Scott Pilgrim

Pardon me if I'm a little behind in my movie watching. I can only watch what Netflix sends me. For the most part, nothing really interesting has come across my queue lately. What does stand out was Scott Pilgrim vs the World. Usually I have a nice bit of background on the movie, but not this time. I know it is based on a series of graphic novels, but I haven't read them. Some might think that is a travesty, but it allows me to watch the movie as a movie (unlike Jonah Hex, which was nothing like the comics and therefore awful in my eyes).

So our hero, Scott, is a bit of a loser. Ok, he is a total loser. He is in a funk after a horrible, heartbreaking breakup and in his rebound phase starts dating a 17 year old, Asian school girl. Keep your minds out of the gutter! He is content to play video games, go to the library, and hang out at the music store with his uniform wearing piece of jail bait (although, this takes place in Canada. What is the age of consent in the Great White North?) until he sees a purple-haired delivery girl that starts skating her way into his dreams and heart. Typical story, really. The setup is completely traditional in that Scott continues to date the school girl while perusing Ramona (girl of the funky hair color). Anyone else predict this blowing up in his face?

So the story is typical of teenage romantic comedies, but what I enjoyed was that he had to face all of her evil exes (not ex-boyfriends as she points out numerous times. There is a girl in the mix too. Hot? I think so). In this world of indie music and melodrama exist mystical powers and an actual round table of villains set on ruining Ramona's love life. The movie is peppered with video game references, graphics, and HUDs. That alone made me like the movie. Even the Universal opening graphic was done in 8-bit beauty. Some movies are made for a certain audience, and this one does not hide that. So, if you are not a video game nerd,or music snob this movie will probably not appeal to you.

Performance wise, it was average. Michael Cera was basically playing the same character he has in every movie thus far. The evil exes are over the top (as they should be)and cheesy. The two best performances, in my mind, go to Kieran Culkin (the only one still working, right?)as Scott's man-whore Gay roommate. Next, goes to Ramona Flowers played by Mary Elizabeth Ward (she was in Live Free or Die Hard, and Deathproof). She is a cute hipster trying to escape her past, and while she plays aloof we can see the damage in her eyes.

Final Analysis: Fun movie. Watch it!



Last Quote: Rocky Horror Picture Show

Today's Quote: "When I'm around you, I kind of feel like I'm on drugs. Not that I do drugs. Unless you do drugs, in which case I do them all the time. "