Well the Oscars are done, dusted and polished for another year and it was certainly one to remember for the British contingent. Unfortunately for us Brits though, many couldn’t watch it as it happened because it was on Sky Movies. So we had to make do with the highlights a day later on the newly named Sky Living. Not sure what this channel is about yet; it’s replaced Living, or Dead as I call it, after Sky purchased the group sometime last year.
When the BAFTAs were shown on the BBC, there was an hour delay for some unknown reason, which was problematic as it could be ruined somehow by winners getting revealed to you before Auntie Beeb showed you. This problem was solved simply by a mobile phone, Facebook and Twitter blackout. The Oscars wouldn’t be as simple.
Showing posts with label Scott Pilgrim. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scott Pilgrim. Show all posts
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
Thursday, 13 January 2011
Movies of 2010.
Well I’ve noticed that a few people here and there are doing these best movies of 2010 lists. So I though I’d get me some of that action even though realistically I haven’t seen as many movies as I would have liked last year.
What I think I’ll do is a top five and then just go into a few movies I thought were good, and some that were not so good. Okay, so here are my top five movies of 2010:
#5 Shutter Island
A movie I haven’t seen included in a lot on people’s lists is Shutter Island, a sort of psychological thriller that keeps you guessing from start to finish, even at the end of the movie you’re unsure as to who’s story is the right one. There’s plenty of depth into the main character Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) and you’re always kept guessing and trying to think back to events he supposedly went through in the past. The film doesn’t deviate from Daniels and it has a genuinely good twist to it that really surprises you especially once you get rooting for him. It’s not been a bad year for DiCaprio, this one gets a solid 4 stars from me.
#4 The Social Network
One of the biggest movies of this year has been The Social Network, the film about the founding of the Facebook site. Centred around its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, the movie shows all the twists and turns down the road to Facebook’s resounding success, showing all the grisly betrayals and break-ups along the way. Whether or not any of this film is actually true or not is debateable, I believe it’s had a lot added to it to make it a bit more entertaining. It’s based on the book by Ben Mezrich, which it does deviate from a little in terms of the details. Put that fact along with the fact that the book itself deviates from the actual story and your left wondering how much is really true. I think I summed it up in my review by suggesting you take the book with a pinch of salt and the movie with a small handful. It’s entertaining, interesting, and is regarded by many as the movie of 2010. For me, as good as it is, it’s not the kind of movie that I would want to watch again. Once you’ve seen it, you’ve seen it. 4 Stars.
#3 Toy Story 3
Pixar’s annual movie in 2010 was none other than Toy Story 3. The final chapter of the franchise, this movie delivered everything you could ask for from the finale. It was done by a different director than the previous two which would normally have you worried, but Lee Unkrich managed to keep what we love about Toy Story and also add his own ideas into the mix without spoiling the recipe. Yes, it’s darker in places, but it works, and it genuinely makes you laugh along the way. It has great characters, both old and new, and a great story line which provides a poignant ending along with the biggest tear-jerker of the year whilst it's at it. All in all a fitting end to the phenomenally popular franchise that put Pixar firmly on the map all those years ago. 5 Stars.
#2 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
I didn’t see many comedies this year, mainly because none of them appealed to me at all. One that did appeal to me though was Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Directed by Edgar Wright of Hot Fuzz fame and based on the graphic novel by Bryan Lee O’Malley, this movie became one of my favourites instantly. I love everything about this movie, from the comic book style to the silly characters, it is a very funny film for so many reasons. It’s one of those movies you want to see again as quickly as possible because you know you’ve missed so much! The dialogue, the sound bytes, the fight scenes, the Seinfeld reference, so much to enjoy and so many reasons to watch it again. I still say Scott should have gone for Knives and not Ramona but hey ho it still receives a definitive 5 stars from me.
#1 Inception
So that leaves Inception to swoop in and pick up the number one spot in my list. When this movie came out, I entered with reasonably high expectations, seeing as it’s directed by Christopher Nolan and the trailer looked pretty interesting. I left the cinema completely blown away by its magnitude, and not just because I saw it at IMAX! The thought that has been put into this film deserves acclaim on its own, Christopher Nolan knows how to write a great screenplay and this one is no exception. It’s as original as it is epic, with so much emotion flying around hand in hand with action packed scenes that keep you perched perilously on the edge of your seat wondering if your brain can take much more or not. It’s got fantastic characters, brilliant actors involved, breathtaking special effects, moments that make you jump, moments that wrap you up in the emotions of it all and of course that wondrous moment at the end. Is he or isn’t he? We all knew it would end that way, I’ve spent much time deliberating it and well, I don’t know! Obviously this movie gets 5 stars, and deserves to sit in everyone’s DVD collection.
