
I made my second trip to see this "epic of epic epicness" today and I must say, it was worth it. You can read about my first trip here at Reel Rhino vs. Scott Pilgrim
There are nuances that I missed out on my first go around that I caught this time, but perhaps most importantly, this viewing in digital, which I recommend for anyone checking out the flick.
Without letting this film fade into the distance, and much like I did for my other favorite this year, INCEPTION, I wanted to point out some great supporting roles and talk just one more time about the movie.

(BRIEF MOMENT FOR A SUMMARY: Ramona Flowers is the love interest of Scott Pilgrim, who breaks things off with his high school girlfriend (he is 22) in order to pursue Ramona. Ramona's ex-boyfriend, Gideon, forms a LEAGUE OF EVIL EXES to combat Scott and keep he and Ramona from dating. Scott's HS GF is Knives Chau and she is exceedingly sweet and you can't help but feel for her in her heartbroken state. Whew....)

Here's what I came up with: the on-a-whim dating, the flip-flopping sexuality, the revenge seeking evil exes, and all of the joy and pain that accompanies it all -- this movie captures perfectly the essence of being a college-aged/twenty-something and trying to navigate the world of romance. Certainly with to-the-death battles at hand, it can be argued that these are extreme circumstances hyperbolized for our entertainment and yes, Virginia, they do entertain.
On this logic, I forgive my initial thoughts that the relationship was poorly developed. It may not be 100% believable, but this is a movie that wholly exists in a make-believe world. For those that argue that Michael Cera could never land Mary Elizabeth Winstead....you fools know that love is blind....Hey, at least half the world dates upwards while the other half claims: LOVE IS BLIND!
Liking this movie 100% depends on whether or not you like Michael Cera. He is Scott Pilgrim and the things that he does are so fantastical, that if you do not like him, it will likely annoy rather than entertain you. His fighting persona is more along the lines of NEO from THE MATRIX than the scrawny guy that he is. That is not a shot at him but rather an observation. I am a Michael Cera fan and while I thought he was great as Evan in Superbad among many roles, BUT...if this movie didn't exist, I can't think of a scenario in this world where I would have debated his kung-fu ability or his potential value as a sword-fighter.
Enjoying this movie is about having an OPEN MIND. This movie is hip to the level of being self-aware and almost congratulatory, but the film deserves it. Many love the masterpiece that is INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, but we don't hold Quentin Tarantino in a bad light for self-declaring it a masterpiece. Remember the scene where Aldo Raine actually says "I think this just might be my masterpiece." This is Q's self-declaration of perfection and I think that Wright too realizes that he is toying with perfection as a product of EVERYONE who worked on Scott Pilgrim. This movie is self-congratulatory enough and it is deservedly so.
My favorite FIVE supporting performances in this masterpiece were these:
KIM PINE played by ALLISON PILL. I think it is her sarcastic and fiery attitude that makes her so attractive as a character. She is an ex-girlfriend to Scott from their high-school days, and she has the spitfire attitude to get past it, but also to support Scott, albeit using sardonic comments or witty remarks about NOT giving a care one about him.
MATTHEW PATEL played by SATYA BHABHA. The song that accompanies Mr. Pilgrim's bewildered battle against this mystically powered evil-ex of apparent Indian decent is classic. A great musical number that is as much funny as it is a legitimate tribute to the Bollywood song and dance in their films...Edgar Wright nails this! Bhabha plays this scene brilliantly and this is really the sequence that catapults the plot forward as up until this point, there has only been foreshadowing of battles to come.
JULIE POWERS played by AUBREY PLAZA. Julie shows up throughout the film and at one point Scott even asks: "Is there anywhere you don't work?" She is funny and biting in her delivery and she plays the pissy emo friend like no other (that was a compliment, btw). She doesn't have a lengthy filmography but she has been effective in her previous roles including PARKS AND RECREATION and MYSTERY TEAM. I hope that her career will continue skyward because of her ability to deliver absolute deadpan insults that do have hints of care in them that make you THINK you should hate her all the while becoming more ENDEARED.

Finally, I give you KNIVES CHAU played to perfection by ELLEN WONG. WORRY NOT to those of you who were worried you were drooling over this 17 year old...girlfriend to Scott Pilgrim as our film opens....Ms. Wong is actually 25. As Scott describes his jailbait in the movie...."I am dating a 17 year old Chinese schoolgirl....and its a catholic school....with the uniforms and everything." This role is catering to the anime/manga stereotypes that are pervasive in our culture. Her role, though, is written with such care and attention to her heartbreak that you cannot help but empathize. Who among us has not been heartbroken at some point. KNIVES delivers her lines with pitch perfect pining that you want to do anything to help this forlorn schoolgirl get back her crush. And as we see, she turns out to be one with whom not to mess. Go get 'em, KNIVES!!

(P.S. ~ Right before I posted this, I decided also that Kieran Culkin's turn as Wallace, Scott's gay roommate, was also awesome. Then again, there is very little in this film that I do not think is awesome. So I guess that makes seven supporting performances I couldn't live without.)
I loved this movie. I loved it so much I thought I would pour some more work by my fat little fingers into pounding out REEL RHINO LOVE.
I said it before, and I'll say it again here: 5 OUT OF 5 HORNS from Reel Rhino.
I loved this movie. I loved it so much I thought I would pour some more work by my fat little fingers into pounding out REEL RHINO LOVE.
I said it before, and I'll say it again here: 5 OUT OF 5 HORNS from Reel Rhino.
SEE THIS MOVIE...don't regret in a year, when you do see it, that you missed the chance to see it in full digital glory on the big screen.
Till next time...RR
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