Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Review

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World combines three of my favorite things, video games, comic books, and anime into one quirky, entertaining, and stylist live-action package.

After failing at the box office, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World became a cult classic of sorts. It is the type of film that is designed to appeal to specific audience members, and if you are not a part of that group, you will likely not find the movie particularly entertaining. If, however, you are a part of the intended audience, you will likely find a lot to enjoy.
The film is directed by the popular Edgar Wright, who is most notable for making the Cornetto trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and The World's End), and his fast editing and directorial style is presence throughout Scott Pilgrim. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is also based on the comic book, Scott Pilgrim, and just like the comic book, the movie contains many references and the visual choices that resemble video games, anime, and manga. For example, when someone dies, they explode into coins and points pop-up where they die just like a video game, and that is just the beginning. There are tons of visual and even plot points that mimic video games, and if you expect to take the movie seriously or for it to explain why all of these people have crazy powers, then you will disappointed. The original comic book was written by a Canadian, but took a lot visual cues from manga (Japanese comics) and anime, which is evident throughout the film. At one point during the movie, one of the characters' faces turns into an anime type face, which was hilarious!

Scott Pilgrim comic

Directed by: Edgar Wright
Genre: Action, Action Comedy,
Release Date: August 13, 2010
Running Time: 112 minutes
MMPA rating: PG-13

The Good: Awesome visuals, Impressive action scenes, Tons of style, Video game and anime references, Often humorous, Unique is almost every respect, Great direction, Chris Evans is a lot of fun, Smart parody of pop-culture, Fast-paced, NegaScott FTW,

The Bad: One incredibly annoying character, Occasionally too corny for its own good,

Plot: The following plot summary is copied from Wikipedia.com.
In Toronto, 22-year-old Scott Pilgrim, the bass guitarist for the band "Sex Bob-omb", begins dating high schooler Knives Chau, much to the disapproval of his friends. Soon, Scott meets an American girl, Ramona Flowers. Ramona begins appearing in Scott's dreams, and he becomes obsessed with Ramona, losing interest in Knives. While playing in a battle of the bands sponsored by one "G-Man Graves" for a record deal, Scott is attacked by Matthew Patel, who introduces himself as the first of Ramona's "evil exes". Scott defeats Patel and learns that, in order for them to date, he must defeat all seven of her evil exes.
Watch the movie to see what happens next.

Plot: 7.9/10- Scott Pilgrim vs. the World's plot plays out much like an old video game with Scott having to defeat Ramona's seven evil exes, which makes the plot somewhat simple, yet that is also the appeal. Plot points follow elements of video games and even anime to a lesser degree. While not as apparent to me as it was for others, there are some metaphors about dating, and it almost makes fun of it to a certain degree. It seems as though the romance in the movie is more parody than anything believable, which works to the movie’s advantage in the end.

Characterization: 7.9/10- For the most part, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World's characters are fun and cartoony in the best way possible with one exception. Scott Pilgrim is timid and almost a wimp in many respects on the outside. However, he is a competent fighter, and from what is revealed from his past, he is not a complete social failure, as his stereotypical “nerd” appearance might suggest, which makes for an interesting juxtaposition. Ramona Flowers is the girl that Scott falls for, and she is mostly a good character, although her tsundere traits might annoy some viewers. Wallace Wells, Scott's friend, is the most annoying and worst character in the movie; he almost ruins the movie.

Action: 8.8/10- Surprisingly, the fight scenes in the movie have a lot of strong choreography and anime style action. From the insanely cool weapons to the hand-to-hand fights, there is not a single frame of shaky-cam. Also, the fight scenes, just like the movie, ooze with flashy video game/anime style.

Acting: 7.5/10- Some members of the cast in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World seem to be intentionally overacting, especially the Evil Exes. Sometimes the overacting works brilliantly like Chris Evans and Brandon Routh as two of the Evil Exes, while, at other times, it feels a little too corny.