So that’s it, my top five movies of 2010. There were other movies I saw that deserved some recognition. If I were to do a top six then sixth place would have definitely been Kick Ass. It’s a fun movie that although takes itself a little too seriously than it should is still a blast from start to finish. It features some great action scenes, some fun characters, and provides an interesting take on the whole superhero movie that we’re all so painfully used to these days. I gave Kick Ass 4 Stars, I would have given it number five in my list, but it loses minor points because of the totally pointless C-word it throws in half way through. Utterly pointless, and ruined that scene. Well not to worry Kick Ass is still a very good movie.
Sticking with superheroes, Iron Man 2 came out this year. The sequel to Iron Man (obviously), this chapter carries on where the other left off, with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) rebelling against the US Military who want his flashy and all round bad ass suit. It’s an okay movie, the villain is played by Mickey Rourke who loses his bird and takes revenge on Tony Stark, something along those lines anyway, he’s pretty funny in it, not quite sure if he was supposed to be though. The action scenes are good, but it doesn’t really add much new to the franchise and fails to live up to its predecessor. 3 Stars for that one.
My surprise of the year has to be The A Team! Now, I know everyone hated this movie, but hear me out. I never really watched the TV show, so that might explain why I liked it. Yes it’s really corny and has a few lame scenes in it but overall, considering I expected nothing from it, I was actually pleasantly surprised. ‘Howling Mad’ Murdock is easily the best character in the film, played by Sharlto Copley of District 9 fame, as most things that make you laugh come from him. Oh and that bit where they drive a tank in freefall, probably the most memorable bit of the movie. I’m giving it 3 Stars, just for how little it disappointed me.
The other film I saw that I’d say was okay was Robin Hood. Billed as if it were a Gladiator beater, it really didn’t deliver but was still an enjoyable watch. Much was made about Russell Crowe’s accent, but the main star in this movie was the baddie, played by Mark Strong, who incidentally wasn‘t too bad in Kick Ass either. His acting overshadowed Crowe’s at times. It wasn’t a bad movie but it could have been much better than it was. 3 Stars.
Another movie that was disappointing for me was Alice in Wonderland. It had a little promise but I largely found it a bit tedious. It brought back most of the original characters but they just felt weaker than usual. Johnny Depp was the star and played the Mad Hatter in probably his worst role for a while. Tim Burton usually gets it right when working with Depp but this one, along with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, just didn’t hit the mark. In fact he missed the mark by a fair distance. Yes, the Cheshire Cat had his moments but the story wasn’t very good, and I was left feeling a bit empty by the end of it. I’ll give it 2 Stars, which is maybe a little harsh on it, but three just feels like too much.
A film that does deserve three stars though is Green Zone, which came out early on in 2010. I won’t beat around the bush, it’s a Bourne film, starring Matt Damon. The film’s director, Paul Greengrass, essentially picked up Jason Bourne by his thumb and index finger and plonked him in the middle of a war zone. That’s it, there’s your general premise right there. It’s an okay story and you can’t really fault Damon at all, but it just feels like a quick cash in after the Bourne trilogy.
Probably the worst film I saw this year was a British comedy called Four Lions. It got some very good reviews when it originally came out so I thought I’d give it a watch. Don’t get me wrong, there are some funny moments in this movie but overall I just didn’t see the point in it. In a nutshell, it’s a tongue in cheek look at a bunch of shoddy terrorists living in England. There are some funny scenes like I said, but I don’t understand why this is a movie. They should have made a thirty minute sketch show and just broadcasted the funny parts, simply cutting out the painful filler in between. The film’s running time is 97 minutes and I feel like I’ve wasted 87 minutes of my life with this one. One lonely star I‘m afraid.
So yes, that’s it, all the movies I saw that 2010 gave to us. There are probably some good ones missing that I haven’t seen, but I cant really have an opinion on something I haven’t watched now can I? Notable films that I wanted to see but didn’t get chance to are Ben Affleck’s The Town; Tron Legacy, which I might still get a chance to see in the coming weeks; and a film called Monsters, filmed in Mexico with a budget of less than a million dollars I heard great things about it but never got around to watching it. I’m sure I’ll catch it eventually.
