THE JONES' - Do you wanna' f***in' die?!

[Marlon Ladd]

Hey Marlon, this was a fun ride and I loved the stylize comic book look...except for the zombie makeup. I found the makeup to be a bit jarring even with the comic book theme. Some of the brothers' banter seemed to go on too long but it was easy to see you were having fun with it, so I just sat back and let it flow.

You had a lot of good bullet hits. I also loved the transition from comic book to "real" life in the beginning.

Good job.

Thanks for swinging by, Blaine. I always look forward to your very objective viewpoints. I'm so glad that intro is shinning through. Worked hard on that to get it right.

really fun and entertaining. loved the bullet hits and some of the cuts were very fast paced and kept the film moving.

Thanks, for the compliments, Killa!

This was great. The comic book opening totally threw me off - in a good way.
I like the characters but the banter did feel a bit too stretched out - more action or breaks between talking perhaps? The two actors were really good though - it was definitely like 'Bad Boys vs the Zombies' (maybe will smith would be interested in the full length version!).
The whole apocalyptic setting was really well done - the only thing that detracted from it was the writing on the windscreen that screamed 'junk car'.
Overall a fantastic effort - i'd love to see a full length movie of this

Yeah, some people saw that writing on the car. I, myself wouldn't have known that that's what it meant and the reality is (and I guess it's not explained in the film), our location was an actual salvage yard. There's supposed to be a sort of zombie post-apocolyptic theme and that these guys are just passing through this salvage yard. Since the beginning of the film (the intro) changed it's not evident.

Thanks so much for checkin' us out and leaving a critique.

Very funny flick, I found myself laughing out loud several times. The dialogue was great and the interplay between the two actors was spot on. They did a kick ass job.

I also loved your kill shots and blood splatters. VERY well done!

I'll add my agreement to those commenting on the zombie make-up, it took me out of the film because it was too campy.

Overall, loved it! It's near the top of my list.

Thanks, Kevin! Near the top?? Great! I'll take that any day of the week. Thanks for stopping by. I'll let the actors know they did a good job.

 

[bosindy]

I liked spending some time with these characters. They had good chemistry on screen and it made me laugh. Really like the effects in this as well, that bullet shot was cool. Comic beginning was a nice touch, we know right off not to take it all too seriously. Only criticism would be the Zombie make-up was not up to the rest of it all. Great job man.

 

[Marlon Ladd]

I liked spending some time with these characters. They had good chemistry on screen and it made me laugh. Really like the effects in this as well, that bullet shot was cool. Comic beginning was a nice touch, we know right off not to take it all too seriously. Only criticism would be the Zombie make-up was not up to the rest of it all. Great job man.

Thanks, Bosindy. You hit the nail on the head. Thanks for the compliments. Hope to see you next fest.

 

[Marlon Ladd]

Just a few BTS pics. thanks to Kris Helton.

 

[DarkMatter]

Big comic book fan here! Loved the intro as well as the overall look of the film. I think the Zombies could use some work mostly more shredded clothing and some of that makeup smeared on other parts of the body and not so excusive to the faces. The gore was great and there was lots of heads exploding it was lots of fun. There seemed to be too much going on all at once for me but it was teetering on a good balance. The text messaging in the middle of battle was great! When I'm texting I can tune out just about anything else. I would have liked to see the boys get in a little danger here to get the blood pumping, however this was well made and I like your visual style. Great stuff!

 

[REHov520]

i really liked the opening narration bit to this, and thought the style throughout was cool. personally i found the interaction between the two guys a little annoying at times - I felt like they were going too hard for laughs instead of acting like real people - but that's not really a valid criticism for this type of movie anyway. i liked the idea of colorful zombies, especially in a comic-book zombie movie, but i think you maybe could have made the coloring a tiny bit more subtle. good job!

 

[Rakesh Jacob]

Loved it man!!! Really nice composites on the gunshots and blood bursts. Love the matter of fact style.
Can't believe you had Zombies as PAs on your set, how cool is that?!!

 

[cinealma]

One cool motherfuckin' film, Marlon. I really think the chemistry between the brothers is perfect. The dialogue works very well and I didn't mind the pacing. I could tell you were trying for the perfect blend of fast action and nicely paced comedy/drama.

