All American Zombie Drugs is a bit deceptive. Firstly, zombies are a secondary to the plot. It is a small budget film that has high budget story and performances. Shot over a ten day period it tells the story of a couple stoners that decide to make their own drugs and their adventures. It involves gangsters, geeks and zombies. It also has a classic death scene that still has me chuckling. I hate spoilers so that is as far as I am going into the plot. Do I recommend this movie? Hell yes! Bring your sense of humor, sit back and enjoy this thoughtful, zany and masterful bit of storytelling. Watch out for the cast as well. Beau Nelson, Wolfgang J Weber and Alex Ballar are all incredibly talented professionals and artists. They impressed the daylights out of me.
9 Reviews
Gipetto would be proud!
billiamshea13 December 2011
Warning: Spoilers
I viewed All American Zombie Drugs on December 10th and again on the 11th of 2011 at Angelika Film Center in Dallas. The event was teamed up with Twisted Central (http://twistedcentral.com) to benefit Operation Kindness (http://operationkindness.org). There was a red carpet event with actor/producers Alex Ballar and Beau Nelson as well as actor Wolfgang Weber and photographers including me, William Shea (http://everprint.biz).
The movie itself was a reverse Pinocchio story complete with a conscience that no one else could see or hear. When the tale begins we find our Pinocchio, Vinny (Wolfgang Weber), wasting his life away following the whims of a narcoleptic drug addict, Sebastian (Beau Nelson), with active hallucinations of sexual intercourse.
Throughout the course of the movie Vinny fears losing his "real boy" status and turning into a zombie complete with some very rousing interactions with some drug addicts turned zombies attempting to feast on his flesh after he and his "friends" create some homemade drugs to sell. In the end Vinny realizes that his conscience, his deceased brother Michael (Alex Ballar), is right and that he should kick the habit and drives off into the sunset with his romantic interest headed to rehab.
Overall this was a very funny film. The acting of Natalie Irby, love interest of Vinny, left something to be desired and was the only real downside of the movie. I recommend this movie to fans of Kevin Smiths earlier work.
The movie itself was a reverse Pinocchio story complete with a conscience that no one else could see or hear. When the tale begins we find our Pinocchio, Vinny (Wolfgang Weber), wasting his life away following the whims of a narcoleptic drug addict, Sebastian (Beau Nelson), with active hallucinations of sexual intercourse.
Throughout the course of the movie Vinny fears losing his "real boy" status and turning into a zombie complete with some very rousing interactions with some drug addicts turned zombies attempting to feast on his flesh after he and his "friends" create some homemade drugs to sell. In the end Vinny realizes that his conscience, his deceased brother Michael (Alex Ballar), is right and that he should kick the habit and drives off into the sunset with his romantic interest headed to rehab.
Overall this was a very funny film. The acting of Natalie Irby, love interest of Vinny, left something to be desired and was the only real downside of the movie. I recommend this movie to fans of Kevin Smiths earlier work.
A couple of guys with few options decide to make drugs for fun and profit. Unexpected consequences.
snowbot91114 September 2011
Really unexpected film. So fresh and hard to categorize. Entertaining, thought provoking, and ultimately has a comment on the human, living and undead, condition we might all find ourselves in. The characters are completely fleshed out and are so different from each other. This is hard to do folks - requires some real writing! The acting is subtle and compelling. The 4 leads bring a real STAR quality that is so rare in small films. The plot is contagious. One of my favorite sequences is when the now drug sellers only have to stand and wait for the customers who come running. I'm a big fan of Horror and the Zombie scenes are a lot of fun to watch. I would highly recommend "Zombie Drugs!"
Do not be fooled by the title, this film is more fun than you would expect
james_depaolo9 December 2012
All American Zombie Drugs on the surface may sound like yet another one of those low budget zombie comedies, which at times it is, but this film with its odd little charm and very interesting characters and dialogue will win you over by the end of the film. This film centers around two slackers who are the kids that you knew in school would never really amount to anything, and that being Vinny and Sebastian who after a chance meeting with a kid they bullied in school named Barry, decide that they should get into the drug business. Well, as you can guess things do not go as planned and our hapless duo who with the help of Sebastian's insane girlfriend and her best friend seem to encounter geeks, gangsters and zombies.
This film starts off oddly enough, with some very odd humor that I am not sure whether I should have laughed or been scared to keep going with the film. To see a guy who claims he suffers from narcolepsy dry humping on anything was an odd way of introducing us to a character who we would want to invest in. The humor was hit and miss, the hit stuff was not really laugh out loud funny but maybe oddly amusing. The miss stuff was not as bad as it could have been, it was not irritating or boring, it was a comedian who you think can make a joke that will catch your attention trying to warm up with not so funny material. When the drug addicts turn to zombies is when this film really showcases what it can do, and that was the part I would recommend to anyone to give this film a shot. Alex Ballar who directed this film, also has a bit role as the deceased brother and conscience of one of the characters who is trying to make them stop using drugs and maybe growing up.
