AN EPIC OF EPIC EPICNESS...

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World directed by Edgar Wright

Michael Cera attends the LA premiere at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on July 27, 2010.

I saw this movie on August 12th, the day it came out. So you can naturally assume that I was excited to see it, and with good reason. One of my favourite things to do (however lame this may seem to whomever may read this), is browse IMDb and check out what upcoming projects some of my favourite actors are involved in. Sometimes even actors I don't like. Pretty much anyone. For some strange reason, I find it interesting, and I'll often waste a considerable amount of time clicking link after link until I can't remember why I went on there in the first place. I even have the app on my iPhone, and to say it's almost as frequently used as Facebook would be an accurate statement. About a year ago, during one of my routine extensive searches, I came across Michael Cera's page. I see a link to a project called 'Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World' that says pre-production. I follow it and approximately 30 seconds later, I'm dying to see it. 

(From left) Jason Schwartzman, Michael Cera, Edgar Wright and Mary Elizabeth Winstead attend the European premiere at the Empire Leicester Square, London on August 18, 2010.

Fast forward 12 odd months and I'm sitting in a small cinema and this trailer starts up. And it's bright and loud and makes me do one of those stupid involuntary grins which you're always glad people can't see because it's so dark in there, and you know you look like a weirdo. Next thing, LCD Soundsystem's "Big Ideas" fills the theatre and Michael Cera's face pops up and I do one of the top five most annoying things anyone can do in a movie: I turn in my seat to face my friend and exclaim "OMG IT'S SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD, I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS MOVIE FOR AGES!" Honestly, in that moment I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience, floating on the ceiling watching myself, shaking my head and thinking "what a moron." As far as trailers go, this one really got a reaction from me. It was like a hit-and-run on repeat. I was practically bouncing on my seat and then something happened. It got even better. The first song fades out, and in it's place starts The Prodigy's "Invaders Must Die." I wanted to see this movie for so many other reasons...one of which being that Edgar Wright is a brilliant director (think Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz), but when it comes down to it, when pondering whether to spend the money on seeing a movie, for me it all depends hugely on the trailer so obviously, I was sold. 

Actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead at the LA premiere on July 27, 2010.

The first thing you need to know about Scott Pilgrim is that it's based on a series of 6 graphic novels of the same name. Straight away, you should know if you're interested in seeing it or not. Then, you take that assumption and throw it out the window. Because the fact is, this particular comic isn't your standard super-hero narrative. Scott Pilgrim's Precious Little Life is the first volume by Canadian cartoonist Bryan Lee O'Malley, published in August 2004. It's unlike any comic you've ever seen. Scott's no Spider-Man. He's just a regular 23-year-old guy with self-esteem issues. Except that they're not the issues you're thinking of. Scott's the bassist in a band called Sex Bob-omb with his two best mates Stephen and Kim, and to quote Kim in the film, "Scott, if you're life had a face, I'd slap it." The thing with Scott is, his opinion of himself is rather high, and, considering he's just a part time musician in Toronto and lives in a shoebox apartment with his gay roommate Wallace, it's clear why Kim finds this tiresome. It's soon established that Scott doesn't exactly have a hard time finding a girl, and his latest conquest is 17-year-old Knives Chau, the schoolgirl who is so pathetically infatuated with him, it's cringe-worthy. Still, Scott attempts to push through the constant ridicule from his friends to continue seeing Knives. That is until he has a haunting dream about a complete stranger, and his "precious little life" is turned upside down. He dreams of a rollerblading mystery girl with hot pink hair he's never seen before, but is soon obsessing over her after running into the real-life version at the library. Soon enough Scott plucks up the courage to talk to Rollerblade Girl (aka Ramona V. Flowers, according to the token dude-who-knows-everyone) and things seem to be going smoothly for suave Scott. Unfortunately, Scott's fantasy is interrupted by the sudden appearance of one of Ramona's ex's, who informs Scott that they will be fighting to the death for this girl. As if that weren't bad enough, Ramona soon after gives Scott the real 411: she has 6 more evil ex-boyfriends waiting in the wings, and that if he intends to date her, he must defeat all of them. From here on in it's a fast-paced series of battles for poor Scott, who's determined to succeed and win the heart of the girl of his dreams, literally. But it's no picnic, and there are plenty of surprises in store to keep Scott on his toes. All in all, it's a heartwarming tale of an ordinary, if slightly egotistical guy who'll stop at nothing to get the girl, and ultimately, some respect.