I think maybe the film as a whole went on a tad to long for what it was, like maybe you were trying to fill up the six minutes, when maybe you only needed five. Again, I didn't mind the pace of the dialogue, but I think they could have taken out the zombies a lot faster. It felt like a "last stand" from a bigger picture. But in the short, there really wasn't much of a payoff.

So what's up with the make-up? Was it a comic-book thing, maybe? I feel you should have either done "real" zombies OR go all the way with the comic book angle. Like, give them purple hair, have them act totally psycho, etc. I think you stopped somewhere in the middle and it just didn't seem to fit. *You probably talked about this by I honestly haven't read through your entire thread, so my apologies if you touched on it already.

And I really liked the whole comic book angle. The VO over the images was SPOT ON!

This is really a HIGH CONCEPT idea. I TOTALLY could see this as a feature. Go write that bad boy!

Great job, I really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Marlon Ladd]

Big comic book fan here! Loved the intro as well as the overall look of the film. I think the Zombies could use some work mostly more shredded clothing and some of that makeup smeared on other parts of the body and not so excusive to the faces. The gore was great and there was lots of heads exploding it was lots of fun. There seemed to be too much going on all at once for me but it was teetering on a good balance. The text messaging in the middle of battle was great! When I'm texting I can tune out just about anything else. I would have liked to see the boys get in a little danger here to get the blood pumping, however this was well made and I like your visual style. Great stuff!

Thanks, alot, MS! Yeah, I wasn't really going for any danger on this one. That's not the theme I was going for. If I decide to make this a feature, there will definitely be some of that element involved. It can't be all fun and games. Gotta' turn serious at some point. Oh, and yeah, that texting will get you everytime.

i really liked the opening narration bit to this, and thought the style throughout was cool. personally i found the interaction between the two guys a little annoying at times - I felt like they were going too hard for laughs instead of acting like real people - but that's not really a valid criticism for this type of movie anyway. i liked the idea of colorful zombies, especially in a comic-book zombie movie, but i think you maybe could have made the coloring a tiny bit more subtle. good job!

Thanks for the compliments, REH. If you thought the two were annoying at times, then you just didn't get the intent and that's okay. No film can appeal to everybody in all ways intended. The film and the characters wasn't about going for laughs (a la slapstick). These were two characters that have strong personalities and are brothers and they clash and argue about things that may seem silly to you or me, but very serious to them, because of their history together (and that's what's supposed to make it funny/absurd). Yeah, we're still thinking about the makeup stuff. Some people got it and some people didn't. We may change it in post. Easy fix. Thanks for coming by!

Loved it man!!! Really nice composites on the gunshots and blood bursts. Love the matter of fact style.
Can't believe you had Zombies as PAs on your set, how cool is that?!!

What up, Johnny?? Thanks, man. Glad you liked it! Yeah, zombies gotta' be good for somethin' besides just killin' and eatin' people, right? They gotta' make their contribution to society too.

One cool motherpoo pooin' film, Marlon. I really think the chemistry between the brothers is perfect. The dialogue works very well and I didn't mind the pacing. I could tell you were trying for the perfect blend of fast action and nicely paced comedy/drama.

I think maybe the film as a whole went on a tad to long for what it was, like maybe you were trying to fill up the six minutes, when maybe you only needed five. Again, I didn't mind the pace of the dialogue, but I think they could have taken out the zombies a lot faster. It felt like a "last stand" from a bigger picture. But in the short, there really wasn't much of a payoff.

So what's up with the make-up? Was it a comic-book thing, maybe? I feel you should have either done "real" zombies OR go all the way with the comic book angle. Like, give them purple hair, have them act totally psycho, etc. I think you stopped somewhere in the middle and it just didn't seem to fit. *You probably talked about this by I honestly haven't read through your entire thread, so my apologies if you touched on it already.

And I really liked the whole comic book angle. The VO over the images was SPOT ON!

This is really a HIGH CONCEPT idea. I TOTALLY could see this as a feature. Go write that bad boy!

Great job, I really enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing!

Hey, John. Thanks for the kind words. The zombies were a comic book theme in a sense. We really weren't sure about the green color, but in the end I left it that way, because I thought it would fit and be fine since the film itself is so absurd. I'd thought about changing it, but wanted to see what the masses here thought and then make a decision from there. I can change the color in post very easily. Everybody is saying they could see this being a feature, so I guess I better get started on it. LOL. I've already written another piece of this puzzle, but the reaction from people here is very encouraging. Now as far as the 6 minutes, it's actually longer than that. There's one more scene that comes in after the credits. I'll put it up when the competition is complete. Thanks for throwing in your 2 cents. Really like your film as well.

