The twin apexes of the superhero genre are undeniably Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight and Joss Whedon’s The Avengers. While the former proved that a film about a costumed hero can truly be art, the latter broke the mold for how comic books can be brought to life, converging several franchises into one blockbuster event. However, one great distinction needs to be made about both films: they’re rated PG-13.
Even while some of Nolan’s trilogy strays close to extreme violence, the truth is that R-rated superhero films have yet to establish themselves as reliable box office draws. The mediocre box office performance of films like Dredd and Watchmen underscore an apparent hesitation from audiences to embrace R-rated superheroes. So the fact that Kick-Ass 2 even exists at all is a bit of an anomaly. Continue reading Review: ‘Kick-Ass 2’ →
As a film fanatic in general, I’m usually open to checking out releases of any genre, but today’s cinematic landscape is so polluted to senseless remakes and sequels that it makes any whiff of originality even stronger by comparison. Very rarely do I come across a film that truly attempts to do something truly creative and, in many ways, innovative with its storytelling.
Worse still, these gems often go overlooked, under-appreciated and lacking in the recognition they deserve. This, I assume, is how films first began earning cult followings, as some releases are perhaps too ahead of their time and think too “outside the box” to capture the affection of the general movie-going public. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is one such film.
Continue reading We Are Sex Bob-Omb: Why ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’ Deserves More Credit →
The world of film from a fresh angle
