Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Release Date: August 13, 2010
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Ellen Wong, Jason Schwartzman, Chris Evans
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 112 minutes


The Slant / The stuff that dreams are made of...

Wow! I went into this movie with limited expectations - I had never really heard of the graphic novels and I've grown somewhat tired of Michael Cera in recent outings. He keeps playing the same character in all of his movies and it began irritating me. Here, as Scott Pilgrim, Cera really shines. However, the acting (which is phenomenal all around) isn't the only thing that makes Scott Pilgrim vs. the World the most enjoyable movie of 2010 so far; the film's style really sets it apart.

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Pegg and Frost add Cast Members for 'Paul'

A few days ago I reviewed Hot Fuzz, a hilarious comedy starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost and directed by Edgar Wright. I mentioned that I hoped for a movie reunion of these three, since both Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead were so successful. Today, I discovered that two of these Brits, Pegg and Frost, are in pre-production on a movie called Paul that shows some promise. The film stars Pegg and Frost as two science-fiction fanatics who journey to Area 51 to test their conspiracy ideas. Once there, they run into, you guessed it, an alien. Paul will not be directed by Wright, but there's no need to worry. Superbad and Adventureland director Greg Mottola should adequately fill his shoes. Pegg and Frost wrote the script and I imagine it will be full of great humor directed at movies like Independence Day and Men in Black. Not that it will be a satire of Will Smith movies, but recent sci-fi action hits.

While the fact that Mottola, Pegg, and Frost are collaborating on a film is definitely enough to get me excited, more news has surfaced today that will boost this film's appeal. Seth Rogen, Jason Bateman, Kristin Wiig, Bill Hader, and Jane Lynch have joined the cast. Rogen, who has shown his voice-over skills in last year's Kung Fu Panda, will voice the titular alien Paul. It is unclear what characters the other recent additions will be playing, but it goes without saying that they are all extremely funny people. I can't wait to see how this turns out, although I'll go on record here saying that it sounds like it can't miss. Expect Paul to hit theaters sometime late in 2010.

Source: Variety

Hot Fuzz (2007)

Hot Fuzz
Release Date: February 14, 2007
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent, Timothy Dalton
Rated: R
Runtime: 121 minutes



The Slant / Made it, Ma! Top of the World!



Hot Fuzz is everything I expected from the team that produced Shaun of the Dead, and so much more. I enjoyed Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg's first outing in 2004, but Hot Fuzz is on a whole different level.

Simon Pegg stars as London Police Officer Nicholas Angel, who excels in his duties to the point that his superiors become jealous of his awards and commendations. The opening montage detailing Angel's achievements as a police officer (never call him a policemen) drags the viewer in and never lets go. Angel's superiors decide to promote him to sergeant and ship him out of their hair to the small country village of Sandford, where he will pass his days in quiet anonymity, or so they hope.

Of course, Sergeant Angel does not find a peaceful village. Sandford boasts a crew of incompetent police officers that Angel tries to whip into shape, with lackluster results. At first, it seems as if the town's quaintness and the police department's apathy will get the better of Angel, who grows bored and irritable from what he sees as incompetence among his fellows and lack of real action in the town. On his first night, he expels some underage boys from the local pub. Angel insists on taking a hard-line approach even when the pub's owners declare that they let them drink there "for the greater good," since it keeps the kids off the street and out of trouble. This kind of gray area is foreign to Angel, who follows the letter of the law in all circumstances.

Eventually, a string of deaths breaks the peace in Sandford, although everyone but Angel strives to reconcile the deaths as an unfortunate string of accidents. Angel believes something much bigger is going on and investigates further with the help of his new partner Danny (Nick Frost). They uncover a terrible, if a little ridiculous, plot that reveals the town of Sandford is not at all what it seems.

