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08/21/2004: Shaun of the Dead. And Mini-Bars.

After work on Tuesday, I went to a screening on behalf of Box Office Magazine to see Shaun of the Dead, an amazingly kickass zombie movie that I couldn’t possibly recommend more. Some of you hopped on my head when I said I liked the Dawn of the Dead remake, but I don’t mind telling you that the Shauny version is 100x better and one of the best films I’ve seen in a long while. A Brit comedy that stays true to the genre written by a guy who loves Romero’s zombie trilogy to death, Shaun of the Dead is hilarious, engaging and gratuitous enough with the gore without ever having to depend on it. Trust me on this one, it’s a winner.

Anyway, as this is obviously a workweek and I was faced with getting home real late after the screening only have to sleep for an hour before repeating the commute, we decided to splurge and stay in a hotel – a very overpriced one called the Sofitel, where the lobby is decorated with a hundred kinds of plant stems and everyone who works there either speaks French or tries desperately to fake the accent. And the room service burgers come with French fries, and cost a French 19 bucks each. Still, blowing way too much cash for what amounted to a three-hour stay was worth it. The next morning, instead of the bus ride from Hell into work, I just walked a block over and that was it. If only my job paid enough to stay in four-star French hotels nightly, then we’d be onto something.

Inside our room was a mini-bar, probably my favorite thing in the entire world. It’s not one of the ultra swank automatic ones, but this one’s more eerily reminiscent of that little ditty Kevin stole M&M-encrusted cookies from in Home Alone 2. Everything you see costs seven times the normal retail price. Somehow soda isn’t as refreshing when you can’t afford anything else because of it.


Posted by Matt. E-mail me!

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Discussion Thread: 47 comments

No comments, never seen that before!! Anywho, I think you deserve to pamper yourself every now and then for all of your hard work. You have to do that sort of thing from time to time.

I love going to AC and seeing how a pizza is $25 from room service.

Ghosted by Y2JB78 @ 08/21/2004 12:57 PM EDT

Sorry, got a little impatient there.

Anyway, what’s the most expensive dinner you ever had? The stupider the better. Mine, I got lobster tails for $40, which isn’t that bad. But I saw on the Food Network a gourmet burger that was like $85.

Ghosted by Y2JB78 @ 08/21/2004 12:59 PM EDT

well, i saw the magical "no comments" sign! but i wasn’t fast enough.

*sigh* i’ve always wanted to use a minibar, but i haven’t had the guts to pay a lincoln for a coke.

i haven’t had any incredibly expensive dinners.. if the price is frightening, i’ll find a way to sneak out of the restaurant.

Ghosted by chrispy @ 08/21/2004 1:01 PM EDT

Shaun of the dead kicked ass, I saw it aaaagggggeeeeessss ago. Some of the best zombies in cinematic history. That bit where they’re escaping from the burning pub ? Priceless.

Ghosted by Pablo @ 08/21/2004 2:08 PM EDT

Minibar’s represent the ultimate battle between temptation and willpower. You know that shit is too fucking expensive unless your name is Bill Fucking Gates, and that you could buy the same shit in an Indian gas station for only 20% the price. You know. You know. But the beer is so cold and the candy looks so good. So you try watching TV, but guess what goes with that? Yup. So you read a magazine…the hotel one with the subliminal messages pointing towards the minibar. Shit! Even the bottled water for $15 starts to sound like a good idea. Can you hold out til tomorrow? Maybe you should just go to sleep and wake up in the morning and leave. But the only thing that will make you pass out is the vodka…..in the minibar. Right-o. Temptation….Struggle….Intrigue…Mystery……..

THE MINIBAR!!!

Ghosted by kidneyboy @ 08/21/2004 2:10 PM EDT

Why are there FamousAmos Cookies and Pringles in the fridge?

Ghosted by Gunsmoke @ 08/21/2004 2:21 PM EDT

You should have took Super-Articulated Spidey with you and did a Photo Essay about the joint. He could take us on a tour around the room. Then, he could give the bill the ol’ double-bird.

