NMR: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

I'll admit I had some reservation upfront about this. While the premise was intriguing, it seemed a bit too hip for its own good. And then when it tanked at the box office, it seemed to support my concerns. Despite this, I decided to give it a try and I'm glad I did. This is an extremely inventive film, as well as being visually striking. The way director Edgar Wright blends video game imagery with the action scenes creates a wholly unique experience. This is also Michael Cera's best work in quite some time, even if he doesn't completely distance himself from the stereotypical character he's played in virtually every film he's been in. The film does have some flaws, however. I feel like the film tries to pack too much instead. Instead of solely focusing on Scott's fights with the evil exes, there's a bunch of time wasted on other characters or subplots. It also at times has that 'too cool for school' vibe that I was scared of. Thankfully though those moments are kept to a minimum. I also enjoyed a lot of the supporting cast; Jason Schwartzman is perfect as the smarmy 'final boss' and every time Aubrey Plaza was on the screen, I was loving it. This is not a perfect movie, but given its inventiveness, I would have been interested in seeing this continue as a film franchise. Unfortunately since it seems there weren't enough viewers pumping quarters into the box office for this film, it's game over for Scott Pilgrim. Rating: ****