Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

When I first heard about Scott Pilgrim vs. the World I got pretty excited, solely for the fact that it was being directed by Edgar Wright, the same man who both directed and wrote Hot Fuzz (2007) and Shaun of the Dead (2004), two movies that are easily in my Top 25, if not Top 10 favorite movies.  However, as time progressed, I got less and less interested to see it for one reason in particular: Michael Cera.  Now, I know a lot of people like him and I have to admit, I used to as well.  I thought his awkward teen persona was excellent in Arrested Development and I thought he did a pretty good job in Super Bad (2007) and Juno (2007).  However, since then, Cera has released at least two movies a year, each of which puts him in the role of the awkward teen: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008), Extreme Movie (2008), Year One (2009), Paper Heart (2009), and Youth in Revolt (2009).  For me and many other people I know, Cera's awkwardness has begun to take a toll and I wasn't necessarily looking forward to seeing Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.  However, because of Wright's immense success in my personal opinion, this outweighed my disdain for Michael Cera.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World puts Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim, a twenty-two year old man-boy who lives in Toronto, Canada and plays bass for a band called Sex Bob-omb.  The supporting cast for Cera is excellent with stand out characters such as Kieran Culkin who plays Pilgrim's gay room mate, Wallace, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead who plays Pilgrim's edgy crush, Ramona, each of which are sure to be audience favorites.  However, with Ramona comes some baggage, seven evil exes to be specific.  In order to date Ramona, Scott Pilgrim must defeat all seven of her exes, each of which has a back story that adds to the movie.  Each ex is well cast as well and brings something else to the table, whether it be the first ex, Matthew Patel, who dresses like a pirate, or Roxy Richter, a self-conscious half-ninja who was part of a "phase" Ramona had.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World starts off a little slow, but once the exes start to come at Scott Pilgrim, the movie gets infinitely better.  The cinematography is great, as is common with much of Wright's work, but what is even more impressive is the artistic direction.  Throughout the movie is a constant video game/comic book sort of theme, which is not only well executed, but doesn't begin to overwhelm the viewer.  When calm scenes such as dialogue are taking pace, its at a minimum; when the fight scenes begin, however, it comes into full effect with bright colors, lightning bolts, giant monsters, and points flashing across the screen for every kill.  Video game references are also strung throughout the movie, such as the Zelda theme song playing at times, Scott Pilgrim learning the bass line to Final Fantasy II, and Scott Pilgrim's best pick-up line concerning Pac Man.  Other pop culture references are played into the movie well such as one scene including Pilgrim and his room mate Wallace in their underground apartment.  The scene begins with the Seinfield theme and throughout their dialogue a laugh track is played intermittently, making this one of the funniest scenes of the entire movie. 

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World successfully drives at what it's trying to accomplish.  Anyone who is under twenty five is surely to at least appreciate the movie.  Some of the action scenes and visual effects are awe inspiring and pull you into Scott Pilgrim's comic book style life only making you wish you could do some of the things in the movie.  The plot on the surface is solid and straight forward, but at each and every turn you're still anticipating when the next ex will pop-up unexpectedly.  Michael Cera is, unfortunately, the most disappointing part of the film, not because he doesn't do a good job, in fact, I don't think anyone could play the part better, but solely because the character of Michael Cera has been worn out.  Had he not done any movies in 2009, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World as a follow up to Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist would have been incredible.  Cera's supporting cast and Wright's incredible cinematography coupled with an artistic directing style, however, really save the movie and make it a pleasure to see.  After watching the movie, the seven evil exes, the bright lights, and flashing colors are sure to wash out Cera's bland, awkward teen type cast personality, and all you'll be able to think about are swords, 1-UPS, and giant apes.

Heavy Rain

In 2010 so far there have been some highly anticipated titles: Starcraft II, Red Dead Redemption, and God of War III among others.  However, only one game this year has been anticipated because of its dynamic storyline and radically different game play.  Heavy Rain (2010), released as an exclusive titles for the Play Station 3, is a murder mystery game that involves four main characters that the player switches between throughout the story.  The first of these characters is Ethan Mars, a father of two whose life comes tumbling down after a series of unfortunate events; Ethan is the character you will familiarize yourself with the most and is the primary protagonist.  The other three are Madison Paige, a woman suffering from insomnia, Norman Jayden, an FBI agent, and Scott Shelby, a private detective.  All of these characters are tied together by the most important piece of Heavy Rain: the Origami Killer.  Without giving too much away, the Origami Killer is an elusive who has been kidnapping young boys for over three years; every time one is murdered, they are found with no visible wounds, but have been drowned and are also in possession of an origami figurine as well as an orchid. 

