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Hey
boys and girls, because of our great affection for
Scott Pilgrim vs.
the World,
we shared the joy with our main contributor and expert on the Toronto
rock scene,
Miz Dollie Banner.
Dollie was kind enough to bless us with a special guide to all things TO
for the uninitiated (like moi!), so stay tuned after LMD’s review
for
Scott Pilgrim’s Backstage Pass.
 In
his first feature written without longtime collaborator Simon Pegg,
writer/director Edgar Wright looks to the Great White North for his
inspiration, finding it in the pages of the popular graphic novel
series, Scott Pilgrim. Wright, who’s enjoyed naught but success with
his previous projects, the television comedy Spaced and the brilliant
Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz on big screen does not fail to give his
audience another blast of the audacious fun he has become synonymous
with in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
Scott
Pilgrim has a dream; a dream of rollerblading girls with
fuchsia-coloured hairdos skating through his consciousness. When the
budding rock star and bass player for Sex Bob-omb spots the literal girl
of his dream at a party, he must have her. Nothing, not even his new
scandalous romance with a seventeen-year-old Catholic high school girl
will stop him from getting to know the mysterious Ramona. When Ramona
tentatively returns Scott’s feelings it seems nothing can stand in their
way except … The League of Evil Exes. Ramona’s past comes back to haunt
her and beat the stuffing out of Scott as seven of Ramona’s paramours
take their separation issues out on Scott by way of awesome bass lines,
techno music dragons, samurai swords, wire-fu and plain old
beat-’em-down hand to hand combat. Every victory by Scott is
accompanied by rewards; coins for further play or occasionally an extra
life, what winning doesn’t do is make Scott any more sure about his
feelings for Ramona, whose ever-changing jewel-toned hair colours
concern Scott. “She’s fickle!” Can the uncertain Toronto boy survive
Ramona’s rocky past and trust in his feelings for her? Can he ever
compete with the love of Ramona’s life, New York media mogul Gideon?
Can Sex Bob-omb ever get their hands on a record contract?
Brilliant, this. Edgar Wright, who’s flexed strong pop culture geek
cred in all his previous credits, is the only director I can think of
who could take this popular graphic novel and adapt it so perfectly to
the screen. Reveling in touches like Nintendo-64 effects (- including
the theme song from The Legend of Zelda), deadly wushu wirework and
split-screen comic book paneling, Wright lends the whole fantastical
production the light touch it needs without it ever becoming cutesy or
twee. He understands at the base of all the ingenuity, cleverness and
eye-popping visuals is the story of a new romance between boy and a
girl. He wisely sticks close to the source material, seemingly using
Scott Pilgrim creator Bryan Lee O’Malley’s pages as storyboards with
precious few variations. Wright captures the low-fi, laid back
sensibility of the Toronto rock scene (- using actual TO locations as
ably reported by Miz Dollie Banner below.) and its young denizens.
It takes more than a Bollywood fight to the death breaking out in the
middle of a battle of local bands to jostle these folks. Wright never
makes hyper adults out of his youthful characters nor plays them as
silly kids; Scott, Ramona, jilted would-be lover Knives and everyone
else in the film are just trying to sort things out.
The
cast of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is pure gold: Michael Cera’s
nebbishy nerdiness is a perfect fit for the unlikely Canadian Lothario
and rock god. The signature hesitation and backhanded wit suits the
film’s humour, which runs from bawdy and silly to dry and subversive.
Speaking of subversive, as Scott’s roommate and conqueror of bi-curious
males, Kieran Culkin as the naughty, urbane, yet strangely maternal
Wallace needs to have his own spinoff. Culkin runs off with every scene
he’s in. Our technicolour temptress, Ramona is played with a nice blend
of sang-froid and sweetness by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Looking like
Clara Bow in a cobalt bob, her huge, soulful eyes and dubious moue
conveys Ramona’s doubts and mistrust of herself and a chance at real
love with Scott. The supporting players; Ellen Wong {as Knives Chau},
Alison Pill {as Kim Pine}, Mark Webber {as Stephen
Stills}, Johnny Simmons {as Young Neil} and Anna Kendrick {as
younger, wiser Pilgrim sister Stacey} as Team Scott are all
memorable even in smaller bits. The villains are a hoot: Chris Evans
is particularly hilarious as Lucas one of the evil exes; a Jason
Lee-type pro-skateboarder turned actor who lets his stunt team do his
dirty work. Brandon Routh gets the best role he’s had since Superman
Returns as Todd, another ex whose total conversion to veganism makes him
all powerful against the pizza loving Scott. Not in the film long
enough is Roxy, a ninja ex played by Mae Whitman, who may be harbouring
some residual anger about her fate on Arrested Development for the
butt-whupping she gives Michael Cera’s Scott. Jason Schwartzman as the
oily Gideon looks like he’s having a great time swinging around a
katana. As per usual in an Edgar Wright film the music is excellent and
features not only Canadian bands like Broken Social Scene and Metric,
but otaku-friendly acts like Dan the Automator and Cornelius and an
almost-Canadian named Beck.
