Late To The Party - Scott Pilgrim vs The World

Late To The Party was inspired by our desire to catch up on some of the biggest films and other media in Pop Culture that we've missed over the years. For this episode, get ready for a trip down memory lane as we delve into the cult classic, 'Scott Pilgrim vs the World.' From its over-the-top scenes to its video game aesthetic, we share our thoughts about what works and what misses the mark in this cultural phenomenon.

IMDb Synopsis: In a magically realistic version of Toronto, a young man must defeat his new girlfriend's seven evil exes one by one in order to win her heart.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to your go-to source for entertainment. Wait for it.

Speaker 2: 0:05

Gaming. Wait for it. Anime Plus Ultra.

Speaker 1: 0:11

Mr Eric Almighty and Phil the Filipino. Yeah, they've got you covered, and all you gotta do is Wait for it.

Speaker 2: 0:35

Hey everyone, welcome back to the Wait for it podcast. I am your co-host, phil Smith, aka Phil the Filipino, and joining me, as always for late to the party is your other co-host, mr Eric Almighty, and folks super happy to be back here for what has been again really, really great series that has presented and given us films of varying levels of success and feedback from us. Eric, I already know and, like I said, you've already kind of picked up on what the vibe is here this morning as we prepare for our Barbenheimer double feature on Sunday, july 23rd. You know you don't allow me to go on social media and reply to people and I have a feeling that this is going to be one that I'm going to have to sit out Just to kind of give you guys an idea of how this went. So, eric, I am excited to have this conversation with you today as we embark on what is the cult classic Scott Pilgrim vs the World.

Speaker 1: 1:34

Yeah, and I mean, this is one of those cult following movies that we missed, and that's the whole theme of this. You know this series and that's what's been great about it is we at least get exposed. We know about it. Did it meet the hype, did it not? There may be some hot takes on here about that from time to time. The Shining we always bring it up numero uno. Does this movie Pass? The Shining is Worst, or does this movie Pass Paddington as the best? Those are our markers for this series, and we're going to find out which one that was for both of us.

Speaker 2: 2:09

And one thing we should start doing, eric, is now that we have joined the letter box, letter box phase, or whatever you want to call it, we should probably add those to our link tree so you guys can start seeing you know what films we've watched, what kind of list we put together. So if you were on letter box, we'll go ahead and add that to our link tree links so you can check those out. And you know what, eric, we should actually start making lists for late to the party, you know, international feature, all that kind of stuff, so people can see you know what we've thought about those films. So that is what I'm about to write right now. So there you go. That's a pretty good idea, yeah let's now.

Speaker 2: 2:40

You guys just saw us peek into the creative process of the Wait for a podcast. It all happens on the fly, so that's pretty much how it goes. So, eric, without further ado, we have a long day ahead of us and again we woke up before we go to go see Oppenheimer and go see Killian Murphy's penis. So let's go ahead and let people know what late to the party is all about, and let's get into this thing.

Speaker 1: 3:01

Jesus that is. That is a hell of an intro. Well late to the party was inspired because we missed some of the biggest films in other media, and pop culture that we just honestly forgot about didn't catch in its prime, and there are so many films that fell under this category that we just had to transport ourselves back in time and watch these films. Today we're going to talk about Scott Pilgrim versus the world, a movie that I think was probably polarizing in 2010 when it came out, and while it was essentially a flop, or at least a box office bomb, it did get such a cold following that people really like kind of were excited for this episode. Phil, I know we had some of our friends from Game of Thrones even really hyped up about it, so super excited to get into this and and see where we fell. It's definitely a movie of its time. I will. I will start by saying that, so I'm curious to see how this is going to go.

Speaker 2: 4:03

Yeah, well, listen. Well, first off, let me start off with any of you have not seen the movie, and you'll listen to this episode. Here is a very short synopsis in a magically realistic version of Toronto. A young man must defeat his new girlfriend, seven evil exes one by one, in order to win her heart. And I'll say this, eric, because we are going to start off on the positive side, because there were certainly things about this film that made me understand why this has become such a cult classic.

