2013 Summer Apocalypse Movie Trailers

The first one is the 2nd trailer for World War Z

The 2nd is for Seth Rogen's This is the End (just a head's up, NSFW)

Netflix Review: Exit Humanity (2011)

To say that Exit Humanity is a zombie movie set during the Civil War era seems misleading since the zombie factor is more of a background element of the movie and doesn't really take center-stage. The driving force of the film and what's really at the heart of the story is the main character's relationship with his family and how he copes with his grief from their loss.

It was more of the Civil War aspect that sold me on the film initially. Amidst the slew of zombie apocalypse movies I've viewed on Netflix, this has got to be one of the better ones but it's not without flaws. It wasn't great but it wasn't too unbearable to watch either.

This film exuded a big budget feel throughout with haunting shots although that bluish tint throughout became harder to look at after some time (or maybe it's just me). Its use of animated sequences (similar to the ones in Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows) to move the story forward works in this case. It wasn't overused and the quality of the actual animation was equally impressive. The division of the film by chapters as written by the main character in his journal, was also a clever way of breaking up the film into segments that displays Edward Young's (played by Mark Gibson) journey and transformation.

The performers played their parts well especially the lead character. Yes, this is despite one major complaint from me which is coming up in the next couple of lines. There were parts where it felt like Edward's crying and wailing would never stop. Picture the end of the film version of Stephen King's The Mist where Thomas Jane lets the most heart-breaking rip-whatever's-left-of-my-tormented-soul kind of wail, only it doesn't stop. Or it stops for a few segments then he continues where he last left off. Understandable of course, considering he had just lost his family, but still...how many times are they going to show him drop down to his knees and cry. After the first few times, it's pretty much understood that he is a grieving man. We got it.

I also had some worries with the narration in the beginning. I was concerned that it would be overdone and we'd be continuously told about the story rather than seeing it for our own eyes but thankfully the narration was used in moderation and only when it was warranted.

The soundtrack for the film wasn't bad either. It had that Appalachian twangy sound that lent itself to the period piece.

The zombies didn't seem like much of a threat really. The make-up was alright considering the Z-Horde weren't really the main focus of the movie. I think they were trying to do too much with this film, trying to address way too many things. It was like an attempt at horror (scare factor was not there to be honest), with social commentary infused, and a bit of love story thrown in for color.

There was one main source of distraction for me though and I just couldn't get past it which essentially brought down the level of authenticity of it being a period piece - the leather jacket. I'm no expert in Civil War era clothing but his leather jacket looked like he stole it from the Rocketeer's closet. Plus I think I saw a zipper on it.

Exit Humanity is not your typical non-stop action-packed gorefest. So if that's the kind of movie you're into, then let me save you some aggravation and just skip this one. This movie is more of a slow burn. If you're up for trying something different then you just might enjoy this drama set in a zombie-infested 19th century setting.

In a nutshell, this movie gets brownie points for the animated sequence, the soundtrack and the overall visual production.

It gets points deducted for the seemingly out-of-place Rocketeer jacket and the excessive dramatic wailing.

ApocalypseHub gives Exit Humanity (2011) 3 out of 5 stars.

Director: John Geddes

World War Z Movie First Official Trailer

Official Synopsis:
The story revolves around United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Pitt), who traverses the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments and threatening to decimate humanity itself.

Based on a novel by Max Brooks.

Release date: June 21, 2013

Here's the trailer:

Sound off below, let me know what you think.

Food Preservation in the Event of the Zombie Apocalypse

Note: This is a guest post by Empress of Drac

You just got home from work and turn on the news only to hear the impossible - the zombie apocalypse is upon us and everyone must be ready for the worse. Cities are in despair, and citizens are banding together in order to increase their chances of survival. There is a massive shortage of food as the days go by, and these groups of survivors are looking for anyone who has a steady supply of nourishment. You sit and wait, hoping to see a group of nomads you can join, because you have exactly what they need.

