ScreenCrave.com » Michael Cera

Sundance 2012: End of Love – Movie Review

Christie Ko — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:09:47 +0000

Check out Mali’s take on The End of Love here!

I think I officially have my Sundance 2012 dramatic crush: Mark Webber. End of Love is a heartstring-pulling film with amazing performances and hilarious cameos. Built on the father-son relationship between Webber and his son (in real life) Isaac Love, this largely improvisational film captures with astounding realism a story of a struggling actor in LA, grieving, broke, and trying to be a father to his son.

The Players:

Director/Screenwriter: Mark Webber
Cast: Mark Webber, Shannyn Sossamon, Michael Cera, Jason Ritter, Amanda Seyfried, Frankie Shaw

Synopsis:

Mark is on the verge of losing everything. He’s an out-of-work actor at the end of his rope; exhausted and heart-broken. Down to his last dollars and begging his roommates for a little more time, he’s not unlike many Americans. But he is also grappling with the serious emotional trauma of losing the mother of his son. This film follows his desperation and humiliation as he tries to father his son, to find romantic and platonic emotional support, and to be a successful adult.

The Good:

It’s really unbelievable that this was improvisation. At the Q&A following the screening, Mark Webber explained that he never told Isaac what to say; that they let him say what he wanted to say, and he and the cast adjusted and followed his lead. It just worked out….AND HOW. There are moments when the dialogue and action between the father and son is so unbelievably perfect for the moment that it just breaks the heart.

There’s also a pretty amazing party scene with Michael Cera, Aubrey Plaza, Alia Shawkat, and a bunch of other actors I assume are his friends. It’s funny and whacky.

The Bad:

I was a little disappointed with the fact that the protagonist (Mark) doesn’t progress that much. He manages to take one step forward, and granted, it’s a big step, but I expected more from a feature like this. He also explained during the Q&A that the reason why he chose this topic and made this film was because he wanted to tell the story of what it’s like to be at the end of a relationship; that when a major relationship ends, it feels like a death (his actual ex and mother of his son, Frankie Shaw, is also in the movie as his dead wife). These things considered, I can see how some might find this film self-indulgent.

Overall:

The dynamic between father and son, and the sheer serendipity of how the dialogue and story progresses is really absorbing and worth watching. Sad, but enjoyable…

Rating: 7

Sundance 2012: The End of Love – Movie Review

Mali Elfman — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 22:00:06 +0000

Check out Christie’s take on The End of Love here!

One of the most emotional and touching films of this year’s Sundance Film Festival is The End of Love. This is one of those films that sits with you long after you’ve left the theater and doesn’t let you go. It’s a beautiful representation of what a look at one mans story in a very simple way can be represented.

The Players:

Director: Mark Webber
Writer: Mark Webber
Producers: Mark Webber, Liz Destro, Matt Sprague
Cinematographer: Patrice Cochet
Cast: Mark Webber, Shannyn Sossamon, Michael Cera, Jason Ritter, Amanda Seyfried, Frankie Shaw

Sundance Synopsis:

Mark is a struggling actor stuck between the life he once knew and the one waiting for him. When the mother of his two-year-old son suddenly passes away, Mark is forced to confront his shortcomings. Their fates, now intertwined, hang in the balance as Mark grapples with his ability to grow up. When he meets Lydia, a young mother, he is no longer able to live in the comfort of denial.

The Good:

The Relationship: Webber and his son are beautiful to watch on screen together. There’s really no other way to show the true love between father and child than by showing just that. Using toddlers on set is one of the most difficult things in the world, but for this film, used in this way, it not only works for the film, it makes it.
The Simplicity: This is not an outwardly complicated story, the complications are in the natural drama that comes from human emotions. Because of simplicity, you’re able to focus on the minute which makes this film a truly beautiful experience all around, proving that you don’t need a giant spectacle to have an impact on audiences.
The Heart: This is something that you can’t manipulate out of a film, it’s just something that’s there or it’s not. This film is packed with heart and it emotes from the screen giving you everything you you could hope for in a drama.

The Bad:

Not really feeling anything.

Overall:

This is an amazingly simple and yet introspective film that is well worth settling into.

