Film Illiterate, wherein the proprietor records movies seen, and sporadic progress through assorted lists of the "best". Originally started after regretfully renting something forgettable for the third time. I've forgotten what, but never again! A tedious endeavour since 2005. Hello. 🙂
Much has been made of the way Scott Pilgrim "mimics the structure of a video-game": to win Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), the girl of his dreams, Scott (Michael Cera) must defeat the seven villains who make up the League of Evil Exes. I think it's better to say that it pays homage to classic videogames -- highlights include the theme from Zelda and enemies exploding into showers of coins -- along with film, TV and music.
There are explicit references to boss fights and leveling up, but the lack of those same references in a film like The Matrix made them no less appropriate. (The NES is the new Joseph Campbell.) Which is to say, I think most critics are taking it a little too seriously.
Even what appears to be terrible sexism -- Ramona is a chattel to be traded, is she? -- is belied by her eye-rolling cynicism: why won't these freaks leave her alone already? Part of what makes the film so much fun is the shock of the straight-men.
To some extent, Edgar Wright uses the Family Guy approach to comedy, where a pop-culture reference is assumed to be amusing purely by virtue of its presence. It's funny when the theme from Seinfeld plays over a mundane scene at Scott's apartment; I don't think it will be funny if I watch it again. The sheer absurdity of the vegan sequence certainly won't hold up to repeated viewings.
But as a once off, Scott Pilgrim was the most fun I've had in a cinema since Turkey Shoot.