The Best Movie Critic   +  review

Luke's Scott Pilgrim Review

Hey guys, Ben here. My friend Luke earned my immediate and all-consuming hatred and jealousy when he informed me that he'd seen August's Scott Pilgrim already. He gained some points back when he told me he'd write a review of the movie for TMA. He earned even more points back when I read the following slice of insanity. Luke (unlike soooooommmmeeee contributors around here... ) formatted his review with links and pictures before sending it to me. I haven't changed a word or reformatted anything, because frankly, I have know idea how I would even begin to edit this. Enjoy...

hey i'm luke and i used to blog here. i don't like to blog.
Short Answer:
I freaking LOVED it.

BS (thoughts on the movie start below):
'K, first, I've gotta say I've met the SOURCE MATERIAL at a party or two, and, while people talk a lot about it, heck even a large portion of my friends have had extend love affairs with it, I have yet to muster up the courage to actually go up to it and give it my "so I heard you're like really awesome do you wanna hang out sometime." Not outta fear, I'm just pretty lazy most the time, and ... yeah, that's basically it.

Aaanyway, SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD (film movie) is absolutely freaking terrific (which is not to say I was actually scared by how good it was, but yeah, you get me). Being the luckiest person in the world, I have some friends who scored some preview tix and they were kind enough to invite me along. Waiting in line I decided to get the large popped corn and soda pop, to share with my compatriots. We were let in (the ticket ripper not the greasy theater kid one normally sees, but a smarmy PR man with a button up shirt [weird]), and we were able to score a seat 2 seats from a movie reviewer who's reserved sign had his name and then "#1" after it. I, as anyone would, felt honored.

I have a tradition that my cooler friends don't participate in. Thanksfully I was with my nerdy friends. The tradition is such: after a preview is shown, rate it the Ebert-approved way: Thumbs up, or down (though in between is okay too). Only one Preview played before the movie (which must have cost an awful lot): M. Night Shama's DEVIL. the audience received it warmly, meaning that when the trailer narrator announced that it was "From The Mind of Producer M. Night Shyamalan" everyone laughed a hearty laugh. My friend Will leaned over and said "not the effect they were looking for, I imagine," (or something like that). Either way, if it wasn't evident before, it may now be obvious that M's name may not really be a selling point anymore.

Thoughts on the MOVIE:
So yeah, then the movie started. I almost don't know what to say about it without spoiling some of the impact of the awesomeness, though I doubt that even if you were to have read the script, you'd still be blown away by the movie. The movie pops from the screen better than M's AVATARt or even that CAMERON film that came out that was apparently also in Three Dimensions, and PILGRIM didn't need the ridiculous notion of me having to wear special spectacles that are growing increasingly similar to David stars (I'm watching you HollyWould). Anywaywanywayanyway, the movie just looks clean and beautiful the whole time. It's no House of Flying Daggers, but that atmosphere wouldn't really translate to Totoro, Canada.

I've heard some worries in regards to Michael Cera doing his whole George Michael Bluthy thing AGAIN (now known as the Ceracter*). Let it be known that I feel like there was a little Bluthiness to Scott's ceracter, but that it came off a little less rigid and more free flowing. Yes, there was a certain amount of that standard ceracterness, but it wasn't overwhelming, and gosh dang it I didn't even notice it.

Come to think of it the movie straight whisked me away to Totoro, Canada for just under two hours and I barely flinched. I still feel like I'm floating in it's wintery, snow-addled streets.

Okay, so the soundtrack? Absolutely baller. Beck's Sex Bob-Omb songs matched with BSS's Crash and the Boys and the other contributions from various INDIE ROCKERS come together to form a soundtrack that will probably sell well with the kids, if the kids still Bought Music.

The main crux of the movie seems to be whether or not one really ought to fight so hard just to be with this girl who is, admittedly, incredibly attractive, but has some serious issues. It is, if anything, a study on the Indie Rock Boy, one which one must first understand the awesome drawing power of Girls to the Indie Rock Boy. Only once one has a grasp on this concept can one truly understand Scott. This is actually pretty much not true at all... Scott Pilgrim is probably relatable to people not boys, and not indie rock boys. I am not an expert in knowing what type of characters are or are not relatable, especially when I fancy myself a person who relates to Scott's dilemma.

okay, THE WRAP UP I guess:
Every character has depth, life, humor, compassion, and all around humanity (they're lovable, hateable, etcable, but Never ignorable, forgettable). Every frame is Ridiculously beautiful. The soundtrack is soon to be the new Juno. The little visual, um, additions (?), that pepper every shot, the quick timing, the painstakingly practiced poses and seemingly effortless delivery of every line, seriously every little thing comes together to make this one of my absolute favorite movies of the decade. Give it time, and I doubt it'll lose that spot

*this is a term I have now just coined