In terms of best soundtrack, Kick Ass provided some good music from its score, Scott Pilgrim featured some great new tracks that still gets a listen on my ipod, but the winner is Inception again, simply because Hans Zimmer managed to make it suit the movie perfectly from start to finish, and no not just because I saw it in IMAX!
As for scene of the year, it gets a little harder. Of all the scenes I’ve seen this year it comes down to three. The final scene from Toy Story 3, Arthur’s zero gravity fight scene in Inception, or the strobe lighting Big Daddy rescue scene from Kick Ass. I think I’ll give it to Kick Ass, because I feel sorry for it not being in my top five. But hey if you say a pointless C-word just for petty giggles, that’s what you get.
What I think I’ll do is a top five and then just go into a few movies I thought were good, and some that were not so good. Okay, so here are my top five movies of 2010:
#5 Shutter Island
A movie I haven’t seen included in a lot on people’s lists is Shutter Island, a sort of psychological thriller that keeps you guessing from start to finish, even at the end of the movie you’re unsure as to who’s story is the right one. There’s plenty of depth into the main character Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) and you’re always kept guessing and trying to think back to events he supposedly went through in the past. The film doesn’t deviate from Daniels and it has a genuinely good twist to it that really surprises you especially once you get rooting for him. It’s not been a bad year for DiCaprio, this one gets a solid 4 stars from me.
#4 The Social Network
One of the biggest movies of this year has been The Social Network, the film about the founding of the Facebook site. Centred around its founder, Mark Zuckerberg, the movie shows all the twists and turns down the road to Facebook’s resounding success, showing all the grisly betrayals and break-ups along the way. Whether or not any of this film is actually true or not is debateable, I believe it’s had a lot added to it to make it a bit more entertaining. It’s based on the book by Ben Mezrich, which it does deviate from a little in terms of the details. Put that fact along with the fact that the book itself deviates from the actual story and your left wondering how much is really true. I think I summed it up in my review by suggesting you take the book with a pinch of salt and the movie with a small handful. It’s entertaining, interesting, and is regarded by many as the movie of 2010. For me, as good as it is, it’s not the kind of movie that I would want to watch again. Once you’ve seen it, you’ve seen it. 4 Stars.
#3 Toy Story 3
Pixar’s annual movie in 2010 was none other than Toy Story 3. The final chapter of the franchise, this movie delivered everything you could ask for from the finale. It was done by a different director than the previous two which would normally have you worried, but Lee Unkrich managed to keep what we love about Toy Story and also add his own ideas into the mix without spoiling the recipe. Yes, it’s darker in places, but it works, and it genuinely makes you laugh along the way. It has great characters, both old and new, and a great story line which provides a poignant ending along with the biggest tear-jerker of the year whilst it's at it. All in all a fitting end to the phenomenally popular franchise that put Pixar firmly on the map all those years ago. 5 Stars.
#2 Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
I didn’t see many comedies this year, mainly because none of them appealed to me at all. One that did appeal to me though was Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Directed by Edgar Wright of Hot Fuzz fame and based on the graphic novel by Bryan Lee O’Malley, this movie became one of my favourites instantly. I love everything about this movie, from the comic book style to the silly characters, it is a very funny film for so many reasons. It’s one of those movies you want to see again as quickly as possible because you know you’ve missed so much! The dialogue, the sound bytes, the fight scenes, the Seinfeld reference, so much to enjoy and so many reasons to watch it again. I still say Scott should have gone for Knives and not Ramona but hey ho it still receives a definitive 5 stars from me.
#1 Inception
So that leaves Inception to swoop in and pick up the number one spot in my list. When this movie came out, I entered with reasonably high expectations, seeing as it’s directed by Christopher Nolan and the trailer looked pretty interesting. I left the cinema completely blown away by its magnitude, and not just because I saw it at IMAX! The thought that has been put into this film deserves acclaim on its own, Christopher Nolan knows how to write a great screenplay and this one is no exception. It’s as original as it is epic, with so much emotion flying around hand in hand with action packed scenes that keep you perched perilously on the edge of your seat wondering if your brain can take much more or not. It’s got fantastic characters, brilliant actors involved, breathtaking special effects, moments that make you jump, moments that wrap you up in the emotions of it all and of course that wondrous moment at the end. Is he or isn’t he? We all knew it would end that way, I’ve spent much time deliberating it and well, I don’t know! Obviously this movie gets 5 stars, and deserves to sit in everyone’s DVD collection.
