Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Forum

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Now, as a man who enjoyed Scott Pilgrim a great deal, I left that theater thinking that I've never seen anything that dropped in more pointless references and random 'homages' than this film. While I can deal with small things like mentioning the FF2 bassline, or the band names, it took it way too far at certain times, such as when the Zelda music was playing, but not part gets worse than the Seinfeld section. Why the hell was it even there? What was the point? It was like watching Family Guy at times, just shoving things you might know onto the screen and expecting you to like it more just because of that. 
 
That said, the fights were amazing and Kieran Culkin did a great job as the gay roommate, in my opinion, and those are things that saved the movie very hard. 
 
Anyone else think it's just pointless pandering? Or do you somehow feel it adds depth? Or even that it validates you? 
 
I'm open to any opinion, keep it coming, folks.

But he played the bassline from FF4. I know FF4 was originally released in the states as FF2, but the entire world has adopted the correct numbering and it just seems like the kind of thing this film would be aware of!

THANK YOU op. I'm always complain to people that I dislike it when things such as Scott Pilgrim come off as so pandering to the "nerd" audience. Filling your film with pop culture references isn't being unique, it's being manuipulative, and it's not going to get me to watch it.

I thought it was funny. 

@MetalGearSunny said:

" I thought it was funny.  "

Me too.

I might be wrong but isn't the comic basically just hundreds of nerd references? I guess it didn't bother me cause I just saw it as a part of the atmosphere. Then again I went into it not expecting to see a great film just a fun weird movie.

I thought scott pilgrim was sort of funny comic, but other Indy comics like Chew are much much funnier. 
 
Supposedly Chew is going to eventually be coming to AMC along side Walking Dead. I highly recommend it if anyone hasn't gotten around to it. I know the writer of Chew expressed at I think comic-con that he would like  Felicia Day to play in it. 

@Romination said:

  That said, the fights were amazing and Kieran Culkin did a great job as the gay roommate, in my opinion, and those are things that saved the movie very hard.  

I agree with this.   
 
I enjoyed the experience of watching the movie but I didn't come away feeling that it was a great movie.  I enjoyed the little references for the most part, except for the Seinfeld bit.  For me, it was a lot of style over substance, but I sure did appreciate the style.  But my main problem with the movie was that the Ramona character wasn't anything special--I didn't believe for a second that guys would fight over her.

@VaultDweller13:
Normally id agree but most of the references were in the origional books. The books are a mixture of east and west style comics and manga and the writer decided to use these references because he loves games and pop culture. I actually give them props for having the balls to make a good movie while still keeping the references.

@Susan: There's camps that don't really like any of the characters (Scott is a dick, definitely, and Ramona is not... not a good person), so I have to agree as well.

I don't know I hear moderately attractive girls with short died hair is the hot new shit, didn't you guys receive the memo?

The FF2 thing was in the book. Same with the Zelda dream sequence.

@TheFreeMan said:

" @MetalGearSunny said:

" I thought it was funny.  "

Me too. "

yeah, i thought it was funny, too.

You realize the comic books were full of references like this right? Way more so than the film. It's part of the whole vibe of the series so it just wouldn't feel right to cut it out. I also thought it did a good job making the references funny to people who haven't played any video games. 

This is not the movies biggest flaw.

I expected more videogame references, most of them were pretty general (V.S or bad guys turning into coins), mainly things that anyone would recognise.

Admittedly my heart skipped a beat when the Zelda theme came up.  Nothing wrong with pandering a little.

@MetalGearSunny: agreed

Referential films always pander to a certain audience, and when they work, that audience will defend the film as though the work as a whole were great, and not just the references. The problem with these movies is that they're like a box of chocolates - the little references are where all the nougat-y sweetness and effort is put, and the core story is the cardboard box that delivers those treats. When a person says that they liked a box of chocolates, they're not usually referring to the box itself, but if you don't like nougat, then you're pretty much SOL.
See also; my review of Rango.

Aside from the Seinfeld part, if someone who doesn't know any of the references watch this movie he won't even know they exist.