(From left) Actors Kieran Culkin and Jason Schwartzman at the LA premiere, July 27, 2010.

If you like comic books, video games, cartoons, special effects and Manga-style art, then you'll find yourself in cinematic-heaven within 5 minutes. I know I did. This movie is all about the visual, and from start to finish it's a candy-coated adrenalised thrill ride, complete with sound effects that make you feel like you should be holding an Xbox 360 controller. At times it may seem unrealistic bordering on ridiculous, but that's kind of the point. It's totally surreal, and even though it's set in a real city you can't help but feel as if you've been transported to a different world. The fight scenes portray Scott in such a way that depends on your ability to suspend your disbelief. True, Scott is supposedly a normal guy who's way out of his league against Ramona's evil ex's, but if normal guys really know how to throw down like him, then self-defence lessons are no longer necessary. He weaves his way through each fight with definite skill whilst still managing to look like he has no idea what he's doing.

Academy Award Nominated (Up In The Air) actress Anna Kendrick attends the LA premiere, July 27, 2010.

Which brings us to the actors. Michael Cera is pure genius as Scott Pilgrim. He embodies everything about his character with ease, and whilst Scott isn't that far a cry from Cera's previous work as far as awkwardness and sarcasm go, being a bit of a jerk and a self-proclaimed rock star are. Whilst Scott's annoying qualities are most certainly there, Cera succeeds in redeeming him every time. He's full of himself, but it's endearing, which is harder than it looks to pull off. Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays Ramona, and gives the hair-colour-chameleon a real edge. All of Scott's efforts could easily appear unnecassary if it weren't for the fact that Ramona really is worth it. Winstead offers much more than just a pretty face and an ice-cool exterior...she gives Ramona wit and a straightforwardness that no boy could resist. Anna Kendrick is an undeniable classic as Scott's disapproving sister Stacey. Cue one of the funniest scenes where Scott calls Stacey at work from a pay phone:
"It's Scott."
"Yeah? What's he done this time?"
"No, I mean...it's me, Scott."
Then there's the comic relief which comes in the form of Kieran Culkin who nails his performance as Scott's gay roommate. Every line that comes from this character's mouth is loaded with hilarity. Alison Pill, Mark Webber and Johnny Simmons are flawless as Scott's best buddies, and Ellen Wong is hysterically good as clingy Knives. Not to mention the ex's...the standouts include Superman Returns star Brandon Routh, Fantastic Four's Chris Evans and of course, the biggest and baddest of them all, Jason Schwartzman as the impertinent Gideon Graves.

Actors Alison Pill and Johnny Simmons pose for a photo at the after party for the LA premiere at Hollywood and Highland, July 27, 2010.

This is a seriously fun film, dripping with quotable lines and eye-popping visuals that appear glossily on the screen just like the pages of O'Malley's original work. Universal's vice president Bill Kispert said "We were hooked on Scott Pilgrim from our first read of the comic and the script...the storyline mirrors the escalating structure of a video game, and it is filled with clever homage to video-game culture." It's been described as encompassing action, romance, irreverant pop-culture references and rock-n-roll. The clearest way I can describe it, though, is to repeat the words of Eddie Argos, who writes a bi-weekly column about comic books for a website called Playback: Scott Pilgrim is "funny, clever, sad, stupid, fantastic, heartbreaking, surreal, confusing and brilliant, just like real life."