Speaker 2: 4:28

Now, it is based off of a graphic novel, but I believe it's just called Scott Pilgrim and it's by Brian Leo Malley. And I will say this as far as Edgar Wright's film making, I've always been a fan, definitely been a fan of him, and I always, whenever I see his work, it really bums me out that we never got to see his was it Ant-Man or Doctor Strange film that he was going to do? I believe it was one of those two. I think it might have been Doctor Strange that he was supposed to direct, and correct me if I'm wrong, if you want to look that up while I'm talking here but it does make me pine for the fact that we never got to see his version of an MCU film, because as far as comic book movies, I feel like this is, you know, especially after watching a couple of YouTube videos this is kind of like the penultimate comic book film. They got a lot right.

Speaker 2: 5:15

I really love the graphics, I really love the you know a lot of the over-the-top scenes, you know it's obviously very, very much set in the you know a fantasy type world, like it says in the synopsis, and I really enjoyed all of that. I think it's just some of the, some of the characters I just didn't connect with, and you know some of the humor as well. So, but I do want to give its kudos there as far as the cinematography, really really enjoyed a lot of that.

Speaker 1: 5:40

Yeah, so Ant-Man was the franchise that he had exited and Peyton Reed took over that All three movies. So we have a pretty good idea of our feelings towards Peyton Reed's film filmography, unfortunately. Edgar Wright, though he has a ton of films, phil, I mean, like I was looking it up and I guess I had always known that he had like a lot of films that either we would like or that are really popular, but like he did that entire trilogy, like Sean of the Dead, hot Fuzz the Worlds and like those, are really Baby Driver, one of my favorite movies, Baby.

Speaker 1: 6:17

Driver, yeah. So I mean he has a lot of films, especially since 2010,. You know that have been really really well accepted and I'm not surprised that there is a cult following to this movie. Phil, this is absolutely. I would have loved to see an Ant-Man somewhat like this style, like more than what we got. I feel like he could have really leaned into the crazy more. This movie does lean into the crazy and if you're willing to accept that when it happens because it happens very quickly it's a tonal shift. I think that happens immediately and then you're just on the train for this ride. If you get on board, I think this is a good time.

Speaker 1: 6:59

I think I definitely have wasted hours watching other things that I was disinterested in, that this movie is not perfect, but I love the fact that it did that like video game aesthetic. I liked how goofy it was and then it's again. It leaned into the silly. It leaned into the unnaturalness of it. All you know it could have taken itself too seriously and I think that would have been a problem. So maybe this is the best version of this movie that could be made, because a man is fighting this girl's seven X's for no reason. Really, again. I think for that reason alone it was worth a watch, but I am excited to see what rubbed us both the wrong way, because there were definitely some things in this film like the humor is definitely 2010. A little slapstick, so I'm curious where you fell.

Speaker 2: 7:48

The cast is very 2010, which is funny, yeah, and they're very good. Listen, they're all very, very successful. Now, it's funny that we watched this because we're about to see Michael, sarah and Barbie this afternoon as well. Remember, we were just talking about how we had seen.

Speaker 2: 8:04

We hadn't seen him in a while. You know, I don't know when. I think maybe what's it called? Superbad had come out right around this time. Perhaps I have to, I would have to double check. Let's actually see here Superbad in 2007. Yeah, so three years. So you know, michael Sarah was on a little bit of a run and you know they were putting him in, I guess, leading roles. You know, I don't really remember too much about 2010, as far as you know.

Speaker 2: 8:30

I'm sure this came across my radar, but it wasn't ever something I wanted to see in films, like you are, in theaters. Like you said, eric, it was considered a flop. I mean, the budget was about $60 million. It made 49.3. So, for all intents and purposes, as far as making money, I would like to see. You know how. You know, back then, dvd sales were obviously a really, really big deal, and now they're actually about to come out with an anime, eric.

