(Comic) Apolkalypse Now...a look at Umbrella Academy

I've never been a fan of My Chemical Romance.

It was never a, "I hope they go die," kind of dislike. More like, "I don't feel anything towards this."

With this disconnect in mind, I went into Umbrella Academy with that same headspace. I was expecting something that would appeal to teens in a way that Welcome to the Black Parade did.

I will say this. The taste of humble pie is strange and bitter.

The story introduces an alien wrestling match, which somehow spawns many gifted children, born to different women who were not expecting. Seven of these children survive and are adopted by an alien who is disguised as a man.

After a brief introduction of the children fighting a rather aggressive Eiffel Tower, we are taken to the future to see the children reunite as adults. Each of them have gone their separate paths and have only returned after they have received a letter saying their 'Father' has passed away.

In the meantime, their sister, the one said to be without powers, is shunned by the rest of the group and is tempted by an orchestra made of madmen and murderesses. It is learnt that her ability is to destroy people with her song.

She is destined to bring about the apocalypse.

In six issues, which make up the Apocalypse Suite, Way has carefully crafted a story that introduces the heroes in an original fashion. Initially, you meet them when they only have numbers, but as time goes on, they gain codenames and names given to them by their 'mother.'

What you see of the powers are original, but aside from Vanya (their sister,) you don't really witness their power.

Story-wise, if I were to compare it to something, it would be Young Justice Season 2. A lot has happened and you're not 100% sure how it's all changed. It doesn't make sense at first, but as you read it starts to dawn on you.

The art style is reminiscent of Hellboy, with dark gritty backgrounds and characters that are minimal in their lines of detail. It's a style that may look a little unrefined, but it perfectly represents the chaotic world that the children live in.

While I didn't have any major grievances with the volume, it left me with many questions that I suspect will be answered in later volumes.

Umbrella Academy surprised me with its humorous dialogue and varied cast with an ending that left you wanting more. A tasty slice of the Umbrella Academy cake.

I look forward to my next slice.

4.5 stars.

Thus ends the review.

Did you like Umbrella Academy? Have any thoughts on the matter?

Feel free to comment and recommend new comics, books and movies! 

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(Movie)Little Things...a look at Amelie.

I'd heard the name, I'd seen the gifs, but nothing emotionally prepared me for this movie.

Amelie was released in 2001 and won many awards at film festivals. Let's see if we can't find out why.

Story/Dialogue: Amelie follows a protagonist of the same name through her home city as she interacts with the people in it. Known to be a dreamer, she tweaks the lives of those who are miserable to make them better.

Though, we all know that the kindest people are the ones who are reaching out for someone else to take notice. So who will take this dreamer's hand?

Amelie is a delightful character who reminds you of the brownies from old stories. They would clean your house so long as you treated them with kindness. Though they show her backstory of how she was exposed to so much death and pain, she faces it with a small smile and a can do attitude. Armed with her imagination and wit, it's impossible to not want the best for this well rounded young woman.

While each of the key players in this story get a small amount of time dedicated to them, you see how important it is as you see the community around Amelie change with her help.

While the story itself is immersive, some might find it difficult to keep track of everything. There are a lot of characters to pay attention to and every one of them is important to Amelie's development.

Cinematography: Did you know that Vincent Van Gogh used to eat yellow paint in the hopes that he'd be happy?

Amelie shows a lot more storytelling through visuals than any dialogue. The rich yellow filter in each scene makes you feel happier and take joy in the smaller details of the movie.

You'll notice that everything about this movie is soft. Soft lighting, soft speaking and soft camera movements. They make it easy for your eye to follow and indulge visually in this feast for the eyes.

During the character introductions, it feels as though Amelie had her hand on your back, guiding you quickly toward the other characters so as to introduce them, as you have many a name to remember. 

One final note is the blending of fantasy and reality. While the VFX are not fantastic, they reflect what's in Amelie's head well. Those moments where you wish you could be swallowed up by the ground or turn to water because you're so embarrassed. The suicidal fish was fantastically done, even though you know it's fake, it doesn't destroy your suspension of disbelief. 

Audio: The musical score that accompanies Amelie throughout her journey is reflective of the character. Sweet and mischievous. It times well with her walking and the woosh sounds when you're introduced to new characters are delightful. While the tracks weren't memorable, they reflected their characters well. 

