Long before this season's big blockbuster release Minecraft, videogames have informed the art and culture of modern movies. Our latest repertory series Pictures of Pixels, which anticipates the April 4 release of Minecraft on IMAX, illustrates the lively and dynamic relationship between games, gamers, and an array of memorable cinematic achievements.
Director Edgar Wright (Shawn of the Dead) delivers a fresh spin on classic videogame aesthetics with this rich and wildly entertaining romantic comedy, an adaptation of Bryan Lee O'Malley's acclaimed graphic novel. Michael Cera is at the center of a playful saga in which Toronto-based hipster Scott faces down a series of "evil ex-boyfriends" as he courts his new girlfriend, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead).
Anime-inspired action showdowns ensue, but Scott Pilgrim truly excels at making it seem as though Scott's self-perpetuated sense of chivalry stems from the sense that his entire life follows the logic of an arcade game. With scene-stealing turns from the likes of Aubrey Plaza and recent Kieran Culkin, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a masterful reinvention of the action-comedy formula that reinvented its appeal for a new generation.