The story line of Heavy Rain is absolutely enthralling.  I can easily say, without doubt, it is by far the first game I have absolutely not been able to put down.  It's the only game I have beat in less than two days with over 15 hours of game play.  While it is a murder mystery "game," Heavy Rain seems more like an interactive movie.  There's a lot of dialogue, some well written, some not.  What makes it more intriguing though is how immersive it is.  You feel for Nathan during his turmoil and most of all, when a character is in danger of dying (and believe me, there are more than enough opportunities for them to die), I can honestly say I got frightened and tense.  Some people may not enjoy as much dialogue as is present in Heavy Rain, especially people who are not fans of the RPG genre, but don't take that to mean that there isn't any intense action.

Heavy Rain's game play consists of a system focused on QTE's or quick time events.  What this means is that while playing, the game will flash a button the player has to push.  The player must then push the button within a certain amount of time or some negative consequence occurs.  This system is similar to Guitar Hero games and the like, but is a bit more complex.  For instance, if in a gun fight the player doesn't push square in time, the character might get shot.  Furthermore, the game makes use of Play Station's Six Axis motion controller by making gamers shake, tilt, and rotate the controller in addition to the QTE's.  Heavy Rain also allows the character to move around the world and stumble upon interactive objects.  With FBI agent Norman Jayden, you can interact with clues, finger prints, suspects, etc.  However, the most enticing interactive aspect of Heavy Rain is Jayden's virtual reality system, ARI.  ARI, or Added Reality Interface, by far provided the most "Holy Shit" moments for me of Heavy Rain.  ARI can completely alter Jayden's surroundings or simply provide him with a baseball to toss against a wall.  In order to really understand it, you'll have to play the game.

Heavy Rain's graphics are incredible close-up, especially during loading sequences when you're shown a character's face and the detail is overwhelming.  There are some visual glitches I experienced, such as smoke emanating from a non-existent cigarette, but overall, the graphics were relatively smooth and impressive.  The score for Heavy Rain also sets the mood incredibly well, playing soft melodies for sympathetic moments and heavy orchestral pieces for intense fights or impending doom.  The triggering system for this isn't always accurate though, seeing as how the "impending doom" score started playing while I was warming up a bottle of milk; not exactly the most dramatic of situations.

Overall, while most gamers may not know if they want to play Heavy Rain or not, most feel like it's a game they should probably try.  As a serious skeptic of motion controls and QTE's, I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed Heavy Rain.  While the control system is radically different than what many may be used to, Heavy Rain is a radically different game.  The motion controls at times seem a bit tacked on, but when trying to kick the window out of a sinking car, slamming your controller in a downward motion only feels natural.  The intense story line keeps the player on their toes with every QTE.  If you're not quick enough, one of the main characters could be dead for the rest of the game.  With various possibilities to every chapter of the game, Heavy Rain has several different plot lines as well as endings.  Because of this, the replay value is incredibly high making every gamer want to play through at least twice.  You may still be skeptical of Heavy Rain, what with its long winded dialogue, QTE's, and motion controls, but if I've convinced you of anything, let it be the story.  Heavy Rain, out of any game I've ever played, has the most intriguing and interesting storyline I've ever experienced, making you care deeply about every character throughout the game.  Heavy Rain has some of the most dramatic, intense, and nerve wracking scenes I have ever witnessed and you should play it.

The Other Guys (2010)

Time for a shorter movie post this time.  Let's keep it around 700 words:

The Other Guys (2010) stars Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg as Detectives Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz respectively.  Other star characters such as Samuel L. Jackson (Highsmith), Dwayne Johnson (Danson), Michael Keaton (Captain Gene Mauch), and Derek Jeter as himself also make an appearance.  The basic plot of The Other Guys consists of Ferrell and Wahlberg trying to gain the top spot in the NYPD chasing the financial blunderings of David Ershon, played by Steve Coogan, a stock broker of sorts who has lost a lot of money for some very powerful people.

