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| Left to right: Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead |
Welcome to Alternative to What: a weekly column that tries to find a great alternative to driving to the multiplexes. Based on releases of that week, the selections will either be thematically related or feature recurring cast and crew. The goal is to help you better understand the diversity of cinema and hopefully find you some favorites while saving a few bucks. At worse, this column will save you money. Expect each installment to come out on Fridays, unless specified.
THIS WEEK:
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
- Alternative To -
- Alternative To -
Ant-Man (2015)
It may seem like the petty vote to attack Ant-Man this week. It is the latest Marvel movie and the first introduction to a "new" character in quite some time. With reports that it doesn't have much attachment to the other films in the franchise, it has quite an honor of being a unique and fun experience. With director Peyton Reed at the helm, there's promise that it will be a blend of action and comedy akin to his work on the great Bring It On. With Paul Rudd also in tow, there's plenty to be hopeful for, provided that you are looking for a good escapist superhero film that will fill you with wonderment and awe after the slow period following The Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Yet, it seems more petty to note that I am disappointed for a different reason. While I trust in Reed's sensibilities, I have been following the production stories of the film for some time. One of the biggest disappointments is that Edgar Wright was originally attached to direct it. While in hindsight, it makes some sense why a distinguished director wouldn't make a film that is specific in cinematography, it seems like kind of a loss. The director has four impressive films under his belt that reflect why he is at very least going to be remembered when he retires. He is someone who loves cinema, but still brings something new to it with each passing entry. He is, if nothing else, compelling to watch.
For the best exhibit, check out Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. While many will likely accuse the film's lack of success to Michael Cera fatigue, it ended up becoming one of the strangest cult films in the past decade. It wasn't just about adapting Bryan Lee O'Malley's work into a manic onscreen blast of energy. It was about creating something that embodied the nerd culture of the time with various small references in between scenes of Millennials falling in love and experiencing the world through the gaze of video games. This isn't just a film, but a full-on embodiment of what the modern generation experiences in an average daydream. Or, at least the nerds do.
Yet, it seems more petty to note that I am disappointed for a different reason. While I trust in Reed's sensibilities, I have been following the production stories of the film for some time. One of the biggest disappointments is that Edgar Wright was originally attached to direct it. While in hindsight, it makes some sense why a distinguished director wouldn't make a film that is specific in cinematography, it seems like kind of a loss. The director has four impressive films under his belt that reflect why he is at very least going to be remembered when he retires. He is someone who loves cinema, but still brings something new to it with each passing entry. He is, if nothing else, compelling to watch.
For the best exhibit, check out Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. While many will likely accuse the film's lack of success to Michael Cera fatigue, it ended up becoming one of the strangest cult films in the past decade. It wasn't just about adapting Bryan Lee O'Malley's work into a manic onscreen blast of energy. It was about creating something that embodied the nerd culture of the time with various small references in between scenes of Millennials falling in love and experiencing the world through the gaze of video games. This isn't just a film, but a full-on embodiment of what the modern generation experiences in an average daydream. Or, at least the nerds do.
It isn't just in the visual cues that Wright brings to the film. He also has various background gags that reward repeat viewings. He has music cues that only specific people will get. To fully understand Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is to enter into a lexicon of definitions and ideas and hope to come out with your sanity. It is the type of film that shouldn't be as effectively executed as it is. The supporting cast is equally as strong, specifically Allison Pill as the cynical Kim Pines. It may not take a nerd to like the movie, but it may take on to love it. That is why its continual reference in pop culture as one of the most beloved non-superhero comic book adaptations is still rightfully odd.
The film hints at what Wright may have brought to Ant-Man if given time. It isn't entirely clear why the two parted ways. However, there's enough technical prowess on display here to make you think of how dizzying and exciting it could have been. Maybe we wouldn't get Marvel conventional, but we would get something unique to the superhero genre. Wright is a nerd who enjoys skewering genres. While this is his only non-British specific film, it manages to be probably his biggest calling card, defining why he matters. It isn't just the editing or direction. It is the passion.
So, is Ant-Man going to be any good without him? That's a good question. If anything, it enters into the pantheon of hypothetical scenarios now. I am sure that Reed will bring a smooth eye to the film, seeing more directly with Marvel's vision. Even then, one cannot help but wonder if maybe, just maybe, Ant-Man could have been Wright's breakout stateside. How differently would the mainstream see him? I don't know exactly, but I am glad that he exists and even more-so that Scott Pilgrim vs. the World proves that nerdy movies can be made with the right people behind the camera.
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