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AICN COMICS MOVIE REVIEW:Vroom Socko saw SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD with ONI Press last night!
Vroom Socko Sees
SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD
With Oni Press!!!
SCOTT PILGRIM VS THE WORLD
With Oni Press!!!
Hey, Vroom Socko here, and last night I saw SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD. Now, if you're just interested in my thoughts on the movie the Talkbackers are already sick of, scroll down to the standard review header. Forgive me, but I have to gush about the screening itself. It wasn't just a screening, it was a party, and Oni Press publisher Joe Nozemack was the host. Not just at the theater: there was an after party downtown, complete with a host of classic arcade machines provided by Ground Kontrol. This included a digital projector running Street Fighter, which resulted in an impromptu round robin tournament. The only thing that topped that was the crowd that Oni Press had invited to this private showing.
Portland is the biggest comics town west of the Mississippi, and the people in attendance proved that. I saw seats filled with the likes of Jamie Rich, Joëlle Jones, Paul Tobin and Colleen Coover, Mike Allred, Greg Rucka and Jen Van Meter, James Lucas Jones, Kurt Busiek... I'm not sure, but I think I spotted Matt Wagner sitting in the back. Folks, this is the crowd to see a comic book movie with. A general audience may, may cheer when they see Edgar Wright's credit on screen. A Comic Con crowd would cheer Bryan Lee O'Malley's credit. This audience cheered Joe Nozemack's credit. Try and find an audience where that would happen. What my pathetic ass was doing there, I haven't a clue. Apparently, the people at Oni Press like my reviews.
But you're here for my thoughts on the movie itself, not idle gossip. So without further adieu:
SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD
Michael Bacall and Edgar Wright: Writers
Edgar Wright: Director
Universal Pictures: Distributor
Vroom Socko: Don't talk to me about grammar!
Caveat: Going into this, I was a huge SCOTT PILGRIM fan, as seen in my recent review of book six. (For those keeping score, the series settled into my Top Ten at #8, in between Lee and Kirby's FF and PREACHER.) I was also a massive Edgar Wright fan, and this had me mildly concerned. You see, SCOTT PILGRIM is a twenty something romance filled with music, comic book, video game and general pop culture references. As is the first big success that Edgar Wright had. So as I took my seat, I couldn't help wondering, "Is this going to play out like SPACED in Canada?"
I needn't have worried. Sure, there were a couple of bits that had a SPACED vibe: the SEINFELD reference for one, the running gag involving Scott's hat for another. (It didn't hurt that the hat looked like something that Tim would wear.) Fortunately, these jokes worked in the context of the film. I wasn't thinking "That's like something out of SPACED!" while I was watching, mainly because I was too busy laughing my ass off. Getting a laugh wins out over other considerations.
Now, for those of you who are visiting Ain't It Cool for the first time in your life, SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD is centered on the titular Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera.) He's the bass player of the Toronto based band Sex Bob-Omb, along with guitarist Steven Stills (Mark Webber) and drummer Kim Pine (Alison Pill.) He doesn't have a day job, but he does have a 17 year old girlfriend called Knives Chau (Ellen Wong.) Then one night, a strange woman appears in his dream, then shows up in real life. This woman, one Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead,) ends up having a night on the town with Scott. This puts Scott on the radar of Ramona's seven Evil Ex Boyfriends, who each challenge Scott in turn in single combat to the death.
I have to admit that I'm not a big fan of Michael Cera, although I hold no dislike for him either. I've only really seen him in JUNO, where he was solid if not very memorable, and SUPERBAD, where he was funny but overshadowed by Period Pants and McLovin. Sorry to those who venerate the show, but this does mean I haven't watched ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT. Sorry, but Will Arnett makes me break out in hives. Anyway, here Cera has to carry the bulk of the film on his shoulders, and he does a damn good job. He's convincing not only as a likable doofus, but also as a skilled, cunning fighter, and as a bit of a sad sack who manages to grow into a self-confident heroic figure. He and Mary Elizabeth Winstead also play off of each other rather well, particularly during their first date. There's an innocent charm to these scenes that was romantic as anything.
The funniest part of the movie though is easily Scott's gay roommate Wallace Wells (Kieran Culkin) It's almost impossible to describe, but seeing him stumble drunkenly into his apartment, collapse face first into bed, then texting while asleep is comedy the likes of which not put to film since the death of Harpo Marx. There's also Ellen Wong, who IS Knives Chau. Her scenes just sparkle. She has an eagerness, along with a straight up cuteness that is inherently watchable. Not to mention the fun when she picks up her namesakes and starts to kick ass. Hell, she makes Hit Girl look like a little kid.
