Dead & Breakfast (2004)

(On DVD, May 2007) Don’t look any further for this month’s straight-to-DVD happy discovery: This is a fun, unpretentious, often corny zombie comedy in which a bunch of young people find themselves in the grip of unspeakable horror. It’s intentionally goofy and all the better for it when on-the-nose musical interludes enliven the film. This isn’t for everyone, but if you laughed at Evil Dead, Dead Alive or Shaun Of The Dead, this is a B-grade film in the same category. The actors do a fine job, there are a few fun twists and turns and the pacing steadily moves forward despite low production values, uncertain direction and a generally muddled plot. (When some deaths catch you by surprise, I’m not sure it’s by design as much as insufficient setup.) A warning, though: I’m a good sport for such kind of films. Your mileage will definitely vary.