Rating: 7.5/10

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: Movie Review

Mali Elfman — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:30:18 +0000

The first time I saw Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World was at Comic-Con, jam packed in a theater, from a balcony, in a room filled with so many fans it was hard to hear some of the dialogue because of all the laughter and cheers bouncing off the walls. At the press screening for the film in LA, I was reminded of how dull critics can be and how they can dampen the experience of watching a film like this. Though I am reviewing this film and technically a part of said “dull critics” and I did in fact love this film, it was obviously not made for me – it was made for the fans of the comic-book, fans of video games, fans of action, fans of humor, when you get down to it fans of movies in general. The amount of references in this film will blow your mind.

This is a great film and its goal is to entertain and it succeeds admirably — just don’t let the those “scared to laugh” critics get you down, have some fun and find out more about what makes this film great below…

The Players:

Director: Edgar Wright
Screenplay: Michael Bacall and Edgar Wright
Graphic Novels: Bryan Lee O’Malley
Cast: Michael Cera (Scott Pilgrim), Alison Pill (Kim Pine), Mark Webber (Stephen Stills), Johnny Simmons (Young Neil), Ellen Wong (Knives Chau), Kieran Culkin (Wallace Wells), Anna Kendrick (Stacey Pilgrim), Aubrey Plaza (Julie Powers), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Ramona Flowers), Satya Bhabha (Matthew Patel), Mae Whitman (Roxy Richter), Brie Larson (Envy Adams), Chris Evans (Lucas Lee), Brandon Routh (Todd Ingram), Jason Schwartzman (Gideon Gordon Graves)

The Plot:

Scott Pilgrim is the star of his own world, that is until he meets the girl of his dreams Ramona Flowers who comes with a bit of baggage. Pilgrim soon finds out that he must defeat his new girlfriend’s seven evil exes in order to win her heart.

The Good:

The References: This film is packed with references from video-games, comic book characters, TV shows, and other pop-knowledge gone by, and in a good way. They managed to shove in nearly all pop-culture references from past 2 decades and not have it feel forced or cramped. The movie simply moves from one reference to the next without ever looking back and it’s fun to watch.
The Rules: Wright quickly sets the tone for an “anything” can happen Universe. Though the characters in the film might seem like normal people, they all have something that makes them non-human, whether it be being able to survive being thrown 10 miles into the air or bleeping out ones own dialogue, they all have some kind of “powers”. And though anything goes in this world, what makes it interesting is that the people in it still act like people. It’s amazing how effortless he takes the audiences from fiction to fantasy without in any given moment.
The Style: Undeniably one of the most distinct, original and yet interpretive styles that has hit the screen in a long time. It’s truly it’s own film — inspired by everything but its own thing entirely.
The Acting: There are certain actors in this film that have not always put in great performances BUT across the board in this film, the casting and the acting in this film was spot on. Cera has never been more funny, Winstead is charming and yet mysterious, and Culkin seems as if he was born for this role – perfect cast.
The Script: Again, there are a lot of ideas here but the film never gets convoluted. And even though you think you’re going to sit there and be able to watch one ex after another, they find interesting ways of keeping your from getting bored and surprising you.

The Bad:

The Love Story: There were a few unrealistic, necessary plot devices that were thrown into the romance to help move the story along. Some of them were a bit hard to swallow – not impossible, but edging on it.
The Set Up: Once we get into fighting the evil exes the pace takes off, getting to them lags a bit. The arc in this film is important, so although it’s a fun comic-book-action flick, it still has a story, and character development – so settle in for a full film, not just a fun action flick.

Overall:

Great film, so much fun to watch, completely original, there’s no doubt that people will be trying to imitate this film and never succeeding to this level. See it now!

Rating: 9/10

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is in theaters this Friday, August 13th!

Photo Gallery:

Trailer:

Interview: Michael Cera and Jason Schwartzman for Scott Pilgrim

Mali Elfman — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:01:29 +0000

I think Michael Cera described this film perfectly during our interview when he said it’s “Like taking a people bath. Taking a youcuzi.” I still don’t know what that means exactly, but I like it! Both Cera and Jason Schwartzman, despite the fact that they had just got back from Comic-Con and had already done about 5 hours of press for their upcoming release Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, were in great spirits during the interview and at times seemed more interested in entertaining the group of journalist than answering questions (I am the one who in fact had to tell Cera “No!” at one point).

Check our interview with Cera and Schwartzman for their upcoming film Scott Pilgrim below and after check out our 1-1 with Anna Kendrick who plays Scott’s sister and the director of the film Edgar Wright…

This is like a new image thing for you, and you don’t do a lot of buttkicking in movies, so you did that last scene. So how much fun was that and how horribly uncomfortable was any of the fighting?

