Colin was Written, Produced, Edited, Directed and Shot by the same man. It features a cast of his friends and people he invited to join in via MySpace and Facebook. It was film using a ten-year-old camcorder. The Budget was £45.
Try and take all of that into consideration. This film is genius. Whilst most films will spend Millions trying to gloss over effects and fake looking blood, Colin revels in its obvious gore and utter lack of subtlety.
Colin follows a man, aptly named Colin, as he slowly turns into a zombie, during an undead apocalypse. As he notices things, we start to see what happened to him, how he was bitten and what he is becoming. Following the story of a single zombie is a brilliant twist on a stagnating genre, and if it had been done with a higher budget and a tad more professionally, it would be one of the best films all year.
Whilst it has moments of utter brutality, such as the opening scene where our hero manages to kill a zombie using a kitchen knife and a drawer, it also has believable shots filled with emotion. In the second half of the film, we see Colin's family argue as they realise it is impossible to reverse the disease Colin has become infected with, whilst Colin bangs at a window, eager to get out and consume their flesh.
There are a few problems I had with the film. There are a few flashbacks throughout the film, but they aren't signposted, so you can't tell when they are, until the end, when you realise that the film started halfway through Colin's story. Add to the changes of pace, and the fact that very little is explained (why did one of the gangs try and take Colin's shoes? How and when did the dead begin to roam the Earth in the first place?) and you have some glaring problems that the casual viewer will not care for and will probably not like.
Pros
It's a fantastic little film which is very unique and is invaluable to potential film makers the world over.
It may well be the first step to revitalising the Zombie genre.
Cons
Gets very confusing in places and refuses to explain things.
You can tell it was made on the cheap. The camera work is dodgy in places and the gore can be unconvincing.
Overall
This film is a must have for fans of Zombies, anyone who wants to make an independent film, and anyone who wants to see something different. Its a splash of genius ruined by low budget and lack of experience. If a major company gives the Director a lot more money and asks him to do a remake, if he sticks to his guns and keeps it emotional, it will be one of the greatest Horror films ever.
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Michael Jackson's This Is It
Not being a huge Jackson fan I was weary of this film, but found it entertaining none-the-less. Jackson was clearly not the frail man the media presented him as, his voice and personality carrying the film, along with the fantastic performances, obviously.
Jackson's final performances are a fantastic tease of what could have been. Whilst not shown in their entirety, Jackson performs the songs as one assumes he would have done on stage. Songs such as Thriller and Smooth Criminal where to have mini movies which played along to the songs. These were shown in full, and each one looked incredible. Jackson clearly had a flair for putting together an experience, rather than just singing and dancing.
Despite the fantastic nature of the actual performances, the quality of the film in terms of actual video and audio was rather lacking. The pre-recorded video sequences were fine, as where the interviews with the cast and crew, but the performances themselves looked as though they were filmed with a hand held camera, and the audio was very weak at times, although that seemed to be because Jackson was resting his voice.
Aside from the lack of the high quality one expects of a major film studio, which was out of their control this time I suppose, the only other gripe I have with the film is that much of it plays out like it was supposed to be an extra on what I expect was going to be DVD/Blu-Ray release of the ill-fated concerts. Not that this detracts from the experience, but it seems like something you watch once you've seen the full experience and want to take a look backstage and see the creative process of it all.
As a documentary and a concert film, it stands out, but could have benefited with looking at what happened following his death and the reaction of those involved, but it s what it is, a film documentary about the This Is It concert rehearsals. It does what it says on the tin, and I can't fault it for that, but I do wish it was a little more inquisitive and there was more footage of the musicians and the dancers creating the final piece, rather than just outright performances.
Positives
Jackson is on blinding form throughout the entire thing.
The performances and everything that accompanies them looked like it would be incredible when completed.
Negatives
Too much emphasis on the low quality performance footage, but that is what everyone wanted to see, right?
Much of it looks as though it was filmed for a "Making-Of" DVD extra, and as such doesn't really play well with the big screen.
Overall
Fans of Michael Jackson will likely see this anyway, and it is worth it for them, but for others, skip it, and maybe watch it on DVD. It's a series of excellent performances, but falls short by failing to look more at how the shows were planned and prepared.
Jackson's final performances are a fantastic tease of what could have been. Whilst not shown in their entirety, Jackson performs the songs as one assumes he would have done on stage. Songs such as Thriller and Smooth Criminal where to have mini movies which played along to the songs. These were shown in full, and each one looked incredible. Jackson clearly had a flair for putting together an experience, rather than just singing and dancing.
Despite the fantastic nature of the actual performances, the quality of the film in terms of actual video and audio was rather lacking. The pre-recorded video sequences were fine, as where the interviews with the cast and crew, but the performances themselves looked as though they were filmed with a hand held camera, and the audio was very weak at times, although that seemed to be because Jackson was resting his voice.