Speaker 2: 8:52

I want to talk to you about that at the very end of the episode as well, you know, because I think maybe a lot of this would work very much, much better in animation. But yeah, I mean, as I was watching this, I was getting a little worried, because I know a lot of people love this film and I understand why people like it. The cast is really really solid. There are definitely moments where I did laugh out loud, but again, a lot of it just really fell short for me and, yeah, it's going to come off. Maybe some of this stuff is nitpicky and we again we just watched this movie last week. We haven't had years and years to dissect it. So these are just our initial thoughts. So if you're going to get upset, I apologize.

Speaker 1: 9:30

Yeah, no, and I mean I also think it matters when you did watch this film, like, for example, this was like maybe 13 years ago. So I mean, when I watched this movie I had just or when I would have watched this movie, I like just turned 18. So, you know, still high school age. So I pulled out my calculator. I'm trying to figure out the math for you A little difficult. I'm coming up with 35, but neither I would have.

Speaker 2: 10:00

I would have been like 22.

Speaker 1: 10:02

You don't have to be neither here nor there you were a little bit past your prime. But the movie, the movie was, you know, I definitely think, geared towards like that emo, like high schooler, what was me Like like I definitely feel like that was probably the targeted audience and even though maybe I didn't go directly into that in high school, I mean you knew the environment, you knew the characters. Like it did feel like a movie made for teens and I think for that reason, we're the grumpy old men that are like you know, this is a little overrated, a little overrated. But again, I will say I'd never really seen a movie like this. So in that sense, you know, in its uniqueness, I'm glad I watched it again because I I did not expect the level of fight choreography that was about to happen again. Yeah, I'm glad you pointed that out. Yeah, off guard.

Speaker 2: 10:56

The choreography very good, yeah, and you know, wanted to push back a little bit on, you know, the audience that it's meant for. I disagree a little bit because we one of your favorite movies this year has been elemental and one of my favorite movies this year has been the Mona and granted, there are adult themes in both of those films, but we very often go to animated films and films that are meant for younger audiences to still come away loving them, like in current times. So I'll say that as well, as far as if you know people are, if people do want to use that and say that, you know, maybe we're just too old to appreciate the film. I don't think that's true because we watch Childish Shit all the time, so I don't know about that.

Speaker 1: 11:36

OK, well, I don't know. I don't know about that. I mean elemental. I didn't watch the Mona, but I know there's. There's some adult themes there, but you know, elemental might have been made for kids, but there's good themes there for adults to learn to, you know.

Speaker 2: 11:50

I understand. I and same thing with this movie. Also, one of the anime you just recommended, boichi the Rock, is about a teenager coming overcoming anxiety, and we enjoyed the hell out of that.

Speaker 1: 12:00

So again, again, more with a resignation, I think. Yeah you know, if a movie resonates with you like, I'll give you a good example. Like this movie just felt a little. I mean it starts off with with our main character dating a minor yeah, not not great Knives Chow, by the way, loved her Never, never seen her in a wrong.

Speaker 1: 12:24

I guess this is like her first big role Loved her, the actress and the character. Yeah, definitely got done dirty. Scott Pilgrim, kind of a likable Michael Sierra, definitely pulls that off. He doesn't really pull off this. I can get hot chicks vibes. So again you do have to suspend your your your belief a little bit on that. But as far as, as far as the film overall, again it served a purpose for the story. It was a simple story. There were some good beats again, For example when we had Chris Evans pop up, when we had Brie Larson pop up. How did you feel about Brie Larson? Because I know you're like the biggest Brie Larson fan and this is like one of those movies you kind of have to see if you're a fan of her.

Speaker 2: 13:13

It's another frustrates. It just brings more frustration to her performance as Captain Marvel because she is so, I think, very likable and charismatic and Again it's like why can't you bring at least a little bit of that to Captain Marvel? And maybe it's the writing and I didn't mean to bring make this about Marvel, but I still stand by that. I think Brie Larson is, and a lot of people feel this way. She's very, very talented, she's very funny and you know we just don't get that in the MCU. But I digress, really I also like Ari Plaza just popping up everywhere like how many jobs you have.