Overall: Amelie is a feast for the eyes that takes you by the hand, sits you down and shows you how to look at life's little enjoyments. Steam coming off coffee of a morning, indistinct chatter at a cafe, hands going into grain, breaking the skin of pastry. All of these little things that people neglect to appreciate. 

It's a movie that you either love or don't understand. You can't just like this movie. It's not exactly possible. Plus once you finish it, you feel satisfied, the same way you do once you finish a filling, home-cooked meal

To quote John Green, you fall in love with it the same way you fall asleep. Slowly, then all at once.

This movie warrants a Ravensmark. Reserved for only the best movies, books and comics.

Thus ends this review.

Please feel free to recommend new movies, comics and books and share your thoughts in the comments!

Special thanks to Hannah (readingfreak.tumblr.com) for this recommendation.

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(Comic) Non-Compliance....a look at Bitch Planet. (4 issues)

Knowing nothing about this work other than the writer, Kelly Sue DeConnick was a feminist, I went in curious and excited. I'd not read a comic written by a woman before.

Needless to say, it exceeded my expectations (and might I say, my expectations were high,) and left me with a lot to think about.

The story jumps between an earth in the future and a prison planet for non-compliant women. These women do not follow the law of the patriarchy and as such are sent to bitch planet, where they are monitored and manipulated by the government employees who run the prison.

What's really surprising is that we don't see the main character until the end of the first issue. But I won't spoil that for you. Her introduction is arguably the most badass I have ever seen.

The art style makes me think of a mix of the Walking Dead and Invincible with dark gritty characters and backgrounds with brighter colours to make the characters stand out. The shots are dynamic and are visually beautiful to look at.

The audience is thrown into the deep end of a compelling story where it is not the individual that is the issue, it's the system driven by the many that is the problem. Though I've only been introduced to two characters by name, I'm hungry for more.

I'm be proud to say I'm non-compliant.

This comic is like eating your favourite flavour of Pringles. You can't just have one.

Read it. You owe it to yourself.


Edit: As I'd only read the first issue, I'd not realised that this is a fairly new series. There are currently only 4 issues out and they are all exquisite works. 

While I understand that Ms. DeConnick wasn't satisfied with Penny's story, it worked out well and it was great to see a bigger person of colour love herself for who she was. Penny is the embodiment of non-compliance.

Furthermore, the mystery has deepened. Ms. Kogo, our protagonist and a former track star, has gotten roped into playing a violent game called Megaton. It's like American football with more hand to hand combat. 

As I've read on, I see that it not only draws a lot of influence from Orange is the New Black, but the Longest Yard and Even V for Vendetta. 

Even in reading up to the fourth issue, I have only added more questions to my list of many questions. 

What's more, I love the essays at the end and the notes from Kelly Sue. Plus the letters and the final page that shows a bunch of fictional advertisements that look as though they're from the fifties.

This comic is definitely worth the read and warrants 5 stars. 

Thus ends the review. 

Let me know your thoughts and please don't forget to recommend volumes for comics, movies and books! 

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(Movie) Read between the lines....a look at Chasing Amy

Thank you to Maia (uzuyucky.tumblr.com) for this recommendation!

Once more into the Askewniverse we go!

This was Kevin Smith's third movie and unlike Clerks and Mallrats, he decided to try his hand at a romantic comedy.

In true Kevin Smith style though, he put his own unique spin on it.

Let's begin!

Story/Dialogue: Holden and Banky are two relatively famous comic book writers who meet Alyssa Jones, a comic creator who shares a lot of the same interests as Holden.

He thinks he has a chance until he finds out she's a lesbian.

This movie shows the ups and downs of relationships, the fluidity and conformity of sexuality and the progression of friendships.
Throughout the film, I found myself saying, "What?" aloud. I cannot say why without spoilers, but until it's explained in the movie, a lot of the story takes huge leaps in logic. Though, I think it's important to remember that people are constantly changing, though it happens over a period of time, not as abruptly as it seems to in this film.
The dialogue switches from poetic to a regular way of speaking to a blend of the two. At first I thought it was out of place, but remembered I was watching a romantic comedy.

Love makes poets of men, as they say. Even the Jersey boys.