Aside from the lack of the high quality one expects of a major film studio, which was out of their control this time I suppose, the only other gripe I have with the film is that much of it plays out like it was supposed to be an extra on what I expect was going to be DVD/Blu-Ray release of the ill-fated concerts. Not that this detracts from the experience, but it seems like something you watch once you've seen the full experience and want to take a look backstage and see the creative process of it all.
As a documentary and a concert film, it stands out, but could have benefited with looking at what happened following his death and the reaction of those involved, but it s what it is, a film documentary about the This Is It concert rehearsals. It does what it says on the tin, and I can't fault it for that, but I do wish it was a little more inquisitive and there was more footage of the musicians and the dancers creating the final piece, rather than just outright performances.
Positives
Jackson is on blinding form throughout the entire thing.
The performances and everything that accompanies them looked like it would be incredible when completed.
Negatives
Too much emphasis on the low quality performance footage, but that is what everyone wanted to see, right?
Much of it looks as though it was filmed for a "Making-Of" DVD extra, and as such doesn't really play well with the big screen.
Overall
Fans of Michael Jackson will likely see this anyway, and it is worth it for them, but for others, skip it, and maybe watch it on DVD. It's a series of excellent performances, but falls short by failing to look more at how the shows were planned and prepared.
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Scarface
This had been on my "To Watch" list for a very long time, but I finally had chance to watch it as I am very ill and have nothing better to do.
The film follows Tony Montana, a Cuban who wants to get away from the forces of Communism, so immigrates to the USA, where he is put in a holding cell. He quickly adapts to a life of violence and gets caught up in the world of cocaine. As he heads reaches the top, his paranoia and jealousy get the better of him, leading up to the final scene, where he has nothing but cocaine and guns, and his mansion is attacked by rival drug dealers.
The ending aside, the film is a mixed bag, some parts, like the first drug deal, are needlessly brutal, and other sections seem to there to fill time. This being a 2 Hour and 40 minute film, they seem entirely unnecessary.
The films general plot is outstanding, following Tony's rise to power through murder and double crosses. The film shows us a real criminal, rather than a Hollywood criminal, who will either take pride in his actions or feel guilty. Montana, shows nothing, only showing feelings for himself. He did what he did to get what he wanted.
The film has aged, mainly due to the setting of a sunny Miami, reminiscent of 1980's Cop shows, and the background story of communist Cuba, but this only serves to make the film all the more entertaining. The fact that it is more detached from our day to day life reduces realism, but in a film so unrealistically violent and over the top anyway, it creates an almost fantasy setting.
Now onto that final scene! There will be spoilers most likely, but the film was released in 1983, so its your own fault if you have yet to see it. Montana kills his best friend in a blind rage after he finds out he has moved in with his sister. He dumps his nose in a pile of cocaine, and fails to notice his mansion being over-run with rival drug dealers, all looking to kill him. His sister, angry that Tony killed her boyfriend also tries to kill him. Most of the film builds Tony up, showing his success and intelligence, but the ending shows that power corrupts. His sister is killed in a hail of gunfire, and Tony looks to take revenge. He takes out a number of the would-be assailants, before falling victim to superior numbers.
The ending redeems an otherwise powerful but drawn out film.
Positives
The ending is a fantastic piece of cinema.
The film as a whole is a great piece of escapist entertainment.
Negatives
Some parts are there to fill time in a long film.
Overall
The ending alone is enough reason to see this film. The film is a great showing of a real crime drama, shown from the point of view of a villain, who we are meant to accept as a good guy. It shows the corruption of power and the collapse of a man with power. Very few films portray this as effectively as Scarface, a modern(-ish) classic.
The film follows Tony Montana, a Cuban who wants to get away from the forces of Communism, so immigrates to the USA, where he is put in a holding cell. He quickly adapts to a life of violence and gets caught up in the world of cocaine. As he heads reaches the top, his paranoia and jealousy get the better of him, leading up to the final scene, where he has nothing but cocaine and guns, and his mansion is attacked by rival drug dealers.
The ending aside, the film is a mixed bag, some parts, like the first drug deal, are needlessly brutal, and other sections seem to there to fill time. This being a 2 Hour and 40 minute film, they seem entirely unnecessary.
The films general plot is outstanding, following Tony's rise to power through murder and double crosses. The film shows us a real criminal, rather than a Hollywood criminal, who will either take pride in his actions or feel guilty. Montana, shows nothing, only showing feelings for himself. He did what he did to get what he wanted.
The film has aged, mainly due to the setting of a sunny Miami, reminiscent of 1980's Cop shows, and the background story of communist Cuba, but this only serves to make the film all the more entertaining. The fact that it is more detached from our day to day life reduces realism, but in a film so unrealistically violent and over the top anyway, it creates an almost fantasy setting.
