Scott Pilgrim

A lot of reviews of this film basically assert that if you're not in its target demographic--and I am definitely older than that group--you won't get it or enjoy it. That certainly wasn't the case for me. I got a great deal of it, though not all of it; Scott had to fill me in on many videogame in-jokes. I also thoroughly enjoyed it and recommend you catch it in the theater.

All that said, this is yet another of the summer movies that you simply can't think too much about. Before you start telling me about its videogame-based story logic, let me be clear: I understand all that, appreciate it, and have no complaints about it. What you can't think too much about are the characters, and that's a shame. On an emotional level, this movie is largely an empty-calorie snack. Almost no one in the movie is complicated, and in the end the most mature person may be the youngest one.

Fortunately, many empty-calorie snacks are tasty and fun, and so is this movie. You don't need to psychoanalyze Scott Pilgrim or any of his friends to enjoy the ride--and it is a very fun ride indeed.

By the way, this was my weekend for movies that don't bear up under too much thought; I'll write about The Expendables another day.