Scott Pilgrim vs The World

Director: Edgar Wright
UK release: August 2010
Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Alison Phil, Anna Kendrick, Johnny Simmons, Ellen Wong, Kieran Culkin, Brandon Routh

IMDB page



He said:

As I am sure Helen is going to tell you below; this is not a film that fits into any one genre or niche. While it hasn't found an audience in theatres you can bet your loose change that it will have a huge DVD following.

The film is well paced and edited, and the character development is outstanding. There is not one character in this film that you are introduced to, that you then won't remember an hour later when they show up again.

The two cameos that amused me the most were Brandon Routh (Superman Returns) and Chris Evans (Captain America, The Losers and Fantastic Four franchise) mostly due to the fact that scrawny little Scott Pilgrim managed to hold his own against them!

This is a fun film with a great soundtrack and exciting visuals that take hold of you from literally the spinning of the Universal Productions at the beginning of the film. This is a great film to see with your friends and will definetly be part of my film collections as soon as it is available on DVD and BluRay. I give this film [[[4.5 out of 5]]]

She said:

It took me only three or four minutes to know that I was going to love this film. And it took me only half an hour after that to understand that I was watching one of the cinema highlights of the year. Despite what the poor Box Office figures might suggest, Scott Pilgrim vs The World is a funny, original, unique and genre-breaking film. And I for one loved it.

The thing that really stood out for me about Scott Pilgrim was the genre defying style and structure; this is a film that isn't based in reality, yet I didn't feel like the label of fantasy would do it justice. Scott Pilgrim takes your idea of film and then tips it on its head, adds a bit of comic book, mixes up some video game, throws in some ironic indie rock and finished with a twist of sitcom. Then kaboom! You have a completely new genre.

Fascinating to watch for many reasons, Scott Pilgrim is rich in detail from cultural references galore to visual Easter Eggs (ala the third evil ex wearing a t-shirt with a 3 on it). Much like musicals show us what reality would be like if omnipresent bands started playing music randomly throughout your day, Scott Pilgrim shows us what the world would be like if cartoon strips were real.

Overall I am incredibly impressed by this film, and what a wonderful way fro director Edgar Wright to move into Hollywood. But then again with hits like Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz under his belt I really didn't expect a disaster from him. This film made me smile with its wit, charm and above all its unashamed propensity to push the boundaries of cinematic convention. I give this film {{{5 out of 5}}}

They said:

Even if it turns out not to be your thing this film is worth a watch for its hyperbolic take on a fantastically original story. It also deserves kudos for having the credits sequence at the start of the movie. He said she said loves a bit of 'old school'. We give this film {{{9.5 out of 10}}}

QUESTION FOR THE COMMENTS: What is your favourite comic book / graphic novel adaptation to date and why?

Up in the Air

Watched Jan 17th
Review requested by Leslie Datsis,

Directed by Jason Reitman Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick

He said:

As our first review request we both entered this theatre with high expectations and I am really happy to say that I, myself at least really enjoyed this film. A unique idea told with a clever story. While it doesn't come as much of a surprise that Juno director Jason Reitman has a unique view on what many would consider the tired genre of romantic comedies. Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner’s adaptation of Walter Kim’s novel is brilliant. There is a lot of heavy stuff going on in this film, yet the film itself manages to avoid selling itself short, by not being cheaply sentimental or emotionally manipulative. I really enjoyed this film and can not think of any reason why you would not. I give it {{{{4.5 out of 5}}}}

She said:

I really enjoyed this film not only for the clever storytelling but also the slick editing that married with the plot. The sharp cuts, especially during the introduction of Clooney's character, matched really well with his charming and suave character.

Despite being early on in her career, Anna Kendrick held her own against Clooney and Farmiga. There was a good investment in her character by the writers where they could have easily pushed her right to the background. In actual fact it is her character that is the catalyst for Clooney evaluating his life. She therefore played quite an integral part and I was impressed by her honesty in the role (comedic crying aside).

For what seems at first glance to be a romantic comedy this film ends up in a different place. The main subject is about employment (as you see form the trailer Clooney's job is to fire people) and it is this that makes you consider the way you live your life and what your goals and aims really mean. But not in the crap cheesy way. In the slick Clooney way.

I rate this film <<<4.5 out of 5>>>

They said:

If you like funny films that have a heart - and let's face it who doesn't? - then we recommend you see this. We give this film a combined rating of 9 out of 10.