Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Scott Pilgrim is a sweet, simple, normal guy, much like the previous characters portrayed by Michael Cera (Juno, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist). Aged 23, his life is generally enjoyable with no major problems. No problems, that is, until he meets pink-haired Ramona Flowers (Winstead) at a party and falls in love with her. She may be as sweet as Scott but her history is far less smooth, with seven evil ex-boyfriends standing in the way of their relationship.

This film follows in the tradition of the Michael Cera films we have come to love: a simple enough plot brought to the heights of entertainment by strong characterisation and instant sympathy for out of his depth Scott. However, it departs from the rom-com style through its sheer kick-ass-ness. The evil ex-boyfriends come straight out of video games and superhero films and the fighting scenes do not disappoint.

Scott Pilgrim is the kind of rare pearl that belongs to no genre: it is not a simple spoof of superhero films and it is not a traditional rom-com. Most importantly, it does not try to be any other film. Simply enough, it does not take itself seriously and keeps the feel of its comic-book origins, using effects that you would normally only see in cartoons and in the 1966 Batman. Whilst clearly remaining in the tradition of Michael Cera films, it also draws on the strengths of director Edgar Wright's previous offerings (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead) by playing on the massive differences between the two protagonists.

Ultimately, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is the film to watch to wind down, reaching across the board through its unique mix of kick-ass and sweetness.

Shaun of the Dead

The Shaun of the Dead expertly mixes horror and humour, combining suspense and dry comedy to create a hilarious but also creepy and at times heart-wrenching zombie film. The script, co-written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright centres around Shaun (Simon Pegg) a twenty-something bloke who is just another mindless city-dweller stumbling through his life. The opening segments of the film are some of the sharpest and most comical as Shaun barely notices any changes around him as he makes his way from his play-station to his appliance store job and then to the local pub whilst the city around him slowly becomes infected with the walking dead. It is only the arrival of a drooling, flesh-hungry trespasser that suggests the undead apocalypse may be something more sinister than the dread and routine of everyday life.

The apocalypse narrative dramatizes Shaun’s girlfriend crisis as he tries to rescue his ex and win back her affections. Ironically, Shaun’s best-friend, the slobbish idiot Ed (Nick Frost), tells him his break-up with girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield) is “not the end of the world” whilst zombies pile up at the windows of the Winchester, the local pub, Shaun’s idea of the perfect refuge. In this way, English normality keeps reasserting itself throughout the film as Shaun and Ed return to the sofa for “a sit-down” after beating a zombie to death in their garden. An unmissable comedic triumph unfolds in which Pegg ensures we are all rooting for Shaun; his defeated look melts away when the crisis gives him a chance to become a man of action as he attempts to ensure the survival of his friends.