Shorter Is Better
Over the weekend I caught two amazing short films. As ever I’m about a million years behind the crest of the cool wave, but that means I shall land on the flapping suffocated corpses of all those who ride it well. Both are rather gruesome and gory and if you don’t like that sort of thing I can guarantee you won’t like these films at all. According to the cool people I know, these were both included in the Mayhem Horror Films Festival at the Broadway Cinema last year.
Fist of Jesus
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuKV2Z3eYTY&w=640&h=360]
The title is instantly delighting and the rest of the film rises to it well. I love zombie movies and low budget high-gore action. This reminds me very much of Peter Jackson’s awesomely fun and gory first film Bad Taste as well as The Evil Dead. The tale is a simple one, offering the only sensible story behind Jesus’ raising of Lazarus from the dead. It is hugely over the top and the zombie violence is seemingly never-ending. It’s still rare to get a film that’s better than the book it’s based on, but Fist of Jesus nails it (to a cross). The fish-throwing, spine sword (a bit Nightwatch that), screaming and the final line all made this the best thing I watched all Saturday.
Two Fingers – Vengeance Rhythm
Technically this is a music video (admittedly for a banging drum and bass tune) but it far outstrips the track. I’m not sure, but this might be even more disturbing than Fist. Only you can judge. It’s brilliantly filmed, the combination of stop motion and high speed slow motion creates some vivid imagery… I especially love the ending. It’s always struck me as really weird that we encourage kids to play with soldiers – the inevitable result is them killing their toys off and it would be naive to think that in kids’ heads the dead ones just lie down and go to sleep when they’ve been stabbed or peppered with a machine gun. This is exactly how I saw it in my mind when we executed the Decepticons for crimes against humanity.
- Chris Ullens on Vimeo.
I also had a huge empty space to fill, and continued the pink/green tile choice I’d made inside for the floor and the window overhangs (since I didn’t have enough of the bricks with arches in even three different colours to follow the instructions) and added the three joined wheels. It feels playful and matches the spirit of the toy shop. I also stuck in a nice tile ‘Veni Vidi Vici’ from the Caesar minifigure – it filled the gap and looks nice!
I’ve managed to get halfway through this thriller that was banned in China, but I’ve abandoned it. It’s very rare that I give up on a book but this one just feels as if it has nothing going for it. In principle it should be thrilling – lies and deception in China, government secrets and cover ups – a whole missing month and a change to the entire country’s mindset. But somehow it’s slow and tedious and it’s a genuine effort to get through a page of boring naive characters.
This was what I picked up to read after giving up on The Fat Years and in terms of tension, writing and interest is its polar opposite. I’m cheerfully plowing through pages of horrible characters, killers in the woods and really really creepy children. It seems like a winner to me. I haven’t seen the film, and though I’ve heard it’s good (the original at any rate) the book is certainly excellent.
On Sunday morning, a time one might reasonably expect to be blissfully unconscious, saw us rise at a Satanic hour to see the Muppets strut their Dickens at 
Finding Meaning In Everything
mind that – I have little use for sunlight. I’ve always been perfectly content inside away from all that sunny business. I think I’ve spent more time outside since compering for Knickerbocker Glorious than ever before.