Month: March 2017

Today’s quick review: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) is a bright but inattentive high school senior. When the spring weather proves too nice to waste on school, he fakes an illness to take the day off. With his best friend Cameron (Alan Ruck) and his girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara) at his side, he sets out to pack as much fun into his day of freedom as possible. But not everyone is understanding of Ferris’s “illness”. His sister Jeanie (Jennifer Grey) is fed up with all the stunts her brother gets away with, while Principal Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) is convinced that Ferris is playing hooky. If he wants to seize the day, Ferris must first avoid getting caught.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a charming comedy about playing hooky when you can. Matthew Broderick nails the role of Ferris. His lies have a mischievous, innocent quality to them that make him hard to dislike, even when he is lying about a death in the family or changing his grades on the school computer. Alan Ruck plays Cameron, Ferris’s opposite number, a cautious, nervous boy who goes along with Ferris’s schemes against his better judgment. Much of the charm of the movie comes from their interplay, with Ferris trying to get Cameron to come out of his shell and Cameron acting as a voice of reason. Mia Sara rounds out the trio as Sloane, Ferris’s fun-loving girlfriend, accomplice, and audience.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a light, joyful watch that is worth catching whenever you have the chance. Though not particularly deep, it does have a pair of nice messages about stopping to smell the roses and standing up for yourself. The film sports a number of iconic moments, from the misguided “Save Ferris” campaign to the Chicago parade Ferris runs into. All of the tension and much of the comedy come from Jeanie and Principal Rooney, whose dual attempts to bust Ferris meet with a number of setbacks. Those who are looking for a nice comedy should look no farther: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a pleasant, iconic movie with general appeal.

7.9 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.0 for light comedy and iconic moments.

Today’s quick review: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) leads a mundane life. He is unemployed, shares a small apartment in Toronto, plays bass in an unsuccessful band, and is dating a high schooler as an ego boost. But his life turns to chaos when he meets Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), a pink-haired hipster who moved to Toronto to get away from her past. He successfully asks her out, but their relationship is interrupted when The League of Evil Exes, a group founded by one of Ramona’s ex-boyfriends to control her love life, challenges him to a series of duels. Now Scott must fight and defeat Ramona’s seven evil exes to be able to date the girl of his dreams.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is an intense action comedy based on the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels by Bryan Lee O’Malley. Writer and director Edgar Wright takes his typical punchy, comedic style and cranks it up to eleven, drawing from the free-flowing creativity of the comics to produce a fast-paced, entertaining, and visually spectacular film. His directorial bag of tricks includes visible sound effects, dynamic transitions, surreal dream sequences, hard cuts, split screen reaction shots, subtle aspect ratio changes, dramatic voiceovers, and a host of other techniques designed to give the audience the feeling of reading a comic book. The movie mashes up video game logic, manga visual conceits, and the Toronto indie music scene to give itself a unique flavor, one that geeks of all stripes are bound to enjoy.

From a story perspective, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a film about emotional baggage, owning up to your mistakes, and making something of yourself. Scott is a chronic under-achiever, drifting through life by doing the bare minimum and deferring responsibility to others. His girlfriend Knives Chau (Ellen Wong) is several years too young for him, his way of recovering from a brutal breakup with pop star Envy Adams (Brie Larson) by being the cool one for once. Ramona has her own set of problems; her past is full of unhealthy relationships and bad decisions that have left her jaded. The two collide in spectacular fashion when The League of Evil Exes challenges Scott. For Ramona to escape her past, Scott must defeat her exes in hand-to-hand combat. The couple’s emotional problems play out not through on-screen drama but through stylized fights and the quirky conversations of Scott and his friends.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World has a truly impressive ensemble cast. Michael Cera leads as Scott Pilgrim, conveying just the right blend of selfish underachiever and likable dork. Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays the aloof Ramona Flowers, her icy exterior concealing a wry sense of humor and genuine appreciation for Scott. Ellen Wong completes the love triangle as Knives Chau, an enthusiastic, innocent soul who is crushed when Scott leaves her for Ramona. Kieran Culkin plays Scott’s gay roommate, Wallace Wells, who is a font of wisdom, a relentless gossip, and a masterful heckler.

