I think Michael Cera is mostly a chode.  I haven’t seen Arrested Development, but with films like Year One, and Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist, I choose to just say now.  Sure, I’ll give him some cred for being in a Drunk History episode, but so was Jack Black.  I’m digressing.  I don’t like Cera, so I wasn’t expecting to like him in Scott Pilgrim, but frankly, he kicked ass.

The trailers explained all about the plot.  Pilgrim meets a wicked hot chick that falls for him.  But as it turns out, he’s required (by rules never really explained) to fight and defeat her seven evil exes (these include a former girlfriend during her bi-curious phase, twins she dated at one time, and a movie star).

As everyone knows, the film is based on the comic books.  Edgar Wright and Michael Bacall adapted them to the big screen.  And Wright of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz fame, directed.  The majority of the film plays out as a video game.  Pilgrim frequently earn power ups, gets extra lives, and fights evil exes with mystical powers.  The cast is outrageously good.  Pilgrim’s sister is played by Anna Kendrick (sadly, I have to admit the story lines surrounding her character drag more than the rest of the film), Alison Pill plays a band mate, Kieran Culkin plays the gay roommate.  Aubrey Plaza, Chris Evans, Jason Schwartzman, Brandon Routh, the cast just goes on and on, and they’re great.

The references to scores of video games from the eighties and nineties will be greatly appreciated by those in my age bracket.  The effects are nothing to smirk at either.  Wright really knew what he was doing with pacing as well.  My greatest fear was a really slow beginning, and a boring ‘training phase’ where we would have to watch Cera learn all his impressive movies, but no.  The action starts from the beginning, and keeps you at the edge of your seat until the end.  This is fine summer entertainment.  And you should all go see it as soon as possible.  And bring a friend, the movie is bombing at the box office.

3.5 out of 4 stars

Fantastic Mr. Fox takes a whole lot of genius, mixes it up, and turns it in to cinematic gold.  Take one great story by Roald Dahl, combine it with the unique vision of Wes Anderson, mix in a little of the frighteningly pessimistic and hilarious Noah Baumbach, along with the voices of some of the best actors around, and you’ve got a film that promises to knock the socks off all those aged five to ninety nine.

Mr. Fox (George Clooney) is a suave, thrill-seeking fox, married to one Mrs. Fox (Meryl Streep).  When Mrs. Fox becomes pregnant, Mr. Fox is pressured into promising to quit his dangerous job of stealing chickens, and becomes a columnist for a newspaper.  He keeps his promise for years.  His son grows up to be Ash, an eccentric little fellow voiced by Jason Schwartzman.  Mrs. Fox’s nephew Kristofferson (Eric Anderson), who’s father is sick with double pneumonia, comes to live with the family, who move into a beautiful tree home near dangerous bird farmers that hate foxes.  Ash and Kristofferson keep a lively competition of greatness throughout the film that is endlessly entertaining.  The temptation, being so close in proximity, is too great for Mr. Fox, and he stages one last, great heist, that throws the entire local animals population into chaos.

The animation is a mix of computer graphics and stop-motion techniques.  The ads promise Fantastic Mr. Fox to be something you’ve never seen before, and I attest, this is the case.  It’s a beautiful film, filled with colors and effects that lure you into the wonderful mind of Mr. Dahl.  Anderson and Baumbach adapted the story into what is simply one of the best scripts of the years.  Besides the main cast, the peripheral characters are tremendous, voiced by Owen Wilson, Michael Gambon, Willem Dafoe and Bill Murray just to name a few.  Jason Schwartzman’s character Ash really steals the show, with perfect comedic timing, and some of the most quotable stuff we’ve heard all year.

The cliches really do apply to this film  This is hilarious, touching, crowd-pleasing, and certainly one of the best films of the year.  A must-see for everyone!

4 out of 4 stars

Having finally watched this film, I’ve now exposed myself to Anderson’s entire oeuvre (yeah, I know it’s only 5 feature length films, and one short film, but still…).  All were a hit except for that one misstep, ‘The Life Aquatic,’ and we’ll pretend that never happened.

Rushmore was written through a team effort from Anderson himself and his college buddy Owen Wilson (which explains the Luke Wilson cameo).   The film follows Max Fischer (played by Jason Schwartzman) and his overly ambitious endeavors at his prep school, Rushmore.  This is Schwartzman’s first film, and has since entertained us with his hilarity in movies like I Heart Huckabees and Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. At Rushmore, Max befriends Herman Blume (Bill Murray), the father of some of his fellow classmates, and falls in love with elementary school teacher Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams).  The three promptly fall into a quirky love triangle in classic French New Wave style.

I like to think of Wes Anderson as a sort of Tim Burton on Prozac.  Not to say Anderson is any less original than Burton, but he has a totally original, distinctive, and pleasing style.  His more recent projects The Darjeeling Limited, and The Royal Tenenbaums follow in the same suit.

Rushmore is hilarious and doesn’t depend on the crassness and potty humor trend that comedies seem to be following these days.  Murray and Schwartzman make a great team and I wish they’d work together again, (Side note: although they both haven’t actually been in the same film together since, they both went on to star in films directed by Sophia Coppola who is Schwartzman’s cousin.  Once again, proof that all the things I love are interconnected).

I’ve heard this film described as a ‘boy movie.’  But it’s not true.  This film is for everyone!

3 out of 4 stars

Rottentomatoes: 86% – Cream of the Crop: 76%

Rated R for language and brief nudity.

(If you decide to buy this film, be sure and get the Criterion Collection edition, and read the blog ‘Stuff White People Like’ about Wes Anderson films.)