Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD

DIRECTED BY: EDGAR WRIGHT

WRITTEN BY: MICHAEL BACALL & EDGAR WRIGHT

GRAPHIC NOVELS BY: BRYAN LEE O'MALLEY

OVERALL SCORE: 7.50/10

 After a chance encounter with his dream girl, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) must battle her league of evil exes, bent on preventing anyone from dating her.

  "You once were a ve-gone, but now you will begone."

I can say without any hesitation that in terms of pure entertainment value no film put a smile on my face quite as grand as Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. That being said Scott Pilgrim is a movie riddled with little flaws that prevent it from reaching that tour de force amazement that would leave me, like it has so many of its now devoted fans, in a feeling of ecstasy. First, though, let's talk about what all the movie does right.

Scott Pilgrim has a way of viewing the world that will connect with the deepest of nostalgia to those who grew up in the time of arcades and NES/SNES. In essence Scott Pilgrim is the film tailor made for those of the early video game generation. Packed with references, high rock music, subtle jibes, and a coolness that can only be described in terms of its utter geekness, there's a great element of charm that plays to Scott Pilgrim's advantage.

Edgar Wright continues his streak of stylized, but smart, homage films that highlight him as one of the more creative visual directors of his age group. At the same time, Wright knows enough about the story to maintain the exasperated pace, and still blend in the series' many unique characters. As one could expect this comes with a double edge sword. The inclusion of the entire series into one film aids the action oriented picture. There's always a fight coming up and always new style pumping life into each and every one.

Unfortunately what gets lost in this array of style are the basic foundations of any classic: story and characters. Scott Pilgrim is a bit of a self centered ass and his 'evolution' as the series progresses feels rather forced in the context of the story. There's very little reflection, a whole lot of fighting, until of course the film's climax which tries to put all its lessons into one package. Meanwhile the many supporting characters, including star players like Ramona, get lost in one to two sentence character builders then shuffle off until they're needed again.


What saves Wright and Co. is the sheer brilliance of the cast. Each cast member, perfectly selected, melds into their character with great ease. There's never a moment when you doubt a particular actor is fully enveloped in their character, which allows the audience to forgive some of the lesser elements.

If there is one thing I would have request of Wright is making the film a good ten to fifteen minutes longer. The high octane pace may be perfectly suitable for its ADD rampant fanbase, but I felt as if there was much more to be told. The characters could have received more fleshing out, and the ending could feel a bit less 'and there you go' and a bit more 'aw, beautiful!' It's not the feeling that Scott Pilgrim did anything wrong, just that it could have done it a bit better.

Still, once the credits roll, one would be hard pressed to have found any emotion on my face other than a unquestioned grin. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World exudes charm, wit, and hilarity in a way few films in 2010 have managed to capture. If for no other reason than that, it earns my seal of approval.

There's no denying the vast allure of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Full of fun, excitement, and action, the movie keeps things light hearted and decently developed from start to finish. At times the movie depends too much on style to hide its weaker qualities, but when something works as well as this does you find yourself willing to forgive more than you normally would.

The Losers (2010)

THE LOSERS

DIRECTED BY: SYLVIAN WHITE
WRITTEN BY: PETER BERG & JAMES VANDERBILT
COMICS BY: ANDY DIGGLE
OVERALL SCORE: 5.00/10

Assumed dead after their last mission was meant to take them out, a group of elite special ops team up with a mysterious rogue assassin (Zoe Saldana) to find out who is behind their sudden betrayal.

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I honestly can't tell you the name of any of the characters in the movie. I honestly can't tell you any of the plot points except that at some point Indians appear and make a bomb, and the Zoe Saldana gets steamy with Jeffrey Dean Morgan (don't blame me, blame slow motion). Beyond that The Losers is basically the equivalent to a drug trip. You know you took part, and you vaguely know it was enjoyable, but damned if you can remember any part of it except for the odd flashing image (.... or so I'm told *cough*).

For, you see, The Losers saving grace is most ironically its own great weakness. No real character, or plot, development, The Losers guides its viewer from action scene to action scene; with a comical over the top ambivalence that reminds me of the latest Italian Job remake... without any of the creativity (or equally talented performers). Siphoning out any element of entertainment it can grab, The Losers doesn't avoid pitfalls. Instead it quickly lines them up and proceeds to run into every one of them with the most carefree of attitudes.

And, if it were not for a hilariously over the top (intentionally or not) performance for Jason Patric, I would find it hard to give it a 5 at all. Sure, it's mediocre, but it's so in a way that manages to frustrate, as much as it does entertain. Every "cool" move couldn't be more predictable even if the viewer had the script right in front of them. Yet, it finds a way to make its unoriginality an appreciable plus, but only in a "wow, that's marked down so low" bargain bin kind of way.

Do I recommend checking it out? Not really. Do I recommend not checking it out? Not really. The Losers is the perfect movie that's not recommendable, or recommendable. A near impossible to review movie, for the simple fact that it inspires no opinion either way. Perhaps a cheap bargain bin pickup would be ideal placing.

The Losers is unoriginality to the highest degree. It escapes boredom by being comically over the top, quick, and charming. While it escapes care by being plotless, characterless, and unoriginal. Not the kind of movie you're likely to remember, then again if you get the 90 minutes of entertainment out, it might be all for the best.

Iron Man 2 (2010)

IRON MAN 2

DIRECTED BY: JON FAVREAU
WRITTEN BY: JUSTIN THEROUX
COMIC SERIES BY: STAN LEE, JACK KIRBY, LARRY LIEBER, & DON HECK
OVERALL SCORE: 7.50/10

Six months after the events of the previous film Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) must face new challenges including Iron Man's growing fame, a new villain with a close family connection (Mickey Rourke), aspiring competitors (Sam Rockwell), a secret government agency lead by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), and the fact that the very thing keeping him alive is also killing him. I think he has enough on his plate, how about you?

