Popcorn-Sized Movie Reviews: Inception and Scott Pilgrim
Here are two popcorn-sized movie reviews (in 250 words or less) you can read on the go.
Everybody dreams, in one meaning of the word or another, and most people are familiar with the beliefs surrounding them: for example, when you fall in your dreams, you die, or in the case of Inception, you wake up.
Innovative director Christopher Nolan, a visionary of our time, takes a basic idea like dreaming and fashions it into a whirlwind of cinematography and storytelling. With expertly shot camera work and a well-rounded cast plucked from various movie genres, Nolan delivers a film that, while low on typical Hollywood excitement, pulls you into its building momentum of a dream within a dream within a dream in which a crew of mind hackers attempt the perhaps unachievable: the inception of an idea.
On screen, Inception lays down the groundwork of everything that’s universal about dreams, and from there spirals into an intelligent film that ticks like clockwork in its excellence and self-control. Romance, drama, suspense, action, and a dab of comedy engulf Nolan’s best production yet, a classic mind-bending film that refuses to stands still and always impresses with its masterful design and thoughtful progression.
Also, Leonardo DiCaprio doesn’t smother the movie, so tween fangirls, steer clear.
Pop culture might infuse Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, which stars the one-note Michael Cera and adapts the popular Oni Press series by Brian Lee O’Malley, but the film promises a richer time that breaks through any audience limitations.
Despite its hit-or-miss humor (especially during the beginning third), Scott Pilgrim brings a surprising charm that wins over moviegoers with its heartfelt story and colorful visuals. Easing into its groove once the ambitious Sex Bob-Omb band member Scott lays his eyes on dream girl Ramona Flowers, the movie sets a fun and knowingly silly beat. The real surprise is the movie’s nicely choreographed and energetic fight scenes, which never feel sloppy camera-wise and allow viewers to easily follow each kick and punch and K.O. to its dramatic finish.
The acting could use some polish, feeling painfully amateur at times, but each character quickly gains a comfortable, though often short-lived, place in the movie. The highlights-knocking power blast of indie music songs and hipster flair trumps any awkward first impressions. Scott Pilgrim might have short-fused at the box office, but it wraps up as an endearing story and a good flick that creatively blends comics and video games with broken hearts and love at first sight.
Want more popcorn-sized movie reviews, low on fat but with all that buttery goodness? Let me know!