Cinematography: Camera in Chasing Amy mixes it up between handheld and dolly driven. It changes the pace without the crazy editing cuts that most action movies make, yet it still creates tension. The framing of characters is simplistic, yet appropriate for the scenes. Characters appear in all parts of the frame and makes the film feel natural rather than stylised.

The sets are straight out of the nineties, with bright colours and ridiculous objects that fill rooms. Like that miniature jungle gym thing. Is it art? Is it for legos? What could it be for??

Audio: Tunes in this movie tend to be familiar library tracks that you might hear in movies such as Clueless or even Heathers.
The score itself wasn't exactly memorable or atmospheric, but the whole point of that is so we can focus on dialogue, which the sound for was excellent. There's a part near the end where you'll see an example of brilliant dialogue audio editing.

Overall: This movie fully portrayed love as it truly is. Chaotic and emotionally charged....also often ridiculous.
While I did enjoy it, I found myself conflicted not only on the sudden seeming mind changes of Alyssa, but also Holden's reasoning later on.

It's hard to portray a complicated theme in a simplistic fashion without chipping away the realism (especially the nonsensical parts) of said theme.

So in that respect, Kevin Smith earned my kudos.

I'm going to give this movie 4 stars.

Thus ends my review.

Agree/disagree? Leave a comment with your thoughts and recommendations! 

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(Comic) Monster Mash....a look at Wayward

For those of you who know me, you know of my love for Japan.

For those of you who know me well, you know of my love for mythical beasts.

So a blend of the two is epic beyond belief.

Rori Lane is a half Irish, half Japanese young woman who is starting her life in Japan. She doesn't exactly fit in, given her short red hair and her capacity to follow supernatural patterns. Rori and the friends she makes end up starting a journey that could change the the fabric of reality.

I've always loved stories about the human world and the one of mythology blending. We get to experience it firsthand from Rori's perspective and witness things of cultural importance, such as the red thread of fate (A belief that two people are connected by a red thread that won't break or knot.)

One of the best things about this comic is how true it stays to Japan. Even in the foreword it's the main thing talked about. Like, when westerners think of Japan, we often think of it like we'd think of Narnia or Middle Earth. Some mystical place we can only travel to in our dreams. Having been to Japan myself, I could imagine myself walking the streets of Ikebukuro or spending time in a high school. This is perhaps because most of the folk who worked on the comic live in Japan.

Story-wise the pacing captures you by showing you the beautiful artworks, then ramps it up really quickly. Near the last 15 pages of this volume I was audibly saying, "WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?!"

You got people who eat ghosts, a person who can turn into a horde of cats and a human time bomb (At least that's how he appears.)

The thing is, their appearance is of someone you could meet if you ever went to Japan. It's what made them so likeable and makes you feel for them. They feel real.

Wayward volume one is immersive and treats Japanese culture with respect while also being honest about its often underlying issues within the country.

The yokai, or monsters are beautifully done and recognisable to those who love their mythology.

Wayward feels like the comic equivalent of Avatar. What I mean by this is that it takes anime style and applies a western edge to it, making it that much more natural and vibrant. The colours are vivid and there are kanji or Japanese letters that give a nod to readers who can read the language.

One last thing before I rate this: This comic does have an element of self harm. However, it's used as a form of control/centring, rather than a glorification.

This comic was an excellent read and feels a lot like a manga. I would recommend it for locals of Japan and weeaboos alike.

5 stars.

Thus ends this review!

Agree/disagree? Comment and let me know! Let me know what you'd like me to review next! 

Movie reviews every Wednesday and Comics every Friday.

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(Movie) ...and so the wheel turns....a look at the Place Beyond the Pines

This review was requested by Hannah (Readingfreak.tumblr.com)

Artwork by Nicky Costi (flourishtodecay.tumblr.com) Thanks Nicky!

            The only things I knew about this film going in were that it had Ryan Gosling in it and I often mistook it for Blue Valentine, another of Gosling's films.

Admittedly, I half expected this to end up like a better version of Ghost Rider when it started out. But it ended up being a lot different.

Did I like it, though?