Speaker 1: 13:44

That was pretty funny, that was a good ongoing bit.

Speaker 2: 13:47

Oh yeah, I just want to say yeah, I'm glad you brought up knives, chow, because they did that character dirty and the fact that people have never I've never had. I've heard it come up that Michael Sarah, that's got pilgrims just dating a minor in the beginning of the movie, like we're just gonna Gloss over that over 13 years.

Speaker 1: 14:02

Yeah, I think that's a, I think that's a big part of it, and then she's on her, by the way and she's on her and emotionally, like just devastates her.

Speaker 2: 14:10

So yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1: 14:12

I think it's tough. But when we talk about, you know, the movie, the characters, you know, I really like the character that a Kieran Culkin plays. He was great. Anakendrick pops up into this. She's funny, you know, in those little bits, Jason Swartzman, at the end up a Brandon Ruth, a rose, I think you might pronounce his last name. He's the one that was the vegan and I. I think that was my favorite part of the movie. I'm gonna be honest with you. I thought that was when I, that was when I was like really, but then I just accepted it, like I really was like they're really gonna give this man like powers cuz he's vegan and then take them away. That's pretty good, pretty good not gonna lie.

Speaker 2: 14:52

The vegan police. That's also a good bit. That's a good, that was a good part. Yeah, pretty fun.

Speaker 1: 14:57

That was good. I wasn't expecting I think it's a Thomas Jane Punisher showing up. That was. That was a ride for sure. So I definitely I liked Elements of this movie. I just think you I don't know, phil I just again I really am on the on the fence of. I really think this is a time period piece, like I feel like at its time we would have loved it more. I think at that time.

Speaker 2: 15:21

I think so too those ages different interests.

Speaker 1: 15:24

I think we would have enjoyed this more, but to your point, Phil, and I think this is where you wanted to transition, Unless there was anything else you really wanted to talk about, maybe some rotten tomato scores or anything. You know, I am excited for the anime.

Speaker 2: 15:35

Yeah, as far as rotten tomatoes goes 82% on the rotten tomato meter and 84% audience score. I am curious, as far as those rotten tomato scores, how many of them came back in 2010? Not many of them. These are all. These all look like reviews from years later.

Speaker 2: 15:53

So, yeah, but again, it is extremely popular, also as a very, very popular video game. It's a side scroller which I've always wanted to play. I don't know if it's still available I think they re-released it, but I know that's also very good. Again, it's pulling from all these different genres and I thought, you know, like you said, really, really cool, I guess, as far as the only thing I can really compare it to when it comes to you know where it has the video game, like points come up and everything like that. The only thing that's very similar as far as what I've seen is like Zombieland. You know where they talk about, like kill of the week and the type of zombie and the rules popping up in the background. That's the only other thing that I think that has done this relatively successfully and, again, it's not even really the same thing. So, yeah, that's the only other thing I wanted to bring up and we know, we understand that this movie is beloved and you know, the scores reflect that.

Speaker 1: 16:40

Yeah, and for the anime, I love the idea that they are going to bring back the entire original cast, pretty much reprising their roles, so I think that alone is worth probably watching it. Like again, this definitely feels like it would work better in animation because again, the scene that really told me the movie was going to be what it was was at the first concert and then the first X just flies through and a tax Scott Pilgrim on stage. That was when I was like all right, this movie has fundamentally changed and this is what we're in for. And it took a bit, but I got used to it in animation. I feel like I could accept that a little bit easier and I think it would be cooler. I really do think they could do a lot more things and you know that's obviously us being biased, seeing great animated films this year especially but I think the the anime will work out and will be will be a hit.