Having not seen Michael Cera in any other film prior to watching Scott Pilgrim, I cannot fault him for playing the same role again, because I have no frame of reference. As Scott Pilgrim, Cera does a good job with the wimpy aspects of the character. Mary Elizabeth Winstead nails the tsundere character type, although she can be a tad grating at times. Ellen Wong as Knives Chau is a ton of fun in her role, and having Anna Kendrick in a minor role as Scott's sister is never a bad thing. Also, Aubrey Plaza is excellent as always in a role that perfectly suits her style.

Special effects: 9.5/10- Not only are the special effects surprisingly good, Edgar Wright's direction is superb! His quick cuts and generally fast editing is absolutely perfect. The use of on screen text and comic book like "Bang" and "Pow" visual aids are often humorous and add to the video game/manga aesthetic. Some of the special effects seem to be intentionally absurd, and it usually works.

Soundtrack: 8.1/10- While I am no fan of punk rock, the songs used in the movie are actually quite good. The score by Nigel Godrich nails the video game feel with a lot of 16-bit electronic sounds.

Humor: 8.8/10- Even though it is not entirely a comedy, Edgar Wright's tongue-in-cheek and satirical wit and humor is absolutely perfect for the movie. If you get the references to video games and other geeky tropes, you will find a lot of humor to enjoy.

Entertainment Value: 8.8/10- A few parts of the movie were a little too corny for its own good, which took me out of the movie, and Wallace annoyed me to no end, but for the majority of the film, I was most certainly entertained.

Overall: 8.6/10- Overall, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a fun, stylistic, and insanely unique movie with a style all its own. While it has its flaws and does not always hit the mark, it is yet another stellar movie by Edgar Wright, too bad it failed at the box office.

Closing comments: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is the type of movie that is made for a very specific audience, and if you are not a part of said audience, then you will not find much to enjoy. On the other hand, if you do like video games, anime, comic books, and Edgar Wright, you are sure to at least enjoy the movie and its quirky humor and stylistic direction.

Recommended for: Anime fans (Otaku), Comic Book fans, Edgar Wright fans, Action fans, Action comedy fans, Manga fans, Video game fans,

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 If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

The Godfather Review

The Godfather, a film that is often considered "The Greatest Film of All-Time."

Reviewing The Godfather is a difficult task to accomplish. Since it is so highly regarded, even trying to subjectively critique the film and not praising it as the “best film of all-time” could result with some posh critics not taking me seriously anymore (not that any posh critics actually read this blog to my knowledge or that I honestly care what they think). Despite this, my review for The Godfather will not be bound by the preconceived notion that it is perfect and will not pandering to those that believe it to be perfect. This is my honest and unfiltered review.
Considering that other highly regarded works such as Goodfellas have turned out to be good but not great, my expectations for The Godfather were rightfully tempered. To my surprise however, The Godfather actually turned out to be a great movie. Despite the dark and heavy subject material and tone, the movie managed to be entertaining, which is an area where many similar crime films fail.

Compared to some other supposed "Classics," The Godfather is actually a movie that I can partially see why it is held in high regard. Does it really deserve to be considered "The Greatest Film of All-Time"? Not really, and now that I have said that, there is sure to be a wave of angry fans in a rage right now. It is certainly a great movie with fantastic performances, and if it is your favorite, that is great, but very few, if any, films should be considered "The Greatest Film of All-Time" because that is entirely up to personal preference. Are you any less of a film-lover if you do not enjoy, or even hate, The Godfather? Of course not! How much you love and enjoy movies is not dictated by which movies you enjoy, but rather how much you enjoy movies as a whole. Now that I am off my soapbox, allow me to continue with the review.

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
Genre: Crime, Drama,
Release Date: March 15, 1972
Running Time: 175 minutes
MMPA rating: R

The Good: All around excellent performances, Surprising plot twists and turns, Many quotable lines, Good soundtrack, Several iconic movie moments,

The Bad: Dragged a little bit in a few places,

Warning: This movie is "R" and is intended for mature audiences.

Plot Summary: Considering the popularity of The Godfather and the fact that most plot summaries spoil some of the best parts, there is no need for a plot summary.