MC: Some of the harder stuff was horribly uncomfortable to the point where I was like “It shouldn’t feel like this, right? Something is very wrong.” That means it’s working. But so much fun, all of it was so much fun. It was amazing. All the guys, there was such a camaraderie amongst that culture of guys and stuntmen. And there’s stuntmen and then there’s also gymnasts that were all involved in this. It’s amazing just the way that they all relate to each other and how seriously they take their craft.

Were there two different teams that worked together?

MC: There were several, yeah. They had, like, battle of the teams. Well, they all formed one big team. They all came from different backgrounds, you know, like gymnastics. There was an incredible gymnast named Chris Mark who did a lot of my stunts. He does all the crazy, flipping around stuff in the movie. And there were stunt coordinators who worked with Jackie Chan and they were all incredibly talented.

If you’ve seen any of Edgar Wright’s previous work he obviously has a very particular vision. What was it like working with him?

JS: I didn’t want to watch any of the stuff he did because I didn’t want to be influence by it. I wanted this to be its own thing. I’m just kidding. Working with Edgar, it was insane. What was the exact question?

He has such a specific vision and a unique way of filming, what was it like working with him?

JS: For me it was amazing just because I’ve always wanted to work with him and I never though it’d be possible cause most everything he’s done is U.K. based…

MC: (Jokingly) United Kingdom.

JS: Yeah. So it was a weird situation. I’ve always thought it would be great to work with him, but, you know, maybe he would never have an American part or something in one of his movies. So to work with him it was a real dream come true. It was so cool because he’s so communicative as a director, and articulate, and enthusiastic. You walk on the set and he’s has nothing else he wants to do more than make that movie. He’s smiling all the time with enthusiasm, and wanting to come up with new ways to try things. But my favorite aspect of working with him, it never felt like a huge movie. The set was kind of big, it was in a room the size of this studio set, but he was always just, like, five feet from us. And you never had to yell, “Edgar, where are you? I have a question!” There could be lots of people around and you could just say, “Edgar,” and he would say, “Yeah?”

MC: “Edgar where are you I have a question?” (Pretends he’s standing next to him)

JS: You just felt so close to him, and that was such a great, awesome thing coming from this guy working on this big, kind of overwhelmingly scary movie. You always felt like he was close and focused on you and what you needed.

You felt that way too, Michael?

MC: Yeah, all through the shoot. Edgar would have this little hand-held monitor that he would hold and just sit right behind the camera instead of being over sitting at his chair. So he was always right there, on the ground. It was really nice.

Did he give each of you the 10 things, the list that’s secret and that’s your motivations that nobody’s supposed to know? How did that help you and can you tell us some of them.

MC: It was very helpful. He gave me mine the night before shooting (laughs). So instead of something to develop, it was more of something to just get you ready to jump in and inspire you.

So you didn’t know any of them before hand?

MC: No. The night before, it was just to get into the spirit the night before. It was great. There were really great things on there. I wish I had remembered all of them for the sake of these interviews, but the one that really stays in my head is that Scott, in his mind, is the star of his own movie. This movie is, in a way, existing in his own mind. This is his weird perception of the world around him.

And what about you [Jason]? Do you remember one of yours?

JS: One that I really liked was just that Gideon is very passive aggressive, and so he’s not overtly evil. He smiles a lot, just kind of “kill ‘em with kindness,” but you can feel that it’s not sincere almost instantly.

The screening at Comic-Con can either make a film or break a film, and people loved it so much that I have to see it again because I could barely hear some of the lines. How did that feel to feel that kind of love and acceptance for your film?

MC: Amazing. I was a little worried, you know, that’s a very scary frying pan to jump into. People who loved the books and were instantly… well, they have expectations and they want to be wowed. But, you know, they were on our side right from the beginning. Edgar really got them on our side in a really good way. He gave a really good panel where he didn’t disappoint… And then he surprised them with the treat of seeing the movie and then, you know, he had Dan The Automator and Kid Koala DJing while they were sitting in their seats, which was amazing. So it was a real event, it was more than just a movie… He’s smart. He made them happy and they were on our side.

JS: I feel like if Edgar hadn’t directed this movie he’d be the first person in line at it and he would have been at that Comic Con screening. He’s a member of his own audience. He wanted to make them like this movie.

