Shaun of the Dead

Year: 2004
Directed By: Edgar Wright
Written By: Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright

RYAN’S REVIEW

When it’s time to pull your life together you gotta make a decision, and you can’t let some little thing like the zombie apocalypse get in the way. Shaun is a man who picks the wrong time to get it together but that doesn’t stop him from doing so in this delightfully funny movie that pays homage to the true zombie films.

This movie came out the same year as the Dawn of the Dead remake, which did nothing but sully the original, and it was perfect timing for a movie like this. The sprinting zombies became all the rage back in 2004 but this movie held true to how the creatures were originally created. When asked why they didn’t use running zombies Simon Pegg said it best when he replied “because death isn’t an energy drink.” He couldn’t have been more right. While running zombies are scary enough to make you jump out of your seat they don’t factor in to good movies.

Personally I think the whole idea is stupid because zombies on speed equal nothing but the end of the human race. There is no survival when zombies are coming at you with 40 times that would get them drafted in the top 10 of the NFL draft. Zombies are much scarier as a manageable threat because the real scary stuff is the collapse of society and the dog eat dog world that rises afterwards. Thinking people are much more dangerous and unpredictable than a horde of dead runners. The runners are just going to kill everything, but the walkers are going to leave you with hope. Without hope Shaun would have never been able to make things right with his girlfriend, mother, and life.

I have personally watched this movie at least 25 times and I can honestly say it still makes me laugh and it gets better with each viewing. Even watching it now I see things I have never noticed before and they only make me laugh more. Even now I’m recognizing for the first time the line lifted from the original Night of the Living Dead, “We’re coming to get your Barbara!!!” I don’t know how I ever managed to miss that but it just goes to show how this movie has layers that make it continuously entertaining.

I love the pairing of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. I would literally watch anything the two of them do together and have enjoyed all that I have seen of them. Hot Fuzz, Paul, and The World’s End were all fantastic movies but they can’t beat this one. In this movie their relationship is actually based on their own relationship as roommates before they hit it big. Any time the two of these guys get together you can expect me to be tuning in. They don’t currently have anything lined up according to IMDB but in time I hope to see these friends back on screen together. There was at one time talk of a sequel to this film in which they would do something similar only with a different monster. The working title was “From Dusk till Shaun'” and I for one think that sounds like it would have been pretty funny.

I mentioned already that I have seen this movie an egregious amount of times but I know without doubt it won’t end there. As long as this one makes me laugh I’ll be enjoying it now and again. Given how much I enjoyed it when I sat down to it this time I have every reason to think I can watch it another 25 times and still enjoy it. That’s a special type of movie and one that is easily worth your time to see. There are tons of backstory and inside jokes within this movie that I couldn’t possibly list or even go into. I just love the movie and I think anybody else would love it just as much.

NEXT MOVIE: The Shining (1980)

Paul

Year: 2011
Directed By: Greg Motolla
Written By: Simon Pegg and Nick Frost

RYAN’S REVIEW

I don’t think I had even seen this movie when I bought it on the spot to add to our collection. Did I really need to see it to feel secure in the purchase? I am under the impression that if Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are going to collaborate on something that it will automatically be awesome and it belongs in our collection. I am happy to say that impression didn’t end with this film and I don’t expect it to change with anything these two do together in the future. This movie is a classic example of what happens when a group of funny people get together to do what they do best. This movie is fun and funny; I enjoy it every time I see it.

I first fell in love with these guys when I saw Shaun of the Dead for the third time. I consider it one of my favorite comedies of all time and I never tire of seeing it. It’s a movie I have found to get better with each viewing, the greats are always like that. I liked Hot Fuzz an awful lot too but felt it suffered in comparison. I have never been really interested in British comedy; choosing always to harness a true American mentality when it comes to film and entertainment. We are the greatest, anything anybody else does they are simply copying us (also, I’m from the South, it all plays into this mentality I had when I was young). Of course I have learned time and time again over the last fifteen years as a truly open minded adult that I was horribly mistaken with that line of thinking. My point being, there was a time when I would have turned my nose up to these guys simply because they were British. They, in fact, are part of the reason I am a more open minded and aware person today when it comes to film and entertainment. When this movie came out it was so exciting because it was like they were invading American film with it. They wrote a simple but really funny story and invited all the cool kids to the party.

To voice the alien namesake of the film they got Seth Rogen, such an unbelievably like able guy that when he went before a Congressional panel to talk about Alzheimers disease elected men of official office seemed to be gushing over him. They got some SNL headliners in Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig. They got a typical comedy go-to-guy Jason Bateman and brought in other regular comedy stars like Jane Lynch, Jeffrey Tambor, David Koechner, and Joe Lo Truglio. To put a cherry on top of this alien joy ride they throw in Ripley herself just for the fun of it. Sigourney Weaver’s mere presence in this film makes it all that much better given the content.

