Wasting Away (2007)

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Director:

Matthew Kohnen

Writers:

Matthew Kohnen (writer)
Sean Kohnen (writer)

Release Date:

4 July 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

A new perspective on the zombie movie.

Plot:

Turning the zombie film on its head, "Wasting Away" is an oddball comedy from the perspective of the brain munching monsters themselves. |

Plot Keywords:

Zombie

Awards:

3 wins

Cast

Jose Acevedo	...	US Soldier
Christopher 'Critter' Antonucci	...	Zombie
Betsy Beutler	...	Cindy
Michael Cornacchia	...	Frumpy Guy
Matthew Davis	...	Mike
Colby French	...	Nick Steele
David Garcia	...	Soldier
Joseph Gatto	...	Cop
Allan Hagan	...	Cop
Kelly Hughes	...	Mrs. Laramie
Ronald Kohnen	...	Mr. Laramie
Bill Leaman	...	Check Point Soldier
Joel McCrary	...	Mark Kanan
Mandy McMillian	...	Reporter
Jon Monastero	...	Passenger
Jack Orend	...	Dr. Richter
Dominque Purdy	...	Dom
Richard Riehle	...	Colonel South
Julianna Robinson	...	Vanessa
Stephen Simon	...	Driver
Oren Skoog	...	Danny
Tony Snegoff	...	Biohazard soldier
McKay Stewart	...	Private
Will Stiles	...	Chad
Michael Terry	...	Tim
Tracey Walter	...	Mr. Whicks
Larry Weissman	...	Drunk Man

Runtime:

USA:90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Wasted Pictures

Screamfest Review

I had the pleasure of seeing 'Wasting Away' at the Screamfest 07 screening with a full house that obviously loved it. So much so that I found out recently it won the Audience Award. I was definitely a part of that, my ballot was marked Excellent before I left my seat. Simply put, this is a fantastic little film. It's a Zombie Genre movie that manages to do what no other Zombie film has done in a while... namely, put a new spin on the Genre. Face it, Horror fans, it's gone stale. Even Romero's 'Diary of the Dead' didn't break any new ground that the Master himself hasn't already broken. It just took Zombies to the 'Blair Witch Project' level. Cool, but still mostly same-old, same-old. Not this. It tells the Zombie story like I've never seen, with a fresh look. The whole movie is told through the eyes of the Zombies themselves, but as they see each other, not as the world sees them. Actually, it's a combination of the two, one in black and white (apeing off the classic Romero flicks) and the other in color. They see each other as normal, and the "normal humans" as fast-moving, fast-talking, violent-reacting maniacs who they think are 'infected' by some toxic Military accident. The rest of the movie plays out switching from color to B&W, and it works pretty well. If there is a downside to this film, it's that sometimes it takes itself too seriously. But when you look closer, it's pretty clear that they do it on purpose, and just when you wonder if they actually 'mean it', they hit you with another joke, and the show goes on. I loved it.