The music was really cool in this, and you’re [Jason] a musician.

JS: So is Michael.

So did you [Jason] help him [Michael] or did you know your stuff on the guitar?

MC: Well, we had a guy named Chris Murphy who was kind of our musical coach. He’s from Sloane, a Canadian band. And he spent a lot of time with me, Mark [Webber] and Alison [Pill], Johnny Simmons, just making us feel confident playing because we had to play in front of the crew and in front of the big audience Mark had never played guitar, Alison had never played drums, I had never performed music. It was also really nice for us to get to know one another.

Jason, did you’re experience in the music industry give you any insight to basing Gideon on anyone you’d met along the course of your ride through that business?

JS: No, I racked my brain, I racked my brain.

MC: I racked… my brain.

JS: Maybe I wasn’t creative enough with my thinking but I kind of just scanned my memory for anyone who was exactly like Gideon and I didn’t find anybody.

MC: It took five hours to do the scan.

JS: Yeah, I scanned every single person and I’ve never met anyone like Gideon. As in any industry you meet some people who don’t mean what they say, but we always had older A&R [Artists and Repertoire] guys. We never had a young whippersnapper-type guy, so not really. I was basing him more like on, I’m going to say this, and then don’t just like judge it, “you totally failed.” But like Swan in Phantom of the Paradise, and like Z-Man in Beyond the Valley of the Dolls, kind of more like a 70s kind of like Phil Spector-y… those kind of producer stars. You know what I mean? Not really many of them now. Maybe like Mark Robson is one.

MC: Rick Reubens.

JS: Rick Rubin, yeah.

MC: Rubin. Reubens.

JS: Rubin, yeah.

MC: Reubens.

JS: Yeah. Rick Paul Reubens. Slick Rick Paul Reubens. Grace Slick Paul Reubens. Amazing Grace Slick Paul Reubens. The Amazing Grace Slick Paul Reubens.

A lot of people…

JS: The Amazing Grace Slick Paul Ruben’s Place. The Amazing Grace Slick Paul Ruben’s Chamber…

Okay! A lot of people are saying that this is very much the first of it’s [Michael looks like he is about to add] No! A lot of people are saying that this is the first of its kind. In a world of things people have seen before, this is completely new. Are you going to be pissed if people start ripping you off or are you going to find it endearing or sweet when you see people trying to do what was just done.

MC: I wouldn’t be surprised if people are inspired by Edgar as a filmmaker, but it would be the same. He’s got his own voice, I think. So I’d be surprised if people tried to imitate him, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he inspired people to make movies and find their own voice.

JS: Bill Hader said right after the screening that this is the kind of film a 13-year-old kid sees and then they get a camera and they make a bunch of movies in their backyard.

How did you guys come to the project initially?

MC: It kind of fell in my lap, really. I was just in the right place at the right time. I had a meeting with Mark Platt about it, I met with Edgar, and Edgar was really enthusiastic about me being in it, which was amazing. It’s so nice to hear that from a director you respect, that they want to work with you. It’s so nice, and to have an opportunity to work with a director that you love. And I loved the graphic novel too, so it just presented itself and was just an amazing opportunity.

And you, Jason?

JS: Edgar Wright was in Los Angeles, we had the opportunity to meet with him, which was really exciting for me. During that meeting he talked about that he was adapting these books. He never said, “and I’m thinking of you,” he just told me he was doing it. And I said, “Oh, that sounds great.” So I bought the books, and I read them and I just liked them, and I was really excited for Edgar, “he’s going to be great when he directs these.” And then I heard you [Michael Cera] were involved, and I was like, “that’s going to be so great!” I was just excited about it, Michael, Edgar, so cool! And then, like six months later, Edgar called me and said, “Hey, would you like to meet for coffee?” and I said, “Yeah, absolutely.” And while we were there he reached in his bag and took out Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

MC: The script.

JS: Slid it over to me and said, “Would you be Gideon Graves?” and it was so exciting. And, honestly, I just put my hand on it and said, “Yes.”

MC: You didn’t even read the script.

JS: It was all I needed. Michael, Edgar, Scott Pilgrim – there’s like three people I would do that for.

Can you guys talk about doing the whole climactic fight scene? Mary and Ellen were saying it was almost like filming a separate movie from the rest of the movie because you were on the set for so long and it was such a long process to get that scene.