So that’s it, my top five movies of 2010. There were other movies I saw that deserved some recognition. If I were to do a top six then sixth place would have definitely been Kick Ass. It’s a fun movie that although takes itself a little too seriously than it should is still a blast from start to finish. It features some great action scenes, some fun characters, and provides an interesting take on the whole superhero movie that we’re all so painfully used to these days. I gave Kick Ass 4 Stars, I would have given it number five in my list, but it loses minor points because of the totally pointless C-word it throws in half way through. Utterly pointless, and ruined that scene. Well not to worry Kick Ass is still a very good movie.
Sticking with superheroes, Iron Man 2 came out this year. The sequel to Iron Man (obviously), this chapter carries on where the other left off, with Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) rebelling against the US Military who want his flashy and all round bad ass suit. It’s an okay movie, the villain is played by Mickey Rourke who loses his bird and takes revenge on Tony Stark, something along those lines anyway, he’s pretty funny in it, not quite sure if he was supposed to be though. The action scenes are good, but it doesn’t really add much new to the franchise and fails to live up to its predecessor. 3 Stars for that one.
My surprise of the year has to be The A Team! Now, I know everyone hated this movie, but hear me out. I never really watched the TV show, so that might explain why I liked it. Yes it’s really corny and has a few lame scenes in it but overall, considering I expected nothing from it, I was actually pleasantly surprised. ‘Howling Mad’ Murdock is easily the best character in the film, played by Sharlto Copley of District 9 fame, as most things that make you laugh come from him. Oh and that bit where they drive a tank in freefall, probably the most memorable bit of the movie. I’m giving it 3 Stars, just for how little it disappointed me.
The other film I saw that I’d say was okay was Robin Hood. Billed as if it were a Gladiator beater, it really didn’t deliver but was still an enjoyable watch. Much was made about Russell Crowe’s accent, but the main star in this movie was the baddie, played by Mark Strong, who incidentally wasn‘t too bad in Kick Ass either. His acting overshadowed Crowe’s at times. It wasn’t a bad movie but it could have been much better than it was. 3 Stars.
Another movie that was disappointing for me was Alice in Wonderland. It had a little promise but I largely found it a bit tedious. It brought back most of the original characters but they just felt weaker than usual. Johnny Depp was the star and played the Mad Hatter in probably his worst role for a while. Tim Burton usually gets it right when working with Depp but this one, along with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, just didn’t hit the mark. In fact he missed the mark by a fair distance. Yes, the Cheshire Cat had his moments but the story wasn’t very good, and I was left feeling a bit empty by the end of it. I’ll give it 2 Stars, which is maybe a little harsh on it, but three just feels like too much.
A film that does deserve three stars though is Green Zone, which came out early on in 2010. I won’t beat around the bush, it’s a Bourne film, starring Matt Damon. The film’s director, Paul Greengrass, essentially picked up Jason Bourne by his thumb and index finger and plonked him in the middle of a war zone. That’s it, there’s your general premise right there. It’s an okay story and you can’t really fault Damon at all, but it just feels like a quick cash in after the Bourne trilogy.
Probably the worst film I saw this year was a British comedy called Four Lions. It got some very good reviews when it originally came out so I thought I’d give it a watch. Don’t get me wrong, there are some funny moments in this movie but overall I just didn’t see the point in it. In a nutshell, it’s a tongue in cheek look at a bunch of shoddy terrorists living in England. There are some funny scenes like I said, but I don’t understand why this is a movie. They should have made a thirty minute sketch show and just broadcasted the funny parts, simply cutting out the painful filler in between. The film’s running time is 97 minutes and I feel like I’ve wasted 87 minutes of my life with this one. One lonely star I‘m afraid.
So yes, that’s it, all the movies I saw that 2010 gave to us. There are probably some good ones missing that I haven’t seen, but I cant really have an opinion on something I haven’t watched now can I? Notable films that I wanted to see but didn’t get chance to are Ben Affleck’s The Town; Tron Legacy, which I might still get a chance to see in the coming weeks; and a film called Monsters, filmed in Mexico with a budget of less than a million dollars I heard great things about it but never got around to watching it. I’m sure I’ll catch it eventually.
In terms of best soundtrack, Kick Ass provided some good music from its score, Scott Pilgrim featured some great new tracks that still gets a listen on my ipod, but the winner is Inception again, simply because Hans Zimmer managed to make it suit the movie perfectly from start to finish, and no not just because I saw it in IMAX!
