Jason: The weakest effort from director Edgar Wright, who won geek's hearts with Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. But even weak Edgar Wright is better than the average Hollywood hack. The movie is full of 80s video game and comic book references that will delight any nerd's heart, but the story is razor thin and the characters for the most part unlikeable. That said, funny is funny and once I locked into Scott Pilgrim's world I was laughing my ass off. Not a movie for everyone, but those who will like it should like it a lot. I did, and it rates a Good for it.
Shawn: A gamer geeks wet dream of Easter eggs. Or should I call them geekster eggs? Really, if you are a gamer geek, comic book geek or any other kind of geek then this movie caters to you. Being in love with the martial arts myself, there were some awesome fights for my eyes to feast on. Take away all that, and there's not much left. And the plot is terrible. That's right, I mentioned the plot. Scott Pilgrim is worth a watch, but I doubt it's one I will see more than once, so it gets a Bad from me.
Jason: One of the best movies of the year featuring a powerful performance by Michael Caine, who balances ferocity and frailty throughout. The film is a button pusher, making one feel sad. angry and vengeful, often all at once. The first two minutes are among the harrowing ever put on film. What follows is somber and emotionally jarring. When Brown turns to vengeance, the film becomes about a man who has nothing to lose and the results will make you want to cheer for joy and cover your mouth with shock. Harry Brown offers no easy answers, but it does satisfy one's brain and bloodlust all at once. It's a Good for sure. I wish we had a rating for Great.
Shawn: This movie gets into your psyche. It portrays elements of gang violence and youth gone wrong that are far too real. The crimes committed in this movie against the seniors and other residents happen to people every day. When Harry Brown steps forward to do something about it, you want him to succeed because the world needs someone like this. Michael Caine is awesome and he exacts his revenge as a 70 something ex-marine would: slowly, shakily, but with precision. There is so much I could say about how great this movie is, but all I can rate it is a Good. One of the best of the year.
