New Flix: Cooties (2014)

This is the kind of thing that you want to catch.  Sorry, I had to get that joke out of the way.  Today's Film is Cooties, a 2014 Indie Film that is just now making the rounds.  The Film tells the Story of a strange disease that infects a bunch of children.  The result: Zombie(like) Children!  This one must have been a hard sell, so it is understandable that it took so long to get out.  The Film has an interesting Cast that includes Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson and Nasim Pedrad.  Unfortunately, it also features Leigh Whannel in yet another Role he clearly Wrote for himself.  Not that I wouldn't do it too...but I sure wish he wouldn't.  It's alright- that doesn't stop the Movie from being good.  To find out how good (with minimal SPOILERS), read on...

In a small Town known for its Chicken, a would-be-Writer (Wood) is starting a new Summer Job.

He is a Substitute Teacher for the Summer Session and runs across some interesting folks- including the Film's Co-Writer on the right.

One girl gets infected by eating some bad chicken and quickly begins to spread the infection!

Soon enough, all of the kids seem to be infected and they want blood.  You know what AC/DC says about that, right?

Now trapped in the School with no way to call out- with their Cell Phones taken earlier by the Vice Principal- what is the group (with Whannell on the left) to do?

The answer may lie in trying to find out what caused the infection.  It sure was nice of Whannell to write this Role for himself as the guy who may know the answers, huh?

As night descends, things don't seem to be getting any better.  Can they get out alive?

Hell, even if they do get out, is the rest of Town any safer?

Incidentally, check out the Posters...

Will our heroes survive or will the adorable monsters finish them off?  To find out...well, you know.

Good, bloddy stuff.  The Film is certainly an odd sell, but it totally worked for me.  While some of the Characters are a bit broad for my liking, I still felt for them.  Wood and Rainn in particular do a good job in their Roles here.  I'm no Teacher, but I can certainly manage to understand the freaky idea of kids suddenly trying to eat my face!  The Premise is a slight variation of a common one, admittedly.  Infected Chicken Nuggets is certainly a new one, that's for sure.  Regardless of the Science, this one had a good balance of Comedy and Horror.  The overall Premise is scary, but they manage to squeeze plenty of laughs out of it.  Kudos for the Saw reference they snuck in there too.  It is a fine line to walk as a Horror-Comedy and fewer do it well than do it wrong.  While this one is not perfect, it is a fun Film that does its Premise proud.  Is there a chance for a Sequel?  Regardless, the lesson is not to be an asshole like this guy...

Next up, another new Film with Zombies.  Should I be worried that the Title reminds me of a crazy-ass Japanese Film?  Stay tuned...