As for scene of the year, it gets a little harder. Of all the scenes I’ve seen this year it comes down to three. The final scene from Toy Story 3, Arthur’s zero gravity fight scene in Inception, or the strobe lighting Big Daddy rescue scene from Kick Ass. I think I’ll give it to Kick Ass, because I feel sorry for it not being in my top five. But hey if you say a pointless C-word just for petty giggles, that’s what you get.
Sunday, 5 September 2010
That's actually hilarious.
Video game movies suck, yes? Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, Alone in the Dark, Mortal Kombat. Yeah they pretty much all waver between God-awful and depressingly disastrous. But I went to see a movie recently that may very well defy this fact. A fact that has been written in stone ever since Bob Hoskins popped out of a green pipe and yelled ‘Mamma Mia!’.
This Movie is: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Now I know it’s not a video game, all you pedantic boffins will know it’s based on a comic book written by Bryan Lee O’Malley, but it is a video game movie! It just is! It’s so awesome! From the moment it starts you know it’s a video game movie. The Universal logo is presented to you in 16-bit format with an 8-bit version of the theme. Okay movie…you have gained your first star.
It’s directed by Edgar Wright, of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead fame. I didn’t reckon much to Shaun of the Dead but Hot Fuzz was hilarious. And this movie beats it. Easily. That’s so hard to say considering how much I love Hot Fuzz, but this is on another level.
This is the point where I’ll be nice and polite and announce a spoiler warning. I don’t want to ruin the jokes for you so yeah, stop reading if you’re thinking of going to see this film. As it’s best enjoyed without being ruined by idiots like me on the internets.
So the movie begins and we’re introduced to our protagonist Scott Pilgrim very early on. He’s played by Michael Cera who plays the role perfectly. I loved him as George-Michael in Arrested Development and he plays a very similar character here. It’s a no-brainer for the casting team. You find out he’s dating a high school chick who I presumed was Ramona Flowers. But it isn’t, it’s a Chinese girl called Knives Chau (Ellen Wong) who he’s going out with on a rebound from his ex girlfriend Envy Adams (Brie Larson) who, when she got signed by a record label, dumped him. Brutally. I’m probably a complete noob for not knowing this but I didn’t read the graphic novel and I abstained from all trailers to avoid spoilers. The only thing I knew about this movie before I walked in was Michael Cera, Chris Evans, Ramona Flowers, evil exes, graphic novel. That’s it. There’s nothing worse than trailers ruining funny bits in movies. I’m so glad I avoided them.
The character of Ramona (Mary Winstead) comes into it fairly quickly and becomes the object of Scott’s desire instantly. Their relationship is kind of quirky and fun throughout the movie, there’s an obvious attraction but in the end it’s just two people trying to figure out what they want out of life and a life partner rather than a typical love story. A lot of guys will be able to relate to Scott, he’s been dumped by a girl he was in love with. Funnily enough a few guys might be able to relate to that. So you instantly warm to him. Well I did anyway. Even if he is a total broom handle at times. He basically two-times with Knives and Ramona and he treats Knives and fellow band-member Kim (Alison Pill) pretty badly. Kim’s another ex of his. Yeah, you may have noticed, there are a lot of exes in this movie.
As the story progresses you get a lot of in-jokes thrown in your gawping face, but you don’t need to know them to find this movie funny. And my God it is funny. So funny in fact I laughed out loud in the cinema so many times I lost count. I don’t think that’s happened since Hot Fuzz, and before that it was Anchorman. Alright so I got a lot of the in-jokes because, well, I’m a nerd, but I’m pretty sure I would have missed a hatful as well. Some of the great moments in this movie involve a constant barrage of nostalgic video game sound bytes, a shoryuken and even a scene replicating Seinfeld! It’s just great writing. Okay movie that’s another star for you.
Of course not all of the jokes perform perfect landings. Julie’s bleeped mouth borders overuse, for example. And the pee bar is a fail. But I know that was in the comic so fair enough, I’ll let that slide, and if you don’t like those jokes just deal with it! There’s so much more in this movie so chill out. I know some people would have hated the writing on the screen, but I loved it! It was genuinely funny, and I didn’t even get to read some of them because I was concentrating on something else. I need to watch this movie again.
So once Scott is dating his beloved Ramona he is randomly attacked by a dude named Matthew Patel (Satya Bhabha) who crashes in through the ceiling and kicks off the movie’s first fight scene. Yeah this movie just got surreal. And it’s a good thing. Reality is finally fully disbanded and you can just sit back and enjoy the festivities. Matthew Patel reveals that he’s an ex of Ramona who wants his revenge for being dumped all those years ago in 7th grade. He then breaks into song in the most comedic Bollywood scene I’ve ever seen and is easily disposed of by Scott. Ramona then tells our hero he must defeat her seven evil exes in order for him to continue to date her. Pretty standard stuff so far, I’m sure you’ll agree.