MC: It was a long time. There was that big pyramid which they kept deconstructing and we had to get up on top of, and just a lot to figure out. A lot for Bill Pope, the cinematographer, and Edgar and Marcus Roland, the production designer, just so many things to figure out, and I’m glad it wasn’t my job. We just had to show up and do these moves that we would learn sometimes on the spot, on the day.

Michael, you’re in almost every scene, you have so much work. Is this more work than you’ve done in any film? How did you keep it together?

MC: Absolutely. We just had to cram. We had already shooting for so long we couldn’t take any time. There was no hiatus or anything. So, you know, try and get sleep, watch a lot of movies with Michael Bacall late at night in my apartment. Played a lot of Nintendo together. I had friends around, it was fun. They had a physio-therapy masseuse that came to set that would work people’s backs. They treated us pretty decently. They took care of us. It was grueling but it was always fun and I was always happy to be there. I was sad to leave.

Can you talk about, without the honesty of your relationship between your character and Ramona? For however crazy everything gets it’s so important that we actually believe your relationship with everybody else. Can you talk about establishing those and the importance of that for your character?

MC: I think that’s very important. I was so amazed when I saw the movie how well that worked, how well Edgar pulls that off. He does that so well in all of his films. In Shaun of the Dead you totally get hit by the emotion of it, and it really grounds the movie, it’s what makes him special. There are a lot of people who are capable of making really funny comedies, which I think he does incredibly, but he’ll always leave you feeling something afterwards. They always really resonate because there was something in there that was really true, whether it be a story about friendship, like Shaun of the Dead with the two friends, Nick Frost at the end. Or even his step-father, the thing with Bill Nighy, I think he realizes the value of that in cinema and does it really, really beautifully. It was in good hands.

So have you guys had a chance to read book six?

MC: I haven’t. Have you?

JS: I haven’t.

MC: I’ve signed a few copies and I was flipping through them at Comic Con and it looks amazing. There’s just a page where it’s just two blank pages in the book.

What can you tell people that aren’t into videogames or comics to go see it?

MC: If you love movies and you love really fun movie-going experiences this is a really fun one. It’s fun to see with a crowd and I think it’s really satisfying. Afterwards you feel really good. I couldn’t wait to see it again.

JS: Yeah, I think it’s just a really unique movie. There aren’t a lot of movies with this kind of tone where it’s really funny, and really awkward, and you’re like “did someone just say what I think they just said?” and then there’s romance, and then there’s a musical number. It’s just so exuberant and it’s got a spirit of total freedom and it’s just like a giant, fun time. It’s like running through a crowd of people trying to hug you all the time.

MC: Like taking a people bath. Taking a youcuzi.

Check out the film in theaters August 13th!

VOTD: Michael Cera and Jason Schwartzman Report The Weather

Krystal Clark — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:20:01 +0000

In promotion of Scott Pilgrim vs The World, co-stars Michael Cera and Jason Schwartzman thought it would be a good idea to turn into weathermen for the day. I’m not sure how giving us our daily forecast promotes the film but somehow they pulled it off. The actors appeared on My Fox Atlanta on Tuesday to give the news crew a helping hand with their broadcast. It’s fair to say that this was not your typical morning show. Cera got ran over by a CGI school bus — twice, and Schwartzman survived it by the skin of his teeth. Watch it all go down…

Click on the video image to start playing:

This is one of those things where it doesn’t matter how many times you watch it, it stays funny. In the very beginning when Cera gets hit by the bus his reaction in right on cue and Schwartzman’s reply afterwards is priceless. “That wasn’t an accident. That was someone who knew what they were doing.” If you’re a native of Atlanta, it must have been great seeing these two take some time out their busy schedules to help you start your day.

Who wouldn’t want to see a little Cera and Schwartzman first thing in the morning?

What do you think of Jason and Michael’s attempt at the weather? Did you watch it live?

Comic-Con 2010 Live Blog: Scott Pilgrim vs the World Panel

Laura Aguirre — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:11:51 +0000

We’ve got a full house here at Universal’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World panel at Comic-Con 2010. Director Edgar Wright and graphic author Bryan Lee O’Malley, are joined by cast members Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ellen Wong, Alison Pill, Mark Webber, Kieran Culkin, Satya Bhabha, Brandon Routh, Jason Schwartzman, Mae Whitman, Anna Kendrick, and Aubrey Plaza to answer questions about the upcoming action-comedy that looks like it’s going to be as enjoyable as Kick-Ass! Here we go…

6:10 pm: Scott Pilgrim is about to start. They just showed the trailer and some behind the scenes footage.

