You too can be Pilgrimized!

See that picture to the right? See my new profile picture? Pretty cool right? Now where would I, and perhaps you, get something like that? I'll tell you, dear reader. On the official website for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, users can create an avatar based on the drawings of Brian Lee O'Malley. You can choose gender, skin, hair, eyes, clothes, accesories, etc. to make it just your own. It'll even give you a rating to tell you how epic your avatar is. How awesome is that?

Give it a try. The site is listed on the bottom of this picture, along with the release date for the movie. Mark your calendars, it's going to be AWESOME!

Movie Review: The Sorcerer's Apprentice

Last Sunday my mother and I went to see this new Disney offering, as we're both fantasy fans. I liked it, she didn't. We're different people, she and I.

In this expansion and update of both the Goethe poem and Disney's Mickey Mouse-starring cartoon short from Fantasia, the titular sorcerer Balthazar Blake (Nicholas Cage), a magic maker from the age of Merlin, must train the titular apprentice Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel), who may be the prophesied heir to Merlin's legacy. They try to accomplish this while attempting to defeat an evil sorcerer named Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina), trying to bring back supreme evil sorceress Morganna Le Fey to power, and Dave trying to impress the girl of his dreams (Teresa Palmer) from his physics class. All of this takes place in modern day Manhattan, and the film makes good use of the city and it's scenery.

Let me just start right off the bat. Were there gaping plot holes in this? Absolutely. Was some of the dialogue stilted and uninspired? Check and check. Could this whole project have been so much better. An emphatic yes. But you know what? I still liked it. The story, however thin, was enough to hold my interest. The actors were charming. There were some genuinely funny moments. And the climax was pretty cool. Plus, in a movie with magic and fantasy, director Jerry Bruckheimer managed to fit in a car chase. Like I'd expect anything else.

My Verdict: Don't go in with overly high expectations, but just enjoy it for what it is: A fun, dumb summer movie.

Movie Review: Despicable Me

Another late addition to my Summer Movie list, but boy am I glad I added it. Without overselling it, let me say that Despicable Me could be one of the best movies I've seen yet this summer, animated or otherwise.

Steve Carell voices Gru, a super-villain with a plan to get back in the big leagues after being upstaged by a young wannabe villain. In order to accomplish this plan, however, he takes in three young girls, who then proceed to turn his life and his goals upside down.

Despicable Me is one of those rare movies that walks that fine line of being sweet but not too sweet, and does so beautifully. Gru's relationship with the girls, however unusual, feels real and unforced. The mix of humor, action and heart blends nicely together.

The voice work is great here. Carell gives Gru an Eastern-European-esque accent that brings to mind Dr. Strangelove. Jason Segel, Miranda Cosgrove, Will Arnett and even Julie Andrews are all here as well. The one that really impressed me was Russel Brand, playing an elderly scientist who works with Gru. The comedian demonstrates some range here; for those only familiar with Aldous Snow, you'll be surprised by what he pulls off.

The 3D is made good use of here, especially during the end credits, and there's great music as well. And the minions...oh my God, the minions. So adorable and so hilarious, speaking a made up language that is surprisingly understandable.

My Verdict: A great surprise for a summer movie, and one that will likely join Toy Story 3 in the Best Animated Feature category next Oscars.

Book Review: Scott Pilgrim Volumes 1-5

Thanks to the power of a good movie trailer, I have borrowed and read all five volumes of Bryan Lee O'Malley's indie comic series Scott Pilgrim. I can now see why there's so much popularity and why a movie was made. The whole thing was highly addictive, fresh, hilarious, action packed and surprisingly deep. How many comic books can boast all of that?

You see, Scott Pilgrim, our main protagonist, is a 23 year old slacker with only a band, a teenage girlfriend and a staggering number of video game hours logged to his name. Things change when he meets Ramona Flowers, a hip ninja delivery girl for Amazon.ca. There's a slight catch to dating Ramona, however...she has 7 Evil Ex's that Scott must defeat. Over the next few volumes he tackles an assortment of villains in video-game style showdowns, as well as his own relationship history and coming to terms with being a grown-up.