The next evil ex is Lucas Lee, played by none other than Captain America himself, Chris Evans. Lee is a skateboarder turned cocky movie-star and is one of the best characters in the film. Scott’s room-mate Wallace (Kieran Culkin, yes Macaulay Culkin‘s brother), who is also one of the best characters in this movie, reveals Lee when he tells Scott he’s going to be stalking him. He sprays magazine cuttings of him across the table and one of them is a poster for a movie called ‘Action Doctor’ with the tagline ‘The good news is, you’re going to live. The bad news is, he’s going to kill you.’ Genius, absolute genius, I don’t know who wrote that but give him an Oscar now, two Oscars, heck just give him them all. Movie, have a star.
Once Scott defeats Lucas Lee and his army of stunt doubles. His ’big’ ex enters the movie, randomly, and invites him to her gig. Scott obviously turns it down but his band-mates decide otherwise when they are offered to support her band (The Clash at Demonhead). Poor Scott. Once at the gig we get introduced to the next ex, the psychic vegan Todd Ingram (Brandon Routh). Another fight scene ensues where Scott challenges him to a bass battle, only to lose and trick him into drinking coffee with half soy and half milk. Obviously this prompts the vegan police to burst in through a wall and take away Todd’s psychic powers. Incidentally the Punisher is in the vegan police. That alone blew my mind.
Next up it’s the bi-furious Roxy Richter (Mae Whitman, yes she was in Arrested Development too, come to think of it she played Cera‘s ex in that, I wonder if that was planned…) Scott finally realises this is an ex of Ramona’s but we’re treated to a fight scene between the two ladies rather than Scotty. He eventually has to step in but Roxy’s speed gets the better of him and he has to resort to hitting her sensual spot, revealed to him in slow motion by Ramona, behind her knee. Job done Scott well done.
The fight scenes make this movie for me. They are some of the best I’ve seen in ages. You might think as there are seven exes it would get boring. But it doesn’t. They’re all so varied and fun, they’re simply bad-ass. They easily keep you interested. I never once got bored in this movie. There’s always something going on. Whether it’s the massive summoned creatures in the battle against the Katayanagi twins or the final battle’s sword play, this movie keeps you wanting more, and more, and more. I need this on DVD. I really do. Another star for the fight scenes? Consider it done.
As for music, it’s pretty darn good. It’s very rock influenced, which you’d expect considering Scott’s in a rock band (known as Sex Bob-omb). It uses the music brilliantly and it’s used to great effect in the fight scenes, adding atmosphere and general vibrancy to the proceedings. There’s a few slower numbers thrown in there as well as the heavy stuff. But the soundtrack will be enjoyed more by rockers. Rival band ‘Crash and the boys’ produce some very short but good ones. I like the way the bands in this movie are named after Nintendo games. That’s pretty cool.
In the end Scott goes up against the final boss Gideon (Jason Schwartzman). But oh no! He loses to him and he’s left dead in a sandy purgatory! Whilst he’s here he gets to speak to Ramona and he learns a valuable lesson. Too bad he’s dead. But no, he has an extra life. I told you it was a video game! So he goes back, endures Gideon’s cut-scene (thank God Hideo Kojima didn’t direct this one) and starts the fight over, this time for himself not Ramona. This fight scene is so epic, he fights off a few guards with swords only to come up against Gideon and give him a kicking. Knives randomly jumps in to attack Ramona, as you do, and they fight for a bit until Scott finally defeats him and the final final boss! Phew.
So once all that’s done and Gideon has given his end of game boss defeated speech, Scott leaves the building to find Ramona and Knives. Ramona gives a little speech and walks off leaving Scott with Knives. But Knives tells him to go after her as they’re meant to be together or whatever. So he does. This is good and all but by the end of the movie I kind of grew fond of Knives more than I did Ramona. I wanted him to stay with Knives! She deserved it and was way more interesting than Ramona. Ellen Wong should go on to do tonnes of other stuff after this performance. I’d say it’s the best in the movie, and there are some pretty good performances here.