Then there are the flashback moments, where Ramona talks about how she met her various Ex's. These scenes are essentially cut straight from the books, motion comic-stlye. Some of you may disagree, but I adore O'Malley's artwork, and seeing it on a 60 foot wide screen is a delight.
The only part that really doesn't work for me is Envy Adams (Brie Larson) Nothing against Ms. Larson, but the character feels too flat. Also, she's built up as this unspeakable horror throughout the first half of the movie, shows up alongside the Third Evil Ex, then disappears and isn't heard from again. There's not really a full sense of completion to her part of the story. Also, two of the Ex's, the Twins to be specific, are incredibly short-changed in comparison to the other Ex's. I'd have liked to have gotten into their heads at least a little bit, since they're some of the more cerebral villains in the book.
This is not to say that I wanted a SCOTT PILGRIM movie that is slavishly devoted to the books. That way lies Chris Columbus directed HARRY POTTER films. In fact, one of my favorite moments in the film is the payoff to the extra life gag, which is nothing like how the moment plays out in the book. In point of fact, I think the movie uses the conceit better than the book does. Then there's the confrontation that Scott has with his dark side, which took a turn I was not expecting, and had me in stitches.
And really that's the important thing: this movie is funny. Richly funny. Romantically, charmingly, sweetly AND violently funny. Is it the best movie of the year? No. That's still INCEPTION (Based on what I've seen, at any rate). But SCOTT PILGRIM is the most entertaining movie of the year. In fact, if I may reveal a small secret, there was a screening at the end of July that I also managed to attend. That makes this the only movie this year I've seen in the theater twice. And I plan to finally pay to see it a third time this weekend. You should do the same.
Vroom Socko, also known as Aaron Button, is a Portland, Oregon native who loves comics, movies, and the Portland Timbers. He doesn't make it over to Ground Kontrol as often as he'd like, but when he does you can usually find him playing the DOCTOR WHO pinball machine.
Proofs, co-edits & common sense provided by Sleazy G
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Also, Scott Pilgrim > Inception. Inception was pretty overrated
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one question that was not answered in this review:
does jason schwartzman make you wanna set up an emergency chute and ride on out of there like the guy from jet blue? -
Everyone keeps saying how the band name is taken from Super Mario Brothers, but nobody mentions that it also references an awesome Flipper song...Guess I'm just old...
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That Harry finally updated the site and it was all cartoonish and awesome with Flash animation and vibrant colors.
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Aug 10, 2010 9:23:10 AM CDT
Nobody cares about Michael Cera Vs. The World
by mjs_cold_dead_pale_corpse
Please move on
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INstead of an internet trawler of early reviews, the marketing campaign and trailers would definitely have me saying "no way."
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They hate Scott Pilgrim but they still click on the link just to bitch. Keep it up, please, it's hilarious.
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Aug 10, 2010 9:47:31 AM CDT
" the likes of which not put to film since the death of Harpo Ma
by ricarleite2
Worst. Plant. EVER.
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it didn't look so fucking terrible.
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I'll say this instead of "Plant!" since many talkbackers can't differentiate. (For a plant-review, check out the 3 Fast 3 Furious Tokyo sent-in review.) Granted, it would be wise for studios to manufacture plant reviews, given the ENORMOUS push that AICN brought to Watchmen and Snakes on a Plane. Thanks to those invaluable plant reviews, the box office fucking skyrocketed! Those ingenius studio marketeers and their tricky plants! But personally, I'm too clever and cynical to fall for it. To be safe, I'll just assume that every single positive review is a plant. And for the reviews that bring up negatives, I'll be even MORE clever and cynical, and say that the negatives are just to throw us off the trail of the obvious plant-nature of the review.
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Never heard of Scott Pilgrim before but that review hasn't exactly piqued my interest.
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Or Mother? Fuck, even Harry Brown tops this from what I've seen so far.
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He's as much a plant as Harry. Contrary to what you all may believe, AIC?n *does* have a Comics section and I've seen Vroom Socko review comics before.
I mean, the way review is coded/structured is a dead giveaway that he's one of the @$$holes. But I guess you guys couldn't even pick the part where he mentioned his Scott Pilgrim vol. 6 review. -
Arrived at the cinema only to be told they werent showing it becuase the director wasnt happy with it, I was not amused. And therefore will not spend any money to see this at all. Besides, I want to punch Michael Cera in his stupid face!
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that does not align with talkbacker's cynical/angry/depressing world view is automatically a plant. I'm not too interested in seeing this, but good job on the review.
