also something I didn't expect. It has a tenderness and sensitivity and a sense of characters desperately reaching out emotionally. Fido, the character, is quite a zombie creation. He's similar to Bub only now he's connecting to his human past and interacting with the undead in a way that is positive and complex and I think more resonant.

Unlike some, I didn't find Fido to be laugh out loud funny. It did have me smiling the whole time and it got me to chuckle about once every two minutes. As someone else mentioned, what I admired the most is how everyone is playing their parts so straight. I hate it when films wink at me. It is like the film is embarrassed to be what it is and wants to keep reminding me that it is smarter than its characters. In Fido, we get a universe where people and zombies co-exist in 50s America as if it is the most natural thing in the world. It is a terrific premise. No reason to be ashamed about it.

[MadMan]

I should finally get off my duff and go out and rent this movie. TCM has made me lazy.

[Biff Justice]

After first turning off the film, I was annoyed that forced the plot was forced by having characters perform actions that seemed very out of character.

The first time Fido saves Timmy from the bullies and the next door neighbor covering up for Fido's "indiscrepancy" in particular came to mind.

But, after it had a little time to set in, I found I really didn't care that much and the charm, humor, and themes of the movie just won me over. Heck, I went so far as to come up with legitimate excuses for the forced plot and decided some scenes just had to be left on the cutting room floor.

The scene KF mentions is definitely the best in the movie, though I found different parts to be the ones I was laughing at, admittedly the ones shown in the trailer, but in context, they were just sooooo damn funny.

And, yeah, Moss was great, the best part of the film probably, but seriously, don't overlook Connolly. He never had a single line, had to be a zombie, and had to carry the emotional themes of the film. That's no small task.

[Qrazy]

The first time Fido saves Timmy from the bullies and the next door neighbor covering up for Fido's "indiscrepancy" in particular came to mind.

I didn't find either of those particularly out of character.

[Dead & Messed Up]

I didn't care for it so much. I liked the spirit of the picture, and its accurate reflection of fake 50's nostalgia, but it moved too slow for my taste, and I was hoping the film would buck the expectation of

Dylan Baker dying.

It's not a bad flick, but I would struggle to call it worthwhile.

[Qrazy]

I didn't care for it so much. I liked the spirit of the picture, and its accurate reflection of fake 50's nostalgia, but it moved too slow for my taste, and I was hoping the film would buck the expectation of

Dylan Baker dying.

It's not a bad flick, but I would struggle to call it worthwhile.

Yeah, the pacing is rather poor. Still I enjoyed myself and chuckled a fair bit. It scores it's biggest points on concept alone. The execution was adequate.