Let it be officially known that you can go from directing a Dismemberment Plan video to having the #1 film at the box office. Director Ruben Fleischer caps off a strange journey to the big screen with the box office success of Zombieland, a walking dead parody/homage that stars Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg. Probably a new name to movegoers, Fleischer earned his bonafides in the video world a long time ago thanks to a string of left of center hip-hop and indie videos.
Key Videography:
- Kid Sister f/ Kanye West "Pro Nails"
- M.I.A. "Galang"
- Dizzee Rascal "Fix Up, Look Sharp"
- Electric Six "Dance Commander"
Key Reviews (more at Rotten Tomatoes):
- Time Magazine (Richard Corliss) — "This isn't just a good zombie comedy. It's a damn fine movie, period." LINK
- LA Times — "First-time feature director Ruben Fleischer brings impeccable timing and bloodthirsty wit to the proceedings Cinematographer Michael Bonvillain captures some interesting images amid the post-apocalyptic carnival of carnage, as when he transforms the destruction of a souvenir shop into a rough ballet. There are even a few poignant moments in the movie, but they don't get in the way of the funny, violent, zombie-killing good time." LINK
- Rolling Stone — "Guilty-pleasure movies should not be underestimated... Director Ruben Fleischer mixes fright and slapstick with bloody glee " LINK
- Chicago Tribune (Michael Phillips) — "Warts, entrails and all, I had a ball at “Zombieland.” It’s 81 minutes of my kind of stupid." LINK
Worth Noting:
- Ruben's blog is damn good: http://www.ruben.fm/blog/
- He also directed Gumball 3000: 6 Days In May, a documentary about the international Gumball 3000 Rally that attracts a mix celebrities, racers and lunatics.
- Helped create and served as co-executive producer for MTV show Rob & Big and its follow-up, Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory.
Trailer: Quicktime trailers of Zombieland (including HD)
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