 

[Horncastle]

This was a blast! There's some really great stuff going on both in the stylization/comic book integration and in the acting/dialogue. I really enjoyed it. If I must find some criticism I felt maybe the ending was a little weak - that "you shut up, no you shut up..." repeated several times didn't have the punch of the rest of the dialogue. But it was in line with their characters so it's a minor quibble. Great job, one of my top votes.

 

[kennethhurd]

Very fun movie! Your editing was excellent and your actors did a good job. I liked how you started it off and ended it with the comic book. Even though the zombie make-up didn't look realistic, I liked it. It added to the comic book feel. My only recommendation would be to watch your framing on the close ups. Everything was shot so well, so this may have been your intention, but when the close ups cut off the actor's chin, it made the shot feel really cramped. Thanks for the highly enjoyable entry!

 

[Shawn Philip Nelson]

Nice dude!! Really enjoyed this. It really works well especially because of the two actors, they really did a great job and carried it well, good personality pairing and camaraderie. I really liked the editing style, suited it well. Looking forward to more entries from you!

 

[Lawsuit_Boy]

Marlon,

Because of time constraints I can't get as detailed in my review as I normally like. However, I do have things to say.

I really enjoyed this one! The premise works in the boundaries of the fest's theme and the use of two central characters that play witty and colorful banter off of each other was also a great idea. It keeps the film focused on a specific relationship and in a small amount of time, allows it to evolve. The actors did a fine job carrying their weight. A few lines occasionally felt excessive or over-cooked, but it didn't cause any real grimaces. Always a plus!

The editing, as most have mentioned, is probably the film's strongest asset. Some occasional shots felt poorly framed and might have benefited from being on a longer focal length. Overall, it was a fun, exciting short. Nice job. :thumbsup:

 

[Mark Harris]

Fun and unique entry in the fest. The actors had a good back and forth. I think their dialog could have been worked a little more. They seemed to go in too many circles. I know the point is for them to be a couple of goof-ball brothers always fighting but I dunno, I think it could have gone a little more somewhere.

Like maybe when the ex girlfriend shows up, take that a lot further into their rivalry for women, maybe. Or take it further with what the other one will do to his brothers ex when they find her.

Also, I would settle on a stylistic device in something this short; either freeze-frame OR comic book, and the choice should be comic book, since you open it up so nicely with that. Like I would replace all of the freeze frame kills with comic-book panels. Makes it tighter I think to stick with one choice in that regard.

Fun movie.

 

[Marlon Ladd]

This was a blast! There's some really great stuff going on both in the stylization/comic book integration and in the acting/dialogue. I really enjoyed it. If I must find some criticism I felt maybe the ending was a little weak - that "you shut up, no you shut up..." repeated several times didn't have the punch of the rest of the dialogue. But it was in line with their characters so it's a minor quibble. Great job, one of my top votes.

Thanks! So glad it's one of your top votes. Glad you enjoyed it. As for the end, we did finish it with, "Oh, there goes one of your ex girlfriends right there" and then the other brother tells him to wait as he runs after him and that's where it ends. And the "shut up" part is perfectly within their characters (being brothers) and how kid-like they can act with each other. That's where alot of the humor from these two comes from. They have conversations and talk to each other in ways they couldn't and wouldn't talk to anybody else. At least that's the intent. Anyway, glad you enjoyed it and thanks for stopping through!

Very fun movie! Your editing was excellent and your actors did a good job. I liked how you started it off and ended it with the comic book. Even though the zombie make-up didn't look realistic, I liked it. It added to the comic book feel. My only recommendation would be to watch your framing on the close ups. Everything was shot so well, so this may have been your intention, but when the close ups cut off the actor's chin, it made the shot feel really cramped. Thanks for the highly enjoyable entry!

Thanks, Kenneth. Yeah, I do know exactly what shots you're talking about. I did intent for it to be tight (it is maybe a tad bit too tight in a couple of places) - hope it didn't pull away from the enjoyment. rogar-BigGrin(DBG) Thanks for coming by.