Ghosted by kingklash @ 08/21/2004 3:18 PM EDT

Mmmmmmmmmmmmm……….mini Grey Goose(drools) God, I can only imagine how much they charge for that shit….
1 can of pringles- 20 dollars
burger and fries- 19 dollars
mini grey goose- 5 million dollars
material for X-E blog thread….

Priceless

Ghosted by phunqsauce @ 08/21/2004 3:18 PM EDT

I missed the free screening of Shaun of the Dead when it was here in Kansas. Damn.
And so far the remake of Dawn of the Dead is my favorite movie of the year. Which is impressive considering that I’ve seen about forty movies in theaters this year.
And you are my idol.
That is all.

Ghosted by MysteryGuyCalvin @ 08/21/2004 3:23 PM EDT

I saw this in London when it first came out, and said out loud "This should be in America by October/Halloween." And thus another one of my prophocies comes to pass. Everyone should try to see this writing team’s first venture, "Spaced." Same actors, different setup BORDER LINE SEINFELD. What? I curse you back!!!

Ghosted by The Unstoppable @ 08/21/2004 3:30 PM EDT

Here you are then lazybones.

http://imdb.com/title/tt0187664/

Ghosted by The Unstoppable @ 08/21/2004 3:35 PM EDT

I’d rather save the money and stay at Motel 6. They leave the light on for me. Seriously, they tell me all the time.

Ghosted by Mr King @ 08/21/2004 3:45 PM EDT

Its already been said but Spaced is wikid. It was on awhile ago, over here in England ,so i would think you could get it on dvd, if you cant then you could live on the wild side and pretend you have seen it. They even have an Evil Dead 2 poster in thier living room.

Ghosted by Yeah @ 08/21/2004 3:57 PM EDT

"On behalf of Box Office Magazine?"

Matt, are you writing reviews for them now?

Ghosted by Todd Leroy Cummings @ 08/21/2004 4:09 PM EDT

Hmmmm…. Shaun of the Dead?

Never seen it.

Ghosted by Barry J. Deeper @ 08/21/2004 5:10 PM EDT

I saw this about a month ago, great movie, let me say that again, GREAT Movie, not just for a zombie movie either, I love the way they make the characters *seem* like zombies because they have just woke up and what not, also how at the begining he’s walking past actual zombies and he doesn’t notice trhem for various reasons.. Classic!

Ghosted by Cyanyde @ 08/21/2004 5:24 PM EDT

Is it on DVD or just in the theaters?

Ghosted by SuperStar @ 08/21/2004 6:56 PM EDT

I never stayed in a place nice enough to have a minibar, but I heard those things are insanely expensive. D0 they really charge five to seven dollars for a can of Coke?

Ghosted by Destro @ 08/21/2004 8:50 PM EDT

I have nothing to say about Shaun of the Dead, but look like that hotel have varity of different beer in that fridge.

Ghosted by Beta-Theta @ 08/21/2004 10:19 PM EDT

Where exactly did you see zombie movie since you stated that the people at the hotel speak French.

Ghosted by Beta-Theta @ 08/21/2004 10:21 PM EDT

Shaun of the Dead is a great flick, watch it with your friends when it comes out! It has the most exciting use of a cricket bat I’ve ever seen in a movie.

Plus, I belive two actors from Shaun are going to be in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the galaxy movie, WHOOHOO!!

Ghosted by POOP @ 08/21/2004 10:57 PM EDT

Matt-
I was wondering if you had seen "Psycho’s in Love"? I just got a copy, and it seemed like something you would like.

http://www.gormanbechard.com/films/psychos.htm

Psychos in Love (1987)

A strip-joint owner and a manicurist find that they have many things in
common, the foremost being that they are psychotic serial killers. They
fall in love and are happy being the family that slays together, until
one day they come up against a plumber who also happens to be a
cannibal.

Ghosted by TheFuzzyHulk @ 08/22/2004 2:15 AM EDT

Man, that beer can sure is shaped funny.

Ghosted by dfhggh @ 08/22/2004 8:19 AM EDT

Todd — yes, I’ll be reviewing it for the mag, probably the next issue.

Ghosted by Matt @ 08/22/2004 8:20 AM EDT

You mean that Heineken beer can?