Story/Dialogue: 1997: Luke 'Handsome Luke' Glanton finds out that he has a son to a former flame and decides to stop his travelling act as a stunt biker to stick around for his kid. After getting shot and killed by Avery Cross, the story shifts from Luke to Avery, to their kids 15 years later. It's only then we see the ultimate consequences of their actions.

Without knowing what the movie was about beforehand, it was rather jarring to see what I thought was the hero get blown away halfway through the movie.

As I got to the end though, I found myself realising that there are no heroes, there are no villains and there is no justice. This is not a complaint, however, as there's a personal freedom that comes with not submitting to the dark impulses within.

The dialogue in this movie feels as natural as the forest it's shot in. Though I feel as though there was an overuse of 'fuck.' Any time a movie has that and it just takes me out of it. With this said, there are some fantastic lines in the movie that made me pause it and  just stare at a wall for a moment.


Cinematography: The film was framed in an atmospheric fashion. One minute it was handheld for chase scenes and the next it was shot on dolly as smooth as a sheet of silk.

One of the things I loved visually is the beginning and ending scenes, where Luke is riding around one of those roller cages with his crew while the ending sees Jason leaving on a motorcycle under the open sky.

That aside, the locations were beautiful to look at, even with the rapid cuts during bike chases. A lot of the colour was graded so that the buildings were desaturated while the people (Especially around the eyes) and the trees were more vivid. This could represent the harmony/order of nature and the symmetry/chaos of man.

Audio: The audio took a back seat in this film. While there was limited library tunes, the score showed up abruptly, raising tension in what appeared to be relaxing scenes. For all its excellent cinematography, I felt the audio was lacking.

Overall: This movie was on my to watch list, but ended up so far down the pile that I forgot about it. While I enjoyed it, the movie felt like a film student's big break after a stint at university. You can see elements of Wes Anderson and Woody Allen in the framing of the films.

It feels safe as a film, but I still enjoyed it.

4 stars.

Thus ends this review.

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(Comic) Don't let your dreams be dreams....a look at the Sandman Vol. 1

Neil Gaiman's work can be found just about everywhere.

He's written kids books, books for adults, modern takes on fairy tales, tv series and comics.

Each of these has their own Gaiman flair, with anthropomorphic personifications, old gods and demons and humour that is very dry and British.

Sandman tells the story of the personification of dreams (Who looks remarkably like Mr. Gaiman in his younger years,) who goes by Morpheus or Dream.

In a case of mistaken identity, a cult has captured him and stolen his artefacts to sell off or protect themselves with.

For the longest time he was sealed and interrogated for the whereabouts of his sister.

The audience follows Morpheus on his journey to retrieve his items of power. This includes battling demons, meeting a member of the Justice League and going on an adventure with John Constantine.(The British one, not Keanu.)

Gaiman has this ability to take your hand and drag you into a different world with his storytelling. Sandman feels like a preface to his acclaimed novel, American Gods. (Which is also getting a tv adaptation. I'm not going to gush about that here though.)

Morpheus goes through his journey seemingly nonchalant, though any emotions he seems to express are heavily subdued, as though he were expressing them while half asleep. Depending on the situation, this could be incredibly hilarious or dangerous.

Though his sister is only in there for a moment, you can't help but hope that some day you'll meet her so that you can be excited rather than disappointed. Considering her task, she embraces life. Under normal circumstances, this would not work, but I'm reminded of Markus Zusak's character, who has the same task and is often tired. (Seeing these two characters interact with each other would be beautiful to behold.)

While this review has been awfully tangental, if I'm to be frank, the story is not one I've heard before, and though there's a character in the DC universe named Sandman (Apparently he's a member of the Justice League,) I much prefer this incarnation; an old god who looks like an amalgamation of Gaiman and David Bowie and wears dreams like a punk rocker.

The art style is compelling in that it feels as though it's half finished, like a dream. A construct made for you where you fill in the blanks. While other artists would do this and it would probably be shot down in flames, given the circumstances, it fits the story and only adds to it.

Such was the immersion that I had to put it down so I didn't devour it too quickly, but also so I could process everything that was going on.

Gaiman grabs you by the head and shoves it headfirst into a universe that, while already established, is as in depth as one of Clive Barker's novels.

It's a fantastic read and I implore you to read it if you love mythology, demonology and superheroes (There's a pinch in there.)

Sandman is worthy of 5 stars and a promise to continue reading. I can't wait to find out what happens next!