Scott’s band Sex Bob-Omb consists of Stephen Stills (Mark Webber), a talented guitarist with dreams of a record deal; Kim Pine (Alison Pill), a sarcastic redhead who once dated Scott; and Young Neil (Johnny Simmons), an awkward gamer and younger brother figure. Ramona’s exes include Lucas Lee (Chris Evans), a skater turned actor with an enormous ego; Todd Ingram (Brandon Routh), a vegan bassist with psychic powers; and Gideon Graves (Jason Schwartzman), an insufferable record company hotshot. The cast is rounded out by Stacey Pilgrim (Anna Kendrick), Scott’s helpful younger sister, and Julie Powers (Aubrey Plaza), her vitriolic coworker.

The movie juggles its large cast well. Between the fast-paced plot, the snappy dialogue, and the jaw-dropping action, even the smaller characters get memorable moments. The plot starts fast and never slows down for long. While Scott is fighting Ramona’s exes, Sex Bob-Omb is competing in Toronto’s Battle of the Bands in the hope of landing a record deal. The story rotates between Scott’s personal drama, fight scenes, and Sex Bob-Omb’s musical efforts, so the plot is always moving. The fights themselves are astounding. Each ex brings a different fighting style to the table, and the video game-inspired sequences defy physics, layer on colorful special effects, and show off the film’s impressive stunt choreography. But even in its most dramatic moments, the movie never loses its sense of humor: exes bungle their threats, Scott remains clueless to obvious facts, and Scott’s friends are nonchalant even as Scott fights for his life.

Watch Scott Pilgrim vs. the World if you enjoy fantastic action, magical realism, dorky love stories, quirky humor, indie music, unusual stylization, video games, comic books, manga, or the city of Toronto. Fans of the Scott Pilgrim graphic novels will appreciate the movie’s fidelity to the spirit of the comics and its attention to detail. But be warned: the movie pares down a six-volume story to film length and makes some drastic changes along the way. Most of these are justifiable, but the transition can be jarring for a comics fan.

Those coming into the movie fresh should also be warned that the rules of the universe are never clearly established. How literally to take the film’s surreal events is unclear, and the logic of the universe seems to be made up as the film goes along. These are not serious problems, but they can be off-putting. Just be aware that trying to force too much order onto the film’s smorgasbord of influences will ruin its freewheeling sense of fun.

The film’s other major weakness is that its hipster sensibilities, awkward sense of humor, and flawed protagonists can all be hit or miss. You don’t have to be a fan of all of Scott Pilgrim’s many inspirations to enjoy the film, but it just won’t click for some viewers, even those who might seem to like it on paper. But don’t let the movie’s peculiar nature stop you. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a unique, interesting, and thoroughly enjoyable watch that is well worth two hours of your time.

7.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it an 8.5 for great fights, offbeat humor, and impeccable style.

Today’s quick review: Mr. and Mrs. Smith. John (Brad Pitt) and Jane (Angelina Jolie) Smith are an ordinary suburban couple with an unusual secret: each is a spy for a different agency, unbeknownst to the other. Their superficial life together is interrupted when John and Jane recognize each other on a mission. With their covers blown, their agencies decide to tie up the loose ends and order the Smiths to kill each other. A deadly suburban cat-and-mouse game ensues as John and Jane cope with the dissolution of their marriage even as they try to kill one another.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith is a fun action comedy that crosses the spy genre with the travails of marriage. Angelina Jolie plays the no-nonsense Jane Smith, whose boring suburban life covers a much more dramatic world of espionage and assassinations. Brad Pitt brings his goofy charm to the role of John Smith, a capable spy who goes with his gut more than the rulebook. Their chemistry is great, a mixture of frustration at their sham marriage, professional detachment, and genuine attraction. The irony is that the two connect better as spies than they ever did as an ordinary couple, even if they are trying to kill each other.

Watch Mr. and Mrs. Smith if you are looking for a light, fun watch with plenty of action and plenty of humor. Anyone who has enjoyed Brad Pitt in a movie will like him in Mr. and Mrs. Smith, while Angelina Jolie is the perfect foil to his run-and-gun attitude. The spy aspects of the setting are never fleshed out, so those looking for a fully-realized spy universe or a cohesive spy plot will be disappointed. The deliberately light tone keeps the humor alive in what would otherwise be a tense situation, sacrificing drama for humor. Mr. and Mrs. Smith is not a ground-breaking movie or a must-see, but simply a solid and easy-to-find choice that gives marital strife an amusingly literal form.

6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.5 for good chemistry, a fun sense of humor, and nice action.