Ghosted by Swift @ 08/22/2004 8:30 AM EDT

Mag? What mag?

Spaced is well worth ordering in on DVD. I did a Spaced marathon last week – both series in one sitting – and it leaves your brain frazzeled, but in a good way!

It’s absolutely crammed with pop culture references and is the ultimate fanboy, star wars geek, waster sitcom.

An example: The main character Tim(the fella from Shaun of the Dead) gets fired from his job at a comic store because he refuses to serve kids anything to do with the Phantom Meanace and makes the kids cry when they ask.

Totally original and totally gold. Stop reading this and start ordering from Amazon.

Ghosted by Cliche-Man @ 08/22/2004 8:51 AM EDT

Gunsmoke – Never mind the Pringles. Why do some hotels put playing cards in the mini bar? Answer that.

I remember vacationing in Cleveland 8 years ago when I was 15 with my dad and his girlfriend (soon to be stepmother), and they left me alone in the room at one point. I took this oppurtunity to sneak a $5.00 Mars bar from the mini bar, and then flush the wrapper down the toilet so there would be no evidence lying in the trash can. Pretty slick, I thought, until they got back and immediately noticed the missing plastic tie that locked the minibar door in place. A quick check of the menu revealed a Mars bar was missing, and I was busted. Well, who can resist the temptation, especially when your not paying for anything! ;)

Ghosted by A-wel Cruiz @ 08/22/2004 10:38 AM EDT

I’ve been pretty lazy this year. Haven’t seen a single Zombie movie yet.

Ghosted by Mr. Mr. Mr. @ 08/22/2004 10:53 AM EDT

Just watched it again last night, Yeah mentioned the Evil Dead 2 poster in Spaced, this one had a reference to Ash, when Shaun is at work just before "the shit goes down" he mentions that Ash is off sick today so he’ll be in charge. I guess the writers are Evil Dead fans.. Not to mention his job is alot like Ash’s in the Evil Dead movies.. god I hate retail!

"Shop Smart, Shop S-Mart" :D

Ghosted by Cyanyde @ 08/22/2004 12:31 PM EDT

A-wel, did you catch the links I put in the Mr. Peanut thread for Totally Obsessed? I was thinking maybe you could turn your love of posting the idea of Matt reviewing that certain alien movie into a segment. Of course this would take a good sense of humor on your part, which I believe you have, or get someone you know to play you. It could be done tongue-in-cheek on the audition video with you sitting at your computer verbally pumping yourself up to try a new clever way of posting the idea again. If there was an interview, you could say that it is not about the movie, but how posting the idea is now the sole purpose for your internet alter ego. If you were willing to try this, I would hope Matt would delete this and your response message in order for the joke to work.

Ghosted by ME @ 08/22/2004 12:32 PM EDT

Matt -
Have you seen the 30" Spider-Man at Toys ‘R’ Us? Only seems to have about 9 points of articulation though.

Ghosted by Joe in OH @ 08/22/2004 1:25 PM EDT

One of the sites I have bookmarked is The First Church Of Pac-Man, and the guy who runs it is going to have a mention on Totally Obsessed. If "Shoebox" can be on TV, then Matt can too.

Ghosted by kingklash @ 08/22/2004 2:34 PM EDT

GI Joe McDonald’s Happy Meal coming this September:

http://www.figures.com/databases/action.cgi?setup_file=fignews2.setup&category=actionfigures&topic=6&show_article=1325

Also earlier this month they had Beanie Baby bears themed after different McDonald’s icons like Grimace, Hamburglar, etc. in celebration of the Happy Meal’s 25th anniversary.

Ghosted by Luap @ 08/22/2004 3:09 PM EDT

Luap, right now they have hot wheels and Polly Pocket, and after I beleive GI Joe and Hello Kitty Happy Meal. Knowing Matt he most probable get a Happy Meal (first accidently getting a Hello Kitty toy) and review the G.I. Joe.

Ghosted by Beta-Theta @ 08/22/2004 3:19 PM EDT

Also, as kingklash mention the First Church of Pac-Man, my brother told me a couple week there was church influence by Spongebob Square.

