A Ninja Pays Half My Rent

This is one damn funny short film. Do you want to see a funny short film? Because, that is what this is. So, if you want to see a funny short film, this one would be a smart choice. A man comes into contact with fruit juice. Zany antics ensue, as his soul leaves his body. Slow, painful death has never made me laugh so hard.

Well, I can't deny this one made the audience behind me laugh in the theater, but I only cracked a smile once or twice, and most of the jokes seemed to fall in the "boy this is a ridiculous premise" mode. The actors seem like high school students learning how to say their lines for the first time. Some of the individual jokes were so absurd that thinking about them makes you realize they CAN'T be funny (someone dying because they had a grapefruit sprayed in their eye, a ninja wearing a towel over their robe to come back from the shower), while all of the cliches regarding how SWEET ninjas are and what antics they could develop if they were your roommate bring up mild chuckles at best. That all of the scenes are told in flashback setting makes the story seem even more trivial, although the tone of the short was very well defined. It was smart to allow the main character to have such a disenchanted, bored view of the ninja's household behavior.

Overall, though, this film seems like the product of someone making a film based around a minimum of resources than an inspired idea. Still, it's better than 75% of all short independent comedy films I've ever seen. But it would be advised for the filmmakers to view some more Mr. Show, The State, Upright Citizens Brigade, Kids in the Hall, Monty Python, SCTV, Ben Stiller Show, etc., if they are interested in making more short sketch based comedy films.

I've never seen a short film that has been made by someone so obviously qualified to direct features. Photography, music, editing and story are so tight and so appropriately used for GREAT comedic effect, I can't wait to see what Mr. Tsuchida plans to do next (something about Haiku and Spam, I think). It's five minutes of surreal comedy about a guy who tragically loses a roommate - Think along the lines of the drummers in "Spinal Tap" - only to get another one who can "kill people with his bare hands." Only shortcoming is it could have gone a bit longer, but at least it doesn't overstay its welcome, unlike some films. Depending on where you look on the web, you should be able to download it for free. It's worth looking for.

I don't really know what it is with this movie, but it's really funny! A guy is searching for a new roommate and finds the perfect roommate in a ninja.

I don't know what it is with this movie. The story is actually really stupid, but at the same time very funny. The reason for this, I believe, is the way it's made.

It's a simple short with few characters and simple and few settings. It gives you the background you need while it tells the story. They keep it short and don't try to haul it out longer than necessary. In other words well written. The actors are good. They does a great job in making this funny and not silly. They are funny, but manage to keep the movie serious. The cinematography is good and so is the music. It makes a nice mood. It stands as kind of a contrast to the action and so it makes everything even more funny.

All together an enjoyable little shot film.