the Road (2009)

by D. Jacob Ryals

imdb  trailer

Planet of the Hobos

This movie is okay.  Not great, and I could definitely see people not liking this movie.  Most movies like this, there is some huge delima that occurs and the whole movie revolves around this delima.  As you watch the father and son travel they narrowly escape what would usually consume the entire plot of the movie.  They kill a scavenger and escape his buddies.  They come across a family of cannibals and escape being eaten.  They find a bank of food, and don't have to defend it.  This movie is more about showing you what complete and utter despair is.  I like the fact it doesn't take the normal turns, though the end result is a little boring.  This is not a movie that takes you on a ride or gives you some kind of experience.  This movie is meant to be thought about and talked aobut afterwards.  I didn't like the ending.  It wrapped up a little too nicely.  Some movies are like that, and I don't mind that.  It really is though like a movie with a planet full of homeless and starving people.  I have heard that the book isn't bad, so I may check it out.

Not for everybody.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

by D. Jacob Ryals

imdb  trailer

Can Pixar fuck up?!!!

In a movie age where we keep rekindling franchises, you might think this has a small potential to fail.  Not so.  This movie was just as good as you could ever expect it to be.  I found the plot to be simple to digest and yet exploding with flavor for a complicated pallete.  If I was a parent I would be using this movie as a teaching tool with my kid(s) for a whole bunch of stuff.  From the acceptance of homosexuality (Ken) to the meaning of Love and Loyalty and how to deal with being hurt by either.  

I cried at the end and am not ashamed to say it.  

I CRIED AT THE END OF TOY STORY 3!!!!!!!!

There I said it.  This studio is so good at touching and stimulating every part of your brain and heart that no one can judge you for reacting to any of their movies.  

The villians were great, I loved the creepy baby doll enforcer.  I thought Ken was a great character as well.

Even though, I DID NOT like Cars.

Kick-Ass Book One (2008)

a book report by D. Jacob Ryals

ComicBookDB  Wiki

Why fanboys make shitty superheroes.

This was a great book.  It lost me for a little while, when Hitgirl showed up, but it never loses its grittiness.  This is definitley a cautionary tale for all those comic fans who ask "Why not me?"  John Romita Jr is not the most realistic artist, but even with his stylized art he does a great job of conveying the gore this story requires.  The twists are never rainbows and Dave replaces Peter Parker as the biggest loser in comics.  The girl he wants thinks he is gay, he spends as much time in the hospital as he does on the streets, and he has his balls electrocuted.  This is a breathe of fresh air though from the usual comic that has over the top drama as much as over the top powers.  Superhero stories usually put all the violence and the consequences to us on the ground in the background.  This story puts all of it in your face and reminds you of what being a crime fighter would actually mean.  If this were Peter Parker trying to pay the rent and pay for more web fluid, in Millar's world he would get evicted by page 3 and have to suck dick to buy the supplies for web fluid.  We have seen what fighting crime would do to your mind in the Watchmen, but this is what it would do to your life.

Stargate (1994)

by D. Jacob Ryals

imdb trailer

The beginning of a LOT of cheap TV.

First piece of advice, don't watch this movie before the Crying Game, or the twist won't work on you, like it did me.  I just sat there saying, "why is the Irish guy, kissing on the Pharaoh from Stargate.

Ooops!  Spoilers!

This is an okay movie.  I don't get why it has sprouted such a huge franchise that has now spanned 3 TV series.  I get why, it was a big concept in 1994.  I remember when this movie came out.  The special effects were a new thing still and there were still those late night infomercials about aliens visiting Egypt.  I like the concept, and the design work isn't bad.  I would say, that this may not be a must-see, but definitely worth checking out.

Why did they go with a bath tub fart for the activation effect.  Weird choice.

Book of Eli (2010)

by D. Jacob Ryals

imdb trailer

Loved it, movie made for my sensibilities.  

Denzel as always does not dissappoint and gives a great leading man performance.  There isn't much stretching required for this character, other than the old western drifter hero character.  Gary Oldman is part of the unholy bad guy actors trinity.  (the other two being Jack Nicholson and Christopher Walken)  His ability to take on the complete mask of this character is also what this great actor has been known for.  There were a couple of moments when you could even see the vulnerabilities of the character on Gary's face.

 The story started out to be your typical western, with the drifter who comes to town and saves the people from the local rich despot.  This ended up not being so.  The twists at the end are almost unimportant, because the ride you have taken to get there has been so much fun and done so well, that you don't care that it was meant to BLOW YOUR MIND...

...but doesn't.  

It doesn't ruin it either, so i am happy.  When i realized in the theater how much I was going to like this movie, I literally was on the edge of my seat praying to God that they don't jump the shark and ruin it for me.  I was pleased with the end and didn't feel like it when on too long and ended abruptly. 

 I would like to see a comic book of the continued story and hope not for a sequel.  

Akira (1988)

by D. Jacob Ryals

imdb  trailer

The beginnings of America's love affair with modern anime.

Before retailers were saturated with this popular import, there was Akira.  It was years ahead of its time, atleast to american animation.  The set design is very Bladerunner and definitely not a cartoon for kids.  The art is good, in style and design.  I would like to speak to the story, which is good, it is a story of best friends and brotherhood, with extraordinary circumstances pulling them apart.  It is a story, however, that has been strip mined by a LOT of other people.  It is definitely worth a watch, for nerd history sake and your own enjoyment.

A benchmark in nerd cinema.

Kick-Ass (2010)

by D. Jacob Ryals

trailer imdb

Nerdgasm! ....if your into that sorta thing.

C+ or a B-.  I don't know.  Underwelmed definitley.  Like most instances, the book is better.  If you put it in, I wouldn't tell you not to, but I wouldn't suggest to watch it.  This movie doesn't have the same punch that the source material has, and without it you have to ask why make the movie then?  Everything ends up okay, and the ending is too over the top for someone like me to enjoy it.  I knew there would be changes, but the changes I saw made the story pointless and lost the same ferver I had for the book.  I couldn't wait to read each issue, but with this movie the story didn't keep me wanting to find out what happens next.  If this had been a TV mini-series I would have stopped caring about it half way through.  I would eventually want to finish it, but I would probably save it for when I didn't have anything else left to watch. There were some great camera shots and funny moments like the comic book scene.  I was entertained, but I am one who asks for more than just entertainment.  I walked out of the theater very apathetic. Dissappointed, especially after watching a film like Defendor the same week.  I would suggest to read the book and watch Defendor instead.

Pass on Kick-Ass.