6:11 pm: Edgar Wright just walked out. It looks like he got a haircut. Nothing big, just a nice trim. He said they have 13 guests coming out!

6:12 pm: Wright is moderating the panel and he’s asking himself a question. Bryan Lee O’Malley just walked out onto the stage.

6:15 pm: Wright just made a major announcement (sarcasm) “On August 13th Scott Pilgrim will be released in 2D. At regular ticket prices. How do you people feel about watching a film without sunglasses on!?”

6:16 pm: Here comes Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza and Kieran Culkin. Nerdgasm!!

6:18 pm: Wright’s asking them how much they disapprove of Pilgrim‘s actions in the film on a scale of 1 to 10, they said 5, 7, and 10 respectively.

6:19 pm: Brandon Routh, Jason Schwartzman, and Mae Whitman have taken the stage. Why does Jason look like he’s about to solve a mystery? He has a huge mustache here! Old school Sherlock Holmes anyone?

6:21 pm: Holy crap!! Wright just brought out Simon Pegg and Nick Frost! The crowd is going insane. They literally walked on, waved, and walked off. Booo!!!

6: 23 pm: It’s time for Michael Cera. He just walked out on stage dressed like Captain America! lol

6:27 pm: Brandon Routh was just asked which did he like better, playing Superman or a villain. He said the Man of Steel, then the fan tried to follow up with another question about him guest starring on “Smallville” and Wright playfully interrupted her and said, “No second questions!” She slowly backed away from the mic. She knows what’s good for her.

6:31 pm: It’s really hard to take Cera seriously on stage with this costume on.

6:32 pm:Cera says he wants the Arrested Development movie to get made. He said, “I think it’s going to.”

6:32 pm: It’s official Jason Schwartzman looks like Ringo Starr! Walk Hard got it right!

6:39 pm: Kieran’s talking about how it felt to do a man-on-man kissing scene. He said Wright wanted to break the ice for him so he asked him to come over one day and he laid a huge kiss on him out of nowhere. Wright chimed in and said he doesn’t mind taking one for the team.

6:42 pm: Nope, I changed my mind. Jason looks like a young Dustin Hoffman.

6:43 pm: Jason and Michael keep saying their favorite scene to shoot in the movie was a steamy shower sequence that took 2 weeks to film. Apparently we have to go out and watch the movie to find out if it made the final cut.

6:45 pm: Michael Cera was just asked by a fan how he maintained his trademark figure after all the training he did for the movie. He said, “Is that an insult or a compliment?”

6:46 pm: Wright just announced that they’re going to screen the movie for free on Friday and Saturday at 6:30 pm. But there all about to march out of the hall to go to an exclusive 45 minute screening of the movie right now!

6:50 pm: They’re playing a music clip from the movie and the director and the cast just walked off the stage. They were like thieves in the night. Damn, Edgar Wright really knows how to make an exit.

Off on the pilgrimage they go!

Like what you read? For more fun, check out our top stories from Comic-Con…

Scott Pilgrim vs Lucas Lee Movie Clip

Krystal Clark — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 18:00:31 +0000

If Michael Cera and Chris Evans got into a fight who would win? That’s the question that’s posed in the first clip from Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. The film features Cera as the title character and Evans as one of his many arch rivals, a famous action star named Lucas Lee. Even though the fight in this scene is awesome, the best part might be Wright’s hilarious introduction of the clip…

You’ve gotta give props to Cera in this clip because it looks like he’s doing all his stunts. The kicks, the punches, the Matrix-like lean back, it all looks like him! Also, Evans fits the role of a pompous action star like a glove. The dialogue in this scene is so cliched it’s hilarious (“I’m nothing without my stunt team.”) and Kieran Culkin’s useless presence is so misplaced that you can’t help but laugh.

What do you think of the first clip from Scott Pilgrim vs The World?