Plot: 8.8/10- The Godfather's first 20-30 minutes are mostly setup the rest of the film by establishing the characters to a degree as well as the setting. One or two scenes during those first 20-30 minutes felt unnecessary and overly long. Fortunately however, the movie began to pick up the pace a little with a story that finally grabbed my attention by the 30 minute mark and after that, it was an entertaining experience. The plot took some unexpected twists and turns. During a few points in the movie, the pacing dragged a little too much, which took me out of the movie for a short time. Other than that, the plot was well written. Despite the long running time and occasional pacing issues, The Godfather did not feel like a long movie. Also, the planning to overthrow the other crime families and other such aspects were the most entertaining part of the movie to me. It should be stated that I do enjoy long movies more than the average moviegoer, therefore The Godfather is likely to bore some viewers more than me.

Characterization: 8.5/10- In general, the characters of The Godfather are solid characters for the type of movie being made. However, only three or four of the characters are actually memorable and identifiable, which is not necessarily a bad thing. Vito Corleone, head of the Corleone family, is the most memorable character, and he has many unforgettable quotes. Michael Corleone is the character that receives the most development throughout the course of the film. Beyond the two main characters and Tom Hagen, not many of the other characters are given much development or characterization, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

After doing a little research, it was stated that one of the reasons The Godfather was different than other Mafia and crime movies is that it did not depict illegal gambling and other forms of forms of racketeering in the film, and that the movie does not depict some of the characters as necessarily terrible people since most of the people they kill are other criminals, not innocent civilians. I have to agree with that statement since the main character is surprisingly likable and not too difficult to get behind. This is one of the aspects that make The Godfather more entertaining than the run-of-the-mill crime movie.

Acting: 9.3/10- Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone is undeniably iconic in the role. While occasionally difficult to understand, he plays the role to near perfection. A relative unknown at the time, Al Pacino also gives a strong performance as Michael Corleone. Robert Duvall is excellent as he always is in a somewhat minor role. Some of the other minor actors in the film, as well as few other cast members are not always the best, but overall, the acting by the minor characters is good.

Special effects: N/A- While not special effects per se, Francis Ford Coppola's direction is overall very strong, and he was able to create effective suspense in some scenes. However, to me at least, his direction was not revolutionary or noticeably amazing as some have said.

Soundtrack: 8.4/10- Nino Rota's score for The Godfather is fitting for what the film needed, and it added suspense to some scenes. After doing some research, I discovered that the movie was disqualified for Best Score at the Oscars because the "Love Theme" was used by Rota in a previous work.

Humor: N/A- Considering that The Godfather is such a serious film, many will not find any humor in the movie. However, some parts did make me laugh in a good sadistic kind of way, like when a character that you dislike finally gets what is coming to him.

Entertainment Value: 8.2/10- The Godfather combines two things that I find particularly entertaining: 1) strategic scheming and planning, and 2) criminals killing criminals in ruthless ways.

Overall: 8.8/10- Despite being overrated to a degree, The Godfather is undeniably a well crafted piece of film with excellent performances and surprising entertainment value, providing the long running time is not a turn off.

Closing comments: Considering that The Godfather is so highly regarded by critics, I recommend the movie to anyone old enough that considers themselves a film enthusiast to watch the movie, even if one does not enjoy the experience. However, I am not one of those snobs that would say that you not are film enthusiast if you have not seen the movie, since there are many other movies that you should watch first.

Recommended for *Mature*: CineFiles (film enthusiasts), Crime genre fans, Drama fans,

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Top 100 Movies: Part 3

Part three of my Top 100 Movies of All-Time is here!

At Number 80: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre is an enduring tale of greed and gold and how it can turn friends against one another. Humphrey Bogart is at his best as the insane Fred Dobbs, which is my personal favorite performance from the great actor in one of his most underrated roles. There is an indescribably timeless quality about The Treasure of the Sierra Madre that makes it hold up after all these years film.

At Number 79: Goldfinger

While Goldfinger might not necessarily be a truly “great film,” it is a lot of fun and has been one of my favorites since I was a kid. Goldfinger is the quintessential Bond flick that introduced so many aspects of Bond that would be used for many years to come. Also, it is a great action movie that still holds up well today.

