The Cinema For 8/13/10: Michael Cera Out Action-ed All The Action Stars!

It's one new hero and a bunch of old ones as the focal of "The Cinema" this week.

It's been hyped all week by its demographic masses, almost to the level of obsessive. Nevertheless for most, with a near split from legit good critics, it passes the test decently for a good time .

And the film's star isn't Michael Cera, but the rising force director that is Edgar Wright. From the Berardinelli man , who sums it up better than everyone one else:

It does not follow that a parody has to be funny but, in the case of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, the humor is there. A clever send-up of comic book and video games (circa 1990), this movie illustrates that writer/director Edgar Wright can rise to the next level. His two "straightforward" satires, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, which were co-created with Simon Pegg, were uneven but enjoyable. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, however, is more ambitious and outlandish. It's bizarre and surprising and revels in its absurdity. It's one of those movies that pokes fun good-naturedly at material clearly understood by the filmmakers; the men and women behind Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (and the graphic novel upon which it is based) include too many Easter Eggs and inside jokes to claim ignorance. At the same time, however, it manages to fashion a likeable central character and prod viewers to care about what happens to him. Without that element, the still too-long production would have worn out its welcome after about 30 minutes.

And that's good to see. He captures the comic to a tee, and that is definitely rare.

Though Scott Pilgrim is a movie devoted to a certain group, there was no specific target audience for "The Expendables."

It's the movie for everyone, as almost all the action All Stars of the last 25 years are in it. And you know what happens when a lot of big stars are in one movie.

Mediocrity at best is big time, and just a little bits of its potential is seen from what most say.

In fact, Co-Host 3000, in the Spill crew's audio review of the movie , may have the line of the weekend that sums up both movies.

"I don't want to think Michael Cera can outshine F---ing Stallone in any f--ing film when it comes to action."

And speaking of outshine, Julia Roberts does the entire lethargic script in Eat, Pray, and Love. It's a shame that a world class actress such as Roberts has to be given such uninspiring dribble.

Especially when it has a great book to represent:

Non-devotees of the book are likely to find Murphy's "Eat, Pray, Love" an emotionally murky, inflated Lifetime Channel movie, alternately charming, cloying and dull. At 140 minutes, it's much too long to tell a compact story, but not nearly long enough to explain itself adequately. Stephen (Billy Crudup), the suburban husband Gilbert ditches, appears in several scenes but is more like a personality-free ghost than a character; marrying him and leaving him seem like equally mysterious decisions, since he doesn't exist. Her ensuing relationship with David (Franco), the underemployed, guru-devoted actor, appears to go instantaneously from hot late-night hookup to shacking up to angry, sexless unhappiness.

Probably the only time I would tell someone not to do Eat, Love, and Play.

But I will tell you that this has been another installment of The Cinema.

Until next Friday, Fin!