Nice dude!! Really enjoyed this. It really works well especially because of the two actors, they really did a great job and carried it well, good personality pairing and camaraderie. I really liked the editing style, suited it well. Looking forward to more entries from you!

Thanks, Shawn. Great compliments! Well appreciated!! Can't wait to see what the theme is for the next fest. Hope to see you there again too.

 

[Zim]

Great film.

 

[Marlon Ladd]

Marlon,

Because of time constraints I can't get as detailed in my review as I normally like. However, I do have things to say.

I really enjoyed this one! The premise works in the boundaries of the fest's theme and the use of two central characters that play witty and colorful banter off of each other was also a great idea. It keeps the film focused on a specific relationship and in a small amount of time, allows it to evolve. The actors did a fine job carrying their weight. A few lines occasionally felt excessive or over-cooked, but it didn't cause any real grimaces. Always a plus!

The editing, as most have mentioned, is probably the film's strongest asset. Some occasional shots felt poorly framed and might have benefited from being on a longer focal length. Overall, it was a fun, exciting short. Nice job. :thumbsup:

Sounds like you're busy like the rest of us. Still making films, I hope. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to critique. I was wondering if you'd come through.

Fun and unique entry in the fest. The actors had a good back and forth. I think their dialog could have been worked a little more. They seemed to go in too many circles. I know the point is for them to be a couple of goof-ball brothers always fighting but I dunno, I think it could have gone a little more somewhere.

Like maybe when the ex girlfriend shows up, take that a lot further into their rivalry for women, maybe. Or take it further with what the other one will do to his brothers ex when they find her.

Also, I would settle on a stylistic device in something this short; either freeze-frame OR comic book, and the choice should be comic book, since you open it up so nicely with that. Like I would replace all of the freeze frame kills with comic-book panels. Makes it tighter I think to stick with one choice in that regard.

Fun movie.

Heya, Mark. Glad you liked it. I'm not sure what you mean by the dialogue though, because at the end of the film it does go into what Craig will do when he finds or sees one of Tyrone's ex girlfriends. The last line of the film Craig says he sees one of Tyrone's ex and runs after her. That's why there's the "To Be Continued," to further explore what the comedy of that situation would bring as well. This film was about basically one thing though - these brothers. You just get a brief glimpse into their zombie-ass-kicking lives. 6 minutes is not alot of time to tell a story and I felt the story could really stand on it's own as a sort of peek-a-boo. Although there is a beginning, middle and end. At the beginning, zombies are alive, in the middle they're being killed and at the end their all dead. :kali:

You make an interesting point about the stylistic choice. I'll certainly revisit that, because it does make sense. Thanks! And thanks for watching and leaving a review.

Great film.

Thanks, Zim!

 

[Lawsuit_Boy]

Sounds like you're busy like the rest of us. Still making films, I hope. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to critique. I was wondering if you'd come through.

Yeah, life has been hectic lately. I'm just now finishing up a 30 minute short I began at the beginning of August (finishing the film involved breaking and entering as well as rappelling). On top of that, I work and am a full-time college student (about to enter Grad school soon, hopefully). So I'm swamped with stuff. I hope I can get around to actually reviewing some more films. I'll try to take another look at yours and see if I can add to my critique. Anyway, good luck in the voting!

 

[Susanne G.]

I love this film. It was a very refreshing and funny one. I enjoyed very much the ironically interpretation of the theme. It feels good to see that someone has broken the cliché of this kind of films. Especially I like your eye for all the details - this perfect mixture of comic strip and real; for example when one of the main actors put his foot in a puddle - very nice sequence. The conversation between the brothers was hilarious and your zombies were really comic strip-like with their strong colored faces. For sure one of my top three.

Susanne

 

[Robert Eldon]

Love this film! I'm not in to 'Zombie' movies, but this was surprisingly entertaining.

I really liked the comic book stylization and wished that there had been a little more of it dispersed later in the film.

The dialog was snappy and fun. Great editing and camera work. Nice location, it really sold the environment and story.

My favorite shot was the bullet coming out of the barrel. It was nice that you didn't over do a lot of the effects. I thought the zombie make up was probably the weakest part of this film.

Great use of the music without it being obvious. It was subtle and just the right amount at the right time.

Great work on this by everyone! :thumbsup: