Ryan Colucci's Blog, page 21

Top 5 Actor-Director Reunions I'd Like to See

This lists constitutes the Top 5 Actor-Director Reunions I would like to see.  The only stipulation is, they must be able to work together again (basically, one of them can't be dead).

Top 5

Mark Wahlburg/Paul Thomas Anderson
Robert De Niro/Martin Scorcese
Danniel Day Lewis/Paul Thomas Anderson
Guy Pearce/Chris Nolan
John Cusack/Savage Steve Holland

Honorable Mention:

John Cuasck/Cameron Crowe
Kevin Spacey/Bryan Singer
Leonardo Dicaprio/Danny Boyle

 

Movie Review: Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol

Top 10 Most Anticipated Winter Films

To celebrate the start of winter yesterday, I put together a list of the 10 films I want to see the most from now until March 20 (the end of winter).  Some of these films may have come out in limited release, such as Shame or A Dangerous Method – but have not hit Long Island yet so I'm counting them as winter releases.

Haywire – Soderberg, Fassbender and Gina Carrano.  How would this not be #1?
Shame – more Fassbender… and my favorite young actress Carey Mulligan.
Coriolanus – I don't know how this slipped past my radar, but it looks pretty awesome.
Girl With the Dragon Tattoo – a month ago this would have been #1, but I may have seen one too many promos for it and since I've seen the original it all feels old to me.
Act of Valor – this is right up my alley being that I dreamed of being a Navy SEAL one day.
A Dangerous Method – even more Fassbender.  Directed by David Cronenberg.
Chronicle – this looks like the really good version of what a found footage x-men rip-off should be.
John Carter – I am not so sure about this based on the trailer, but I'm in either way
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close – the trailer was more moving than most films I've ever seen
Rampart – I was a big fan of The Messenger and the same creative team brings us this, including Woody Harrelson as a bad ass

Honorable Mention

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy – a month ago this may have been in the top 3, but word everywhere is that this is a snooze fest.  I still want to and will see it, but I'm not itching to do so.
The Devil Inside – besides looking good, my friend Brent Bell directed this.
We Need to Talk About Kevin – have been hearing really good things about this Lynne Ramsey film.
Tin Tin – not that interested, but Spielberg and that creative team?  Hard to not go see it.
Loosies – Vincent Gallo is in it.  That's enough for me.
Underworld Awakening – if you know me, you know I put out a werewolf book, so yes – I am a fan of this type of stuff.
The Secret World of Arrietty – Miyazaki is the master.
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters – this sounds pretty awful, then you find out that Renner and Arterton are the stars and it changes my whole perspective.

I Miss You Nana

Two years ago today my grandma died.  I miss her more and more each day that goes by.

Love you Big Nana.

Movie Review: The Sitter

I wanted to end the fat Jonah Hill-era on a high note.  Desperately.  I really like fat Jonah Hill.  He was great in Superbad and really impressed in Get Him to the Greek, as well as Forgetting Sarah Marshall.  But The Sitter was a turkey from the opening scene all the way to the end.

Every element of this film felt forced.  From the plot contrivances, to the zany bad guys (Sam Rockwell slumming it here for some reason), to the various personalities of the children… to the 'our night together solved our lifelong problems' conclusion.  None of it was particularly interesting, mostly because we weren't along for the ride with Noah Griffin's journey.  I hated Marissa from the start, and I've got to assume most of the audience did.  It would have been better to start off with her using him, but liking him – then her not liking him and using him.  Then we discover the truth as he does.  I'm not sure that would have saved the film, as it just wasn't funny.  And it is a comedy.  I laughed maybe two or three times – and only because of Hill's impeccable timing and delivery.  The gags and dialogue all fell flat.

I would have preferred a straight remake of Adventures in Babysitting.  At least that film was fun, filled with adventure and you could get onboard with Elizabeth Shue as she went on this wild ride.

Movie Review: Bellflower

A movie by Silver Lake hipsters, for Silver Lake hipsters.  With no plot, under developed characters and a meandering drive, Bellflower ultimately leads nowhere.