Michael Cera had to pulled by his backpack by a security guard at Radio 1 in London, UK where he was promoting the film. The actor attempted to sign autographs despite being engulfed by the massive crowd.

NOW HEAR THIS: The music in the flick is seriously great, with rock legend Beck lending a hand with writing some fictitious Sex Bob-omb songs. Download "Garbage Truck," "Threshold," and "We Are Sex Bob-omb." Then check out "It's Getting Boring By The Sea," by Blood Red Shoes and "Black Sheep," by Metric.

ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF http://www.picapp.com/

It's 1975, and they're about to EXPLODE.

...The Runaways, directed by Floria Sigismondi

I saw this movie about a week ago and I'm still thinking about it, which usually means something, and I'm not surprised. This movie was incredible. In fact, I almost don't know where to start...so here's a brief description. The Runaways were the first all-girl rock band to make it big. The way it all came about is like something out of a movie, so it's only fitting that this film was made. It was 1975, and Joan Jett was just 17 years old and hanging out at the local disco. What happened there changed her life, and the lives of four other teens. She spotted Kim Fowley, an eccentric record producer who had groundbreaking aspirations of his own. Jett approached the man, telling him her dream of forming a completely female band. Fowley took Jett's number, and just two weeks later, 15 year old drummer Sandy West introduced herself to Fowley outside the Rainbow Bar and Grill in Hollywood. After West expressed her frustrations of only ever working with all-male groups, Fowley put her in contact with Jett, and the rest, as they say, is history.


After hustling a few other members for the band, the group began writing songs, and after touring the club curcuit in Los Angeles for about a year, they were signed by Mercury Records and started a tour of the U.S. In 1976, the girls travelled to Japan for a sold out show. The live recording of that concert went gold, the pinnacle of The Runaways' stardom. Eventually, the band went their seperate ways and Jett worked on her solo career as well as a new project with a new group. Jett is easily the girl who gained the most success post-Runaways.

Cast members (from left) Scout Taylor-Compton, Dakota Fanning & Kristen Stewart, chatting whilst on a break from filming on location in the San Fernando Valley area, LA, July 2009.

Before seeing this film, the above information was all I really knew. Actually, I didn't even know about some of it...all I really knew was that Kristen Stewart (of the Twilight Saga super-duper-fame) was going to be playing Joan Jett, and that Dakota Fanning, also from the vamp series, was going to be playing another member of the band. Silly me. Whilst the assumption that The Runaways is all about Joan Jett isn't a hard one to make - considering the promotion of the film includes posters that clearly credit Stewart before Fanning - it certainly is a wrong one.


Here's the deal: this movie is about the life of a 15 year old girl named Cherie Currie, a twin with an alcoholic father, a self-absorbed mother, and a small-town life that she hated. Currie was an outcast, and one of the film's earliest scenes conveys this with ease; Currie is performing at a talent show, dressed in a head-to-toe David Bowie costume, lip-syncing 'Lady Grinning Soul,' so seriously, you can't help but laugh a little. Half-way through, the crowd begin throwing things at her, and she responds by giving the school hall the double-finger-flip-off. Without the audience even realising it, this scene sets the tone for the entire movie. Currie is different, she's the quiet rebel who's into rock 'n roll. She'll cut all her beautiful blonde hair off to create a shaggy mullet so she can look like her music idol. All of a sudden, the film isn't about Joan Jett anymore.

(From left) Joan Jett, Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning & Cherie Currie attend the premiere for The Runaways at the Landmark Sunshine Cinema in New York City, March 17, 2010.

