Ryan Colucci's Blog, page 34
January 7, 2011
Movie Review: Valhalla Rising
Like a twisted, barbarian version of Terrence Mallick's The Thin Red Line, Valhalla Rising floats through its narrative with a melancholy pace, attempting to put the viewer into the world of Mads Mikkelsen's One Eye - the captured warrior who is forced to fight rival clan's slaves. But the pace is so leisurely and the narrative so non-existent it puts you into a dream-like state... if that dream was being conducted by Satan.
I'm the last person to be uncomfortable with a film that has almost no dialogue (such as Conan the Barbarian), but Valhalla Rising's plot has almost no driving force... and so we almost beg for more. The film takes place in stages - Earth, Purgatory and Hell. It gives you the sense that more things will happen in each, pushing the story further - but you'd be wrong.
I was a fan of the director's Pusher trilogy and believe he is bound for some pretty cool things - and almost view this film as more of a canvas that he was practicing on. He did some cool things, and within a tighther, more linear framework would have been exciting. If you're in the mood for an experimental arthouse barbarian film, this is for you. It's interesting, for sure... but I don't know if I can mentally handle another trip into this madman's vision of Hell.
I'm the last person to be uncomfortable with a film that has almost no dialogue (such as Conan the Barbarian), but Valhalla Rising's plot has almost no driving force... and so we almost beg for more. The film takes place in stages - Earth, Purgatory and Hell. It gives you the sense that more things will happen in each, pushing the story further - but you'd be wrong.
I was a fan of the director's Pusher trilogy and believe he is bound for some pretty cool things - and almost view this film as more of a canvas that he was practicing on. He did some cool things, and within a tighther, more linear framework would have been exciting. If you're in the mood for an experimental arthouse barbarian film, this is for you. It's interesting, for sure... but I don't know if I can mentally handle another trip into this madman's vision of Hell.
Movie Review: Black Swan
With Black Swan, Darren Aronofsky did little to knock himself off the porch as one of my two favorite living directors (with David Fincher). It was pretty awesome that they both had films come out within months of each other. I have to give the edge to Fincher in this battle, but only because The Social Network was more epic and timeless in nature. Black Swan was more intimate, a smaller character study in the breakdown of a human being. And Aronofsky was working from a far inferior script; laden with over-the-top theatrics from Barbara Hershey and Winona Ryder and what really ticked me off - needless exposition that tells the entire story at the beginning from Vincent Cassell... but what Aronofsky does with that script, the mood he creates, the performances he pulls out of Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman, and the constant nailbiting he induces all make for an amazing movie going experience. How many other directors could make a movie about the ballet (for someone such as myself) this good?
Like a typical Aronofsky film, the tension keeps ratcheting up... until we the audience are turned and twisted and left feeling like we just went through a prize fight at the end. Clint Mansell (as usual) sets such an amazing mood and matches the image on screen beat for beat with his score.
It all culimates into what is one of the best shots you'll not only see in a film this year, but ever. I don't want to give it away, but if you know anything about Swan Lake, it happens during the final transformation. Every element is perfect and the effect is mind-blowing.
Like a typical Aronofsky film, the tension keeps ratcheting up... until we the audience are turned and twisted and left feeling like we just went through a prize fight at the end. Clint Mansell (as usual) sets such an amazing mood and matches the image on screen beat for beat with his score.
It all culimates into what is one of the best shots you'll not only see in a film this year, but ever. I don't want to give it away, but if you know anything about Swan Lake, it happens during the final transformation. Every element is perfect and the effect is mind-blowing.
January 6, 2011
Partially Complete Chasing Rabbits Cover
As a reward for my absence, I will share with you the cover for my fourth graphic novel, Chasing Rabbits. The cover is by Pawel Sambor, who did all of the artwork for Harbor Moon. It is pretty f'in awesome.
Please keep in mind, it is not done yet. Pawel still has some details, etc... he wants to add - and we are changing the background from purple to more of a texture concrete. This is more fitting to the story, and the other colors on the cover will really pop.
Please keep in mind, it is not done yet. Pawel still has some details, etc... he wants to add - and we are changing the background from purple to more of a texture concrete. This is more fitting to the story, and the other colors on the cover will really pop.
