I have a new theory: every movie should begin with a scene involving a scantily clad Rose McGowan and a stripper pole. That would really take the sting off of films like Norbit. Where did this theory come from, you may ask? It came from the fact that I just got back from screening Grindhouse, the homage to 70s and 80s exploitation flicks. It is co-directed by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. Just think about this concept: two directors with very loyal fan bases making a three hour long double feature packed full of blood, boobs, and bad dialog. What about that doesn’t sound like fun?

It starts with an intelligently designed warning to the audience that some reels of the film are missing. Thanks to the MPAA, I’m sure that besides the fact that it works with the Grindhouse theme of the films, there were some missing parts. Mark my words though; it will make for one hell of a DVD release.

The first of the two directors to bring their films to the table is Robert Rodriguez (Sin City) with Planet Terror. It tells the story of a deadly virus released by the military (and a very creepy Bruce Willis) that turns an entire town and eventually the world into walking zombies who eat people’s brains. There is also a vigilante badass with serious ninja skills played by Freddy Rodriguez (Six Feet Under) who is in love with a girl who has a sweet shotgun for a right leg, played by the aforementioned Rose McGowan. That’s all you need to know about the plot, as it is pretty simple from there.

What this film, and most other films from the exploitative genre for that matter, lacks in plot it clearly makes up in style. Be prepared for loads of sickening gore and plenty of creative killing. In any zombie movie it isn’t always about how gross your zombies look, but how intelligently you find ways to kill them off.

The highlight here is a scene in which those who have survived the virus are rolling down a dark road in a huge tow truck plowing down zombies. It just goes to show that the exploding zombies bit has not yet lost its flavor. Rodriguez’s flair for the dramatic and subtle ability to make even the most disgusting movie moments funny shines through, giving audiences reasons to close their eyes and keep them open all at the same time.

Once you are done with film number one, you get to relax right? Not in the least. This, in fact is what I would easily call the best part of the entire experience - and I do consider this film an experience, one that must be had in the company of other die-hard fanboys and fangirls.