This film for the most part is really a fun ride. It has a few bumps here and there, but overall I really like this film. The title though is a bit deceptive because this film is not what you will expect if you think this is going to be Zombieland or even Mourning Wood. This film has so much charm and personality, that you can overlook the negatives because by the end of the film you know you are going to be very entertained. This film almost guarantees that Alex Ballar's best days are coming. This film is comedy, zombies and lots of fun. You are really going to be entertained by this film, and I really hope we see more from Alex soon.
This film starts off oddly enough, with some very odd humor that I am not sure whether I should have laughed or been scared to keep going with the film. To see a guy who claims he suffers from narcolepsy dry humping on anything was an odd way of introducing us to a character who we would want to invest in. The humor was hit and miss, the hit stuff was not really laugh out loud funny but maybe oddly amusing. The miss stuff was not as bad as it could have been, it was not irritating or boring, it was a comedian who you think can make a joke that will catch your attention trying to warm up with not so funny material. When the drug addicts turn to zombies is when this film really showcases what it can do, and that was the part I would recommend to anyone to give this film a shot. Alex Ballar who directed this film, also has a bit role as the deceased brother and conscience of one of the characters who is trying to make them stop using drugs and maybe growing up.
This film for the most part is really a fun ride. It has a few bumps here and there, but overall I really like this film. The title though is a bit deceptive because this film is not what you will expect if you think this is going to be Zombieland or even Mourning Wood. This film has so much charm and personality, that you can overlook the negatives because by the end of the film you know you are going to be very entertained. This film almost guarantees that Alex Ballar's best days are coming. This film is comedy, zombies and lots of fun. You are really going to be entertained by this film, and I really hope we see more from Alex soon.
...For A Drug- Laced Zombie Flick,Yep !
guestar5720 June 2013
Stars : Brian Smith,Jeremie Loncka & Beau Nelson.allamericanzombiedrugs A Alex Ballar flick.
You know for a drug comedy – laced with zombies,This flick rocks.
Beau Nelson is probably a responsible filmmaker and all around nice guy,But in this flick is sick-ass crazy. Want to see the lead actress, Natalie Irby, In more films,She has a Emma Stone vibe that is very pleasing on this budgeted flick. So,We have a drug – based comedy,Which shows two losers and the women who have invested in their nonsense of a wasted life to get high and maybe make a buck. Their is a conscience to the film,Played by Alex Ballar himself, Who is the drug – induced victim older brother ghost,Well played and thoughtful interjection.
You know for a drug comedy – laced with zombies,This flick rocks.
Beau Nelson is probably a responsible filmmaker and all around nice guy,But in this flick is sick-ass crazy. Want to see the lead actress, Natalie Irby, In more films,She has a Emma Stone vibe that is very pleasing on this budgeted flick. So,We have a drug – based comedy,Which shows two losers and the women who have invested in their nonsense of a wasted life to get high and maybe make a buck. Their is a conscience to the film,Played by Alex Ballar himself, Who is the drug – induced victim older brother ghost,Well played and thoughtful interjection.
Very Funny Film
craig-37527 June 2011
A very fun film to watch, with excellent acting, and a very different story line than usual. It was fascinating, funny, and unusual, with very bazaar characters. Mixed in with very odd choices, making for a wonderful new film. I really enjoyed this film!! It was a film that kept me wanting to see more. I was originally supposed to be in this film, but was working on another project at the time, so I had to back out. I feel this film will do very well at festivals and should get distribution. Alex Ballar did a very good job directing and acting in this film. He appears to have a very bright future!!! And his choice of actors was excellent. A very different type of comedy, with also a message.
Don't miss this one, funny and thought provoking !!
theaboo200310 November 2011
The story of two stoner's looking for a change in life and the affect that has on others.They take you along a path you don't want to get off.Along the way the writer used a comedic style that not only will have you laughing but wondering of life's possibilities.Overall the production value satisfies all the senses.Keep up the good work!!Having watch a lot of movies that made the grade and or fell short this is one that hits the mark.So if your looking for a fun movie that keeps your attention I can say without hesitation this is a must see.Whether your a stoner a parent or young adult all can benifit from the lesson's revealed.
If Cheech and Chong had made a horror movie, this would have been it.
bam41112 May 2014
Warning: Spoilers
If Cheech and Chong had made a horror movie, this would have been it. AAZD is a great film to have a film watching party for in your home. Even though the zombies don't show up till half way into the story, this is social commentary comparable to George Romero's Night Of The Living Dead. It is great entertainment and yet when it is over, you want to go down to the local coffee shop and dissect it. While funny and thought provoking, AAZD is a true horror movie in the sense that it focuses its lens on us, like Joseph Conrad did in Heart of Darkness.
The acting is quite good and the writing is very good. The production values hold together well and it looks professionally made in an film festival independent way. There is a lot of drug use in the film, some sex scenes that work well and don't feel gratuitous and terrific makeup work for the modern-day drug addled zombies. It is a Hard-R,so you might not want to have your 10-year-old watching it. Thriller this is not. These are the zombies of post-financial-crises Middle America. It has a lot to say about capitalist values and there is a lot of subtext about the horrors of being a working class hero. AAZD is a horror film that will stay with you long after the movie ends. A water-cooler classic. See it....if you dare.