What is most impressive about The Other Guys lies mostly in the duo of Ferrell and Wahlberg: their chemistry is surprisingly convincing, their characters compliment each other well, and while seemingly different on the surface, Gamble and Hoitz are incredibly similar.  Hoitz is your typical tough cop, but is held back by one major mistake in his past and because of it, is stuck as partner to Gamble, a cop who would rather sit at a desk and do paper work than go out on the field.  While Hoitz is held back by a mistake, Gamble is held back by a deep dark alter ego named Gator.  Hoitz, while tough on the surface, has a surprisingly endearing soft side; for Gamble, however, while soft on the surface, shows his brawn and intelligence later in the movie.  Surprisingly, throughout the film, audiences will only see traces of the most well known Will Ferrell (loud, obnoxious, and hit or miss one liners) seemingly because he makes an attempt at playing a more down to earth character, much like was seen in Ferrell's most highly reviewed film, Stranger Than Fiction (2006).  Wahlberg on the other hand helps fill in the comedic gap and really manages to carry his weight, all while maintaining his macho cop attitude.

While the time that Jackson and Johnson appear in the film is short, their time on the screen is exciting and hilarious.  Of the guest appearances, however, none is better than Michael Keaton.  Keaton's character, Captain Gene Mauch, is for the most part a hard ass, but subtle aspects of his character make him more memorable and subtly satirical; for instance, he works another job as a Bed, Bath, and Beyond team leader.  Keaton's character also has the best running gag throughout the movie as well, ignorantly quoting TLC lyrics while giving pep talks to Hoitz and Gamble ("Don't go chasing waterfalls").  While there aren't many prominent female roles in the movie, Eva Mendes plays Gamble's wife, Dr. Sheila Gamble, and some of the interactions between Mendes and Ferrell are witty, several of them circling around Ferrell's delusion that his wife is a plain Jane and dresses like a hobo.


The Other Guys successfully manages to blend action and comedy, which is another strong point.  Unlike other cop spoof movies released this year, such as Cop Out, The Other Guys succeeds in having adrenaline pumping chase scenes, high impact explosions, as well as slow motion gun fights.  While the action scenes are taking place, you don't feel as though you're watching a comedy, let alone a movie with Will Ferrell in it; each and every action scene really feels like its from an action movie, not some cop parody film.  Furthermore, The Other Guys also manages to set-up a few sentimental moments, even though these are quickly broken up with a zing or an awkward interaction between characters. 

While not the best movie released this summer by far, The Other Guys is definitely one of the better comedies.  Will Ferrel picks up his act and doesn't rely too much on his loud, obnoxious persona;  he really plays the character of Allen Gamble well, being mild mannered and conventional.  There are certainly several quotable lines throughout the film, but not all of them rest on Will Ferrel (in fact, one of my favorites comes from Damon Wayans Jr.: "I hope you like prison food!... and penis!").  The comedic burden is definitely spread throughout the cast and a significant portion of it is taken up by Wahlberg, who does an excellent job of playing the loud, angry, sarcastic cop  who just wants to fly like a peacock.  If not in theaters, definitely check out The Other Guys when it comes out on DVD/Blu-ray.  Its more than worth a viewing and I promise that you'll find at least one quotable, much like any Will Ferrel movie I've ever watched.

Review: Inception

Here we go; finally, after weeks of thought and a much needed second viewing, I feel like I'm ready to review "Inception." I won't spoil anything explicitly, but you should probably see the movie if you're going to read this.



Christopher Nolan has twice stunned audiences with his gritty reboot of the "Batman" franchise, which succeeded on the combined strengths of their big-budget visuals and morally challenging stories. With "Inception," Nolan returns to the summer movie market with a film that surpasses his previous entries in virtually every way. Nolan's films are known for their grand scale and complex plots; here, he has created something on a scale that most filmmakers never dare to approach.

