Kevin's Watch

Zarathustra wrote:

Syl wrote: part... I dunno, Zombieland

Cag, have no fear of raising my expectations too high. This just shot them right back down.

Well, I'm not sure Zombieland was the best pick (though I liked Zombieland. Hell, I liked Adventureland, but wouldn't think of it as a comedy). 500 Days of Summer would probably be closer. It's just that there's a kind of zeitgeist to modern humor. It's... affectedly apathetic, but other than that, I could almost compare it to Trains, Planes, and Automobiles. Angst with a dash of the absurd. Have you seen Kung Fu Hustle? Subtract the Asian sensibility, substitute the martial arts motif for video games, and it's pretty much the same.

Wooooo! Saw this last night and loved it! It was a movie I was worried would be some generational thing that I would not enjoy (i'm 44). But, geez! I had a blast! Visuals were great! The music was OK (fit the movie), and all the actors were great too!.. especially Culkin.
Being from Toronto, it was very weird to see Toronto being played as Toronto, and not Mew York or Chicago or some other major US metropolis. Refreshing.
As for Scott Pilgirm's ability to have many girlfriends?... simple, really: he's in a band (duh!) and despite being geeky, he DOES actually ask women out (which is more than can be said for most of us nerds at hs age...)
I was laughing through almost the whole movie, and will definately pick this up on Blueray

Zarathustra wrote:

Syl wrote: part... I dunno, Zombieland

Cag, have no fear of raising my expectations too high. This just shot them right back down. Zombieland was the final straw in movies which my 17-yr-old loved, but I hated. The movie after which I swore to never listen to another one of his recommendations again. And it had the *other* geeky young actor I can't stand (for a while I thought he and Cera were the same guy, until Ki pointed out that there are two wimpy/geeky actors getting roles in movies I don't like lately). When I was talking about a trend in geeks pining over girls out of their league, I was thinking specifically of him in Adventureland (another teenager recommendation). Uhg.

Well, then maybe you shouldn't bother. I definitely liked this much more than Zombieland, but I did think Zombieland was a lot of fun, particularly the short-lived Bill Murray moments. Though I do have to admit I didn't think much of Adventureland. However, Jesse whateverhisname didn't bug me as much as the crappy actress playing the love interest (and now in the Twilight movies).

Zarathustra wrote:

Cag wrote:Much like Napoleon Dynamite was to me.

ND was one of those movies you have to see more than once to truly appreciate its subtle, atmospheric character humor. A classic.

I suppose, though I don't know if I could sit through this movie length Saturday Night Live skit again.
Since we are comparing geeks, Napoleon Dynamite seemed so more of a caricature to me, and a bit mean-spirited as well. Maybe I'd have to see it again, but he just seemed like a jock dressing up on Halloween as a nerd and playing it to the hilt. However, I've always been pretty geeky, but in high school I was in a band, and had a few invitations to date girls out of my league. I did have the brains to realize they were out of my league, and my overactive jealousy at the time would have killed me to date them, and I would have probably sabotaged it all. So I guess that is why these movies you are describing seem a bit more real to me than the cartoon that is Napoleon Dynamite, although I have known and hung out with a few Napoleon Dynamites. But for the uber-geeks, the geeks in Freaks & Geeks seemed considerably more true to me.

Zombieland: I did enjoy the Bill Murray scenes. And Woody was pretty good. It was the main character's story I didn't enjoy.

Napolean was a caricature in an entire cast of caricatures. But I thought the movie consciously played up the cartoony aspect, rather than portraying it as literal. I can't say that I knew actual people in high school that reminded me of Napolean, but he felt so familiar that I could see bits of him in lots of different people.

However, I've always been pretty geeky, but in high school I was in a band, and had a few invitations to date girls out of my league. I did have the brains to realize they were out of my league, and my overactive jealousy at the time would have killed me to date them, and I would have probably sabotaged it all. So I guess that is why these movies you are describing seem a bit more real to me than the cartoon that is Napoleon Dynamite, although I have known and hung out with a few Napoleon Dynamites. But for the uber-geeks, the geeks in Freaks & Geeks seemed considerably more true to me.

Perhaps I never should have taken the route of argument I did in this thread. We are, after all, on a fantasy author's fan site. In some circles, we'd all be considered geeks. I dabbled in D&D as a youth (which, if I'm not mistaken, is the first warning sign of severe geekdom ). My favorite band is Rush (not the coolest guys in rock). I'm open to the possibility that my reaction to this character type stems from these themes hitting a little too close to home. I don't consider myself geeky now, but I was dangerously close in high school. For me, it was something to overcome, not something to celebrate with celluloid heroes. I didn't mean to step on any toes.

No toes stepped on here. Everybody's got their own aesthetics, and what seems real to them. I feel I occasionally break free of my geekdom, but for the most part, I guess it is part of who I am and try to accept it.

Zarathustra wrote:I dabbled in D&D as a youth

Respect.

