comparison essay

1. Chelsea Yu
Comparison Essay- Zombieland and Sing Street
In this essay, I am going to compare the horror film Zombieland that was release on
September 25th 2009 with the musical comedy movie sing street, which was release on 2016.
I am going to write about narrative, genre, audience expectation and the use of cinematic
techniques in the different films.
The movie Zombieland was produce in the United States and the four main character are
Jesse Eisenberg (Columbus), Woody Harrelson (Tallahassee), Emma Stone (Wichita) and
Abigail Breslin (Little Rock). This movie was set in a post-apocalyptic version of the real
world in United State, and it is bringing up different flashback from the character to compare
what the world and their happiness has turn into now. It is also about a group of people
becoming closer and stronger through the different situation that they are facing and how they
have overcome each difficulties. However, the movie Sing Street is based on a teenager boy
moved to a new school and has to face many difficulties and he met a girl who has change
him. While the boy decided to form a musical band and join the concert in school, there was
many bad things happening at the same time, which put him into a situation that having to
solve each things and deciding what is best for him. In both film I can see the similarity and
differences, as both film character are being put into a situation that they will need to face and
they have both overcome each difficulties. Yet, in Zombieland the scene are set into a more
unrealistic such as having zombie taking over the county compare to Sing Street where the
teenager boy is facing difficulties in school and home which many people does in the real
world.
On the other hand, Zombieland is a horror comedy movie where it contains monster and
zombie. The time setting in this movie are mostly nighttime, which can refers back to the
genre. The movie sing street is a musical comedy genre, where a boy forced to a new school
and he is chasing his music dream and creating band with his mate as he is trying to win a
girlfriend and there is many funny and sad time throughout the movie.
Both film can be seen in the terms of Todorov’s idea where there was equilibrium, disruption,
recognition of disruption, attempt to repair disruption and a return of new equilibrium. As
Zombieland equilibrium is the character Columbus method of survival. This is than was
disrupted by the arrival of second character Tallahassee and lastly the arrival of Wichita and
Little rock. Then he recognizes each time there will be new situation at new place where he is
slowly changing his attitude and rules to others, which he is slowly finding himself. Instead
of just looking after himself and only care about his own death, he is starting to try to become
a hero, and this is where is left with a new equilibrium.
In Sing Street, the equilibrium is broken down as the film opens. As the character Connor’s
life has been disrupted when having to move to a new school, he than recognizes he would
need to find new ways to survive in the tough school. Moreover, his reaction for this situation
is to form a band and try to win a girl, which has taken him to leave his family behind and set
off with the girl Raphina, and this is where the new equilibrium has appeared.
Many movie are created as what audience expectation are, however in Zombieland the ideas
play interesting games with audience expectation, as in a horror genre movie and with a

2. Chelsea Yu
group of main character audience will always expect to lose one or two of those along the
film. However, Zombieland did not do that, it provide a death of Bill Murray and all the main
character has survives. In addition, in Sing Street not many audience would expect Connors
to leave his family behind, but he did, which there is also the fact that the end of Sing Street
leaves Connor and Raphina in just as much jeopardy as the character in Zombieland.
In the movie of Zombieland, there was a scene at the opening where it uses a close up angle
of a man. The scene show the depth and the zombie behind in the background are becoming
more blurry and shallow, which was done to allow the audience to focus more into the man
facial expression and showing the fear in his face. This scene was shown at the opening
allowing the audience to know a brief idea of what it is about and not only showing the
character situation but also others. This scene was used at the start so that audience would
have an expectation of what Columbus is about to face. On the other hand, in the movie of
Sing Street where the scene of Connor arriving school at the first day, it shows a clear facial
expression of Connor and knowing how he is feeling toward the new school and to show that
his in the crowd. It also shows the discussion of what others student think about the new pupil
Connor. The use of shot of his face and what he is looking at and grim mise en scene to put
us in Connor place, which given the audience of a better understanding of him.
Yet, another scene in Zombieland would be when the four character went into a gift shop
after dealing with some local threat and now can finally have some peace. This is when they
also run riot of smashing all the things in the shop onto the floor and breaking each things
enable them to relive their stress and anger. However, the montage of action to music are
similar to the Sing Street, where in the drive it like you stole it the film become more fantasy
just like in Zombieland when the slow motion and sound effect was add into their riot. In the
sing street scene, the mise en scene changes like the setting and costume. In addition, the
character problems has disappeared and everything was just like how he wanted. Where
brother is was standing up for him and his mum and dad are dancing happily just as if nothing
has happened before.
The target audience for Zombieland would be aged above 15 as the film contain action and
some are not appropriate for under 15. It is also aiming at younger adult audience as the range
of character have used in the film are around 20s- 30s. The target audience are likely to be
those who are interested at comedy horror or action film, which they would enjoy watching
Zombieland. Moreover, the target audience for Sing Street would be around teenagers and
adult audience. As the main character in this film are referring back to the 1980s people and
the film was set in 80s. Which now a day’s teenagers and adult would be suitable, as
teenagers could relate themselves to the character. As the movie was set in 80s which the
adults now a day would be interesting to look back to their childhood.
The message and values in both film are very similar, where they are both trying to tell
audience that if you want to achieve something you will need to try hard and don’t give up
half way through, because not everything will goes as your expectation, but if you try it can
turn into the way you want. In the Zombieland it is telling the audience that sometime enable
to get to place, things or objective you want to achieve it could be as hard as you will not
imagine. But, being brave sometime could be one and only way to achieve what in the end. In
addition, it is suggesting that surrounding and being with your family could be good and safe
however, meeting new people could be a way of growing up and becoming a stronger person.

3. Chelsea Yu
Nevertheless, The Sing Street is trying to get across the audience that if you have dream you
should chase it and not give up because of others or any difficult situation. The message of
this film is also telling those who are struggling with family and condition of life, you could
change things if you put passion and effect into it you might be able to change all the things
at the end. However, it suggest that sometime enable to achieve something, you might have to
lose something at the same time.
Overall, as an audience, I would say that both movie was a success, not only on the box
office they made but on also what they have bring into the audience. In Zombieland, they
have made over $102.4 million and in Sing Street, they have made around $13.6 million.
However, the Zombieland was successful because where the horror park of the movie has
actually made me jump and create tension before heading into another bad situation. During
the funny scene of Zombieland, it has made me laugh which help me develop the horror
comedy genre. The Zombieland has also been nominated in 18 different awards and won five
of them. On the other hand, The Sing Street was successful of making profit, as their budget
spent was only around $4 million. Moreover, I think this movie has met the purpose as trying
to bring out laughter to audience as the way of character are presented in the movie are
relevant. However, out of 24 awards that was nominated they have won four.