Book Promotion is Never Ending
Hey all... I haven't been neglecting you. Part of my absence has to do with the fact I want you all to see the last post (the Harbor Moon retail shop request form). The other part has been consumed with reaching out to comic book shops throughout the country, Canada and Europe to let them know about the book's upcoming release.
It entailed sending out about 4000 or so emails and over 200 letters - some with a handful of bookmarks and copies of the request form. It took a while... but will hopefully be worth it. I just don't want to ever regret not doing something. Being lazy. That's just not who I am. I still have to follow-up with about 100 reviewers/sites who have yet to get back to me... They just don't know what they're missing.
I have been spending some time trying to watch every movie from 2010 I missed during the year. Some don't come out on DVD until mid-to-late January, but I'm pretty much all caught up and hope to do my Top 10 list this weekend. I'm also going to be barraging you all with film reviews.
It entailed sending out about 4000 or so emails and over 200 letters - some with a handful of bookmarks and copies of the request form. It took a while... but will hopefully be worth it. I just don't want to ever regret not doing something. Being lazy. That's just not who I am. I still have to follow-up with about 100 reviewers/sites who have yet to get back to me... They just don't know what they're missing.
I have been spending some time trying to watch every movie from 2010 I missed during the year. Some don't come out on DVD until mid-to-late January, but I'm pretty much all caught up and hope to do my Top 10 list this weekend. I'm also going to be barraging you all with film reviews.
December 15, 2010
Time to Stalk Your Local Comic Retailer
December is here and the vividly painted graphic novel HARBOR MOON has arrived in this month's Previews. Officially hitting shelves in February through Arcana, the title is getting a ton of early buzz and positive reviews.
So print this out, march down to your local comic shop and make sure they have your copy ready and waiting.
So print this out, march down to your local comic shop and make sure they have your copy ready and waiting.
Goodreads Give-Away Winner Announced
A winner has been chosen (by Goodreads) for the Harbor Moon give-away. 825 people entered... and our winner is N.J. Tyler from St. Louis, MO. Congratulations and thanks to everyone for entering.
Just a reminder that the book is currently available through DCBS, the nation's largest comic retailer, for almost half-price - PLUS a signed book plate from myself, Dikran Ornekian (writer) and Pawel Sambor (artist). Since Pawel lives in Poland, he has yet to sign anything. So this is a crazy offer.
Just a reminder that the book is currently available through DCBS, the nation's largest comic retailer, for almost half-price - PLUS a signed book plate from myself, Dikran Ornekian (writer) and Pawel Sambor (artist). Since Pawel lives in Poland, he has yet to sign anything. So this is a crazy offer.
December 13, 2010
TV Review: Walking Dead
Frank Darabont, why do you this? Why do you make one great thing, then a bunch of shitty things, then another great thing? Why can't you put forth this type of product every time?
Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead came in with a lot of hype, as it is the biggest non-superhero title in comics today. I have seen it shopped around as a feature and then tv show for the last five or six years, with some nibbles but never a bite. Fortunately, it found a home with Gale Anne Hurd and Darabont. From there they were able to get AMC to take it on. AMC has been taking some big risks lately and it seems to be paying off for them, which is great to hear. If The Walking Dead's ratings are any indication, they have a bonafide hit on their hands. It was the highest rated premiere on cable television. Ever. And even crazier is that those ratings held over the season (which was only six episodes). And I'm not alone in thinking it is a really well-made, excellent show.
Only six episodes, the pilot is the clear stand-out - as it is 90 minutes and has the production value of a feature film. It sets up a lot for what is to come, but even better for a show to suck you in - leaves you with a lot of questions. I'm not going to get into the story or characters here... if you aren't watching this show - what is wrong with you? It is six episodes on AMC. Everyone gets AMC. Make it happen on DVD/Netflix and get onboard.
Bit of a sidenote, it was just announced that Darabont fired the writing staff of the show. Which means that he'll be writing most of the episodes, along with Kirkman. Or episodes will be farmed out to select writers. I understand the benefits of a writer's room/staff - but I honestly don't understand why more shows don't do this. It is cheaper and makes for more of a consistent voice throughout the show's run/season. A show I think would benefit greatly from this would be Dexter, which just ended it's fifth season with a neatly wrapped bow (nothing like last season which blew this season away).
Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead came in with a lot of hype, as it is the biggest non-superhero title in comics today. I have seen it shopped around as a feature and then tv show for the last five or six years, with some nibbles but never a bite. Fortunately, it found a home with Gale Anne Hurd and Darabont. From there they were able to get AMC to take it on. AMC has been taking some big risks lately and it seems to be paying off for them, which is great to hear. If The Walking Dead's ratings are any indication, they have a bonafide hit on their hands. It was the highest rated premiere on cable television. Ever. And even crazier is that those ratings held over the season (which was only six episodes). And I'm not alone in thinking it is a really well-made, excellent show.
Only six episodes, the pilot is the clear stand-out - as it is 90 minutes and has the production value of a feature film. It sets up a lot for what is to come, but even better for a show to suck you in - leaves you with a lot of questions. I'm not going to get into the story or characters here... if you aren't watching this show - what is wrong with you? It is six episodes on AMC. Everyone gets AMC. Make it happen on DVD/Netflix and get onboard.
Bit of a sidenote, it was just announced that Darabont fired the writing staff of the show. Which means that he'll be writing most of the episodes, along with Kirkman. Or episodes will be farmed out to select writers. I understand the benefits of a writer's room/staff - but I honestly don't understand why more shows don't do this. It is cheaper and makes for more of a consistent voice throughout the show's run/season. A show I think would benefit greatly from this would be Dexter, which just ended it's fifth season with a neatly wrapped bow (nothing like last season which blew this season away).
December 12, 2010
Amazon Page
I'm trying to add more reviews to Amazon, and it seems to only cap my reviews. Does anyone have a clue how to add more?
Also, I'm testing out running the blog so it goes through my Amazon Author page. This post is sort of a test. All that means is this blog will also post there. It currently posts at my Goodreads Author page as well. Taking over the blogosphere.
Also, I'm testing out running the blog so it goes through my Amazon Author page. This post is sort of a test. All that means is this blog will also post there. It currently posts at my Goodreads Author page as well. Taking over the blogosphere.
TV Review: Boardwalk Empire
This was one of the pieces of entertainment I was looking forward to the most this year. Scorcese is one of my heroes and I'm a sucker for gangster-fare, especially prohibition era. There is just something less criminal and alluring about what they were doing back then. Even the bad guys had a code, and the only ones that got hurt were other bad guys. They were essentially bootlegging what is found everywhere now. It's not as insidious as heroin, crack or meth.
The show started with a bang, coming out the gates like a thoroughbred - as one would expect from this big budget HBO show directed by Martin Scorcese. It introduced a handful of colorful (and real-life) characters that were all intriguing. It set some high stakes... but then for a few episodes at the beginning didn't deliver on any of that. It seemed like a lot of soul searching and exposition. As if they were trying to work in actual facts, rather than worry about actually being entertaining. Michael Pitt's Jim Darmody spent a lot of time in Chicago with Al Capone, doing nothing (save for one great hit). There was an entire episode with a whore who had her face cut open preceding that hit that was a giant waste of time. The same can be said for the ongoings in Atlantic City with Steve Buscemi's Nucky Thompson. It was dull and boring. The only interesting things going on were seeing Gretchen Mol's hot mom (to Darmody) getting banged by Lucky Luciano, who was supposed to be finding Normady to kill him. I stuck it out, and for good reason. The show is a visual treat, and they although it seems trite to load it with so many facts/factual characters, they do an awesome job of it. But once Darmody gets back to Jersey, things really take off and the show finished extremely strong. I didn't want the season to end and am now really looking forward to season 2.
The standouts of the first season, to me, were Al Capone (Stephen Graham who was also great in Public Enemies as Baby Face Nelson) and Richard Harrow (Jack Huston) as the veteran without a face. He is such a bad ass, and the actor who plays him breathes such unique life into him. He is by far the best character on the show. And he's the biggest badass. Everyone is pretty top-notch, from Michael Shannon's prohibition officer to Shea Whigham's sheriff Eli Thompson. I was a Buscemi apologist for a while, saying the show was good enough it didn't matter (there were a few people who were arguing that he was the wrong choice to play a ruthless and cunning politician, who was also a ladies man). They were right. It works, but with the long list of actors they could have cast it is a shame they didn't. Buscemi seems better suited for a lesser politician... That isn't me saying he is bad, he has always given off a weak/weaselly vibe. He's not Tony Soprano, he is his misfit cousin who winds up dead. It works - but a good show could have been great.