            Thanks to a change in the way you chose to purchase your groceries, you are sitting on a large supply of freeze dried food. Thanks to the research you did; you know that the best food storage is the easiest food storage. Buying freeze dried foods is a great idea to both save money and have a healthy supply of food that will last a long time in an emergency.

While the world reels from the spoiling of huge amounts of food, you and other like-minded individuals have freeze dried foods can last up to 20 years while sealed and for up to 18 months when opened. Once the power went out, you had nourishment that would sustain you for a long time without the need for electricity to prepare it. This made freeze dried better than any other food alternatives. 

You also know that it only takes a little bit of water to reconstitute the freeze dried foods, so it won’t put too much of a dent in the ration of water you have. The foods are also packaged in the prime of their nutritional value, so once they are ready to eat; you are still getting all the vitamins and minerals that the foods would offer if they were fresh. Stocking up on freeze dried foods instead of store bought gives you a much better option to save money and provide comfort in the event of an emergency. Now that the zombie apocalypse has hit, it’s a good thing you made the switch; you can trade access to your food supply for the safety from the roving bands of humans.

Freeze dried foods can provide a healthy, cheaper alternative to purchasing foods in the grocery store. They can also provide the needed currency to save your life in the event of the zombie apocalypse. Either way, freeze dried foods are a good investment.

     

 

Zombie Tarot (Unboxing & Review)

Product: Zombie Tarot: An Oracle of the Undead

Publisher: Quirk Books

First impressions:

Great packaging – very cool graphics, definitely an attention grabber. The quality of the actual box it comes in is also top-notch.

The cards:

78 cards - beautiful illustrations with a retro pulp feel to it. The cardstock is not too shabby either.  Like I mentioned in the vid, the cards would make great posters as well. (Hint, hint)

How to use it:

This is a no-brainer – the handy dandy instructional booklet tells you everything you need to know to start your tarot reading. It’s not bad looking either. Each card has its corresponding page in the booklet that tells you what the card represents and what it means.

Bottom line:

If you’re into all things zombie-related this is definitely a good addition to your collection. For everyone else, you’re going to want this sitting on your shelf for its eye candy factor.

Many thanks to Quirkbooks. Props to Paul Kepple for the creative design and Stacy Graham for the instructions.

Zombie Survival Map: Map of the Dead

All you zombie fanatics will dig this - Map of the Dead is a new site that uses the Google Maps API and color-coded keys to show you where you can get essential supplies in case the zombie apocalypse goes down.

Relax, it's all in the name of fun and entertainment folks - nobody really thinks a zombie outbreak will happen....Right?!

Cool, anyway...the map divides areas into danger and non-danger zones. (I'm basically SOL due to my location, practically everything around me is a danger zone).

It shows you where the gun stores are located as well as pharmacies, cemeteries, malls, outdoor stores, radio towers, among other things. Plus, it also allows you to print your map.

Go have a look for yourselves.

http://www.mapofthedead.com

Zombie Short Film: Too Late

I'm always on the lookout for zombie / apocalyptic feature films and short films so I just had to share this one to our readers.

Clever work, well done!

Zombie Apocalypse Scenario Used to Teach Social Work

Cool way to get undergrads interested in social work

"In times of catastrophes some people find their humanity, while others lose theirs. What will you and your group do?"

MSU (Michigan State University) School of Social Work is offering a course elective taught by Glenn Stutzky called Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse: Catastrophes & Human Behavior.

Don't let the subject title fool you - the course explores the human condition among other key concepts. According to the description, the class is designed to "examine major catastrophic events from the past, look to potential future events, and consider a concept for increasing our chances of survival."

It even incorporates a catastrophic simulation (Coronal Mass Ejection Incident has caused a Zombie pandemic) during the beginning and end of the course which includes assigning the students into survival groups. They, in turn, are posed with a challenge to come up with solutions to surviving and coping with the aftermath.

[Source: MSU School of Social Work]

The Walking Dead Returns with Nebraska; Walking Dead Video Game In Production

Season 2 Episode  8 of The Walking Dead entitled "Nebraska" picks up where it left off. I thought it was a solid return to a (at times) painfully slow first season.