Two slacker buddies from the mid-west relocate to Los Angeles – or what looks like the fringes of Los Angeles – to follow their dream of building a flame thrower and/or becoming characters in Mad Max.  It is never really quite clear.  It also isn't clear how they get their money or why on earth they think this is a good idea.

The acting is poor, the direction is worse and the why of it all is left up in the air without even a hint of an answer.  Why is this chick sleeping with what I thought was her brother/cousin at her boyfriend's house when she actually lives with the guy I thought was her brother/cousin?  Why does he get beat up by an old guy at a gas station but somehow manages to beat down the bigger brother/cousin and then take out a giant dude at a party?  Why does no one have a job?  Why does his friend not care when he steals the girl he was with?  Why does everyone seem to live a block away from each other?  Why do we care about any of these people?  Why was this film receiving so much press?  Why was this film ever made?

Movie: Young Adult

I wanted to hate Young Adult.  I walked in with a strong dislike for Diablo Cody's Juno, tired of her hipper than though speak – which to me was more the rumblings of a social outcast. All of the marketing and trailers sold this as another studio romantic comedy… which would no doubt lead to a warm and fuzzy feeling for everyone at the end.  Something Katherine Heigl could have easily toplined instead of Charlize Theron.

Then I started to hear early reviews coming in talking about how dark the film was.  How there was no redemption. And then Patton Oswalt got involved.  He was on his twitter and various platforms praising this film and how it went against the grain.

I walked in wanting to hate it, but walked out really liking it.  Although it is definitely a tough film to sell, every employee involved in marketing this picture should be fired.  They are paid to sell these types of movies – not the Thors and giant blockbusters of the world. You get paid to be creative and effective at selling what is made.  Not vice versa. That's why a studio like Fox Searchlight is the best in the business. But I digress…

Charlize Theron goes all-in on this one.  It is a brave performance and should garner her some Oscar consideration.  She rarely wears make-up in the film (she's still better looking than 99.9% of the world)… but for an actress to take that leap is definitely courageous.  Her character is crazy, but not along the lines of someone like Homer Simpson.  She's self-aware.  She has a drinking problem and when she comes clean about this, she's ignored.  Everything here feels pretty real and that's a tribute to her performance and Jason Reitman. Everyone around her also puts in good performances, particularly Patton Oswalt.  I've been a huge fan since Big Fan and I love seeing him in these meatier roles.

I do have some problems with the movie.  Patrick Wilson's Buddy Slade actually kisses Mavis back one night.  He's supposed to be drunk, but clearly something happened here.  He's saved by the babysitter, but if that didn't happen – would he have gone further with her?  Then, when she approaches him the next day – she never actually references the kiss.  She talks about feelings – why not point to facts.  You kissed me, do you not remember that?  Why doesn't she blurt that out when she blows up in front of the house?  Also, Buddy states that his wife wanted to invite her to the naming ceremony.  However, when he makes the call he's in a room with a closed door and for all intents and purposes is speaking in a low voice.  Reitman wants us to believe he had no intentions there?  I'm not so sure about this and would have liked to explore this a bit more.

Overall though, the film is engaging, entertaining and uncomfortable in the best way possible.  I will not question Jason Reitman anymore.  I forgive him for Juno.  It put him on the map and got a few Oscars (same awards ceremony that gave Crash a best picture by the way).  Thank You For Smoking is good and Up in the Air is great… and this only cements his status as someone who makes challenging, but highly entertaining movies for adults.

New Film Project

I've got something that has been percolating for the last few weeks, but is finally bubbling to the service.  As it looks like R.E.M. (the feature film) isn't going to happen in the spring or summer, I was getting very antsy.  I wanted to be in production on a project.  There was something I was and am working on – which is called Penny Black.  But after a few months away from the outline took another look and wanted to start over.  I was actually combining that outline with the outline for another project, called Lemontown.  I was about to start that process when something else dawned on me.

Let me start by saying that I am not the biggest fan of the genre I'm about to work in.  I do watch every film from that genre, but it is like self-torture.  Found footage films.

