“Shorts Program” is a semi-regular column highlighting a short film that is well worth your time. If you have a short film you would like to share, drop us a line at marina@rowthree.com.
We’re a few days out from the release of the hotly anticipated District 9 so the time is ripe to share this, the film that started the journey. It’s safe to concede that no one expected District 9 to be what it’s turned into: an apparently all around pleaser with bits for both the big blockbuster and indie film fan but that’s exactly how it currently stands.
South African born and Vancouver based director Neill Blomkamp returned to South Africa to create Alive in Joburg, a six minute short film which was released by Spy Films in 2005. The short doesn’t simply showcase Blomkamp’s outstanding visual effects skills, it does so amidst an interesting story which explores themes of apartheid, hate and fear. The short film eventually led to the near-real and now dead Halo film which he worked on 24 hours a day for 5 months. When that project fell through, he returned to his short, expanding the story to a full length feature which looks nothing short of spectacular.
It’s not much longer to wait but to tide you over until Friday, take a look at the spectacular Alive in Joburg.
Movie laboratories are one of my favorite things ever. Metropolis,...
I performed an experiment where I showed this to friends and told them it was directed by John Waters. They said it was bad…
makes ya think.
Weird. It doesn’t look bad. Goes to show we all have prejudices. I’m going to guess your friends don’t like John Waters?
nah, it was just a stupid joke about one of the many pissing contests some of us get into.
When I showed this and told people it was directed by George Miller, people hated it. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying this is bad… or looks bad in any way shape or form… but this has me worried.
Look out Henrik, I bet George Miller’s cult-like lemming followers will misconstrue your remarks as an attack.
Even though you NEVER said the movie was bad! Not in any way!
Ahh, that particular doofus editorial over at the TMB is timeless!
It is timeless, it must’ve been a month ago and I still can’t get over it. I sincerely believe it to be the dumbest (and most dishonest) thing the guy’s ever written. And that is saying something.
And his defense is just to deny everything. He’s “stating the facts” and the worst part is that he’s writing to an audience that’s dumb enough to buy that.
My favorite part was when he insisted “I never COMPARED NB to a coffee boy. I was just using that as an ANALOGY.”
Yeah. analogy and comparison are synonyms.
Apologies to Marina for thread jacking.
No apologies required. I should have known I was missing something in the cryptic discussion. At least I don’t feel like I’m missing much.
The joke is quite funny though I think.