Robot Chicken Series 3

Andreco’s Fake Religion animation

Presented only with stills from Italian artist Andreco’s stop-motion animation Fake Religion, I was really loving it, purely based on its stark, surreal imagery. I was pretty disappointed not being able to locate the actual video, but that aside, I simply adored the images. I really would have loved to have seen the video presented in the breathtaking setting of the Palazzo Re Enzo in Bologna. Such a beautiful contrast of aesthetics between the dramatic murals and vaulted ceilings of the Palazzo and the stark graphic imagery of Andreco’s animation. Read more

Zombie Zombie video tribute to John Carpenter

This non-official video for Parisian electronics and drums duo Zombie Zombie is a remake of John Carpenter’s The Thing. Directors Simon Gisrel and Xavier Ehretsmann manage to retain the creepiness of the original using only stop-motion animated GI Joe figures. Pretty rad.

Beatles cartoons for lazy 80s kids

This cartoon brings back so many memories of camping out in front of the tele as a music obsessed kid, listening intently to the Liverpudian accents of the animated Fab Four and singing along a little too loudly to their many timeless hits. Back then it was all about undercooked pancakes and sweet, sweet Popper juices and the ever-present sound of Saturday morning crickets chirping the break of dawn amidst the smell of lazy pre-pubescent hedonism. Take me back! The Beatles’ cartoons were a staple of every weekend morning. And they stand now as a reflection on just how much the music industry has changed in the decades since. Somehow I doubt they’ll be rushing out to cobble together a Coldplay version for the kids of today.

Black Dynamite blaxploitation movie trailer

One very angry and unstoppable man wages war against drugs and malt liquor. A take-off of the old blaxploitation films, this is parody at its best, with many knowing nods to camera and hilarious moments involving clichés taken to their extremes. There’s the Asian kung-fu master, pimps and orphans hooked on heroin. It all begins with Black Dynamite being spurned on his quest for blood after his brother’s brutal murder, and then pushed further for the love of a good woman. There are hoes and guns, along with catchphrases and great one-liners. See it.

Defamation documentary trailer

Does Israel use the Holocaust as an excuse for their continued issues with the Palestine people? According to this film, yes. Are people who criticise Israel’s foreign policy often unfairly labelled anti-Semitic? Again, yes according to this brilliant documentary made by an Israeli-Jew. Instead of passing judgment himself, filmmaker Yoav Shamir is smart enough to put himself and his camera in the right places, surrounded by the right people, and let the people damn themselves. Read more

In The Loop, a darker Yes Minister for modern times

A less clever but much blacker version of Yes Minister, this political comedy farce does excel when it comes to insults. The communication director in the British Government reels off some of the best combinations of expletives I’ve heard in quite a while, and later in the film is equalled by American foes. In terms of content, In The Loop tells of a rush to war in the Middle East and how easily a UN resolution can be manipulated on the back of manipulated information. In a blur of meetings and arguments, educated opinions or arguments are rare and only seem to happen in passing, and this movie presents a terrifying vision of politics. I much prefer The West Wing and its clever, hard-working politicians. Considering the stupidity of Bush and co, however, this piece is probably much closer to the mark.