For a first feature length effort, this is not bad. I'd give it a solid 6.5, can't give 6.5 for on here, so I gave it 7. This is a little too long, as some scenes drag, and that is partially due to being filmed almost solely in a bedroom. It is a bit like his much newer film "Bed", I would say "Bed" is actually a stronger effort, but the B&W photography is pretty solid in "Shredder", and although it isn't the most eventful film, it does hold a few narrative surprises, and for an entirely dialog driven film, that is a good thing. Clearly this was filmed over a few days with a bunch of friends, and you may recognize a face or two that appear in his later films. Yes, there is a lack of interesting shots, but the sound editing is not awful, I have seen so much worse, I watch tons of low budget films.
"Shredder" isn't great, but it is a good homespun tale about a guy who really wants to play guitar and get the girls, that's really it. If that plot appeals to you, well, you'll like it, if not, please, spare us your negative review by not even watching it. For those interested in competent no budget movies, you can do a heck of a lot worse. Excited to how the upcoming sequel "Strummer" will improve upon "Shredder", we shall see.
In case you're new to Cody, If I had to rate Cody's best films in order, I would say: The DVD(which is sorely under-watched and highly misunderstood, it's actually pretty ambitious), Mute Date, Ramekin, Bed, and Shredder. All of his films are watchable, and memorable in one way or another, whether it is because of some good one liners such as "You have a stupid face" from Ramekin, the "commercials" in Mute Date, or most of the dialog between the two directors in "The DVD". Yes, his films have many short comings, but coming from a guy who works with a budget ranging fro $50-500, what do you expect? Fillini? Cody's ideas often exceed his budget, but you have to give him points for trying, he does more with his tiny budgets, despite all the flaws, then most people can do with 100x's with the budget.
God Bless ~Amy