The show started with a bang, coming out the gates like a thoroughbred - as one would expect from this big budget HBO show directed by Martin Scorcese. It introduced a handful of colorful (and real-life) characters that were all intriguing. It set some high stakes... but then for a few episodes at the beginning didn't deliver on any of that. It seemed like a lot of soul searching and exposition. As if they were trying to work in actual facts, rather than worry about actually being entertaining. Michael Pitt's Jim Darmody spent a lot of time in Chicago with Al Capone, doing nothing (save for one great hit). There was an entire episode with a whore who had her face cut open preceding that hit that was a giant waste of time. The same can be said for the ongoings in Atlantic City with Steve Buscemi's Nucky Thompson. It was dull and boring. The only interesting things going on were seeing Gretchen Mol's hot mom (to Darmody) getting banged by Lucky Luciano, who was supposed to be finding Normady to kill him. I stuck it out, and for good reason. The show is a visual treat, and they although it seems trite to load it with so many facts/factual characters, they do an awesome job of it. But once Darmody gets back to Jersey, things really take off and the show finished extremely strong. I didn't want the season to end and am now really looking forward to season 2.
The standouts of the first season, to me, were Al Capone (Stephen Graham who was also great in Public Enemies as Baby Face Nelson) and Richard Harrow (Jack Huston) as the veteran without a face. He is such a bad ass, and the actor who plays him breathes such unique life into him. He is by far the best character on the show. And he's the biggest badass. Everyone is pretty top-notch, from Michael Shannon's prohibition officer to Shea Whigham's sheriff Eli Thompson. I was a Buscemi apologist for a while, saying the show was good enough it didn't matter (there were a few people who were arguing that he was the wrong choice to play a ruthless and cunning politician, who was also a ladies man). They were right. It works, but with the long list of actors they could have cast it is a shame they didn't. Buscemi seems better suited for a lesser politician... That isn't me saying he is bad, he has always given off a weak/weaselly vibe. He's not Tony Soprano, he is his misfit cousin who winds up dead. It works - but a good show could have been great.
December 11, 2010
Movie Review: Prince of Persia, Sands of TIme
In the films I've seen her in, I can't say I was a huge Gemma Arterton fan. She was cute and a decent actress in Quantum of Solace, but wasn't overly attractive. Not next to the well-bronzed Olga Kurylenko (who I just talked about in Centurion). And I barely remember her in Rock n Rolla. But she is absurd in Prince of Persia. When she tells Prince Destin 'because you haven't been able to take your eyes off of me' she wasn't lying. They do a pretty amazing job of making her look like a bronzed goddess, and every second she's on screen you're drawn to her. And from what I remember, she was pale and pasty in Quantum of Solace. I immediately put Quantum of Solace on my Netflix to make sure I didn't miss something the first time around (and it is a pretty dope movie). And I moved Clash of the Titans to the top, to be fair it was coming up soon anyway. She may have been the best looking human being I've seen on screen since Megan Fox in Transformers. Thankfully, this movie was a lot more entertaining.A lot was made about Jake Gyllenhaal being cast as Dastan, and it is rather jarring having a caucasian play a Persian. Especially one so cornbread as him. To his credit, he is good. A bit smug, but it plays well. They disguise his casting by surrounding him by pretty much all caucasians, and I don't know if that soothed the blow or made it worse. I still have yet to decide. It did allow them to cast Arterton, so I guess I'm leaning to the former.
Director Mike Newell holds the film together well, as one would expect - but he tries to do too much. His use of bullet-time (during moments when the dagger wasn't in use) seemed suited for a lesser director. And we all know from his past work (Donnie Brasco, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) that he's got some serious talent and shouldn't rely on such outdated and lame tricks. It's a shame Newell isn't more involved in trying to get Elfstones of Shannara
off the ground. I know this film got knocked a bit, but he's capable of some great work and I do believe that with the right script he would do a good job of turning that into a powerhouse franchise. I'm a bit biased as I'm attached as a producer to that one... Prince of Persia underperformed stateside, but was a monster overseas and there is talk of doing a sequel. I am just glad they did not kill the princess off.
