Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World (2010)

Slacker and aspiring rocker Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) falls in love with an Amazon.com delivery girl named Ramona (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). To win her love, he is unwittingly committed to defeating her seven evil exes in the Mortal Kombat-esque battles.

Although I’m unfamiliar with the source material of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is doesn’t keep me from enjoying this strange little film. Hyper-kinetic, viscerally engaging, the film feels like (not speaking from experience here) like a crack addiction.

The action herein is tongue-in-cheek, steeped in pop culture, and just cool. It’s as if you and Edgar Wright have an inside joke. For those remotely interested in video games (like myself), it’s fun. For those epic gamers, I imagine there’s a whole other layer for you.

Director Edgar Wright—who hasn’t made a bad movie yet—channels Cera’s laid back demeanor and uses it alongside a great supporting cast that includes Kerian Culkin as a snarky gay roommate, Brandon Routh and Chris Evans evil-exes, Allison Pill as a bandmate and an unexpected Jason Schwartzman to create a smart romantic comedy for a younger generation. It’s like You’ve Got Mail for Generation Y.

As I see it, Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World is self-aware without being obnoxious. It’s witty and and stylized and quite possibly Michael Cera’s best to date.