My favorite scenes?
Rick finally stepping up as a leader and taking a stand (Excellent trigger finger action). I know he's the voice of reason, but I really wish he'd just give Shane a taste of some knuckle sammich. Oh wait, Maggie gets to do that (She's on my favorites list now). Daryl calling Lori Olive Oyl (she does nothing for the group but cause friction, plus her constant questioning of Rick's decision making capabilities really irks me.)

By the way, they're coming out with a game too.

An episodic video game to be released nine chapters with the first one currently planned for an early 2012 release for PS3, XBOX 360, and PC.

Watch PLAYING DEAD, a video series that takes you behind the scenes of the creation of the game.

Here's some screenshots to whet your appetite:

Zombies, Run! (App) - Working Out to the Tune of Zombie Apocalypse

We all can probably get into better shape these days, right?

You ask: What's my motivation?!

To which I answer: A race to survive the zombie apocalypse.

Yeah, you heard me. There's an app in development right now thanks to a successful Kickstarter funding.

It's called Zombies, Run! and in a nutshell, it's an interactive zombie story for runners.During your run you collect items (medicine, batteries, ammo) and at the end of your run you get o allocate these supplies then resume the adventure on your next run.

Storytelling, physical fitness, and zombies. What else do you need?
To be released for iPhone and Android in 2012

Check out their site http://www.zombiesrungame.com/

Preparedness & Survivalist in the mainstream (Zombies: A Living History)

Zombies, survival skills, post-apocalypse, preparedness? Yes please!

I watched Zombies: A Living History on the History channel this weekend. Overall, it was an informative 2-hour show covering everything from the origins and cultural differences of the zombie lore (Jiang Shi, Draugr, Revenant, Ghoul) down to zombie defense skills.

I write horror / post-apocalyptic stories and yes that includes zombies and various monsters so this is all very interesting to me. But no, I don't think that there's going to be an actual zombie apocalypse. The show did mention the zombie-like effect of Prions (the infectious agent that causes Mad Cow Disease).

What I enjoyed about the show is that it emphasizes survivalist skills and preparedness during a catastrophe setting.

It went over terms such as Bugging In vs. Bugging Out. Survivalists and preparedness as well as having an emergency kit were also mentioned. I would say this is the first time I'm actually hearing these words thrown around in mainstream media.

Max Brooks. author of World War Z, even mentioned that he has an emergency preparedness kit ready for action in case a natural disaster such as an earthquake occurred.

The show went over topics such as post-apocalyptic survival and the importance of having skills that will provide you, your family, and your neighbors with essential and very basic needs.

Overall highly recommended. 

Zombie tribute poster

Check out this detailed poster using names of 978 zombie movies, books, and games.

Go here for a larger image.

Biomega

 [This post written by contributing writer Chandra.]

My house is currently under a monsoon, so I’m curled up reading. Not under a blanket because the temperature continues to hover near 85F, but the thunder, lightening, and rain make for good reading. Especially when I have my new favorite manga about the end of the world - Biomega by Tsutomu Nihei.

Set in 3005 A.D., Biomega is the tale of humanity’s attempt to avoid contracting the ultra contagious and dangerous N5S. Should a person be unlucky enough to catch it, they get the pleasure of becoming a drone. Drones are basically traditional zombies in their shambling ways and desire for food, with humans being a particular favorite. But N5S doesn’t just turn people into movie monsters; it takes zombie to the next level by adding the terrifying ability of regenerating limbs and other physical aspects. This makes the drones of Biomega significantly more difficult to kill and simultaneously more deadly.

Of course, N5S was created by a corporation, Data Research Foundation (DRF), who wanted to control the planet. But it wasn’t created on earth; it was formulated on Mars. And it is a return trip to Mars that brings it to Earth. The ship from Mars never lands back on Earth, since all of the crew turned into drones. Nope, they made it close enough to get caught in the orbit, and one of the crew went outside of the ship. So the nameless Mars drone is orbiting Earth dropping spores of N5S onto the planet.