The acting is quite good and the writing is very good. The production values hold together well and it looks professionally made in an film festival independent way. There is a lot of drug use in the film, some sex scenes that work well and don't feel gratuitous and terrific makeup work for the modern-day drug addled zombies. It is a Hard-R,so you might not want to have your 10-year-old watching it. Thriller this is not. These are the zombies of post-financial-crises Middle America. It has a lot to say about capitalist values and there is a lot of subtext about the horrors of being a working class hero. AAZD is a horror film that will stay with you long after the movie ends. A water-cooler classic. See it....if you dare.
A sweet surprise!
terriwilsoninfo15 April 2016
Warning: Spoilers
"All American Zombie Drugs," written and directed by Alex Ballar, falls into the category of social commentary comedy, and I say that so that you don't go into it thinking that you're going to see a horror comedy along the lines of "Shaun of the Dead." While there are several jump-scares and plenty of nods to the genre both in plot and effects, the heart of this story lies in the comedy it mines from the funny that life creates all on its own.
Best friends Vinny and Sebastion (played by Wolfgang Weber and Beau Nelson, respectively) are a couple of burnouts who live their lives in a drug-induced haze. Though laying around an apartment, taking hits off the communal bong, and occasionally wandering outside in search of some chili cheese fries seems like a pretty easy life to say the least, the pair are not without their personal issues. Vinny is plagued by visions of his brother Michael (played by Alex Ballar) who died from a drug overdose and tries to get Vinny to give up drugs and avoid the path that he himself took. Sebastion is a narcoleptic who humps anything and anyone in his sleep, thinking that he is having sex with various women. Unfortunately, none of the women that he dreams about dry-humping (sleep-humping?) are his girlfriend Kara (played by Susan Graham), so she is angry and hurt by his (sort-of) infidelity. Add to this a general lack of cash-flow, and soon access to weed, munchies, and a roof over their heads appears to be coming to an abrupt end.
What to do? Give up drugs and get a job? Oh hell, no! Vinny and Sebastion devise a plan to run their own business: drug dealers! All they have to do is create a new drug that gives a user the perfect high, and they will be rolling in the dough. But first, they need an investor to help them buy the necessary materials. Enter Kara's friend, goth-chick Melissa (played by Natalie Irby) who lives in her rich parents' house with access to their money and a more than passing interest in Vinny. Soon enough, the foursome has invented a potent drug that becomes all the local rage. But as time goes on, the side effects get stranger and stranger.
"All American Zombie Drugs" has a lot going for it. A tight ensemble cast at its core brings believability to their characters. While we can laugh at their antics and the situations that they get themselves into, not a single one of the main four characters ever devolves into a cartoon character. This isn't Cheech and Chong. It's smart comedy with realistic performances. Also aiding in that believability is Ballar's subtle writing and evenhanded directing. At no point do you feel like someone is bashing you over the head with an after-school special. Add to the mix a plethora of quirky side characters, from mobsters to high school nerds to college frat boys, and you've got a funny and entertaining 99 minutes.
Best friends Vinny and Sebastion (played by Wolfgang Weber and Beau Nelson, respectively) are a couple of burnouts who live their lives in a drug-induced haze. Though laying around an apartment, taking hits off the communal bong, and occasionally wandering outside in search of some chili cheese fries seems like a pretty easy life to say the least, the pair are not without their personal issues. Vinny is plagued by visions of his brother Michael (played by Alex Ballar) who died from a drug overdose and tries to get Vinny to give up drugs and avoid the path that he himself took. Sebastion is a narcoleptic who humps anything and anyone in his sleep, thinking that he is having sex with various women. Unfortunately, none of the women that he dreams about dry-humping (sleep-humping?) are his girlfriend Kara (played by Susan Graham), so she is angry and hurt by his (sort-of) infidelity. Add to this a general lack of cash-flow, and soon access to weed, munchies, and a roof over their heads appears to be coming to an abrupt end.
What to do? Give up drugs and get a job? Oh hell, no! Vinny and Sebastion devise a plan to run their own business: drug dealers! All they have to do is create a new drug that gives a user the perfect high, and they will be rolling in the dough. But first, they need an investor to help them buy the necessary materials. Enter Kara's friend, goth-chick Melissa (played by Natalie Irby) who lives in her rich parents' house with access to their money and a more than passing interest in Vinny. Soon enough, the foursome has invented a potent drug that becomes all the local rage. But as time goes on, the side effects get stranger and stranger.
"All American Zombie Drugs" has a lot going for it. A tight ensemble cast at its core brings believability to their characters. While we can laugh at their antics and the situations that they get themselves into, not a single one of the main four characters ever devolves into a cartoon character. This isn't Cheech and Chong. It's smart comedy with realistic performances. Also aiding in that believability is Ballar's subtle writing and evenhanded directing. At no point do you feel like someone is bashing you over the head with an after-school special. Add to the mix a plethora of quirky side characters, from mobsters to high school nerds to college frat boys, and you've got a funny and entertaining 99 minutes.
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