Cinemassacre

There are as many internet movies on the web as there are people on earth.  Maybe more so.  I've spent countless hours have been searching videos on youtube, looking up shorts from SNL, and seeing what kind of films I could find by just surfing the web.  Just recently however, I have gotten into watching retro videogame reviews.  Not just any kind of reviews, though.  One day when I was looking for a review of the old "Action 52" game (may the creators burn in hell), I came upon a video titled "The Angry Videogame Nerd", and being curious at the strange title, decided to check it out.  

I was greeted with one of the most clever, hilarious, and downright vulgar videos on the entire web.  Yes, profanity is definitely present in this series, but come on, a few toilet jokes never hurt anyone, eh?  

The "Angry Videogame Nerd" videos are a series of old-school game reviews with a twist. The Angry Videogame Nerd himself, picks only shoddy, second-rate games to review that allow him to rant rather coarsely the defects and problems with the game, using a lot of profane language, gestures, and content.  

Before people start to get the idea that the Nerd is an immature adult with the mentality of a three year old, let me interject.

The whole idea of the series is to use obscenities over the top, which creates a comedic effect just as well as the obscenities in the first place.  It's obvious to the audience that quite no one on this earth could act like the Angry Videogame Nerd, and that the profanity is added just to fuel the character's anger and to coincide with the review's details.  The entirety of the videos isn't just cusses and random outbursts, as the Nerd also makes interesting, insightful points about the videogame, then follows it up with a swear word (or 30) to get the laugh. 

To be honest, I wouldn't be impressed if this was all James Rolfe, creator of the series, had to offer.  It doesn't take much thought to produce this type of video, no matter how entertaining it may be.  But interested in his work, I took at a look at his website, Cinemassacre.com. 

Though the name may suggest that all the website is about is cheap horror flicks, James Rolfe actually has a whole other side to his popular Angry Videogame Nerd counterpart.  He produces an array of videos, all of which posses an unmistakable style.  

Home made movies hold a certain appeal.  The fact that it doesn't have any high-tech special effects, big name stars, or incredible stunts actually do something to liven up the experience.  When movies are made without these things, people have to use their imagination to create a simple puppet stunt into something greater, thus creating a deeper, better understanding of the art that goes into producing a film.  Many of James Rolfe's earlier movies have this property, which makes for an interesting video.  After years and years of making movies, however (and with the discovery of computer editing software), he was able to increase the quality of his movies.  While a new caliber would aid the films' overall look and appeal, Rolfe would retain some of the do-it-yourself attributes, and by blending them together, create some of the most unique and funny films ever made for the internet.

Many times the movies that Rolfe makes use an assortment of camera angles, creating the effect of a Hollywood film.  Though the camera used of course isn't top notch, the viewer can't help but feel like they're in a theater, when really he's just at the computer on his lunch break.  At times, however, there are events that remind you that this is just a low budget film, but those events are placed to do exactly that.  James Rolfe's movies are meant to poke fun at the way movies are made today.  

For example, "Curse of the Cat Lover's Grave", made in 2003, was a three act film, each making fun of a certain type of horror movie.  These included the over-the-top pop out scare fest, the cold, chilling low-key horror, and of course, the gory, bloody violent rampage.  It would seem as though this kind of movie would just be a slightly crappier version of "Scary Movie," each act is so well done and utilizes each style so perfectly, that the entire film is easily one of my favorites.  

Making movies since the early 90's, James Rolfe's accomplishments as a movie director, editor, and actor command respect.  Few people really stand out when it comes to film making, but after watching videos on the internet for years, it's safe to say that Rolfe is one of the elite few that stand above the crowd.  He's finally made a job out of doing the thing he loves most, a feat the majority of us can only dream about, and is only getting bigger as his fanbase increases.  Though it's still early in his career, we can only hope that James Rolfe gains the attention of professional actors and writers, and eventually recognition from the Hollywood scene itself.  If I could only trust one person to make an outstanding, artistically unparalleled movie, this guy would be it.