But now onto the acting...and I could not for the life of me see a single flaw. All members of the band are impeccably cast. Stella Maeve, Scout Taylor-Compton and Alia Shawkat are perfect accompaniments to the two main characters in the band. Michael Shannon is undeniably engrossing as over-the-top manager Fowley, and real-life rock royalty Riley Keough (Elvis Presley's grand daughter) is the film's dark horse as Cherie's twin sister Marie. This is Keough's first acting job and to say she nailed it would be an understatement. But the real props have to go to the movie's two leads, Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning. Quite apart from their stellar performances, the fact that these two really sang, with Stewart also teaching herself to play all of Jett's songs on the guitar is astonishing. And refreshing. And sublime.

Joan Jett, now 51 years old, (and still rocking), actually said that the first time she heard a tape of Kristen Stewart singing one of her songs, she thought it was herself. Non-Stewart fans may scoff at the idea, or even shudder, but the inescapable truth is that this girl knows her craft. Sure, she's had her run-ins with the paps, and she does often seem to have that look on her face that says "I hate my life!" but all of that disappears the moment she slips on the all-leather outfit Jett was famous for (which, incidentally, is within the first five minutes). In The Runaways we see K-Stew in the role she was born for. The New York Times noted "Stewart, watchful and unassuming, gives the movie it's spine and soul." High praise also came from The Metro Times: "It turns out that Stewart is actually really good at capturing Jett's icy, tough-but-cool girl swagger, adding the needed touches of vulnerability that transform it into a pretty terrific performance...Stewart is a genuine rock star here." The attitude, the passion, the talent...Stewart delivers all of the qualities that Joan Jett is admired for. Yes, for the most part this is a movie about the lead singer, but what is really fascinating and relatable is the relationship that instantly sparks between Cherie and Joan. Their chemistry is palpable, as is Stewart's and Fanning's.

Kristen Stewart at Eccles Centre Theatre in Park City, Utah, where the film premiered on January 24 for the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

Which brings us to the real star of this biopic. Dakota Fanning is sensational. The resemblance between the person and the actor is uncanny. The way Fanning looks, talks, behaves and especially the way she performs shows such a likeness to Currie, you simply sit in awe of her. It's little wonder this child-star is still going strong. This is her most emotionally intense and gripping performance to date. Tremendous praise for Fanning's portayel of Currie have been repeatedly showered over the now 16 year old actress, with the respected New York Times reporting that Fanning "displays heartbreaking vulnerability as well as frightening poise." Other phrases of acclaim for Fanning include, "a knockout," "the standout," "at once impressive, and a little disturbing," "a note-perfect performance," "haunting," and "amazingly raw." Hollywood.com wrote "Fanning plays Cherie with such fearless discovery that it's impossible to take your eyes off her." But the statement that simply sums it up is this one by People magazine: "The gutsiest performance belongs to Fanning, who's sexy, sick, and altogether unsettling, leaving us feeling invigorated." Enough said.

Dakota Fanning posed for photographers at the premiere, held at the Arclight Cinemas in Hollywood, California on March 11, 2010.

At the end of the day, this is a wonderfully enthralling example of cinematic art. Visually, it's surreal and edgy whilst still being raw and true-to-life, always with a powerful hit of engulfing mind trips. In terms of sound, the musical components of this movie were perfection 100% of the time. And then there's the little things. The things that really made you feel like you were taking a journey with these girls. The attention to detail, and the fine art of accuracy. For example, the tattoos the two leads get together were identical to Currie's and Jett's (Currie has a small cherry on the front of her right shoulder; Jett has a fighter jet on her left hip). The acting skill is overwhelming, as is the story at times. But the most obvious quality of this film is that it was exciting. It was fun. It was funny. It made you want to go buy a guitar and start a band of your own. In my eyes, any movie that encourages increased interest in music...well, that just rocks.


NOW HEAR THIS: Download Dakota Fanning's unmissable rendition of 'Cherry Bomb,' as well as her duet with Kristen Stewart on 'Dead End Justice.' On a non-Runaways note, re-visit 'I Wanna Be Your Dog' by The Stooges (it plays during the famous lesbian kiss, and makes it that much sexier).