Two popular British stars who have succeeded in doing their own thing at home decided to head this way and try it out American style. I think they were very successful at it and I think that is the most significant thing about this movie. It’s a fun and funny movie but more than that it represents a significant accomplishment and testament to the talents of Pegg and Frost. Of course Pegg is becoming more and more of a star these days on his own. I like the variety of his work but I’d rather see him with Frost at his side any day of the week.

I was at work one day when I mentioned this movie coming up on the blog and was surprised to hear animosity about the film from a zealously religious friend and co-worker. It gave me pause for a moment but when I gave it some thought I understood. This movie does refute the existence of God by having an alien character that knows more about the universe than we do. I had never given the matter much thought but I understood why it would bother my friend. I think it’s a shame to let something like that rob you of enjoying something so funny but hey, to each his own right?

This movie certainly doesn’t bother me on any moral or religious pretexts and I am happy enough just to enjoy it for what it is. It is a remarkably funny comedy and it’s a lot of fun to watch. I love the ease with which everything regarding Paul seems to make sense. It’s clever writing on behalf of Pegg and Frost; who are great as the comic book guys touring the American nerd hot spots. They made a cool movie and there is no reason to take anything literally enough to blind you from something you could enjoy. You avoid this one and you are missing out on something that is good. It’s a mere step in careers that continue to climb the steps of stardom for Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. In the case of these two I’ve found that all steps on the way to the top have been worth our time so far. Good movie that I think any mature adult would enjoy.

NEXT MOVIE: The People Under the Stairs (1991)

As a footnote, I wanted to include video of Seth Rogen’s testimonial before Congress. Amber showed it to me one day and I was both taken with his story and impressed by how he handled himself in such an official setting. He comes in and is naturally funny before delving into a very serious topic. I admire what he stood up to do and I hope he has been able to make headway with his goals. When you watch this, pay note to how the Congressman is responding to him.

Hot Fuzz

Year: 2007
Directed By: Edgar Wright
Written By: Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg

RYAN’S REVIEW

I am a really big fan of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.  When I head they were making another movie with the man who directed Shaun of the Dead I was really excited.  Shaun of the Dead is one of my favorite comedies and no matter how many times I see it I still find myself laughing.  I don’t think this film is quite at the same level of comedy as Shaun of the Dead but I still really like the film.  It’s a slow film for most of the movie but it suddenly takes off with nonstop and relentless action.  It’s a silly movie that takes itself very seriously and that in itself makes it funny.  Anybody that reads our blog knows that I have a thing for the cheesy action films and I see this movie as a tribute to some of my favorites.

This movie does have a strange story line with the quaint little village that has a secret and violent organization trying to keep everything as it is.  The super cop sent to the small town and the only one serious enough to see that problems actually exist.  With a comical tone it tells this dark and disturbing story all while setting up for a grand finale.  The finale makes the movie though; it is awesome enough to make everything right with the film.  It has a very similar style to Shaun of the Dead and that only makes it better.  I am not overly familiar with the work of Edgar Wright but these two movies he made with Pegg and Frost are enough to make me interested in anything else he makes.

Pegg and Frost are awesome together; they have great chemistry and make a really funny duo.  I have liked everything I have seen the two of them pair up in including Paul in addition to the two movies already discussed.  There are several other actors in this movie that also made appearances in Shaun of the Dead most notably Bill Nighy. Timothy Dalton also plays a great part as the grocery store owner/fun runner/secret society killer. I like Dalton from back during his James Bond days and his role in one of my childhood favorites The Rocketeer. I thought he had aged really well when I saw him in this movie and liked seeing him in a new movie.  He also has one of the most wicked ends I have ever seen for anybody.

This movie is fun more than anything and movies like that are always worth your time.  If you enjoyed Shaun of the Dead then this one is a movie you need to see, and if you haven’t I don’t know what you are waiting for.  Halloween is approaching and it’s the time of the year to sit back and see Pegg exasperate things in his best movie ever.  I loved this film and recommend it to anyone I can.

AMBER’S REVIEW

I have watched this so many times with Ryan and I just cannot seem to get into it, ever. I don’t know why either because I really like Simon Pegg and most of the movies that he makes. I guess this one just doesn’t really do it for me. The poster is your regular old cheesy movie poster, so I won’t go into that one for right now.

NEXT MOVIE: Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)