It isn't that I have a dislike for the genre in particular.  I think there are some fun films made, like Paranormal Activity 3, Catfish, The Last Exorcism and TrollHunter.  But for most of the films, I am always wondering why the subject decided to let someone film them or I'm pulling my hair out saying, 'there's no way you'd still be filming!'

But with that thinking, I believe I can attack something like this in a positive manner.  Coming up with actual solutions as to why the subject is willing and why the camera is rolling.

It is a horror project… in the world of mythical creatures.  I called my fellow USC Peter Stark classmate and co-writer on Harbor Moon Dikran Ornekian to talk to him about it maybe a week ago.  He started to get into it and three conversations on the phone later, and a few dozen hours in the library working on various outlines, we cracked the story.  And I'm glad to say he's onboard to write.  We're both hoping to have a script within the month.  That's how quickly this is flowing.

I've already ran the outline by Production Designer Jessee Clarkson and he's jazzed on the idea.  In fact, after a long talk he's already throwing out ideas that will affect the story, etc… It feels great to have this collaborative atmosphere on a project.  Where people you actually trust are not only doing what they need to do, but their work affects the story – in a manner that fits with what I see in my head.  This is the anti-sci-fi film I just produced (which I won't name), where the director's ego was so large that he was closed off to collaboration.  Because of this, department heads did not get along or had little to know communication and the project suffers because of it.  This is fine if you actually have talent or know what you're doing.  But he doesn't.

I'm excited about the project and right now am still sorting out where we are going to shoot.  The possible locations are Los Angeles, Atlanta or New York.  I'll bring you more updates as they come in.

 

 

Movie Review: I Am Number Four

Due to a blowout in the Giants-Saints Monday Night Football game, I was channel surfing early and just caught the beginning to D.J. Caruso's I Am Number Four.  I sucked it up and powered through the following 90-something minutes.

I started off very down on Caruso.  He made some bad, very uninteresting movies with casts and topics that should have been exciting.  Salton Sea. Taking Lives. Two For the Money.  It wasn't until Disturbia that he started to show any chops. It is notable that he was directing episodes of The Shield right before that, which could be the reason for the uptick in his skillset.  I think he takes a step backwards here, but I'm not so sure it is his fault. The script, based on a novel, is fairly formulaic and a bit ridiculous. Caruso does his best with what he's given, but he's not given much.  A lame X-Men meets Heroes rip-off plot, poor acting and a limited vfx budget.  Even the villains, the Mogs, look ridiculous. Overall, the film actually reminded me a lot of the 80′s Masters of the Universe with Dolph Lundgren.

Alex Pettyfer tries, but fails to garner much emotional impact from his performance. A constantly clenched jaw doesn't make you James Dean, nor is it good acting. Dianne Agron is unwatchable as the love interest and is best suited for tween television. Jake Abel is given the extremely trite role of the 'bad guy'.  He goes from date rapist/kidnapper at one point to homeboy at the end in a matter of a few minutes/days… Everything sort of just happens, with no emotional connection or stakes.  Teresa Palmer's Number Six comes out of nowhere and just saves the day – and we are just supposed to accept that. I didn't. It felt like the extended pilot to a television show, which is maybe where it should have aired.  Except Heroes already beat it out.

Movie Review: Brothers Bloom

As a fan of his debut effort, Brick, I was high on Rian Johnson… but after being underwhelmed by the trailer and everything I read/heard about Brothers Bloom I kept putting it off.  Two conmen in hipster suits just isn't my idea of a good time.  I like Adrien Brody just fine, and I'm a Mark Ruffalo fan (I could live without Rachel Weisz although I do find myself liking most of her movies, so I may actually just be in denial).

Although rather late, I finally caught up to his sophomore effort.  It isn't exactly what I expected, but it is definitely a departure from Brick.  It was a pretty whimsical film, moving at a brisk pace.  But that meant I also didn't connect with it that much.  So when all of these cons and double crosses are going down at the end, none of it really mattered to me.  It was almost too smart and hip for its own good.  The cast were all good, including Weisz, and since this would be a rental or download I'd definitely recommend checking it out at some point.

Johnson is in post on his sci-fi pic Looper, once again making a departure and I'm interested to see how he does with that material.  I like someone who takes chances.