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Enough, already.
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I think that oughta be "Without further ado". Don't mean to make a lot of ado about it, but there you go. Adieu!
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http://soundcloud.com/foomas/i-quint
New song I did....need to share it here :) -
I Quint by Speaker Freeker
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I give up....HAve a great week fellow geeks :)
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So okay, he's not a plant. He's a fucking moron. "seeing him stumble drunkenly into his apartment, collapse face first into bed, then texting while asleep is comedy the likes of which not put to film since the death of Harpo Marx" - What? WHAT??
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Aug 10, 2010 11:51:27 AM CDT
"comedy the likes of which not put to film since the death of Ha
by redrain
is without a doubt the fucking most ridiculous thing EVER written on this site! i stopped reading right there! GAME OVER! INSERT COIN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWlDFRRH6yE
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anyone who thinks that scott pilgram(or anything/one)in that film is funnier then the MARX BROS. can so totally suck the balls! WHAT THE FUCK!!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!
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Seriously calling "plant" on a guy who has been a regular contributor for years is pretty damn funny.
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And looks not-unlike Dana Carvey as that turtle guy in the godawful Master of Disguise. Green Lantern is gonna just Schumacher all superhero movies!
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review a movieClear, Concise and Objective!
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Aug 10, 2010 2:02:06 PM CDT
It may be bad reading comprehention, or that I wrote this while
by vroom socko
I was at a party before writing this, after all. In any case, what I was saying was NOT that this movie is funnier than the Marx Brothers. (Whether it's specifically funnier than NIGHT IN CASABLANCA I leave to you to decide.) The "Drunk Wallace" scene is one that gets laughs mostly from what Kieran Culkin physically does, not from what he says. Is it better than Harpo? Christ no, don't be ridiculous! Is it the best work of that nature I've seen on film SINCE Harpo? Yes. Not better than Harpo, but the best of what has come since.
Now, water me and feed me compost! -
See above.
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ok i can see that, myself i like to watch the marx bros. drunk on new years eve. i'm not the demographic for that film anayway.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tii-5OAKLbA&NR=1
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Then you get kudos for a great character namesake. Go read Vroom Socko: Paid In Full, guys. I want to see a film version of THAT!
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douchbags who invented facebook. take those ads down so i don't keep opening up the trailer by mistake!
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...your loss. It's based one of the funniest comics ever written, and directed with love by a geek you can trust. So here, I'll go to the theater and laugh my ass off, and you stay here and complain. We'll compare notes later and see who had a better time.
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He is completely devoid of talent. Unfunny, with a personality as flat as a board.
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He is completely devoid of talent. Unfunny, with a personality as flat as a board.
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The comic is pretty cool, and I'd love to see OMalley's unique approach to manga styles animated. As a live action movie, I'm sorry, but it looks kindof retarded. I think it'll do well enough as a cult movie, though.
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This might be more your speed, then:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIR2XYGDxCo -
Welcome to the revolution...
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If you want to be cool, see 'Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World'!
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An AICN plant; he's an @$$hole.
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Vroom Socko is an obvious plant. Who else but a studio plant would like a movie before it's released. At least we are all smart enough not to be fooled. Go back to the studio backlot you live at you...you...nerd!
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..fungus, maybe, but not a straight up plant with photosynthesis and all that school stuff.
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I am not a plant!
I am a CHIA PET! -
But us folks in Blighty have to wait until 25th Aug. The Bastards.
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Honestly, it kicks ass. Like, completely genius throw-back to oldschool brawlers like DOUBLE DRAGON and STREETS OF RAGE, complete with gorgeous pixel art by Paul Robertson and 8-bit music by chiptune band Anamanaguchi.More than any review or astroturfin' TB faker, the care they put into the game makes me happy and refreshes the concept for me. I feel like we've been hammered with PILGRIM for a year now, and there's such a thing as too much exposure. But the game is awesome and it makes me feel friendly toward the brand again, Cera be damned.
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It was one of those office Christmas party type things, gift exchange. I gave Velma a Nutty Cheese Log from Hickory Farms and she gave me a Chia Vroom, which is a little adobe looking statue of my good friend Vroom Socko. You smear some glop on it (not just any glop, but glop they provide) and this little plant-like stuff sprouts all over Vroom Socko. It ended up looking like Vroom Socko as Vroom the Walking Afro.
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It's funny, all these Cera haters. Like you're cooler than Cera. Cera's cooler than you and he gets more chicks.
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Pictures from the abovementioned after party are on Flikr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/charliechu/sets/72157624576396585/
Don't worry, my goofy ass isn't in any of them... -
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