Those who followed the film's development or saw its trailers know that it revolves around the idea that technology allows people to enter each others' dreams. Specifically, "Inception" follows Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), a corporate spy who enters the minds of his targets in order to steal their most precious secrets. Early on, we learn that Cobb is unable to return to his home and family; it is this fact that drives his actions throughout the film. Given a chance to repair his life by a billionaire named Saito (Ken Watanabe), Cobb puts together a team to attempt the far more difficult mission of implanting an idea in the mind of Saito's corporate rival. To do so, Cobb approaches a brilliant young architect named Ariadne (Ellen Page), who will design the physical spaces of the dreamworld in which most of the film takes place.

And what spaces indeed. First and foremost, Nolan's film stuns on the visual level, taking the audience through a vast array of environments, from modern cities to frozen peaks. Along the way, Nolan incorporates a large number of special effects that are simultaneously stunning and somehow entirely natural. Every effects shot fits perfectly into the narrative it is designed to enhance, and not a single one is less than entirely convincing.

Of course, no special effect could save the film were it devoid of human interest. Fortunately, "Inception" generates a deep emotional connection to its characters, especially Cobb, who we soon learn suffers from more than separation anxiety. His central struggle revolves around the loss of his wife, Mal, brilliantly portrayed by Marion Cotillard. As the film's chief mystery, Cotillard plays the role with the kind of seductive, creepy energy befitting a noir femme fatale, and her performance is a highlight of the movie.


More important that any of these specifics, though, is how "Inception" succeeds as a whole. Its plot is not for the faint of heart, as goes through so many different twists and layers that viewers may find themselves spent by its conclusion; I know that I did. However, following these turns is never a chore, because Nolan has so thoroughly written the plot that one will struggle to find a hole in its fabric. Most importantly, he makes the viewer care deeply about what happens to his characters; your heart will pound until the credits roll.

The bottom line is that Nolan has succeeded in completely redefining his career. "Inception" is the most original and unprecedented film since the first "Matrix", and Nolan's movie is by far superior. His journey is not an easy one to take, but trust that "Inception"'s payoff is both satisfying and undeniably frustrating. Enter Nolan's world, and be assured that your mind will be occupied with its intricacies for days. Depending on how you interpret the conclusion, "Inception" has the power to change your perception of reality, for better or worse; you just won't know which.

Dinner for Schmucks (2010)

Alright, this is my first movie review, but I wanted to give it a try, so go easy on me. 

A play off of Francis Veber's hit French comedy, The Dinner Game, Dinner for Schmucks stars Steve Carell and Paul Rudd as the main odd couple (there are several) for this "dinner party."  Paul Rudd plays Tim, a mid-level analyst who is trying to work his way up the food chain in his company.  At the beginning of the movie, he takes a huge risk and steps up to the "7th Floor" guys, offering to them a proposal which will make a lot of money centered around managing the account of Mueller, a large Swedish man who lives a lavish life style through his multibillion dollar inheritance.  When he says he would like to front the operation, the 7th Floor gives him a resounding guffaw.  However, they then pull him aside and tell him that if he really does want to join them on the 7th Floor, he'll have to prove his worth at a dinner party the company's namesake, Lance Fender, holds once a month.  Each person invited to the dinner must bring an idiot of sorts as well; at the end of the night, the person who brings the biggest idiot wins a prize.  If Tim wants to be up on the 7th Floor, he's going to have to win that prize.

As the story progresses, various characters are introduced: Julie, played by Stephanie Szostak, is his beautiful girlfriend who so happens to be a currator in charge of a gallery holding the works of an aritst named Kieran, played by Flight of the Conchords Jemaine Clement.  Julie ends up giving Tim a hard time about the dinner and assumes he's not attending; however, as Tim is heading in to tell Fender he can not attend, he runs into Steve Carell, literally.  As Tim hits Steve Carell, playing Barry, with his Porsche, up in the air go Barry's "Mouse-terpieces."  After things settle, Tim takes the sign of Barry dropping in front of his car that he has to attend this dinner.  What sort of idiot is Barry?  His "Mouse-terpieces" are recreations of famous paintings and scenes using dead mice.  Later on, we meet Darla, Tim's crazy ex hook-up; Therman, played by Zach Galifianakis, who works for the IRS with Barry, as well as Caldwell, played by Ron Livingston, a suit on the 7th Floor who is Tim's main competition at the dinner party.

