This is the first review I've written for a movie this is also the first movie in years that has spoken to me as a woman by providing a strong female character whose position and struggles I both empathize and identify with.I drove to Pittsburgh to the premiere of My Uncle John Is A Zombie. I didn't know very much about the film and had been invited by a friend. I didn't know what to expect and based on the review buy Eric E. Poe I did not have high expectations and I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised. The movie starts out very much the same as the original Night Of The Living Dead and I settled in to watch what I expected to be another spin off or rehashing of the original. I couldn't have been more wrong.John Russo was so funny as Uncle John. He put together a fun campy story and did a stellar job of writing, casting, and directing the movie But in every scene Cy-Fi dominated the screen. From her original eye catching wardrobe to her expressions communicating tangible emotions to her being the only character who behaved differently when faced with different situations. The interactions between her and Oscar are gold. I wish there would be more scenes with the two of them interacting. The interactions between her and Sarah French need better development, but her contempt and hostility towards the woman police officer is very much mirrors how many people feel about how the police allow dangerous criminals walk free due to sloppy work (a child molester in this instance) while harassing everyday people struggling to protect and provide for their families. As a single mother I identify with Cy-Fi's character in many ways. While she struggles to care for her aging uncle while providing for her family. It's struggle I know very well.As a feminist I can't say enough good about the majority of the main characters being female and not being cheaply exploited. Good actresses or not, it's refreshing to see women taken seriously instead of being used as fan service to keep male interest. All of the female characters were written as strong, confident, and intelligent women.The really bad: Whomever was in charge of continuity for the script did an awful job, You can tell that have the scenes for the female reporter where shot at an entirely different time. The drastic changes in her hair color make the time line for her character's involvement extremely confusing. I'm still not clear as to when the scene of her standing in front of the brick wall is supposed to fit in, same with the extremely choppy and awkward scene between the Reporter and Sarah French in the dressing room. In several scenes it seems like the dialogue was just chopped up and carelessly slapped together this negatively affects the momentum of the film. The most touching part of the entire experience was actually meeting Cy-Fi. The premiere was on her birthday, and she event invited me to come to the restaurant with them afterwards. It might not seem like a big deal to everyone, but that was the first time a movie star has talked to me without my having paid. Sadly I had to get home to my son, I don't like leaving him with a sitter past midnight. Then her and some of her friends walked me the three blocks to my car in the cold in formal wear. She'd just met me and was willing to take time out of her busy schedule to see that I got there safely. I know these reviews are supposed to be about the movie, but Cy-Fi made my experience memorable. It's rare to see a person of her status honestly care about the safety of a stranger.

I was a recent attendee of Mad Monster Party 2017 in Rock Hill, SC, since my short film, "Incubation Period" was playing there as part of a short film block. I was pretty excited about that, as can be expected, but I was just as excited to see the premiere of "My Uncle John Is a Zombie," written and directed by John Russo.I had heard about "My Uncle John...," first through a crowd-funding event, and then at the Mad Monster Party 2016, where I met John Russo. Since Mr. Russo was attending Mad Monster Party 2017, and would be in attendance at the premiere of his film, it was even more exciting. When the day arrived, I was pretty pumped.First, let me delve into some of the negative aspects of "My Uncle John..." (I know this was a rough cut, so hopefully some of the issues will be worked out, eventually.) Film and sound quality were not so great. Fixable issues. A lot of the acting (there were tons of brief character appearances and featured extras) was simply not very good. The story line seemed a little jumbled, and wasn't very tight.Onto some of the positive aspects. John Russo did a fine job as Uncle John. He had some great lines, and there were lots of funny moments. Tiffany Shepis was a surprise I wasn't expecting, and did a fabulous job, as usual. Debbie Rochon was right on point with her brash zombie-killing character. It was great, and a little bittersweet, to see George Kasana one last time, and in a film that was sort of an homage to "Night of the Living Dead."It made my day that as I sat there in a theater, watching "My Uncle John Is a Zombie," with John Russo in the room with me, Tom Savini came in for a few minutes, and sat right next to me. Always interesting to hob-nob with the legends.I can't give this film, as I saw it, a solid A. There were too many technical things gone wrong for that. I will, however, give it a B minus. If you're a zombie fan, this is a must see for the connections to zombie legends.

Just spent three days at the Mad Monster Party in Rock Hill, South Carolina, meeting some of my heroes and seeing a rough cut of MY UNCLE JOHN IS A ZOMBIE! NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD co-creator John Russo plays the title character and his ghoulish makeup only highlights his matter-of-fact delivery and candidly candid comments and gives his character an almost Groucho Marx-back-from-the-grave quality. It's a truly outstanding performance. Russ Streiner is also in top form as a righteous man o' God who wants to put a stop to all this fornicatin' and necrophelia. (In Real Life, Streiner is hands down the sweetest celebrity I've ever met, quick with a smile and a fast draw with a friendly handshake.) The late George Kosana also has a brief cameo. (For those of you who don't know it, Kosana played the Sheriff in the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, the man who delivered the memorable line, "They're dead... they're all messed up.") My niece told me that she'd seen Judith O'Dea ("Barbara" in the original NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD) at the Convention and that she "hasn't aged a day." I had to see for myself, and, sure enough, it was true. I nabbed her autograph and, following a Q&A session in which she proved to be as quick-witted as Russo and Streiner, I suggested to Mr. Russo that she'd make a good sex therapist/dominatrix in MY UNCLE JOHN IS A ZOMBIE! (I suggested that she could "service" the righteous Streiner after his sermons and, later still, become "Uncle John's" "therapist"). Ms. O'Dea is what they used to call "a classy dame." When I asked Tom Savini if he had any photos from his remake of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, he crossed his arms and said, "I was too busy directing the movie to take any pictures." Nonetheless, I bought a poster (which he graciously signed) of the original DAWN OF THE DEAD. (At the screening of MY UNCLE JOHN IS A ZOMBIE!, there was someone sitting directly behind me who- no doubt inadvertently- kept making noise. I held my tongue, trying to concentrate on the movie. My niece came in and asked me how long it would be before we could leave; I told her I had no idea and she left. Later, she asked me: "Did you know that Tom Savini was sitting right behind you?" I laughed. And, just for the record: this isn't a criticism of Savini in any way, shape or form; it's just what happened that day.) The only member of the DEAD posse that I didn't get to meet was The Maestro himself, George Romero- but there'll be other conventions, I'm sure...