"The rate at which a person can mature is directly proportional of the embarrassment he can tolerate."
--Douglas Englebart
--Douglas Englebart
I am going to come right out and say it. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is not for everyone. But it is for most of those Generation X and Generation Y people, like me, who grew up with comics, video games, indie rock music, an increased focus and value on fashion and an unequivocally short attention span. We should really be called the ADD generation...in fact consider it coined. We now officially the ADD/ADHD generation. And ADD generation I give you my review of Scott Pilgri.....hey look a butterfly.
This movie starts out with a bang, turning the Universal Pictures production screen and theme music into an 8-bit piece of joy that was not only very creative but set the pace for the movie from the get-go. The guy behind me who complained throughout the movie really should have realized what he was getting into at this point and walked out.
The story, without giving anything away, is based on the graphic novels by Bryan Lee O'Malley. It follows Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera: Superbad, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist) an out of work, disenfranchised, Canadian 22 year old, struggling through life and women to make sense of the world while his band tries to make it big. He meets a girl, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead: Live Free or Die Hard, Death Proof, Factory Girl) and in order to date her and essentially live happily ever after has to defeat her seven evil exes played by Satya Babha, Chris Evans, Mae Whitman (who played Ann on Arrested Development), Brandon Routh, Keita Saitou, Shota Saito and Jason Schwartzman.
I know what you are thinking the plot sounds unoriginal and boring. But it is so far from the truth. The writing is witty in a way that only Cera can deliver, which is helped when he is surrounded by people like Kieran Culkin (Igby Goes Down, The Secret Lives of Altar Boys, The Cider House Rules) and Anna Kendrick (Up In The Air, Twilight Series). I would like to add that Culkin has surpassed his brother Macaulay Culkin by leaps and bounds. Along with the writing though the plot is made original by the seamless incorporation of dream sequences, video game references and graphic novel imagery. Th film is quick, sharp and has fully embraced and pokes fun at its nerdiness and it hipster attitude. At one point during the movie in the background you can clearly hear someone say, "yeah but their first album was so much better than their first album," or the in the first fight scene the passing comment that, "pirates are in this year," completely poking fun at the elitist hipster stereotype that comes with the indie rock and fashion scenes nowadays.
The cinematography is creative, metaphorical and makes countless references and homages to pop-culture and the influences of the original graphic novels. But the sensory joyride does not stop there. The soundtrack, which is arguably the glue that holds the film together as Scott Pilgrim's band: Sex Bob-omb and their struggles parallel the struggles that Scott Pilgrim has in his basic relationships. The music is clearly influenced by Plumtree who was the original inspiration for O'Malley's graphic novels, as well as the general indie/garage/grunge sound that came out of Canada in the 1990s.
Overall, Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) did an excellent job shooting, casting and writing this film. He could have easily made this your standard-fair, nerdy romantic comedy based on a cult comic film (yes I know the difference between a graphic novel and a comic so don't start complaining yet fanboys, fangirls and fantrans*). Instead, Wright tried to be as inventive as possible, placing O'Malley's own imagery directly into the film as well as being influenced and resembling work by a wealth of different directors includin: Aronofsky, Kubrick, Tetsuya Nomura and Tarsem.
This movie starts out with a bang, turning the Universal Pictures production screen and theme music into an 8-bit piece of joy that was not only very creative but set the pace for the movie from the get-go. The guy behind me who complained throughout the movie really should have realized what he was getting into at this point and walked out.
The story, without giving anything away, is based on the graphic novels by Bryan Lee O'Malley. It follows Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera: Superbad, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist) an out of work, disenfranchised, Canadian 22 year old, struggling through life and women to make sense of the world while his band tries to make it big. He meets a girl, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead: Live Free or Die Hard, Death Proof, Factory Girl) and in order to date her and essentially live happily ever after has to defeat her seven evil exes played by Satya Babha, Chris Evans, Mae Whitman (who played Ann on Arrested Development), Brandon Routh, Keita Saitou, Shota Saito and Jason Schwartzman.
I know what you are thinking the plot sounds unoriginal and boring. But it is so far from the truth. The writing is witty in a way that only Cera can deliver, which is helped when he is surrounded by people like Kieran Culkin (Igby Goes Down, The Secret Lives of Altar Boys, The Cider House Rules) and Anna Kendrick (Up In The Air, Twilight Series). I would like to add that Culkin has surpassed his brother Macaulay Culkin by leaps and bounds. Along with the writing though the plot is made original by the seamless incorporation of dream sequences, video game references and graphic novel imagery. Th film is quick, sharp and has fully embraced and pokes fun at its nerdiness and it hipster attitude. At one point during the movie in the background you can clearly hear someone say, "yeah but their first album was so much better than their first album," or the in the first fight scene the passing comment that, "pirates are in this year," completely poking fun at the elitist hipster stereotype that comes with the indie rock and fashion scenes nowadays.
The cinematography is creative, metaphorical and makes countless references and homages to pop-culture and the influences of the original graphic novels. But the sensory joyride does not stop there. The soundtrack, which is arguably the glue that holds the film together as Scott Pilgrim's band: Sex Bob-omb and their struggles parallel the struggles that Scott Pilgrim has in his basic relationships. The music is clearly influenced by Plumtree who was the original inspiration for O'Malley's graphic novels, as well as the general indie/garage/grunge sound that came out of Canada in the 1990s.
Overall, Edgar Wright (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) did an excellent job shooting, casting and writing this film. He could have easily made this your standard-fair, nerdy romantic comedy based on a cult comic film (yes I know the difference between a graphic novel and a comic so don't start complaining yet fanboys, fangirls and fantrans*). Instead, Wright tried to be as inventive as possible, placing O'Malley's own imagery directly into the film as well as being influenced and resembling work by a wealth of different directors includin: Aronofsky, Kubrick, Tetsuya Nomura and Tarsem.
This movie is much more worthwhile than Dinner for Schmucks (2 hour snoozer, go see the original French version) or the Other Guys (actors doing the same role...again).
Making the Grade
Acting: This is easily Michael Cera's best movie, really using his awkward nature to its fullest potential. Mary Elizabeth has definitely set herself apart from a lot of female actors as a lead with a range of talent. Kieran Culkin steals many of the scenes that he is in, and has been likened to a young Robert Downy Jr. (minus all the blow). Jason Schwartzman and Chris Evans lead a supporting cast that is funny, and just as engaging as of the leads. A-
Special effects/Visuals: Stunning, most films geared towards young adults of the ADHD generation are not typically visually pleasing unless they have a ton of explosions, but this film takes on a very artistic albeit nerdy tone, making for film that makes you never want to take your eyes off the screen. A
Music: The music really sets the tone for the entire film and is incorporated in a way that shows its importance but doesn't take away from the general flow of the film. The music can be a little too similar, and if you are not into the Canadian indie scene and prefer something a little more auto-tuned and Kanye West-like, you are not going to enjoy the soundtrack one bit. Though the music also suplements the comedy in its own way. B+
Re-watchability: I doubt I will ever get tired of this film there is so much to see throughout the entire movie that you could find yourself watching background and not follow the plot and still be entertained. If you haven't yet see this film as soon as possi...ooh a puppy. A
Overall Grade: A-
*I have met a very aggressive treky who also happened to be a tranny as well, so I am not just be PC here. I am writing this on a Mac how can I be?