As far as the story goes, its fairly straight forward and consists of your typical series of unfortunate events.  As Tim is trying to work things out with his company and his girlfriend, Barry manages to step in and screw everything up.  Even though Barry screws things up, one can only feel endearment towards him and his lovable quirkiness.  Paul Rudd plays a character he seems to have grown into, which is the man who is trying to work his way up in his company, happens to be dating a smoking hottie, but manages to screw things up with her one way or another, only to have everything go his way in the end.  Now, don't get me wrong, I love Paul Rudd; he first caught my attention as Kunu in Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008).  After that, I started to realize that he had played a lot of other roles I really enjoyed in other movies, such as David in The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005) and Brian in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) (Brian Fantana: "They've done studies.  Sixty percent of the time, it works every time.").  However, he hasn't had very many shining cameos as of late and he really seems to be filling a sort of niche; the same sort of character can be seen in both Role Models (2008) and I Love You, Man (2009). 

Steve Carell, on the other hand, plays a charcter that he hasn't really seemed to play in any other major role.  His character of Barry calls to mind past characters of his, such as Brick from Anchorman.  Barry doesn't think about what he's saying and some of his quite peculiar lines end up being some of the funniest of the entire movie (Barry: "It's like John Lennon said, 'You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not.'"  Tim: "... But I'm not the only one."  Barry: "What?" Tim: "That's how it goes: 'You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."  Barry: "Haha, okay, Tim.").  What is more impressive about Barry is his innocence and his willingness to do anything for Tim, regardless of the situation.  While Steve Carell had begun to fill a niche character as well (the endearing, yet seemingly self-destructive husband/father), the role of Barry is incredibly refreshing for any fans of Steve Carell, especially those who, like me, were beginning to get a bit tired of him. 

The other two stand out characters have to be Kieran (Clement) and Therman (Galifianakis).  Each character is incredibly awkward and strange in their own way.  Kieran is a ballsy artist who has some sort of strange animal magnetism that only Tim seems not to notice; even Barry is impressed when he sees that he can fit an entire octopus in his mouth.  Therman, on the other and, plays a crucial role: not only does he work with Barry, but he also stole Barry's wife away from him and, more importantly, has mind control powers.  Clement and Galifiankis each play their respective roles well and manage to have sparse, yet impactful appearances.  Clement appears more frequently in the first half of the movie and Galifianakis more so in the latter.  Thankfully, Galifianakis isn't over used in Dinner for Schmucks, something I feared with his recent bandwagon overflow due to The Hangover (2009). 

While the comedy in Dinner for Schmucks isn't high class, it manages to pack quite a bunch.  Even though Barry is seemingly innocent throughout the movie, that doesn't mean that dirtier humor doesn't make an appearance, most of it coming from Barry's mouth out of ignorance.  What Dinner for Schmucks excels at is spreading how it makes you laugh over a variety of comedic delivery.  The movie will make you laugh at long winded monologues, short one liners, physical comedy, or even the slightest twitch in Barry's face.  It doesn't use one liners as a crutch and it doesn't use one character too heavily.  Both Carell and Rudd have their fair share of funny lines and the rest of the comedic dialogue is spread evenly between the other tertiary characters.

Overall, one shouldn't go into Dinner for Schmucks with high expectations.  When I told someone I was seeing it, they told me they thought it was going to be terrible.  My explanation for why I thought it was going to be good is as follows: "My expectations for this movie are so low.  I don't expect anything from it and I'm literally turning my brain off for the movie."  As a result, I had a great time.  While Dinner for Schmucks certainly has its flaws, such as a predictable plot line, poor acting from some of the less important characters, and redoing an already popular movie, some would say, not as successfully, it still manages to make you laugh.  The odd couple of Carell and Rudd really works well together and they play off each other in such a way that one wouldn't second guess they've known each other for years.  Clement and Galifianakis manage to stand out in the movie as well and really shine as the most unique and memorable characters, but they're limited in appearance time enough so that it doesn't seem like they're purposefully there to take weight off the two main characters.  I strongly recommend Dinner for Schmucks, but just remember: don't go into the movie with high expectations and you'll be fine.  Go for a laugh and nothing else.