Quick-Hitters - Inception, Jonny Double, and More...

Alright, so this post is meant to give you quick reviews and glimpses into some of the shit I've seen and done recently. Here goes: i saw Inception opening weekend in IMAX with some friends and absolutely loved it. I know some critics bashed it from the get-go for various reasons, including lack of coherence, inability to live up to the hype, weak concepts, and let's face it, Ellen Paige (OK, well maybe the critics didn't bash her, but I'm just not that big of a fan of emotionless 12 year old boys. Oh wait, she's a woman, and she's 23!). Just kidding. I think Ellen did a fine job in her role as the dreamworld-creating newbie and was even endearing at times. Anyhow, in regards to the critics' gripes, I couldn't disagree more. I thought it lived up to the hype and then some. The scenery was mind-blowing and majestic at times, and the stellar concepts are exactly what drove this movie to greatness, especially in IMAX. As for the coherence: it certainly deserves more than one viewing (don't all of Nolan's movies?), but I understood it just fine. It's certainly no Little Mermaid in regards to storyline. YOU HAVE TO PAY ATTENTION. What a novel idea. As for the acting, Leo and Ken stole the show for me. Joseph Gordon Levitt and little-known, Tom Hardy had stellar performances as well. Inception also caught flak for not being entirely original or seemingly stealing ideas from other mediums. And the bottom line here is: no one has ever taken those ideas and applied them in this manner. And certainly not on the big screen. So, I say: Haters, stop hating. Go back to your basement and masturbate to your most recent issue of GamePro or something. Overall, this concept-driven movie is easily an 8 or 9 out of ten.

Next on the slate is Jonny Double, a short trade paperback written and drawn by the same guys who so aptly created the world of 100 Bullets, Azzarello and Risso. Jonny Double was a character created over 4 decades ago, and has many of the same noir-ish themes that 100 Bullets does. Azzarello resurrected the character and threw him into a new scenario and Risso provided the backdrop. Once again, I loved their work. It's seamless. This new story for Jonny places him with a new group of criminals, who have an intriguing idea for a heist. The problem is, they bite off more than they can chew. Did they steal from the wrong mobster? Is it one of their own that begins picking them off? Can you ever trust the sexy woman? Some of these questions are the epitome of noir pieces, and Jonny Double is just that, true to form, with all of its grittiness and subtext. The four installments are collected in one volume for quick reading. I'd recommend anything that Azzarello and Risso touch, and this TP is no different.

Lastly, I'd like to throw in a random fact of the day: Aldous Huxley did a whole hell of a lot of drugs.

And there you have it, folks. Happy reading to all!

The Festo - A Cache with 100 Untraceable Bullets and Legal Imuunity? No Big Deal......And Other Stories

So, I recently finished the acclaimed graphic novel series entitled, 100 Bullets, written by Brain Azzarello and illustrated by Eduardo Risso, and if I may say so, it was brilliant, start to finish, with gritty, realistic writing from Azzarello and in-your-face, harrowing art from Risso.

The story is based on a single premise: you've been terribly wronged in your life, and you don't quite know why, yet a man comes to you with a briefcase in hand and years of anguish marked on his face in wrinkles and sobriety. He tells you that he knows why your life has gone to shit. He tells you that in his briefcase is proof. He tells you that one person is responsible for your hardship. And in that briefcase is a handgun and 100 bullets that are entirely untraceable. So, do you take his briefcase, exact your revenge, and attempt to rebuild your life? Or do you deny the opportunity, live with the knowledge for the rest of your life, and rebuild honorably, thinking karma may be a major player?

These are some of the major themes of 100 Bullets, yet as you read, we are shown how deep this world truly goes, with backstabbing, drugs, murder, and mayhem as its cornerstones. We are introduced to a war between families that reaches back centuries and tells us our suited man and briefcase may not be as noble as initially represented. And we see players on both sides of the war, with differing motives, styles, and most notably, temperaments.

I'd recommend this read for anyone who'd be interested in a true-to-form crime drama, built on the foundations of stellar characterization. The graphic novels are sold in 13 installations, although the original series was released as 100 individual comics. I'd say go get yourself one of the graphic novel collections first (it doesn't have to be the first edition; I myself read the 7th installation first and found it even more intriguing because I only knew a small piece of the puzzle). Anyway, certainly go grab yourself a copy, dive in, and be prepared for a nonstop ride full of bloodshed, innuendo, and intrigue and two-timers, gangsters, and suits, all with a stake in the game and the trigger finger to exact their agenda.

Otherwise, I've started on the graphic novel series, The Sandman, by Neil Gaiman, which is another critically acclaimed story with some seriously dark undertones. Other recommended reading at this point would be anything from Charles Bukowski, Hunter S. Thompson, and Bret Easton Ellis. In fact, I'm looking forward to reading Ellis' recent release and sequel to Less Than Zero, Imperial Bedrooms. Happy reading to all!