Now onto that final scene! There will be spoilers most likely, but the film was released in 1983, so its your own fault if you have yet to see it. Montana kills his best friend in a blind rage after he finds out he has moved in with his sister. He dumps his nose in a pile of cocaine, and fails to notice his mansion being over-run with rival drug dealers, all looking to kill him. His sister, angry that Tony killed her boyfriend also tries to kill him. Most of the film builds Tony up, showing his success and intelligence, but the ending shows that power corrupts. His sister is killed in a hail of gunfire, and Tony looks to take revenge. He takes out a number of the would-be assailants, before falling victim to superior numbers.
The ending redeems an otherwise powerful but drawn out film.
Positives
The ending is a fantastic piece of cinema.
The film as a whole is a great piece of escapist entertainment.
Negatives
Some parts are there to fill time in a long film.
Overall
The ending alone is enough reason to see this film. The film is a great showing of a real crime drama, shown from the point of view of a villain, who we are meant to accept as a good guy. It shows the corruption of power and the collapse of a man with power. Very few films portray this as effectively as Scarface, a modern(-ish) classic.
Saturday, 19 September 2009
G.I. Joe: Rise Of The Cobra
I really don't know how to start on this film. Half of me wants to call it what it really is, a big dumb, action movie, with a plot specifically designed to have as many pointless fight scenes and explosions as the budget would allow. The other half wants to call it the best film in years.
It's been a long time since a really good action film came out, harking back to the glory years of Stallone, Norris, and Schwarzenegger. However, those films seem clichéd now, but in actual fact, those films created the clichés that are on show so much in G.I. Joe.
The film follows two veterans from the the war in Afghanistan as they discover and then become part of an elite group of soldiers, the Joe's. Of course, it turns out that terrorists have got hold of deadly super weapons and are planning to use them to take over the world. Remember when I said the film was clichéd? So when you think about it, the plot is the same as Team America, a film which set out to parody this type of film. What a sad day it is when a parody becomes more original than a supposedly original film.
As it turns out though, the film is great if you switch your brain off and go into autopilot. It goes along at a nice pace and the action is punctuated with nice bits of plot so you know when to go to the toilet to avoid missing anything interesting. There are some really good sword fighting sections and the gun play is more than enough to keep you entertained. The melting of the Eiffel Tower is especially impressive.
The acting is what you would expect it to be from this level of film, and only Christopher Eccleston stands out amongst the crowd of generic American action guys.
Positives
A hell of a lot of fun to watch.
Its a big stupid spectacle of a film ,which makes it good in my book.
Negatives
If you're looking for a new and/or exciting plot, you're at the wrong film.
Very bland and generic.
Overall
A big dumb action movie in a decade where we haven't had very many of them. You can see the same film in any bargain bin in the country, but that doesn't stop this being any less fun when it comes to what the internet has dubbed "pew-pew" lasers and sweet CGI action sequences.
It's been a long time since a really good action film came out, harking back to the glory years of Stallone, Norris, and Schwarzenegger. However, those films seem clichéd now, but in actual fact, those films created the clichés that are on show so much in G.I. Joe.
The film follows two veterans from the the war in Afghanistan as they discover and then become part of an elite group of soldiers, the Joe's. Of course, it turns out that terrorists have got hold of deadly super weapons and are planning to use them to take over the world. Remember when I said the film was clichéd? So when you think about it, the plot is the same as Team America, a film which set out to parody this type of film. What a sad day it is when a parody becomes more original than a supposedly original film.
As it turns out though, the film is great if you switch your brain off and go into autopilot. It goes along at a nice pace and the action is punctuated with nice bits of plot so you know when to go to the toilet to avoid missing anything interesting. There are some really good sword fighting sections and the gun play is more than enough to keep you entertained. The melting of the Eiffel Tower is especially impressive.
The acting is what you would expect it to be from this level of film, and only Christopher Eccleston stands out amongst the crowd of generic American action guys.
Positives
A hell of a lot of fun to watch.
Its a big stupid spectacle of a film ,which makes it good in my book.
Negatives
If you're looking for a new and/or exciting plot, you're at the wrong film.
Very bland and generic.
Overall
A big dumb action movie in a decade where we haven't had very many of them. You can see the same film in any bargain bin in the country, but that doesn't stop this being any less fun when it comes to what the internet has dubbed "pew-pew" lasers and sweet CGI action sequences.
First Post!
Well, I suppose I should introduce myself and the site. I'm Rob, and this is FilmBomb, where I will be reviewing as many newly released films and DVD/Blu-ray's as I possibly can. I may not review the big films on day one and I might even review some classics, but if you want to know what I think about whatever the last film I saw, then this is the place to be. You might not agree with my point of view, and you might even start to hate, me but I will speak my mind and I can assure you I am not influenced in any way by any film studio, or anyone inside the film industry at all.
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