What's truly surprising about all of this is how well the fantasy element works with the heavier stuff. Yes, it's real life set in a video game, but boy do you buy into it. Basically the evil ex's are metaphors for the emotional baggage so many people bring into a relationship, and the interplay between the characters can suck you in just as much as the awesome action.

Plus, everything is set in Toronto! I got so excited as I read through the books and recognized landmarks like Casa Loma and Dundas Square. And there's a bit of a professional connection. O'Malley cut his comic book teeth by working at The Beguiling, the Toronto based comic distributor that my library gets all their comic books from.

So, that just leaves Volume 6, the final chapter in Scott's quest where he will face off against Ex #7, the mysterious Gideon Graves. That's out on the 20th, and I'll have to read it quickly so I'll be ready for the August 13th release of Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, the hopefully epic film adaptation. Keep your eyes peeled for my takes on both.

Trailer for Paranormal Activity 2 released: Too scary?

The trailer for Paranormal Activity 2 was released with the new Twilight movie, and already there's buzz around it, because not only is it fairly horrifying, but many are arguing that it's too scary for the younger Twi-hards watching the movie. Some people in Texas have apparently complained about it, and it's been pulled from several theatres in that state. I've watched it online, and yeah it is startling, and maybe it's even worse when it's up on the big screen in a darkened theatre, but it's not graphic and it's pretty short, so no I don't think the trailer in and of itself is too scary, but it does show promise that the movie it promotes will have some chills, maybe as much as it's predecessor (see my previous post).

Ew.com had a great post about the PA2 trailer, and poses the question of what other trailers and TV spots have sent chills down the viewers spine. Clark Collis, the author of the post, lists the trailers for Phantasm, the remake for Dawn of the Dead and The Shining, and he includes youtube videos of each one and for the PA2 spot. I have to agree with the Shining trailer, which is simple (only focusing on one particularly jarring scene), elegant and terrifying, much like the film itself. And as freaky as that elevator scene is, you have to admit it's beautifully shot, and the music itself is enough to give you nightmares. Phantasm looked nonsensical and the 2004 DotD trailer was short and to the point but not overly scary. One trailer that freaked me out as a kid was, and this is embarrassing to admit, from one of the Tales of the Crypt movies. Give me a break, I was just a kid!

Any trailers that have scared the heck out of you? Post away.

Movie Review: Toy Story 3

First of all, Happy Canada Day! May the maple leaf wave forever and all her loyal citizens sport red and white with pride. So how did I choose to spend this special day? By going to see a movie, natch.

Yeah, so Toy Story 3...11 years in the making and the latest chapter in the ground-breaking, hugely beloved series, we finally got to see Woody, Buzz and the whole gang back for another adventure. You know what? The damn film was amazing, but it made me freakin' cry. Not just getting me misty eyed, but full-blown tears rolling down my face. And like with Up, another Disney/Pixar masterpiece, I was glad I was wearing 3D glasses so no one could see my red watery eyes.

But it wasn't just a few scenes that touched me. The movie as a whole gave me a rollercoster of emotions. I'm still reeling as I write this, several hours after the fact. The plot hits on several themes of growing-up and changing lives as the toys deal with their owner Andy getting ready to move to college. With the gang worrying that they're going to be thrown away they wind up at a daycare, one where the kids play too rough and things aren't at all what they seem. We're introduced to new toys, treated to a lot of action, all in the complete CGI 3D treatment, and the lingering question: Does Andy still care about his toys, and if not what will happen to them now?

I was really shocked by how dark some of the scenes were. The first two movies had their unsettling moments as well, but 3 took it to an unprecedented level. I was sure some young kids in the movie would be bawling not from the touching scenes, but from the scary ones, though thankfully I heard no terrified kid sounds as I watched. There were some funny moments as well, and some lighter ones. I loved seeing Ken and Barbie together. The film's ending surprised me, but I felt that it was appropriate, and met the whole theme of Andy's childhood ending and the transitions that brings, and for things coming full-circle for the toys themselves.

My Verdict: A very deep, moving film that I think resonates more with adults than with kids, and satisfyingly completes the saga for these very special characters. One of the best movies I've seen all year.

Now, as a special Canada Day bonus, check out this link on cracked.com entitled 15 Reasons Canada is better than your country. Bonne fete du Canada!