The classic teen comedy Superbad made the New York Times‘ 100 best movies of the 21st century list, but another Michael Cera comedy film deserves its spot. Cera’s career kicked off with a lead role in the irreverent series, Arrested Development, and it didn’t take long for the Canadian actor to become a movie star.
Excellent at playing lovable teenage dweebs, Cera headlined major movies like Juno and Youth in Revolt, but it was his co-starring role in Superbad that proved to be his lasting legacy. The raunchy 2007 Greg Mottola movie set the gold-standard for Aughts teen movies, and it’s still a beloved part of the decade’s cinematic history.
In a surprising twist, Superbad actually landed at number 100 on the New York Times movie list, and was nominated by a considerable number of industry insiders who voted in the poll. That’s a testament to the movie’s iconic status, but there’s another Michael Cera movie from that era that deserves the spot instead.
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Should Have Been On NYT’s Top 100 Movies Of The 21st Century List
The Edgar Wright Movie Deserves More Love
Released in 2010, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World adapted the manga series by Bryan Lee O’Malley, and brought many of the quirks from the books onto the big screen. Michael Cera appears in the тιтle role as a slacker who must do battle with his new girlfriend’s seven evil exes.
Like the books, the movie borrowed a lot of motifs from 8-bit video games, and there was a playful imagination to the way the story was told. Each of Scott’s epic battles feels like something ripped straight from a classic game, and the movie’s soundtrack was jam-packed with indie-rock hits.
While Superbad has a timeless quality that likens it to previous teen films, Scott Pilgrim is wholly unique and inseparable from its time period.
While it was a box office bomb, the critically-acclaimed film has stood the test of time. The cult classic certainly deserved a spot on the top 100 list, due in large part to its cultural relevance. While Superbad has a timeless quality that likens it to previous teen films, Scott Pilgrim is wholly unique and inseparable from its time period.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World grossed $51 million against a $60 million budget (via Box Office Mojo).
As a film, there are aspects of Scott Pilgrim that are superior to Superbad, but they’re difficult to compare. The spectacle of the former is off-set by its down-to-earth story, and Scott’s journey of self-discovery is funny and poignant. Even if it somewhat misses the point of the books, it’s still an excellent piece of cinema from start to finish.
Scott Pilgrim Is A Quintessential Millennial Movie
The Cult Classic Sums Up The 2000s Experience
Though it came out in 2010, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World perfectly sums up the 2000s experience. As such, it’s a quintessential millennial movie because it encapsulates many of the trials and tribulations of the aforementioned generation. Scott exemplifies millennial tropes, and the romance at the heart of the story is inseparable from the 2000s.
The movie is fresh and modern, and yet it is quite nostalgic too. Like the millennial generation itself, Scott Pilgrim balances a love for the past (as seen by the 8-bit game aesthetic) with 2000s hipster motifs. It may not have been as popular as other teen/young adult media of the time, but none of its rivals were so contemporary.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World did snag a few votes in the New York Times movie poll, and it’s unclear how close it came to making the list alongside Superbad. If another list is whipped up in a few decades, it’s likely that the Edgar Wright cult classic will be included next time.
