"You're in love with a fantasy."

Film: Midnight in Paris
Year: 2011
Writer/Director: Woody Allen
Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Kurt Fuller, Mimi Kennedy, Michael Sheen, Nina Arianda, Carla Bruni, Alison Pill, Corey Stoll, Tom Hiddleston, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Léa Seydoux. 
Running time: 94 min.
NOTE: This probably has spoilers in it. But by now you should have seen the film, really. If you haven't, I suggest you do straight away.

Let's face it: all of us, at one point or another, have wished that we were born in another era. I myself would have loved to have been around during the transition from silent to sound cinema, living in Hollywood. Gil Pender (Owen Wilson), Woody Allen's latest hero, wishes that he was around in 1920's Paris. While he accepts that he could never go there, he seems intent on creating a life for him and his fiancée Inez (Rachel McAdams) similar to his dream, and insists that they should stay in Paris forever, where they're currently on holiday. Gil is in love with this city, and decides to take a stroll at midnight. He is picked up by a 1920's style car, and transported to the world he has dreamed of. Along his journey he meets people like Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald (Tom Hiddleston and Alison Pill), Ernest Hemingway (Corey Stoll) and Salvador Dalí (Adrien Brody), who all help inspire him while he is writing a novel. Gil goes back to this place every night at midnight, and ends up falling in love with Adriana (Marion Cotillard), who wishes that she was around during the La Belle Époque, which she thinks is the Golden Age of Hollywood, as opposed to 1920's Paris.

DVD--Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

or: Bam! Smack! Woohoo!

One word to sum it up: A.W.E.S.O.M.E.

Me, the self-proclaimed comic book movie nerd that I am, was going to love Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, no doubt about it. The saddest thing about this movie, though, was the fact that it was released to some amazing critical acclaim, and everyone inside movie-world was obsessed with it. Unfortunately, hardly anyone from outside movie-world went to go and see it in it's theatrical release, therefore it flopped. Luckily it flopped gracefully, as it's fan base continue to go on about it today on their blogs and other social networking sites. This movie deserves it. Please, people in the teenage to late 20's age group, don't make the mistake of not seeing it. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is the most visually astounding movie we've seen since Avatar.

Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) plays in a garage band, Sex Bob-Omb with his friends. He dates Knives Chau (Ellen Wong), a high-school girl five years his junior, and he hasn't recovered from being dumped by his former girlfriend, now a success with her own band. When Scott falls for Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), he has trouble breaking up with Knives and tries to romance Ramona. As if juggling two women wasn't enough, Ramona comes with baggage: seven ex-lovers, with each of whom Scott must defeat in order to win Ramona.

Like this years earlier comic book movie release, Kick-Ass, Scott Pilgrim comes off as monumentally cool. But what Scott Pilgrim has over Kick-Ass is the way it is made. Instead of making another generic blockbuster, director Edgar Wright (responsible for such films as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz) has adopted a video game style to aid the story. The whole movie maps out just as if it were a video game (no, not one of those fancy PS3 games that look real...it's more like 90s style), which helps stylize the violence and tone it down a little bit. This concept could have majorly failed, but under strict direction from Wright and carefully placed effects from the rather large visual effects, Scott Pilgrim is a major win. While it's script certainly isn't as stunning as the visuals, Scott Pilgrim is a virtually flawless and amazingly entertaining film.

Finally in a worthy lead role, Michael Cera (NOT the guy from Zomebieland and The Social Network...that is Jesse Eisenberg) hasn't shrugged off his awkward guy exterior he gained from Juno, but he is more bearable in this movie. I couldn't think of a person better suited to the role of Scott Pilgrim, and I'm glad we can see the guy kicking some butt instead of just being...awkward. The film is filled up with a great young ensemble cast, which includes the lovely Mary Elizabeth Winstead from Death Proof, Anna Kendrick from Up in the Air, Alison Pill from Milk, Chris Evans from The Losers and Jason Schwartzman from The Darjeeling Limited. How this film didn't get any recognition at the Golden Globes is beyond me. Not only is this one of the most all-out entertaining movies I have seen this year, but it's also totally deserving of any accolade it can get. I think I have found my latest movie obsession in Scott Pilgrim...or proof that I am getting nerdier by the day. Anyway, Scott Pilgrim is a must see for those who are open minded enough to take it's silly storyline seriously, because those people will be sincerely rewarded.

THE VERDICT: Why did no one go and see this wonderful film in it's theatrical release? Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is so visually stunning and funny that it deserves to be seen for it's great entertainment value.

10/10