4 swirlies

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“We here at Monopoly Video don’t believe the content of such films is appropriate in today’s tumultuous sociopolitical climate.”

Dead End Days shows us a slice of life in a society where zombies are integrated into the culture and respected.

But would you expect any changes in your local video store? I like how this series examines this society through small scenes of the daily grind – here, Zombie movies are now considered politically incorrect. Eric takes on a role, not unlike your local drug dealer, hustling these illegal movies to private customers. Don’t expect any gory zombie attacks or feasts on brains from this series, but instead, a look at how your life might change if the ‘undead’ were living peacefully as your neighbour. Would you live in suspicion and fear, or embrace this new demographic and find a way to make money off them?

More episodes at www.deadenddays.com

2 Swirlies

“We don’t know what tonight is going to bring. Or tomorrow.”

In true movie fashion, the beautiful girl in distress is the second character we meet. Will they get together?

This is the second episode of the series, and we see that there are, indeed, some survivors from whatever it is that killed almost everyone in L.A. The survivors huddle in a basement and get what surely must be the worst pep talk ever – a real downer followed by, “Everything’s going to be okay.”

I’m still waiting for this series to get going. I’m a sucker for science fiction, so I guess we’ll see what picks up next…

3 Swirlies

“You either want the big story or you don’t.”

The title kinda gives it away.

So, in this second episode, it starts with a surprise (that would have been a bigger surprise without the spoiler title) and then the events of the first episode are (mostly) explained.

While this episode is largely expository – a bad choice when you’re dealing in 5 minute episodes – there’s one interesting part where they show a clip from an old movie, which I assume hints at what’s happening to our gal.

This episode leaves me disappointed after the promise of the first, and I gotta say (at the risk of coming across like an asshole) – what? She wouldn’t go to the hospital or the cops after someone shot at her?

I’ll give it at least a one more episode. What do you guys thinks? Are you going to keep watching?

3 Swirlies

“I thought I’d watch the sun rise over the ocean for the first time. Only the sun doesn’t rise over this ocean.”

We learn we a little more about Taffy, and get to see her try to bond with her roommate.

This one has a little less pathos than the first one, and little less in the way of overwrought voice over.

This is the real pilot – a lot of exposition (which is mostly well delivered) and a good grounding in what the characters are looking for. Taffy came to L.A. looking for a new life, and while she feels disconnected from the big city life all around her her trust in God allows her to have faith that she’ll figure it out.

Any series that can make me feel sympathetic to a character that talks about God and Jesus is pretty well done.

Still not sure about that accent, though.

This is still the only series I’ve come across that’s all drama. Does anyone have any recommendations?

4 Swirlies

This opens nice and suspenseful. A guy packing a crate with guns. A student tacking down a story. Her boyfriend looking for her. Something’s gotta happen… right?

And then it does.

While this first installment doesn’t give us much insight into what’s going on, it does give us one thrill ride of a five minute episode – honestly I was a little surprised it was so long, it felt much shorter.

The only reason it missed five Swirlies is the acting is little stilted, and it was essentially all set up. Also the series seems to be about supernatural stuff, at least according to their Youtube tags, and there’s not even a hint of that in this episode. But those are trivial complaints, perhaps, and I’m quite excited to see where this series is going.

The closing tag (thankfully, there’s not 2 minutes of end credits pumping up the length) reads, “No longer a myth.” Count me intrigued.

Does the title make anyone else think of cheese? No? So it’s just me, then.

2 Swirlies

“She sings when she gets emotional.”

Wow, Twilght meets Glee.

I guess one of the things the internet provides is a quicker way to cash in on trends. I don’t know who’s behind this show, but it looks like they sunk a bunch of money into it.

Essentially, the guy is a newly turned vampire and his biggest problem is that he’s worried that his crush slash best friend won’t love him. Add two extended music video sequences and a “surprise” ending and you have what feels like a pitch at tweens. Is it meant to be an online ‘backdoor’ pilot for a TV series?

The production is slick, but it feels too slick and doesn’t really help creating any kind of mood. The acting is pretty bad (sorry guys, I know you’re trying your best.) I suppose if you’re 13 and think Glee and Twilight are the high water mark of cultural achievement this is the show for you.

If, on the other hand, you’re still discussing the ending of the Sopranos, made I suggest something else from the Watch List’s extensive menu?

Does it matter to you if you sense a webseries is just a thinly veiled attempt to get a TV show? Like they’re only dating you to get to your hotter friend?

(Almost) 3 Swirlies

“Am I really that different from everybody else?”

Almost there…

There’s not too many attempts at straight out drama on the web. So I not only applaud “With the Angels” for trying it, but for getting so many things right.

A young girl from Arkansas moves to L.A., but finds herself an outsider in the shallow, flakey, freaky lives that populate Venice Beach. What really works for me is the idea of the perpetual outsider looking for a place to fit in. Usually it’s a problem when your main character is a passive observer, but these guys make it work.Main character Taffy is both protagonist and storyteller – we very much see everything through her eyes – a trick that is often attempted but rarely carried off.

Even here, there’s a few things that come close to dragging the good parts down. The confessional parts (especially the first of the two in this episode) made me glance at the time bar. Death for internet video. Luckily the moments at the party were skillfully done, turning Taffy into enough of an underdog to make us root for her.

My other big question mark is the accent. Is that for real? It sounds put on to me. But what do I know? My fiancee tells me every accent I try to do sounds like John Lennon.

So… some good. Some bad. Where’s the story? We’ll see if the people behind “With the Angels” have any clear idea in the next few episodes.