Ghosted by Beta-Theta @ 08/22/2004 3:22 PM EDT

Djibouti (pronounced: ja-booty) is the coolest capital city ever. The people of Burkina Faso must shakin their Djiboutis in the streets. Wow, I’m really not funny at all I wonder why I even try sometimes. As you can tell its another lazy Sunday which inspires sillly randomness. I think I am going to bring up a question everyone ignored completely before. What video game(or any toy for that matter) did you have the most trouble obtaining? Super Mario 3 was by FAR the hardest thing for me to get my hands on. It took about 2 months of phone calls to find it back when it first came out. You could read the whole story of my struggle in the tamagotchi mobile blog thread although i doubt anyone will…

Ghosted by phunqsauce @ 08/22/2004 3:32 PM EDT

Room service on a cruise is all inclcusive, just give the guy a 1-2 dollar tip and you can have what ever you want :)

Ghosted by heeloyd @ 08/22/2004 4:09 PM EDT

First Church is actually a fan site, not a religion. Shoebox already has had a angry e-mail from a church lady about the name. click my name to visit one of the funnier Pac-Man sites out there.

Ghosted by kingklash @ 08/22/2004 4:48 PM EDT

I remember staying at the Fairmont at the Vancouver Airport.
Smirnoff Ice from the mini-bar was like six bucks (but I hadn’t had one in a long time, so I did) and the margarita at the hotel bar was 12 (I dunno why I had so many girly drinks that night. I guess I just felt really feminine.) But anyhow, the hotel was damn nice, and I enjoyed myself.

Ghosted by Nate @ 08/22/2004 4:52 PM EDT

Unfortunately, I have never stayed in a htoel that was swanky enough to have aminibar right in the room, but $15 for a coke?! For $15, that better not be the soda…

Ghosted by Invader Norbert @ 08/22/2004 9:27 PM EDT

That minibar doesn’t have gin!! WHY DON’T MINIBARS HAVE GIN ANYMORE???!!!!!

The new-fangled minibars are trickier than you think. Nowadays, when you so much as lift something out of the minibar you’re immediately and automatically charged, even if you put it back w/o drinking/eating it. Somehow the magic minibar fridge knows when you’ve given in to temptation.

Some hotels (a few in Vegas, the Borgata in A/C and definitely some here in NYC (Peninsula, Essex House, Mandarin)) will even charge you to have the fridge emptied out so you can put your own stuff in there.

Ghosted by Pedro @ 08/23/2004 11:55 AM EDT

ME – I’m Canadian and we don’t get VH1. And Totally Obsessed doesn’t air up here as far as I know. And if I can’t see myself on television, what’s the bloody point? Thanks for the tip, though.

Speaking of which, Matt, have you seen this alien movie about hamburgers?

Ghosted by A-wel Cruiz @ 08/23/2004 1:25 PM EDT

A-wel Cruiz, I remembered you were Canadian and thought it could aid you since, from what I have seen, MTV/VH1 camera crews tend to stick in the New York/New Jersey area. If your audtion video was convincing enough, they could use it as honorable mention.

Ghosted by ME @ 08/23/2004 9:47 PM EDT

Its disturbing to see how u connect Cannabalistic zombie movies ( which kick ass ) with food. ( french fries ) I like disturbing.

Ghosted by KBC @ 08/24/2004 5:17 AM EDT

Y’know, looking at the that minibar, I’d probablt go for the Heineken.

Ghosted by Nate @ 08/27/2004 2:06 AM EDT

There’s gonna be a Hitch-hiker’s movie? Whooohooo! Any hint of Pratchett movies in the pipeline, anyone? Funniest books in galaxy, along with douglas adams, of course. (And Wednesday Adams. heehee.) Also, Lion Witch and Wardrobe is coming out soon. I hope it’s accurate down to last wardrobe, or else :(

Minibars are evil. They know our temptation thresholds are low in hotels at night, dammit.

Sooo, you got a reviewing job, matt? Howd you manage that? I mean, interview humiliation or emailed cv? Reviews are something of a raisinned eater with me. And of course, I’ve mostly done pratchetts.

I love the little mario icon! Wheeeeee.

Ghosted by eminentfreak @ 08/31/2004 4:44 AM EDT

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