All of this information is simple back story, told in the books in conversations and flashbacks (typical manga style). The story of Biomega consists of the actions of Zoichi Kanoe, one of the operatives of the competing company, TOA Heavy Industry. Zoichi is searching for a girl, Eon Green, in order to rescue her before DRF finds her. He has a pretty nifty motorcycle that contains a computer link. The computer persona functions as a partner for Zoichi and makes him a better agent. Being a synthetic human doesn’t hurt him either. His super-human abilities make him a problem for DRF despite the ability of many of their agents to shape-shift.
The fighting ranges all over the cities and even makes it to the edges of Earth’s atmosphere. Fires, death, survival, and nuclear weapons all make it into book 1. Books 2 and 3 contain monsters more terrifying than drones and a mutation of N5S that infects more than people. Biomega manages to hit all of the fears surrounding the end of the world without making it unnecessarily dreary. Perhaps it is because Zoichi is completely focused on the mission. Or it could be the talking grizzly bear.

The series has an original Japanese release date from 2007, but 2010, marks the first time the series is being released in English books. The first 3 books are currently available from Viz Media, with the last books in the series to be published through early next year.
Biomega is a new series to me, and I picked it up in the bookstore because I liked the font for the title. The covers are interesting, with their mix of zombie art and character sketches. I was sold on the series in the first few pages and walked out with books 1 and 2. I found book 3 in a different bookstore a few days later. I’m glad I picked up all of the currently available books because I finished the first one in a few hours. I made an effort to have the second book take several days, but by the time I opened the third one, I had to know what happened.

The series is character driven with a decent amount of action scenes. Because the villains are essentially monsters, it can be difficult to track with the specific moments of the fight. But for being character driven, the series is surprisingly light on actual information about the characters. Tsutomu Nihei relies on the reader’s imagination and participation to make the story come together. But the author does not use the reader to write the story; Nihei uses the blank spaces all comic book style stories contain in one of the most effective ways I have ever come across. I had enough information to connect the immediate points in the story, but not so much as to ruin the twists. I think Nihei’s beautiful artwork makes the story so easy to connect with. The faces are expressive on the page, even in their blank looks. The mood comes through the lines even before the words include the grim information in the new twist in the story.

Each book stands on its own, but each part becomes much better with the other books. I am anxiously looking forward to the rest of the books to see how the whole story turns out. Because I’m from the U.S., I’m hoping for a happy ending. But I’ve also read enough manga, and watched enough anime, to know that my hopes will probably be dashed in the best possible way.

If you’re looking for a good series to curl up with and read as the weather changes, I definitely recommend Tsutomu Nihei’s Biomega. The end of the world never looked so terrifying and awesome.

Red Dead Zombies Sneak Peak Trailer & Art

Rockstar Games continues to tease genre fans with their latest trailer for their upcoming DLC (downloadable content) for the popular Red Dead Redemption game. Priced @ $9.99 there is no set release date yet.
This storyline follows John Marston as he tries to find a cure for a zombie plague that's spread across the frontier.


Some of the features for this release:
8 multiplayer zombie character, new events, mythical creatures, new weapons, new single player missions and challenges, zombie animals are unleashed, new game mechanics, new secret location




Screenshot:

Watch the amazing trailer for Red Dead Redemption: Undead (watch out for the zombie bear!)

 

Yakuza: Of the End - Japanese underworld meets giant monsters and zombies

Take the Japanese Mafia, some giant monsters, and oh yeah, add a bunch of zombies in the mix too, and what do you get?

The popular Sega series Yakuza jumps on the undead bandwagon with its forthcoming addition to the franchise - Yakuza: Of the End for Playstation 3.

Fun little fact for you trivia nerds. 
Chiyaki Kuriyama - she played GoGo in Kill Bill, will play the role of Misuzu Asagi in the game.

I've got a game trailer for you below as well as an extended game play trailer.


So feast your eyes.





Extended Game Play tailer:




And a screenshot:

Release date for this game is TBA.