Goldfinger (3rd Bond Film) Review.

At Number 78: Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa

As a massive fan of both Fullmetal Alchemist series, and the franchise in general, Conqueror of Shamballa provided the satisfying conclusion to the dissatisfying ending the original series left us with. While the film may not be quite as thematically strong or as smart as the series, as a fan of the characters, having proper closure to their stories was more than enough to make me enjoy the film. However, the film's weakest aspect is also its strongest, because there is absolutely no way that you can watch the film without first watching the original Fullmetal Alchemist series, which you should probably do anyway, or reboot series, Brotherhood, which is even better.

At Number 77: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is the type of movie that will only appeal to a very select group of viewers. If you like classic video games, anime, comic books, and Edgar Wright, you will likely enjoy the film's unique style. If not, there is little for you to like, and I can completely understand why you may dislike or even hate the film. That being said, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is the closest thing I have seen to a live-action version of anime, even though it is not actually based off an anime or traditional manga. Sure, the plot can be illogical at times, but it is the movie's humor, references, and video game like feel and visual style that sets it apart from the rest.

At Number 76: Kara no Kyōkai: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6

Now this is going to require some explaining. Kara no Kyōkai (translated Boundary of Emptiness) is a 7 film series. However, all but movies 5 and 7, which you will see later on the list, are only about 45 minutes in length. Despite the high quality of each film, ranking such short films on the list individually would consume a large portion of the list therefore; movies 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 are counted as one film on my list. As for the films themselves, they are freaking amazing! From Ufotable's stunning animation to the eerie atmosphere the films create, the Kara no Kyōkai series are true masterpieces of animation and dark fantasy.

At Number 75: Hot Fuzz

Another film from the genius mind of Edgar Wright, Hot Fuzz is a brilliant, and often hilarious, satire on buddy cop and action films in general. Somehow, the movie manages to tell an intriguing mystery plot that can be taken seriously, while, at the same time, making fun of the genre and its clichés.

At Number 74: Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Who knew that a movie based on a Disney world ride could be so much fun! But Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl definitely succeeded against all odds. Johnny Depp stole every scene as the always entertaining Captain Jack Sparrow. He even managed to plunder a nomination for Best Actor at the Oscars for his now iconic role. Even though Depp continues to play basically the same character in every movie, the Curse of the Black Pearl is unforgettably fun and entertaining. Not since The Adventures of Robin Hood has a film been packed with this much swashbuckling action adventure, savvy?

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

At Number 73: Wolf Children

As stated many a time, films that are more aimed at families do not appeal to me, yet thanks to Mamoru Hosoda's utter mastery of the animation medium, he is able to craft a film that appeals to all ages with Wolf Children. While the film may seem like a fantasy film on the outside, it much more a coming-of-age story combined with the importance of family. The animation is beautiful, and the story is involving, what more could you ask for?

At Number 72: The Godfather

Despite my expectations that The Godfather would be an overly hyped mess, it actually turned out to be one of the best crime films of all-time. While the film is not flawless, Marlon Brando's iconic performance and Francis Ford Coppola's direction more than makes The Godfather a classic of the medium. Considering that The Godfather is so highly regarded by critics, I recommend the movie anyone old enough that considers themselves a film enthusiast to watch the movie, even if one does not enjoy the experience.

At Number 71: Braveheart

Despite winning the Oscar for Best Picture, the general opinion of Braveheart is often mix: You either love or hate, obviously I love it. It is such an inspiring and manly film (not to say that women can't enjoy it), it makes you want to stand up against tyranny and fight for "FREEDOM!" And that speech, utterly bone chilling and epic, is probably the best movie speech ever made. Sure, it may have little resemblance with actual history, but it is a fantastic film and that is what matters in the end. "They can take our lives. But they can never take our Freedom!"

Braveheart Review.

