Excellent Beyond Words: Pontypool Rules the Screen

PONTYPOOL is by far one of the most excellent "zombie" films in the history of cinema. When one considers the fact that some who worked on the film did not consider it to be a "zombie" film, it serves to outline the reasons the film works so well. The "happenings" that occur in the small town of Pontypool can be seen in many different ways. Certainly, the strangeness of the movie make the situational horror manifest itself within the confines of several interpretations. The "bad" guys can be seen as zombies, insane, victims, etc. What makes the movie so incredible is the Oscar worthy acting by Stephen McHattie. McHattie's portrayal of Grant Mazzy is dizzying. His performance is by far one of the most outstanding and riveting in any genre. When this fact is coupled with one of the most intriguing plots in the history of film, the viewer gets a rare recipe for greatness. PONTYPOOL is a must see for zombie fans, horror fans, and serious film buffs. It was simply one of the most outstanding films I have seen in a very, very long time. Do not miss it!

The Road Not Taken

THE ROAD is a beautifully rendered, heart smelting experience. The acting is first rate, and the plot moves in an unrelenting manner. The simple things we take for granted are shown here to be something special. The dark and graying landscape of the film is beautiful in an almost "sick-at-heart" way. The setting is replete with the fear and hopelessness that post apocalyptic thrillers excel at.

Yet...

The whole film is a comment on the love between a son and his father. Despite the evil that surrounds them, the father tries his best to teach his son a better way. We see the goodness in the son's beliefs and attitude. We see an imperfect father that is trying to differentiate between the "good" guys and the "bad" guys. His son wants to help when he can, but the father's protective nature hinders this. We see the father make mistakes and his own son serves as a moral compass that leads his "papa" back to the right thing. In the end, trust becomes the highest achievement. The son seems to me to represent all that is good in the world and the father represents those of us that have become jaded by the trials of life. The absence of the divine seems clear in a world abandoned by all hope. Yet, the son embodies the divine spark assuring us that good has not been driven from the world. This is a story of starvation from a physical and spiritual standpoint. The focus on suicide and hopelessness is so powerfully rendered that it stays with the audience for long days after the curtain has closed. Some may see the negative existentialist worldview of Nietzsche or the survival of the fittest perspective of Darwin, but what truly shines about the film is its depiction humanity's reach for more. In the end, we see the values of goodness, love, and the sanctity of life. There is a reach for the spiritual and a desire to return to lawful society. While I felt some gray depression after the movie ended, it affirmed just how valuable each of us are. It made me examine my own pettiness and reaffirmed the values I hold dear. It is amazing that each of us needs a reset of our perspective from time to time. THE ROAD is ultimately successful in pointing us towards that which is truly important: The love, value and dignity that is given to us and the love, value and dignity that we must give to others if we are to truly comprehend what is means to be human.