This really is one of the best movies of the year. But I’ve noticed it’s not doing well. It’s bob-ombing in the States and it came in at number two in the UK box office behind Grown Ups. Now, I haven’t seen Grown Ups but I can imagine that this film is several times better than that one. So go and see it! You need to! If you don’t Action Doctor will never be made! As for my final verdict, eagle-eyed readers would have counted the four stars I’ve given but no it gets 5 stars. The last star was for awesomeness. Yeah. It happens.
This Movie is: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Now I know it’s not a video game, all you pedantic boffins will know it’s based on a comic book written by Bryan Lee O’Malley, but it is a video game movie! It just is! It’s so awesome! From the moment it starts you know it’s a video game movie. The Universal logo is presented to you in 16-bit format with an 8-bit version of the theme. Okay movie…you have gained your first star.
It’s directed by Edgar Wright, of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead fame. I didn’t reckon much to Shaun of the Dead but Hot Fuzz was hilarious. And this movie beats it. Easily. That’s so hard to say considering how much I love Hot Fuzz, but this is on another level.
This is the point where I’ll be nice and polite and announce a spoiler warning. I don’t want to ruin the jokes for you so yeah, stop reading if you’re thinking of going to see this film. As it’s best enjoyed without being ruined by idiots like me on the internets.
So the movie begins and we’re introduced to our protagonist Scott Pilgrim very early on. He’s played by Michael Cera who plays the role perfectly. I loved him as George-Michael in Arrested Development and he plays a very similar character here. It’s a no-brainer for the casting team. You find out he’s dating a high school chick who I presumed was Ramona Flowers. But it isn’t, it’s a Chinese girl called Knives Chau (Ellen Wong) who he’s going out with on a rebound from his ex girlfriend Envy Adams (Brie Larson) who, when she got signed by a record label, dumped him. Brutally. I’m probably a complete noob for not knowing this but I didn’t read the graphic novel and I abstained from all trailers to avoid spoilers. The only thing I knew about this movie before I walked in was Michael Cera, Chris Evans, Ramona Flowers, evil exes, graphic novel. That’s it. There’s nothing worse than trailers ruining funny bits in movies. I’m so glad I avoided them.
The character of Ramona (Mary Winstead) comes into it fairly quickly and becomes the object of Scott’s desire instantly. Their relationship is kind of quirky and fun throughout the movie, there’s an obvious attraction but in the end it’s just two people trying to figure out what they want out of life and a life partner rather than a typical love story. A lot of guys will be able to relate to Scott, he’s been dumped by a girl he was in love with. Funnily enough a few guys might be able to relate to that. So you instantly warm to him. Well I did anyway. Even if he is a total broom handle at times. He basically two-times with Knives and Ramona and he treats Knives and fellow band-member Kim (Alison Pill) pretty badly. Kim’s another ex of his. Yeah, you may have noticed, there are a lot of exes in this movie.
As the story progresses you get a lot of in-jokes thrown in your gawping face, but you don’t need to know them to find this movie funny. And my God it is funny. So funny in fact I laughed out loud in the cinema so many times I lost count. I don’t think that’s happened since Hot Fuzz, and before that it was Anchorman. Alright so I got a lot of the in-jokes because, well, I’m a nerd, but I’m pretty sure I would have missed a hatful as well. Some of the great moments in this movie involve a constant barrage of nostalgic video game sound bytes, a shoryuken and even a scene replicating Seinfeld! It’s just great writing. Okay movie that’s another star for you.
Of course not all of the jokes perform perfect landings. Julie’s bleeped mouth borders overuse, for example. And the pee bar is a fail. But I know that was in the comic so fair enough, I’ll let that slide, and if you don’t like those jokes just deal with it! There’s so much more in this movie so chill out. I know some people would have hated the writing on the screen, but I loved it! It was genuinely funny, and I didn’t even get to read some of them because I was concentrating on something else. I need to watch this movie again.
So once Scott is dating his beloved Ramona he is randomly attacked by a dude named Matthew Patel (Satya Bhabha) who crashes in through the ceiling and kicks off the movie’s first fight scene. Yeah this movie just got surreal. And it’s a good thing. Reality is finally fully disbanded and you can just sit back and enjoy the festivities. Matthew Patel reveals that he’s an ex of Ramona who wants his revenge for being dumped all those years ago in 7th grade. He then breaks into song in the most comedic Bollywood scene I’ve ever seen and is easily disposed of by Scott. Ramona then tells our hero he must defeat her seven evil exes in order for him to continue to date her. Pretty standard stuff so far, I’m sure you’ll agree.