Speaker 2: 17:39

I guess the last thing I'll point out that I also thought was pretty funny and was the pit where he, where Knife, shows up and what's his name, the roommate Wallace, answers the door and he just jumps through the window and try to escape knives and then grabs his coat, like I'm not here. Yeah, that was, that was pretty funny. But yeah, to transition here, eric, again, I saw watching through this and you've already pointed out again, this is a. This movie isn't a time capsule and I think it will bring a lot of people, probably brings people a lot of comfort, which is why I'm not going to sit here and be totally disrespectful, because I I did understand it to a degree. I think I was just watching through this and being like this is what people have obsessed over for all this time Like and obviously we've never read the graphic novel and you know we just got introduced to these characters but like Michael Sarah, scott Pilgrim, I think, was just such an unlikeable character that I just couldn't buy it.

Speaker 2: 18:36

And I can buy into Michael Sarah as a, as a lead in a film, like a super bad, because, again, he's a, he's a high school kid and we didn't even talk about the fact, you know, like you said, eric, he doesn't seem like a guy that can really pull somebody like her or Ramona flowers. They paired him with Emma's I'm not Emma Stone, but they paired him with you know the character that he liked in super bad, who was also out of his league. So that's just something that this was like a very product of the time Romcom, you know what's it called. She's out of your league and you know those kind of movies that were coming out at that time, right. So I understand it to a degree.

Speaker 2: 19:14

But this really started because I was watching a YouTube video like this really started kind of a trend of the you know the Ramona flowers as type of character. And don't get me wrong, ramona is not the most likable protagonist either, to be honest with you. So I think really, when obviously the name of the title, like when your title character isn't really that likable, I don't get it. I really didn't understand. And you know I got through this pretty disappointed because I was really banking that I was gonna enjoy the hell out of this movie and I just simply didn't like if we were to give it a grade I know it's not anything as far as really really terrible, but I'd give it like if we're talking letter box scores, I guess that's what we're gonna transition to now here in the podcast. I'd give it somewhere between like a, like a two and a half and a three, because it's not terrible.

Speaker 2: 19:58

It sounds like this is okay, I don't ever wanna watch it again, but I will again. Like you said, obviously we already alluded to, I'll probably watch the anime and also shout out to casting, because in 13 years pretty much none of those people have been canceled. So that's pretty good.

Speaker 1: 20:13

Pretty good All things considered. Yeah, I agree with you. I would also land somewhere between that score, but again, I feel like I have a more positive reception to the film. I think I'll speak of it more positively despite its rating, where I think you'll shit on it for the remainder of time. So I think that's where. I think that's where, for people that listen to this episode, the difference will be. But with that being said, phil, I think we're pretty much here at the end of the episode. You know we are getting ready for Barbenheimer, so we're probably gonna cut this ending. This ending is gonna be really short for our Patreon, Not gonna probably have much of an after credits, but, phil, let everyone know where they can find our stuff and then we'll transition to the end.

Speaker 2: 20:58

Yeah, everybody you know. Make sure to check our link tree link in the show notes if you wanna find any of our other episodes, actually our entire catalog. You'll also find our social media links Twitter and Instagram, tiktok the really, really important ones. And, you know, if you guys ever find yourself wanting to support the show, head on over to Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Leave us those five star reviews. It's one of the best ways you can support the show. And if you do ever find yourself wanting to support the show a little bit more, eric will actually tell you a little bit about that.

Speaker 1: 21:26

Yeah, the best way you can support the show and get bonus content, like the video version of this episode, early access to episodes and much, much more, is to join our Patreon, where patrons like Briar are supporting the show and we truly, truly appreciate it. You can also make a direct support from our Buzzsprout page, but if you're not able to do that, just make sure that you leave a like comment. Share, all of that stuff means the world. With all of that being said, my name is Mr Eric Almighty. That is my co-host, phil the Phillip, you know, and we release new audio episodes every Monday and Wednesday with bonus content on platforms like TikTok, and all you gotta do is wait for it.

Speaker 2: 22:07

So I heard you're looking for a go-to source for entertainment. Wait for it. Gaming, wait for it. Anime Plus, ultra, ultra.

Speaker 1: 22:18

Mr Eric Almighty and Phil the Filipino yeah, they've got you covered, and all you gotta do is wait for it. This is the Wait For it podcast.