Scott Pilgrim vs the World was all over Comic-Con. It was plastered all over the Hilton Bayfront. It was hyped like almost no other feature. And it is also getting a lot, a LOT of love from critics and fans and nerds and herds. They say that Edgar Wright’s (director) work is incredible. They say that the effects and the story are original and resonant and at once entertaining and moving. And if you’re from Toronto, you should not be missing it.
The source material was written by a Torontonian. The title character is played by a star from Toronto by way of Brampton (what’s up Taha!) It was filmed in Toronto as TORONTO, not New York, like Pizza Pizza, the TTC, loonies and toonies, this is our city. Toronto.
The Scott Pilgrim panel took place on Thursday. It’s a big cast. After all, Scott Pilgrim loves Ramona. But he can’t be with Ramona until he defeats all her exes. All 7 of them. And Scott’s in a band. And he has a sister. So many characters, so many actors, and almost all of them were present, all of them engaged, enthusiastic, all kind of in love with each other, and deeply in love with their movie. And Simon Pegg and Nick Frost too – they crashed the panel and you get the sense that these people are not just colleagues but mates, truly mates, who believe in the work and each other and can’t wait to share it. There was a real sense of camaraderie talking to them afterwards, they couldn’t stop, like, hugging each other, and jumping in on each other’s interviews, and Mae Whitman actually went so far as to tell me that Chris Evans is “brilliant” (huh?), and they all genuinely seem to know each other, the way friends know each other and hang out.
And they do. All of them rolled up to the Entertainment Weekly party together on Saturday night. Yes, and Chris Evans too. He couldn’t attend the panel because Captain America production wouldn’t give him the day. Soon as he was done with his Marvel obligations though he hooked up right away with his Pilgrim crew, instead of playing the big star card, and they were all inseparable all for one all night. I remember looking back at one point and seeing Evans standing next to Cera throwing his head back roaring about something Cera had just said. It’s very, very cute.
As are Anna Kendrick and Edgar Wright. She told me on the press line that Wright, her boyfriend, has such a fresh eye, and created such an amazing vision, that next year every movie will look like Scott Pilgrim, that this one is the groundbreaker. Following the panel on Thursday, Wright surprised the crowd and led them to a secret screening of the film with the cast, as he said, “leading them like the Pied Piper”.
With the exception of Kendrick (obviously), the actors, including Michael Cera, had not yet seen the final product. They did so for the first time with a Comic-Con audience. Cool, non? And all were all crying and super emotional and pumped afterwards, especially with the crowd reaction, and they will do it all again, en masse, in Toronto for the gala premiere in 2 weeks. Oh yeah and Metric played at the afterparty.
Cast impressions?
These are all normal looking people. There is no weave. There was barely any eyeliner. Mae Whitman did her interviews with no foundation. I know this because her blemishes were clearly visible. And that’s ok. Very, very ok. I adore her. Who? Her? Heh. Yes her.
Most of them are delightful, not vain, not spoiled by celebrity, it was like interviewing kids at camp. Aubrey Plaza is sexy as hell and Dylan totally wants her because she’s quick and hilarious, Jason Schwartzman is gracious and sensitive and soooo smart, Keiran Culkin is weird and mysterious and flirty all at the same time, and, um, well, now know why Brandon Routh came and went. It takes about 2 minutes.
Photos from Splashnewsonline.com and Kevin Winter/Gettyimages.com