New Scott Pilgrim vs The World Trailer

Krystal Clark — Mon, 31 May 2010 16:39:05 +0000

It’s here! The second trailer for Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs the World has finally been released via the film’s official Facebook page. The director and Universal teased a few days ago that they would release the trailer early if they received 100,000 “Likes” on their page. Well guess what? They did and now it’s here for our own personal enjoyment. Check out all the epic, epicness of Scott Pilgrim below…

The story of Scott Pilgrim is one filled with teenage angst and puppy love, which is a dangerous combination. Pilgrim has never had a problem getting a girlfriend. It’s getting rid of them that proves difficult. The one that he really yearns for is Ramona, and in order to win her love he’ll have to fight all her psycho ex-boyfriends. She literally has a crew of guys who make it their business to keep all interested suitors at bay, which means Pilgrim has to cut through a lot of red tape.

The editing in this film looks amazing! All the quick cuts and fast pans take us back to Wright’s previous work Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead. Those are the types of things he does so well without it being annoying or too gimmicky. The cast is also great (good to see Kieran Culkin getting some dialogue), and the video game effects look awesome. Can’t wait to see this hit the big screen!

Scott Pilgrim vs The World will be in theaters everywhere on August 13, 2010.

What do you think of the new trailer for Scott Pilgrim? Are you interested in seeing the film?

Scott Pilgrim vs The World Teaser Trailer

Krystal Clark — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:25:58 +0000

Finally the first trailer for Edgar Wright’s adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World has been released! It’s one of the most anticipated movies of the year and it stars permanent every-man, Michael Cera in the title role. At first glance, this movie looks like it’s going to be a literal translation of the comic, but not in a campy way, a fun way. Check out the trailer…

The story of Scott Pilgrim is one filled with teenage angst and puppy love, which is a dangerous combination. Pilgrim has never had a problem getting a girlfriend. It’s getting rid of them that proves difficult. The one that he really yearns for is Ramona, and in order to win her love he’ll have to fight all her psycho ex-boyfriends. She literally has a crew of guys who make it their business to keep all interested suitors at bay, which means Pilgrim has to cut through a lot of red tape.

In the trailer, my favorite boyfriend has to be Chris Evans (the new Captain America) who stars as Lucas Lee. His voice, his attitude, and his delivery is just how I imagined him from the comic. On the other hand Brandon Routh looks semi-unrecognizable with bleach blond hair so keep an eye out for him. Other than that, this movie looks like it’s going to be filled with the right amount of action and humor just like Wright’s previous cinematic jewels.

Here’s the teaser trailer for Scott Pilgrim vs The World…

Scott Pilgrim vs The World hits theaters on August 13, 2010.

What do you think of your first look at Scott Pilgrim? Do you liek what Wright has done with the story?

Movie Releases: Daybreakers, Youth in Revolt, Leap Year…

Kara Stanford-Jones — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 22:18:29 +0000

This week in movies is a little bit on the weak side. The vampire flick starring Ethan Hawke, Daybreakers, hits theaters. The movie is about a society of vampires that farm humans for their blood, except something goes terribly wrong. The movie hasn’t gotten great reviews, but it might fit under the category of “watchable.” The loveably-awkward Michael Cera’s new movie, Youth in Revolt, about a nerdy guy who is trying to get the hot girl to like him. It should be wildly cliched, completely-predictable, and enjoyable. Then we have the romantic comedy, starring Amy Adams, Leap Year. Tim Allen and Mathew Broderick both have limited release movies coming out this week with Crazy on the Outside and Wonderful World, respectively.

Check out the movies coming out on January 8, 2010…

Daybreakers | ScreenCrave Review | Reviews | Tickets and Showtimes
Youth in Revolt | ScreenCrave Review | Reviews | Tickets and Showtimes
Leap Year | ScreenCrave Review | Reviews | Tickets and Showtimes
Crazy on the Outside [Limited] | Reviews | Tickets and Showtimes
Wonderful World [Limited] | Reviews | Tickets and Showtimes
Bitch Slap [Limited] | Reviews | Tickets and Showtimes

Watch the trailers

Daybreakers

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Youth in Revolt

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Leap Year

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Crazy on the Outside

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Wonderful World

[youtube PIHKlR_AEik 570 470]

Bitch Slap

[youtube 0izJ6KrqpQk 570 470]

Which movie will you see?