Thus ends this review!

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(Movie) Dream Theater...a look at Inception.

A heist movie where the vault is your mind and your crew mess with dreams?

This is my kind of movie.

When it first came out, I remember going into the cinema not knowing what it was about. I just remember that it had an awesome cast and they looked suitably gangster. Like, Mafia gangster.

This movie has been out for five years and one of the biggest challenges that has been around since the inception (hehe) of film is to make sure it stands the test of time.

Has it aged well? Or will it pass into obscurity so that the hipsters of the future will talk about it in the same tone as film students talk about Un Chien Andalou?

That's the point of this review today.


Story/Dialogue: We have Cobb, our gentleman dream thief, assembling a team in order to infiltrate the dreams of a corporate heir to bring down his empire so that he can go home.

Like most heist movies, it takes precision, delicacy and a great understanding of the layout. Unlike most heist movies, the layouts are created by the people that infiltrate it.

It tends to deal more with the psychology of the subject than your regular heist movies. Which makes sense, given that you're literally inside someone's head.

In typical Nolan style, the story is out of order like its predecessor Memento. The best thing about telling the story this way is that it's like living a half remembered dream. You come into things half way through and yet somehow you never really figure out how you got to the beginning in the first place. It's all in fragments like a film just before editing. Shot out of order and chaotic.

The only real downside to this film is that Nolan has this awful habit of holding you by the hand and explaining EVERYTHING to you. As Pixar's Mr. Stanton once said, "Don't give them 4. Give them 2 plus 2 and let them figure it out." The audience are not stupid. Give them some credit and let them figure it all out.It kind of takes the fun out of the movie when it feels as though the film maker is taking the mickey out of you. The only film maker I can tolerate trolling me is Luc Besson.

Slight note: I loved how Nolan chose the name Ariadne. Way to make use of your Greek Mythology, dude.


Cinematography:  Visually, this movie is excellent. The lighting makes use of the yellows, blues and greys and utilises them to their maximum potential. From the scene we are introduced to Cobb and Arthur with the golden Japanese decor to the rainy New York streets in Yousef's mind, it is visually relaxing to watch. You are not blinded by the intensity of the shots and it allows you to take in the details. It's not heavily saturated in colour so that you are overwhelmed by everything that's going on.

The framing was excellent, especially in the hotel corridor fight scene where they flipped the room about so that the people rolled with it. Watching them try and get their footing right was both funny and tense, like watching armless MMA fighters kick each other's butts.

Plus the visuals in the beginning with Ariadne were delightful to watch. As a general fan of physics, watching it being defied was awesome.

Of all the things about this film, the cinematography was my favourite. It was easy on the eyes and wasn't cut so quickly that you couldn't keep up with the action. Watching rooms shift and architecture move about was riveting to see.


Audio: Ahh, Hans Zimmer. Kung Fu Panda, Pirates of the Caribbean, the Last Samurai...this man injects class and tension into films and gives them a sense of atmosphere that a lot of films lack. Music and audio hit me on a personal level. I'm a guy who loves music and believes that though film is a visual medium, without sound, it lacks dimension. You can create dreamscapes by closing your eyes and listening to music and I believe that's what Zimmer has brought to the table. The rising crescendos of tension during infiltration drag you to the edge of your seat and tape your eyes open so you don't want to miss anything.

But, like all of Nolan's films, the sound mixing is often skewed and volumes are raised and lowered erratically. This is especially frustrating when characters are talking. Missing dialogue is fine when your visuals tell a story, but if you're going to hand feed us information, at least make sure we can hear it.


Overall: I loved this movie after coming out of the cinema. It made me question a lot of things and at the time, I couldn't work out why I liked it.

But as I said, the point of this review is to determine whether or not this film will stand the test of time.

As there was no real use of phones, old school instant messaging systems or anything of that function, I'd say that it'd age really well. It captures the aesthetic of the 30's while giving it a modern twist and has potential to be a sci-fi classic.

However, the way the director leads us around and the music bother me immensely.

4 stars.


Thus concludes this review.

Feel free to make recommendations, comments and tell your friends, so they can make recommendations, too!

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Keep an eye out for the #secretproject. It drops 5th Nov.

Talk to you soon!