Scott
Pilgrim vs. the World is mandatory summer viewing. It’s fresh,
hilarious and effortlessly cool while retaining a real sweetness and
heart. All the nerds, geeks, freaks, otaku and anyone who simply enjoys
a good time at the movies should see this.
~ The
Lady Miz Diva
August
13th, 2010
Scott Pilgrim Backstage
Pass
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World shouts its love of rock music, video games
and kicking ass but it also loves Canada and isn't afraid to wear its
maple leaf on its sleeve. While most movies try to pass off Toronto as
some Stateside metropolis, Scott Pilgrim is proudly Torontonian. Many
of the film's Canadian charms are readily apparent, yet some others may
be hidden from viewers unfamiliar with Canuck culture. In the interest
of full disclosure, I am not Canadian and have never lived in Toronto,
but I do love the country and have visited often, mostly to support my
favorite bands, many of whom inspired SP creator Bryan Lee O'Malley. So
if you'll allow me, I'll give you a backstage pass to some of SP's maple
moments.
First and most obvious is there's a lot of Second Cup in the movie.
I don't mean an explicit sex act, but the ubiquitous coffee
purveyors that are the Canadian equivalent of Starbucks. Scott's sister
Stacey works there with disgruntled friend Julie, and Scott and Ramona
are seen swilling it. Why wouldn't they, it's delicious! The best
thing about Second Cup besides the free wi-fi is the abundance of
maple themed items; coffee, pastries, you name it. A total delight,
once you try it you'll love Second Cup!
We move from one of Canada's proudest franchises to the scourge of the
nation. Of course I mean Pizza Pizza, the orange and white atrocity
frequently seen throughout the film and actually ingested by Sex Bob-omb
post-gig. Yuck! Mind you I'm a bit spoiled living in one of the great
pie meccas, but my first and last experience with Pizza Squared was a
complete disappointment. First, their crust is only a step above the
cardboard they serve at Chuck E. Cheese. Then the
slice slingers behind the counter refused to furnish my party a
plain pie despite promising to do so, and meantime someone else came in
and walked out with -I swear to heaven- a macaroni and cheese pie.
I mean c'mon, make the pie, skip the Kraft dinner, presto...plain pizza.
Now we move on to the bits of the film that are dearest to my rock and
roll heart - the rock and the roll. Scott may be a coincidental member
of a fledgling band, but he was taught to rock by the most charismatic
man in Canadian indie music - Sloan bassist Chris Murphy! There is no
doubt in my mind that SP wouldn't have been able to muster much of a
fight against Matthew Patel, let alone GGG, without the tutorialship of
Mr. Murphy. That edge can't be faked, but it can be learned. Not only
did he give Scott his great licks, but he gave the foundation of his
very person - his Adidas sneakers! Chris has been sporting black and
white Adidas for as long as I've known him (longer than I care to
reveal), so it's no coincidence that Scott sports the same brand
kicks. Also, eagle-eyed members of the Sloan Army will readily
recognize Chris' bass in the hands of boyfriend #3, Todd. This sequence
was extra special for me because it was staged at Lee's Palace, a
venerable mid-sized rock den on Bloor and Bathhurst, scene of my last
sojourn to the Great White North and thus beloved. Plus it basks in the
bright lights of Honest Ed's, the bargain mega-store that's featured
prominently in the books, but seen only momentarily in the film. Ditto
Don McKellar, Canadian writer, actor and filmmaker extraordinaire who
appears very briefly at the helm of Lucas Lee's newest blockbuster.
Beyond this, Scott and Knives spend their time in record stores
and second-hand clothing emporiums, and while I favor Rotate This
over Sonic Boom and Circa 40 over Goodwill, obviously Toronto has
oodles of both. I'm sure your town does too, so you can have a bit of
Scott Pilgrim wherever you are. And if you're here in New York, there
are a few Canuck things you can enjoy to have the Canadian experience
here at home. Unfortunately, Second Cup hasn't wandered
south-of-the-border, but Tim Horton's has! Canada's other coffee
franchise is as well known for its beverage as it is for doughnuts. I
recommend their cocoa, which is incredible, and the Timbits; doughnut
holes with extra magic. P.S. - they too almost always have something
maple on the menu. Next is Lush, which is actually a British-based
soap emporium, but I first knew and loved it in Ontario and now you
can smell its pungent wares all over NYC. Buy a bath bomb, then sing
your heart out while you soak away all your troubles. Next is the
obvious: a bottle of Molsen or Labatt's will instantly give you that
maple glow and can be procured at almost any bodega. Lastly, you need
some Canadian music. I recommend Sloan (of course), Joel
Plaskett (in all his incarnations) and the Dears. Feel free to
expand from there. Now dye your hair a bright and beautiful color like
our incomparable Diva goddess and your Canadian Scott Pilgrim experience
at home is complete. Then go see the movie again!
~ Dollie
Banner
August
13th, 2010
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