Red Dead Redemption: Cowboys and Zombies

 
Red Dead Redemption with zombies. We can't imagine it, but it's coming and it sounds like fun.

Rockstar has offered up a bunch of new details about the zombie-infested Undead Nightmare DLC pack, due out in autumn.

"The Undead Nightmare Pack will feature an entirely new mostly single-player campaign that follows John Marston as he tries to find a cure for the highly infectious zombie plague that has spread across the frontier," explains Rockstar.

"In addition to this epic new single-player adventure, The Undead Nightmare Pack also features brand new gameplay mechanics, weapons, zombie animals, mythical creatures and even a brand new secret location."

The developer also promises "exciting new multiplayer modes", which probably involve zombies (a survival or versus mode, we predict), and more info "very soon".

The Undead Nightmare Pack will be released on PS3 and Xbox for $9.99/800 MS Points.

Before that though, Rockstar will be releasing the 'Liars and Cheats' pack on September 21. 

 

Humans Vs. Zombies Tag Game

Humans Vs. Zombies is a game in which a group of pre-registered players (humans) attempt to survive the growing zombie infestation on campus (posed by other players tagging the humans). The human players will be fending off the zombie players by launching foam Nerf darts at the zombie players. Humans will wear bright orange armbands on the upper arm, and zombies will wear orange bands on their foreheads.

There are very specific rules to the game so be sure to check out the official guide book for it.

All you need is a Nerfgun/socks, bandanna, index card.

Check out the rules of the game
Human Vs. Zombies site

Get your supplies:
        

Zombie Wasteland casting call for Haunted House.

SCARE for a CURE is an Austin-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that raises money for local charities, "one SCREAM at a time." Each year they produce Austin's only extreme, full contact, interactive haunted house adventure—guaranteed to chill you to the depths of your soul!

There's a casting call for it as well. They need lots of zombies.

Here's the low down from their site.

Sunday September 19th, 5pm
Galaxy Dance Studio, 1700 S. Lamar
 
SCARE 2010 Roles

    * Bus/Van Drivers, Loaders, Unloaders
    * Crazy Cart Driver (Tech)
    * Crazy Nick
    * Cult Leader
    * Cultists
    * Entry Officials (military officers)
    * Exit Helper
    * Guards (barricade, parking, outpost, facility, hallway)
    * Lab Assistant
    * Lab Scientists
    * Merchandisers
    * Nick's Daughter
    * Outpost Guards
    * Outpost Mayor
    * Reception Committee
    * Resistance Fighters
    * Resistance Helper
    * Scouts (Senior, Regular, Rookie)
    * Sgt. Rico (military officer)
    * Tower Guard (Tech)
    * Zombies
    * Zombie Earl






[Source: Scare for a Cure]

COLIN: zombie film made with a $70 budget

Got $70 and an army of volunteers? Cool, let's make a film.

It's exactly what British indie director Marc Price did with his film Colin in about 18 months and some guerrilla ingenuity. It's been described as a zombie film with a heart told through the eyes of a zombie. And it's received quite a bit of buzz.

It's being screened through select theaters in the US.

The official Synopsis:

Our hero Colin is bitten by a zombie; he dies and returns as one of the undead. We follow him as he wanders through suburbia during the throes of a cadaverous apocalypse. Through his encounters with objects, places and people, we learn who Colin was and more pertinently, what he has now become. Including a broad daylight zombie versus human street battle, an epic housebound siege and bags of gore. Colin is the must see Zombie phenomenon of the year.

 




Sidenote: I really want to see this film to review it. Almost want to drive to San Antonio, it's the closest theater to show it. Anyone know of any Austin screening? Either way, I love how it shows that you can pull anything off if you just go for it.

When Lego Zombies Attack!!!

Lego fans and Zombie fans alike - if you like either or both, prepare for nerdvana.
So I was digging around and looking for interesting things to post here and I stumbled across these nifty little stop motion films.

This one is by a couple of guys named Tom and Joe.



All of the Dead - black and white