One of the most surprising aspects of Hot Fuzz is how realistic it is, at least to a point. In Shaun of the Dead, for instance, the whole movie was an over-the-top send up to zombie flicks. While Hot Fuzz gives the same treatment to cop movies, until the final shootout everything that transpires could actually happen in an English country town. To be sure, the characters would probably not be so irreverant, witty, or entertaining, but everything at least seemed plausible. Once the explosive and brilliant final showdown begins, all bets are off and Hot Fuzz really comes into its own. In fact, the movie shifts gears so abruptly that it is almost shocking. Still, the lead-up and fraternal bonding between Angel and Danny make the final clash that much more exciting and even emotional. You really feel like you know the characters and hope they make it out okay. And then you also want to see Sgt. Angel with a veritable armory strapped to his back, delivering flying kicks to elderly (and evil) women threatening to gun him down.

The movie is exquisitely cast. Pegg is brilliant as the super-cop Angel and brings an effortless humor to the role. While not as over-the-top as his recent portrayal of Scotty in Star Trek, Pegg improves upon his earlier starring role in Shaun of the Dead. His chemistry with sidekick Nick Frost seems to have grown too, and the scenes with the two of them (and there are plenty) are rife with laughs as well as tender moments. Here is another installment in the oft-repeated label of bromance movies. The supporting cast is just as great, though Timothy Dalton excels above the rest as the overly-friendly and suspicious owner of a local supermarket. He elevated the humor whenever he was on screen. Jim Broadbent also adds to the movie's levity, playing Angel's superior in such a deadpan manner that rivals Buster Keaton himself.


Hot Fuzz is one of the best comedies in recent memory. It's slow build-up might not work for some viewers hoping only for mindless action, but the film's climax should keep them satisfied while others can enjoy the first half for its dry British wit. The film is rated R, but it is most assuredly a soft R; the film could easily have been edited to a PG-13 rating if Wright had decided to throw out a few choice words. This harder edge enhances the film, however. Hot Fuzz has few dull moments and many surprises that should delight its viewers. Let's hope Wright and Pegg reunite in the near future for another classic outing.

Troop Beverly Hills (1989)

Troop Beverly Hills
Release Date: March 22, 1989
Director: Jeff Kanew
Starring: Shelley Long, Craig T. Nelson, Betty Thomas, Mary Gross
Rated: PG
Runtime: 100 minutes


The Slant / It's going to be a bumpy night.

I must have missed this movie in my youth, but I was not missing much. A few people I know busted this "classic" out last night and wrangled me into watching it. Apparently it has achieved cult status among some fans, although why this has occurred is beyond me.

To get right down to it, Troop Beverly Hills is about a group of Wilderness Girls, aka Cub Scouts for girls, that need a new troop leader. Judging by the title, you can probably tell that the group is from ritzy Beverly Hills. Phyllis Nefler (Shelley Long), a shopaholic soon-to-be divorcee and mother of one of the girls, takes the job and things spiral out of control from there. Nefler shows the girls how to brave the wilderness that is Beverly Hills, experiencing shopping, makeovers, and camp-outs at the Beverly Hills Hotel. But when the overzealous troop commandant attempts to run Nefler out of the organization, Shelley Long's character decides to fight back and teach her troop how to be real Wilderness Girls.

It's pretty much as bad as it sounds. Picture Police Academy with terrible characters, little humor, and no satire. The movie takes itself too seriously when it could have been a tongue-in-cheek portrayal of the Beverly Hills lifestyle. The random cameos are distracting and do nothing to add to the plot or the laughs.

Still there are moments of fun. Shelley Long wears about 30 different outfits int he movie, each one more ridiculous than the last. A few one-liners here and there beget a chuckle, but usually groans ensue. It has some redeeming qualities and watching it with people who clearly love it for its campiness is a good time. Hard to take seriously, yes, but sometimes the movie brings a smile to the face through its sheer ridiculousness. Maybe I'm being too critical about a movie clearly designed for a different demographic in a different era.

The film has a decent message about hard work and friendship, but I could not believe that the Neflers reconcile and decide not to divorce. Craig T. Nelson's character is a jerk and if this movie had any self-respect then Long would have walked out on him, realizing she was worthy of more from a man. But they get back together and the movie passes this off as a happy ending. Boy I would hate to see how things worked out in that marriage. Thankfully there is no sequel.