Mulberry Street and low budget films
Hello again fellow film fans. Every once in a while I accidentally discover a little gem of a movie that has escaped my attention, and when it turns into an unexpected viewing pleasure I like to pass it on those I know will appreciate it like I do. My recent foray into streaming movies on nextflix to my 3DS while I bed-sit has turned up a great little movie that has been out there since 2006 and I never knew of it til now. I told you about my new viewing habits in my last post and luckily for you my lazy habit of watching movies in bed as I drift in into and out of 'noddy blinkums' has allowed me to present to you Jim Mickle's wonderful New York horror film 'Mulberry Street'. The title location is a real place in Manhattan that has seen its share of real-life drama over the last couple of centuries: It has been on New York City maps for over 200 years, was once part of the infamous 'Five Points' area of the city, and now is the location of a very enjoyable low-budget thriller. The film is actually a spin on the popular and often tired sub-genre of zombie film. It plays a little like Romero's 'Night of the Living Dead' meets 'I Am Legend'. I can really admire and be excited when a filmmaker uses the constrains of his budget and finds ways of still making a film as gripping and watchable as some bigger-budget movies - maybe even more so. As a former New York film student myself, I know how difficult making a good movie can be. The low-budget of 'Mulberry Street' is apparent but the direction, editing and writing overcome that to make for a gripping hour-and-a-half, that is if you are someone who doesn't mind likeable characters and snappy dialogue over expensive CGI and nonsensical bombast... but again don't get me wrong, I love a good big-budget movie, but they are so very rare these days. Many filmmakers working in the Hollywood system seem to think that if you have enough SFX and explosions and the like in a movie, you wont notice that you're watching crap. In that situation you are not just losing ten bucks but two hours of your life watching a movie you will forget about in a couple of days. I loved 'Mulberry Street' for its characters (the former boxer, the sexy widow, the home-bound old man, the cranky New Yorker who's seen it all, etc.) and for it's one-liners of dialogue that kept me chuckling even as the city begins to spiral into a viral hell. I wont bother to detail the plot to you - you will probably recognize elements of the story from other movies as you settle into watching it, but it will keep you watching as it carries forward at a brisk pace, keeping you interested in what the characters will do next. I hope you will take time to check it out, and then come back here again as I attempt to review in a personal way my favorite movies of all time over the next few weeks. These range from huge blockbusters like Lord of the Rings and Alien and Avatar, to smaller cult movies and strange popular gems like Harold and Maude and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen and Eraserhead. If you are interested I may even talk about some of my favorite music films and concerts like The Beatles "Help!", Alex Cox's classic 'Sid & Nancy' and the recent tour of Roger Waters' "The Wall". Thanks again for your attention. Go forth fellow film fans and be kind to one another! - Article by XIM Article by XIM