How cold are we?

I must start by saying that I am not a huge fan of Zombie culture. I had a student once that was very focused on preparing for the Zombie apocalypse. It was fun to have discussions about it, but I do not seek out occasions to watch movies or TV shows dealing with the undead. One exception to this is if they are funny movies about Zombies. Not sure why this is better to me but two of my favorites are Zombieland (which makes me want some Twinkies even though I loathe them), and Shaun of the Dead (where I imagine having a Zombie for a pet to play video games with).

Honestly, the one thing that got me to watch Warm Bodies is the staring of Nicholas Hoult, of whom I have been a fan since About a Boy. This movie surprised me in several ways, one of which is that we get to hear the thoughts of a Zombie, narrating his own life. LOVED IT!!! I could not stop myself from giggling like a little kid every time he talked about what he was doing.

The other is the message that I got from the film, not that it was intended, which may have been but I don't know for certain. Basic plot is that a girl, in the wrong place during a Zombie attack, is "captured" by a Zombie in an attempt to save her from his flesh-eating pals. They then begin a friendship of sorts where he starts to regain some of his humanity. I will stop there to not ruin the movie for any potential watchers. To me the movie has a lot to do with second chances and not judging someone on their first or even second impression.  However, it inspired me to think about how disconnected from people we are. That some people are just beyond feeling and don't care because they believe no one reciprocates those feelings.

As a teacher I see this daily as my students enter the classroom and sit down to pull out their phones. Some talk to other classmates but most are on their mobile devices until I force them to interact with others. The main message of the movie for me was connection. While we try to avoid in some instances human connection, it is not possible to avoid it altogether. In certain cases, if done correctly, it can bring someone back to the land of the living where they can contribute their awesomeness too. After all, Zombies just want to be loved, right?!?!