Please check back tomorrow for my review of The Godfather, and depending when I finally get to watch and review X-Men: Days of Future and How to Train Your Dragon 2, my review of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Hot Fuzz.will be coming either this week or the next.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

DC's Upcoming Movies Revealed

According to reporter Nikki Finke, DC's upcoming movies have been revealed, and there are a few major surprises. We already knew about Batman v Superman in May of 2016, but it now appears that DC is going to go release a Shazam movie and the Sandman movie that Joseph Gordon Levitt has been working on for a while will be coming out that December, as well as a Wonder Woman movie after the Justice League. For one, DC is obviously copying Marvel's strategy, which is not a bad thing since Marvel has essentially perfected the mega-movie-franchise formula. Of course, the lineup is not official, but reports suggest that DC might announce this during Comic-Con. The biggest positive with this entire situation is that so many movies in production, hopefully David Goyer and Zack Sndyer will have a lesser impact on the Justice League spinoffs. 

May 2016 – Batman v Superman

July 2016 – Shazam

Shazam is about an orphan boy named Billy Batson, who gains the power to turn into Captain Marvel with powers like super strength, speed, and other powers inspired by Greek mythology. Due to the similarity in name with Marvel's Captain Marvel, the character's name has recently been changed to “Shazam!” which is the word that Billy shouts when he wants to change into his hero form. Also, Captain Marvel/Shazam was the first superhero to get his own theatrical film, even before Superman. Of the upcoming movies, Shamaz seems like the oddest one since it is about a kid, which kind of clashes with DC's supposedly "dark and gritty" tone. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is said to be attached to play the villain Black Adam. My concern other than the fact that a child or young teen will star in the film, is that Shazam's power set is essentially the same as Superman and Black Adam is basically General Zod, which make for another snooze fest of ho hum action set pieces that are way too reminiscent of “Meh of Steel.”

Dec 2016 – The Sandman

The Sandman (no relation to Marvel's character) is a popular comic book series by Neil Gaiman that is more intellectual dark fantasy than superhero. Unlike the rest of the films in production, The Sandman comics are published by Vertigo Comics, which is owned by DC and is used to publish the more mature "R" rated titles like Constantine. While not confirmed, I assume the film will not be set in the main DC universe since the character is a standalone feature as far as I am aware of in the comics. Joseph Gordon Levitt is set to direct, which gives me hope since he is a great actor. 

May 2017 – Justice League

July 2017 – Wonder Woman

Of the upcoming movies, I am most concerned about Wonder Woman. While having the character finally receive her own movie is great in concept, considering how poorly DC has done thus far, we will have to wait and see what will happen. Considering Zack Sndyer is awful at making movies with movies with decent female leads like the horribly dull Lois Lane or Silk Spectre's role being limited in Watchman, I think she is not going to be looking so good coming out of Justice League in terms of character development. However, with the right talent behind the camera, maybe the movie won't suck. 

Dec 2017 – Flash and Green Lantern team-up

As expected, the likelihood of TV's Flash and Green Arrow making to the big screen is looking ever smaller with a Flash and Green Lantern team-up movie in the works. Honestly, I am not sure what to think of this until I see more of their movies, but it is certainly different. Hopefully the John Stewart version of Green Lantern will be the one featured in the DC universe since the terrible Green Lantern movie already ruined the original Hal Jordan Green Lantern.

May 2018 – Man of Steel 2

To my surprise, a real Man of Steel is actually in the works, even if it is five years after the original. Maybe after hearing all of the fan outcry for Superman being cheated of a true sequel, DC decided to give him one years later. Can't say I am excited about it, but it is four years away.

That's it for DC's upcoming lineup. What do you think? Are you the slightest bit interested in anything DC is doing right now? Please comment below and let me know.

One last thing, this was too hilarious not to post! And please check back tomorrow for the continuation of my Top 100 Movies List.

If you want to contact us or have any questions please send an e-mail to johnstarslayer@gmail.com.

Happy Father's Day

Happy father's day to my father and all of the other fathers out there! For fun, here are a few geeky funnies about some of the best, and worst, fathers in movies and more. 

If you are familiar with Evangelion or Fullmetal Alchemist, then you will understand the reference.

Akio from Clannad: Best father in anime