The next evil ex is Lucas Lee, played by none other than Captain America himself, Chris Evans. Lee is a skateboarder turned cocky movie-star and is one of the best characters in the film. Scott’s room-mate Wallace (Kieran Culkin, yes Macaulay Culkin‘s brother), who is also one of the best characters in this movie, reveals Lee when he tells Scott he’s going to be stalking him. He sprays magazine cuttings of him across the table and one of them is a poster for a movie called ‘Action Doctor’ with the tagline ‘The good news is, you’re going to live. The bad news is, he’s going to kill you.’ Genius, absolute genius, I don’t know who wrote that but give him an Oscar now, two Oscars, heck just give him them all. Movie, have a star.
Once Scott defeats Lucas Lee and his army of stunt doubles. His ’big’ ex enters the movie, randomly, and invites him to her gig. Scott obviously turns it down but his band-mates decide otherwise when they are offered to support her band (The Clash at Demonhead). Poor Scott. Once at the gig we get introduced to the next ex, the psychic vegan Todd Ingram (Brandon Routh). Another fight scene ensues where Scott challenges him to a bass battle, only to lose and trick him into drinking coffee with half soy and half milk. Obviously this prompts the vegan police to burst in through a wall and take away Todd’s psychic powers. Incidentally the Punisher is in the vegan police. That alone blew my mind.
Next up it’s the bi-furious Roxy Richter (Mae Whitman, yes she was in Arrested Development too, come to think of it she played Cera‘s ex in that, I wonder if that was planned…) Scott finally realises this is an ex of Ramona’s but we’re treated to a fight scene between the two ladies rather than Scotty. He eventually has to step in but Roxy’s speed gets the better of him and he has to resort to hitting her sensual spot, revealed to him in slow motion by Ramona, behind her knee. Job done Scott well done.
The fight scenes make this movie for me. They are some of the best I’ve seen in ages. You might think as there are seven exes it would get boring. But it doesn’t. They’re all so varied and fun, they’re simply bad-ass. They easily keep you interested. I never once got bored in this movie. There’s always something going on. Whether it’s the massive summoned creatures in the battle against the Katayanagi twins or the final battle’s sword play, this movie keeps you wanting more, and more, and more. I need this on DVD. I really do. Another star for the fight scenes? Consider it done.
As for music, it’s pretty darn good. It’s very rock influenced, which you’d expect considering Scott’s in a rock band (known as Sex Bob-omb). It uses the music brilliantly and it’s used to great effect in the fight scenes, adding atmosphere and general vibrancy to the proceedings. There’s a few slower numbers thrown in there as well as the heavy stuff. But the soundtrack will be enjoyed more by rockers. Rival band ‘Crash and the boys’ produce some very short but good ones. I like the way the bands in this movie are named after Nintendo games. That’s pretty cool.
In the end Scott goes up against the final boss Gideon (Jason Schwartzman). But oh no! He loses to him and he’s left dead in a sandy purgatory! Whilst he’s here he gets to speak to Ramona and he learns a valuable lesson. Too bad he’s dead. But no, he has an extra life. I told you it was a video game! So he goes back, endures Gideon’s cut-scene (thank God Hideo Kojima didn’t direct this one) and starts the fight over, this time for himself not Ramona. This fight scene is so epic, he fights off a few guards with swords only to come up against Gideon and give him a kicking. Knives randomly jumps in to attack Ramona, as you do, and they fight for a bit until Scott finally defeats him and the final final boss! Phew.
So once all that’s done and Gideon has given his end of game boss defeated speech, Scott leaves the building to find Ramona and Knives. Ramona gives a little speech and walks off leaving Scott with Knives. But Knives tells him to go after her as they’re meant to be together or whatever. So he does. This is good and all but by the end of the movie I kind of grew fond of Knives more than I did Ramona. I wanted him to stay with Knives! She deserved it and was way more interesting than Ramona. Ellen Wong should go on to do tonnes of other stuff after this performance. I’d say it’s the best in the movie, and there are some pretty good performances here.
This really is one of the best movies of the year. But I’ve noticed it’s not doing well. It’s bob-ombing in the States and it came in at number two in the UK box office behind Grown Ups. Now, I haven’t seen Grown Ups but I can imagine that this film is several times better than that one. So go and see it! You need to! If you don’t Action Doctor will never be made! As for my final verdict, eagle-eyed readers would have counted the four stars I’ve given but no it gets 5 stars. The last star was for awesomeness. Yeah. It happens.
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