There’s a lot to look forward to in the next few months. Let’s get right to it:
The Summer of Scott Pilgrim
Back when I was first talking to Bryan Lee O’Malley about his upcoming “Scott Pilgrim” book series in 2004, neither of us ever imagined what a huge sensation it would become. International best-seller, lauded by critics and media outlets, a cultural touchstone for an entire generation of slacker hipsters. Even with all that’s come before, though, summer 2010 will be remembered as the summer of Scott Pilgrim. It all starts next week with the release of the sixth and final volume in the series, Scott Pilgrim’s Finest Hour, wherein all questions will be answered, all plot threads tied up, and we’ll all have to move on to something else. A mere three weeks later sees the release of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World: The Game on the Playstation Network. The 16-bit River City Ransom homage sports squeal-worthy art direction by acclaimed animator Paul Robertson and an original soundtrack by Brooklyn’s own chiptune power group Anamanaguchi. Fandom is sure to reach an all time high, though, with the August 13th release of the major motion picture adaptation Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, directed by Shaun of the Dead‘s Edgar Wright and starring a cavalcade of hip young actors from everything cool in the past decade.
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It’s hard to look past the history of the Toy Story franchise. The very first entirely computer-animated theatrical release, the original Toy Story captivated audiences fifteen years ago. It’s sequel in 1999 met with universal acclaim, a surprisingly existential family film that provoked thought and feelings in a way uncharacteristic of summer blockbusters. Toy Story 3 had started as a Disney project independent of creators Pixar, but when Toy Story 1 & 2 director John Lasseter became chief creative officer of Disney animation studios in 2006 his first duty was scrapping the entire production and putting Toy Story 3 back in the hands of Pixar to start from scratch. The result is the most emotionally poignant film I’ve seen in years. The final thirty minutes has the entire audience in a constant stream of salty tears.
2008′s Iron Man was a tremendous superhero movie, likely the most popular in recent history. It kicked off probably the biggest summer for blockbuster comic-book movies to date, followed by The Incredible Hulk, Wanted, Hellboy 2, and The Dark Knight. Tremendous summer of remarkable films all based on comic books. 2010 looks to be a record-breaking summer for comic book movies, though, with Kick-Ass and The Losers already upon us, Iron Man 2 days away, Jonah Hex and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World right around the corner, and gentle nods in the directions of Prince of Persia, Marmaduke and The Last Airbender. Odds are good you already know whether you want to see Iron Man 2, the shimmering shell-head’s sequel that adds star power in the form of Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson and Mickey Rourke to the powerful leading couple or Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow. I’m not here to change your mind whether you liked the first film or not, but here are three things you may not have considered or even known about this week’s super-action-blockbuster that may pique your interest:
Oh, Quentin Tarantino…
Producing their own films internally was one of the wisest decisions Marvel Entertainment has made in a good long while. Before debuting their studio with Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, Marvel’s track record was hit-or miss. X-Men 2 was fantastic, the Spider-Man films were fun, and the first couple Blades were okay, but then there were the absolute atrocities of Daredevil, Elektra, Ghost Rider, the first Hulk and the third X-Men. The hopes were high for Marvel’s independently-produced direct-to-DVD animated features… until they were released.
Upon first listen, Stuart Murdoch’s grandiose film soundtrack to his upcoming feature film God Help The Girl sounded to me like the result of London rock/r&b nonet Do Me Bad Things covering Belle & Sebastian songs in a session produced by the Dears’ Murray Lightburn. On second listen, it sounded more like the result of Phil Spector conducting a ballet. On third listen, it sounded like a letter to every girl I’ve ever loved from afar. On fourth listen, God Help The Girl sounded like smiling in a refreshing summer rain.