There's one secret advantage to being a film goer like myself in which I want to know as much about a film before entering, I'm able to catch all the warning signs ahead of time. Perhaps that's why upon watching Iron Man 2 I was struck by how many scenes I had read about that annoyed people to no end, but didn't bother me in the least bit. Perhaps the best way I could sum up my opinion on Iron Man 2 is simply: WHEW THAT WAS FUN!

Incredibly educated and well formulated opinion? Maybe not, but damned if I didn't enjoy myself from start to finish. Even the cheesy opening, and over the top rawr, from Mickey Rourke couldn't slow me down. I was looking for action, adventure, and character, and that's what I got. Even its weaker moments felt frail in comparison to the action sequences, and enjoyment to be had with good ol' Tony Stark.

Most of my complaints with the film are rather nitpicky ones at best. Yes, they could have done a bit more with the new element, and the senate case is a tad long, and yes they could have developed their villain(s) more. And yes, Samuel L. Jackson's character is more of a setup than a feature, but none of it really bothered me. Even Scarlett Johansson's leathered up, over busty, secretary skit failed to really annoy me.

Yet through each scene not once did I feel the need to check my watch (which has become the feature action for me during films in 2010), nor did any scene ever take me out of the flow (perhaps the drinking/party scene which was a bit stupid). I was with each move, and character, from start to finish. Each action felt as useful as the last, and the story felt well progressed enough for me that I was able to really care in the end.

I did want a bit more Pots and Stark tension, but let's be honest without the ending it would have been far too frustrating. As well, I loved watching Rockwell and Rourke ham it up a bit for the comic genre (Vanko's prison conversation with Stark = personal favorite scene). A nice spin on the recent, super serious, element that has latched on to our comic realm (Dear Batman, it's ok to smile) . While Cheadle does his best in replacing Howard as Rhodey, but I think Howard worked the role way too well in the first one, and their styles are just too different to compare adequately.

Still, no matter how you slice it, Iron Man 2 just plain worked for me. Maybe it was evened out expectations, or maybe it was just the right notes for my visual queues. Either way, Iron Man 2 doesn't surpass, or meet, its predecessor, but I feel it does a damned good job in living up to the mythos it created.

While it has plenty of flaws, it never adds up to anything all that troublesome. Maybe a few, not as a good as it could have been scenes, but never the slew of awfulness I've read about. What makes Iron Man 2 work is that, like the first in the series, it cares about the development, and troubles of its characters. Not so much about the villains, as they're only one film arcs anyways. The core characters are the ones that are here to stay. And in that department, I found myself well satisfied.

Kick-Ass (2010)

KICK-ASS

DIRECTED BY: MATTHEW VAUGHN
WRITTEN BY: MATTHEW VAUGHN & JANE GOLDMAN
BASED ON THE COMIC BOOK BY: MARK MILLAR & JOHN ROMITA JR.
OVERALL SCORE: 7.00/10

Comic geek Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) tired of being mugged, and nobody doing anything, decides to become the super hero Kick Ass. Soon Kick Ass becomes a cultural phenomenon, but his actions, which parallel that of father-daughter team Big Daddy (Nic Cage) and Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz) puts him in more danger than he bargained for.

Kick Ass is definitely an interesting film to review. Splitting viewers in terms of presentation and morality, it's movie that has more than its fair share of controversy looming. Utilizing the increasingly present theme of deconstructing the super hero, Kick Ass has all the visual spectacle of Watchmen, with more action, similar themes, and a prevailing comic book approach.

Perhaps what is most visually compelling is how Kick-Ass is able to take that comic book style Ang Lee used in Hulk, and tone it down to a more agreeable level. Not shying away from the opportunities to cook up the hammy acting, it creates a film that walks the thin line between the realms of realism and comic. Bringing to life a group of colorful characters that'll get fellow film geeks jumping for joy.

Unfortunately, I struggled with the overbearing lack of care that waved in and out throughout the run time. Not that the movie is ever boring, so much as the characters are very plainly developed. Any layers offered to them are often undeveloped, and never play out during crucial scenes. It's the sort of film that says, here's cool characters doing cool stuff, just enjoy... and many rightfully have.

Now, for the issue of Chloe Moretz's oft debated Hit Girl, I find myself disagreeing with the like of Roger Ebert who have taken great offense. First I would point out that in Horror films children have been doing, and saying, things that are comparable to those of Hit Girl for well over 30 years. Secondly, why the morality of her actions is never discussed is simple, nobody ever presented her with a reason to think otherwise. Our sentiment of morality lay solely in the narrator and titular Kick Ass.

And while his notions of morality may be jumbled, and a tad contradictory, that's as far as the film is willing to take it. There's not great debate on whether or not such actions should occur, but rather that they do. Since I, for one, possess the mental strength to separate film morality from reality, I feel as if any consequence lay at the hands of those who can't. And whether or not it is the job of the film to dissuade, or avoid encouraging, such actions, is a debate I care not to enter.

As for the film in its fully, I definitely enjoyed it, but feel I could have loved it more. Great use of John Murphy's score for Sunshine in t a key scene stand as strikingly memorable. Not to mention I'm a big fan of the recent geek gets the beautiful girl in cinema, but that's neither here nor there.

The blend of comedy, action, and likable characters is a dish well worth serving. A universe unto itself, filled with life, color, and enjoyment for viewers to absorb.

While far from perfect, Kick Ass is an interesting addition to the anti-hero genre. It's not breaking any new grounds, instead, it relies on its fun characters, and creative action sequences which blur the reality and comic book world brilliantly.