Trailer (or) Trash? Scott Pilgrim, The Expendables, & The Back-Up Plan

This is a new weekly feature I'm trying out on my blog. I pick several movie trailers making the rounds and review them, based on presentation, my prior knowledge of the production and/or source material, and my pre-existing prejudices against the actors/filmmakers. I am a movie nerd after all. This is TRAILER (or) TRASH?

#1: Scott Pilgrim Vs The World



Right now, I have all the Scott Pilgrim volumes thus far downloaded onto my hard drive, but I haven't had the chance to even begin them yet. So I'll just rely on what I've seen here.

Edgar Wright can do no wrong, as far as I'm concerned. Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz are two fantastic movies, and this movie looks like the closest transition from comic-to-screen since Sin City. There is a strong Speed Racer vibe going on, and critics murdered that movie (but I loved it), but Wright is held in way higher regard than the Wachowski Brothers nowadays.

Apparently, the casting of Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim is causing outrage in the nerd community, due to him being (apparently) NOTHING like the character in the book. While I won't know for sure until I read it, I am a huge Cera fan. Liked him in Arrested Development, loved Superbad, and I even enjoyed the recent Youth In Revolt. He has a good track record with me (Year One aside). I hope for the best with this movie.


#2: The Expendables



Stage 3 of Sylvester Stallone's comeback. The first two (Rocky Balboa and Rambo) were successful, and this one should prove to be as well. It seems Stallone has given Jason Statham most of the speaking parts, because of the main characters (Stallone, Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, AHNOLD!) he's the only one that can talk.

I have a theory about movies chock-full of popular movie stars; they suck. Look at the lame-ass Ocean's Eleven series. It's like there's a rule: the more famous faces you cram into two hours' runtime, the less thought put into its making. I don't think they're trying to win an Oscar with this movie, but I hope Sly spent more than two hours writing it.

#3: The Back-Up Plan



When I first heard about a movie called "The Back-Up Plan," I thought, 'FINALLY, a romantic comedy about anal!'

This seems like it should be coming to CBS this fall, starring J.Lo. Who let her back in movies? She had a string of bombs from 2002 to 2006 so bad that I'm surprised the Eastern seaboard isn't still a pile of rubble.

And seriously, Eric Christian Olsen? I like you man, but you need to learn some discernment. Go back and become a regular on the show Community, that show is awesome. Or sign on for Fired Up 2. That movie was surprisingly funny.

I can only hope this movie flops so we can send Lopez back to her cave. She needs to get back there, Marc Anthony is lonely.

By the way, go see Kick-Ass. Seriously, it's amazing.