Ryan

I bought a ticket for the Sundance animated short program thinking that I will see the usual rehashed animated fare. Boy, was I wrong. But as good and creative as the other shorts were, Ryan stood way out.

It is something truly original, not just because it is a computer animated documentary, but also because of the truly inventive use of the capabilities of CGI animation. The movie tells Ryan Larkin's life story in a concise but very touching way. I promise it will be the perfect roller-coaster ride, it will make you happy and sad, and it will make you think. And it will also make you stare at the gorgeous imagery.

I doubt you can find a better way to spend 14 minutes of your life.

'Ryan' is a truly beautiful film in many respects. First the visual look of the film is high art. Beyond the composition and the colors, there is so much visual information going on that as a viewer you feel like you are getting a secret peek into another realm, where people wear the experiences that pilfer their soul. Secondly, there is something very beautiful about the film's ancestry and pedigree. The film showcases the talented Ryan Larkin and his animation in a way that both honors the art of animation but also shows the growth of the genre. Thirdly the film depicts and encapsulates the sacrifice that artists face and struggle to passionately create their art and walk down a path that is so very much less traveled.

'Ryan' a beautiful film deserves its honors and praise.

This piece of work is truly the most astonishing animation I have ever seen. Its visual attributes are so rich that the eye fails to follow them on the screen. My experience was indeed enhanced since I watched it on the NFB's big screen in downtown Toronto. Ryan's creators have doubtlessly pushed the envelope in exploiting artistic techniques. Its intelligent plot is also very admirable. Based on the life of a real character, Ryan criticizes the extreme financial difficulties of many unknown artists who struggle with their lives to produce art. All been said, this is one of those cases where any literal description of the work is still far away from the actual visual experience. So Go Figure!

"Ryan" is an animated short story movie which shows us Chris Landreth who introduces himself to us and then he makes something like an intervention to Ryan Larkin. Ryan Larkin was a very popular animator in the 1960s and early 1970s who unfortunately became an alcoholic and he lost his mind because of some things that happened in his life.

We also see Felicity Fanjoy his big love in the best periods of his life and Derek Lamb who was his producer. The movie takes place in a restroom or something like a restaurant and we can observer that in there all the people who are there are homeless and had some issues.

Finally we follow Ryan Larkin to the streets where he is begging for some money, and I think that was the most sadly moment of this movie.

I had seen Chris Landreth's Bingo when I worked at Alias, and I was very impressed by the evident creativity that involved in Landreth's work. . His work is very unique and no cliché, and most importantly, visually very interesting. I have yet to see anyone to produce a 3d short that's as advanced in terms of the creative use of the 3d tool. . My personal belief is, the Ryan is much more than just a 3d documentary(also a very new genre in 3d animation I believe), it is a piece of art, and the medium is computer animation.