I don't consider myself geeky now, but I was dangerously close in high school. For me, it was something to overcome, not something to celebrate with celluloid heroes. I didn't mean to step on any toes.

LOL... I guess I was (almost) always comfortable in my nerd/geek shoes. I definately WAS a nerd/geek (not sure what the difference it), being an avid player of D&D, loving Rush, Yes, and Saga in those days... But I guess I had some saving graces that kept me from being picked on like other of my kind... I played lots of sports with the jocks (I was a great goalie for hockey), and I played drums in a garage band.
So perhaps this movie also struck close to home. It was cool to see this geeky kid do so well, and how the 'fantastic' elements were just taken in stride, like stuff like the COULD happen.

Well, it's kinda a fact that the geeks of yesterday are the bankers and movie makers of today...
Oh, and I still play D&D...

*Most draw attention away from Z*

Speaking of actors that ruin movies, The Rock sucked because Nicolas Cage was in it.

*Run for shelter!*

But I understand the repulsion some actors can have... I really don't want to see this movie either because of Micheal Cera. I'm almost certain he'll ruin it like Cage does with every movie he's in. I may see it eventually, but I'm not paying for it, and free pizza and Coke better be involved!

Which is a shame, because wasn't this movie produced by the same people that did Hot Fuzz and Shawn of the Dead?

There aren't too many actors that I can't look beyond them to watch the movie, truth be told. Hell, if I can endure Keanu Reeves in a few good movies (Matrix, My Own Private Idaho (which admittedly he was actually fairly good in), Bill & Ted movies which admittedly he was suited for), then I can endure most actors.
For me, though, I just can't take Andie MacDowell. She takes me out of the movie each time I see her annoying face on screen. I actually liked her at first in Truth, Lies and Videotape, but I'm afraid to see that movie again because I have grown to scoff whenever she is on screen now. Other than her, I can endure Keanu, Winona Ryder (whom I used to just love until I finally saw what a bad actress she is), and Kevin Costner (why was he never interesting again after Silverado?...and yeah yeah Dances With Wolves, blah blah blah).
Hell, this needs a new thread.

saw it with my son and girlfriend on fathers day - I saw the trailer at Inception and thought it looked like good fun ..

when I later learnt it had been directed by Edgar Wright, the guy who did Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, I was even more psyched.

But ultimately it didn't really meet my expectations.
The humour didn't really do it for me, and Cera, who I've always liked, was starting to wear a little thin by the end of the film.

Like I said I was pretty keen on Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz.
Initially I enjoyed SotD a lot more than Hot Fuzz, but upon return viewings I've come to see Hot Fuzz as one of the most enjoyable comedies I've seen since the Big Lebowski.

I found Scott Pilgrim, while fun and innovative in parts, to be ultimately a bit one-dimensional and hollow in the end.

Shaun of the Dead was awesome. Hot Fuzz was okay. Maybe I'll have to give it try, after reading SO's points.

Orlion, thanks for the cover!

Nick Cage was good in only two movies: Raising Arizona, and Adaptation. In every other movie, he's just aweful. I can't explain it.

Zarathustra wrote:

Cagliostro wrote:... you should see it before pass final judgment.

That's certainly true. It bugs me when people judge things they haven't seen. All I can say is that the premise and the promotional material turned me off. I'll check it out on Blu-ray once it comes out.

After finally seeing it, I can now officially say that this is one of the worst movies I've ever seen. I didn't realize it was possible to hate fictional characters this much. Maybe "hate" is too strong of a word, because that would imply that the movie actually had a strong impact on me. Really, I just wanted to slap them and tell them to shut the f*ck up. Pilgrim should have stuck with the Asian chick. She was the only character in the movie that seemed human and interesting. I have no idea why Pilgrim liked the walking hair color caricature. She might as well have been CGI. But I suppose that's the way love is in video games. Always chasing after some damn quirky princess without a clue why. The formula, graphics, and sound effects are all that matter. In that respect, this truly was an amazingly accurate tribute to video games.

Scott Pilgrim vs the World was one of the best movies I saw last year. Bought the Blu Ray as soon as it appeared.

I also enjoyed Napoleon Dynamite, which someone mentioned.

I'm in my mid 30s if we are bringing age into it.

well I am mid-40s and I loved the movie!
to each his own....

I also genuinely love Scott Pilgrim, having seen it just this past weekend. I am in my late 30's, getting later every second...

And I must confess that I just don't get ND. I watched it, and fell asleep halfway through the movie. I hardly ever fall asleep watching movies, and when I do, it is a clear sign. If the TV is on, I must watch it, to the exclusion of all else. But my brain will rarely go into self-preservation mode, as a way of keeping me from wasting time on something that I don't get. So, what are the other movies I have shut down on, you ask? Well, since you asked, they include:

Carnosaur -- I absolutely love 'B' horror movies, but there is only so much a man can take

Pulp Fiction -- I eventually watched the whole thing, and I regret it, because that movie s-u-c-k-s (but the Kill Bill's are awesome, so it isn't just a Tarantino thing)

The Godfather I, II, III -- I have never made it through these movies. I just can't pretend to like the mob/wiseguys genre, and though I accept these movies as masterpieces of their genre, it's the genre I dislike the most. I'll watch a cheesy rom-com before I'll watch a mob film. And I f'in h-a-t-e rom-coms.

