I've Totally Seen That Movie Before

Shaun of the Dead (2004) Director:  Edgar Wright Writers:  Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright Cast:  Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, Penelope Wilton, Peter Serafinowicz, Bill Nighy Synopsis: Electronics store employee Shaun (Pegg) has no direction in life and spends most of his time drinking at his favorite pub, The Winchester, or playing video games with his slacker best friend, Ed (Frost). After being dumped by his long-time girlfriend Liz (Ashfield), Shaun goes on a bender with Ed and wakes up to find that London has been overrun with the living dead. Shaun and Ed ignore instructions to stay in their home and set out into the zombie-infested streets to rescue Liz, her roommates David (Moran) and Dianne (Davis), as well as his mother, Barbara (Wilton). Will the down-on-his-luck Shaun emerge as a hero, or will he end up just making things worse? Zombie hijinks ensue. First Impressions: I came to this film quite by accident. I had read about it somew...

A Fish Called Wanda (1988) Directors: Charles Chrichton, John Cleese (uncredited) Writers:  John Cleese, Charles Chrichton Cast: John Cleese, Michael Palin, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, Maria Aitken, Tom Georgeson, Geoffry Palmer, Patricia Hayes Synopsis:   British gangster George Thomason (Georgeson) and his lackey Ken Pile (Palin) recruit two Americans, con-woman Wanda Gershowitz (Curtis) and ex-CIA operative Otto West (Kline), for a lucrative diamond heist. However, in an attempt to take the loot for themselves, Wanda and Otto betray George and rat him out to the police causing him to be arrested. Unfortunately for the turncoat crew members, George had the presence of mind to hide the diamonds before being taken into custody. Wanda attempts to seduce George's uptight lawyer, Archie Leach (Cleese), hoping that he knows where the diamonds are hidden. Silliness ensues. First Impressions: I didn't see this film on its release. I was 12 years old and didn't really have any ...

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) Directors:  Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones Writers:  Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin Cast:  Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Connie Booth, Carol Cleveland, Neil Innes Synopsis: Arthur, King of the Britons (Chapman), along with his dutiful knights Sir Launcelot (Cleese), Sir Galahad (Palin), Sir Bedevere (Jones), Sir Robin (Idle) and the aptly named Sir Not Appearing in This Film, set off on a quest to retrieve the Holy Grail. On their journey, they are beset by all manner of peril, including the vicious Black Knight (also Cleese), vile taunting Frenchmen, the Knights Who Say Ni and the dreaded killer rabbit. Silliness ensues. First Impressions: This movie was released a year before I was born, so I didn't get to catch it in theatres. I wasn't introduced to the genius that is Monty Python until I was in high school, as is the case for many ...