Youth In Revolt: Movie Review

Mali Elfman — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:30:09 +0000

Michael Cera yet again plays an awkward high school boy who can’t get laid, only this time, he creates an alter ego who helps him get the girl and into a whole lot of trouble. Youth in Revolt is a surprisingly fresh take on a much seen before story about a boy who falls in love with a girl that’s out of his league. With great performances and a number of amazing guest appearances it’s a great pick if you’re looking for something both smart and funny…

The Players:

Director: Miguel Arteta
Writer: Gustin Nash (screenplay) and C.D. Payne (novel)
Actors: Michael Cera, Portia Doubleday, Jean Smart, Zach Galifianakis, Steve Buscemi, Fred Willard, Ray Liotta, Justin Long and Ari Graynor
Music: John Swihart
Animation Director of Photography: Ivan Abel

The Plot:

Nick Twisp is a teen who loves Sinatra, Fellini, and never gets any. He falls in love with the beautiful, free-spirited neighbor on a trip out of town and will do anything to be near her again. Sadly he can’t do it alone, he needs his alter ego Francois, a capri wearing, chain smoking Frenchmen to help him get the job down.

The Good:

Animation: The film begins with a great stop-frame animation and goes back to it whenever needed. It was extremely well done and well used to help the story when needed. It gave it that perfect handmade touch that it needed.
Michael Cera: Yet again, Cera excels as the nerdy high school boy who wants to get laid but just can’t figure out how. He was phenomenal as this character in “Arrested Development” and he still is. I can’t help but be a little curious as to when he’ll stop playing a teenager seeing as he’s in his 20′s now. At least we get to see him tackle a different character when Twisp’s alter ego Francois comes out. He shows that he definitely has potential for different types of characters, now if someone would just give him a chance and cast him in something different.
Music: It’s great to see a film take risks and succeed. Their score is in no way typical but it lends itself perfectly to the film. It’s fun, quirky, and off the wall in all the right ways.
Screenplay: The film played with a lot of cliches in a fun and interesting ways and was able to create it’s own individuality through a multitude of story-lines that we’ve seen before. It’s a bit zany and eccentric, but well organized, and not without a sweet, cheesy message.
Guest Appearances: You can always tell a quality film when people like Steve Buscemi, Justin Long, or Ray Liotta show up for a couple of scenes just to lend there support. It’s good for the film and fun to watch great actors in solid comedic roles.

The Bad-ish:

Nothing in this movie was “bad” there were just some choices that seemed a little odd to me….

Slow-Mo: They used slow motion a number of times to help emphasize certain comedic moments. At times they used it perfectly and it got huge laughs from the audience. Others times, it just felt odd and like they were buying time when they didn’t need to. It almost felt like they were taking the slow-mo a little too seriously instead of letting it be what it needed to be… the cue for a big laugh.
Dialogue: Much like right after watching Juno for the first time, there’s a part of me that loves the dialogue for being so convoluted and another part that can’t stand it because it constantly takes you out of the moment because you can’t help but notice it. It’s a toss up.

Overall:

The film is fun, easy to watch, and definitely has moments that you won’t soon forget. The performances are amazing across the board and for those of you looking for something different and enjoyable to watch, this is definitely a great film for you.

In theaters starting January 8th!

Rating: 7.5/10

Photo Gallery:

Trailer:

Have you seen the film? If so, let us know what you thought!

Official Scott Pilgrim vs The World Photo

Krystal Clark — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:03:50 +0000

The first official image from Edgar Wright‘s adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World has been released and it’s pretty bad ass. It features star Michael Cera as Pilgrim yielding a sword of fire! If this image is any indication, Scott Pilgrim will be pretty damn good. The above photo is just a close up, but if you check out the full image you’ll notice several other key characters in the background…

Scott Pilgrim has never had a problem getting a girlfriend. It’s getting rid of them that proves difficult. The one that he really yearns for is Ramona, and in order to win her love he’ll have to fight all her psycho ex-boyfriends. She literally has a crew of guys who make it their business to keep all interested suitors at bay, which means Pilgrim has to cut through a lot of red tape. Some of the actors taking on the exes roles include Chris Evans and Brandon Routh.

This photo popped up over at Collider, and from their understanding, this may be a shot from the film’s final battle. It’s a theory I easily concur with because that flaming sword is too awesome to throw in the middle of a movie. You can spot Jason Schwartzman‘s character Gideon, the leader of the League of Evil Exes in the background. Doesn’t he look sharp in that white suit?

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World will hit theaters sometime this year.

Does this film look like the real deal or is it too early to tell?

ScreenCrave.com » Michael Cera

Sundance 2012: End of Love – Movie Review

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Synopsis:

The Good:

The Bad:

Overall:

Rating: 7

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