Across the Universe -- multiple hours of pointless quasi-music video for the Beatles catalogue. Full brain shut-down ensued. The real surprise is that I ever woke up afterwards...

dw

Well, Z, I was wondering when you'd see it.
I got the blu-ray for Xmas and my family watched it and loved it, and they are not videogame heads like me. And yeah, the movie is the equivalent of a brainless pop song, but has a good beat and you can dance to it. I occasionally like movies like this, and found this one to be pretty clever. But yeah, I wasn't in it for the character establishment; I liked it for the flash and funny. And no, I didn't get why he was pursuing what's her name either. I would have totally stuck with Knives.

Cagliostro wrote:I didn't get why he was pursuing what's her name either. I would have totally stuck with Knives.

Nahh...Scott belongs with Rammy.

It's like Starship Troopers. Johnny Rico belongs with Carmen. Sure, Dizzy is cooler and less of a bitch. But it's just not meant to be.

lol

Cagliostro wrote:And no, I didn't get why he was pursuing what's her name either. I would have totally stuck with Knives.

I think if it weren't for these two aspects, I could have liked the movie okay. Nothing else about it bugged me as much. I can recognize it's dorky cleverness, even if I can't relate. There was one moment near the end when Pilgrim was fighting the main evil ex--I suppose you'd call him a "Boss" in the game lingo--where I was honestly impressed with the energy of the visuals. It felt like a Japanese cartoon fight. The cuts and the lights and the movement actually generated some excitement for me. That was surprising, to feel an emotional reaction from a little bit of editing.

However, I'm a character guy. (That's why I love Donaldson.) I couldn't get past how crappy Pilgrim was to Knives (kind of how people react to Lena's rape, which is weird because Pilgrim didn't rape anyone). I was trying to be respectful while watching it with my son--it was his Christmas present and I didn't want to be a dick and ruin the experience for him (hey, that's what I've got you guys for ), but I couldn't stop the rage from spilling out of me when Pilgrim was too much of a wimp to break up with Knives openly, and at least give her the dignity of being honest. Before I could stop the words, I exclaimed, "Pilgrim is such a little shit!" I felt bad immediately afterwards, and a little shocked that I had said it out loud. Unlike Covenant, I was never able to forgive Pilgrim, and that's a deal breaker for me.

(Yes, I took it way too seriously.)

However, I'm a character guy. (That's why I love Donaldson.) I couldn't get past how crappy Pilgrim was to Knives (kind of how people react to Lena's rape, which is weird because Pilgrim didn't rape anyone). I was trying to be respectful while watching it with my son--it was his Christmas present and I didn't want to be a dick and ruin the experience for him (hey, that's what I've got you guys for ), but I couldn't stop the rage from spilling out of me when Pilgrim was too much of a wimp to break up with Knives openly, and at least give her the dignity of being honest. Before I could stop the words, I exclaimed, "Pilgrim is such a little shit!" I felt bad immediately afterwards, and a little shocked that I had said it out loud. Unlike Covenant, I was never able to forgive Pilgrim, and that's a deal breaker for me.

LOL... classic. it's funny how many people say this. But that's the point! He was a dick! and that's why he died! He used his 1up to ask for forgiveness, AND kick boss-ass....
I downloaded the digital copy to my phone ... need a chuckle on the subway...

That's exactly what I started to type out last night, Usivius. This isn't a 'geek gets the girl' movie. As slightly unbelievable as Cera makes it seems, Pilgrim gets around. Kim and the swearing girl (or wait, was that his sister?) aren't the bitches they seem at first. He's dating an infatuated high schooler because his ego's been bruised by his last girlfriend, who became a frikkin' rock star, dumping him. Fighting the seven deadly exes isn't all triumph of the little guy; it's also him getting his karma rebate. And I felt 'gaining the power of self-respect' was more than a clever plot device, but a rather refreshing nod to accepting responsibility for one's predicaments.

If this was that kind of movie, yeah, Pilgrim would've gone with Knives. She's the great girl that the guy usually notices has been there right in front of him the whole time. She's the Veronica to Dante's Kaitlyn. The movie points out the problem with this logic that Clerks only addresses by Veronica's absence in the sequel - no self-respecting girl should settle for pity, and there's something to be said for desire, whether it's wrong-headed or not.

I don't know about anyone else, but I've dated girls like Knives (not Asian. I mean ones that put you on a pedestal). It's both too much to live up to and a little boring. It's like masturbating, except you don't feel guilty for using your hand once you realize you're doing it.