Tag Archives: Hot Fuzz

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The World’s End – Review


the worlds end poster

Just in time for New Year’s Eve, I watched The World’s End, the latest movie from Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright. Thankfully, I somehow managed to avoid the plot twist that the movie hinges upon. To protect anyone who hasn’t seen the movie yet and has also been lucky enough to not be spoiled, I won’t spoil it here in this review.

The basic, pre-twist premise of The World’s End is that Simon Pegg’s character, Gary King, has a mission. He wants to reunite his high school friends to reenact their epic pub crawl through town from their teenage years, a pub crawl that they never technically finished. That night was the best night of Gary’s life. Gary, it should be pointed out, is that friend of yours from high school (or college) who never changed…and not necessarily in a good way. The eternal pan, Gary is now nearing middle age, but dressing exactly the same as he did in high school. He’s like a British Al Bundy, but instead of throwing four touchdowns in one game, Gary’s crowning achievement is that he almost drank at every bar in town one night.

Gary is that friend.

Gary is that friend.

Gary’s friends have all moved on from their home town, and from Gary, but in a Machivellian scheme, Gary gets the gang back together. If Gary put the effort he put into organizing this pub crawl to making positive changes in his own life, he probably would be in a much better place. But that’s neither here nor there.

I’m glad I watched The World’s End before the end of 2013, because this will definitely be in my Top 5 movies of the year. It is such a perfect mix of action and comedy. The special effects are great. ‘There was definitely a budget jump with this movie over Hot Fuzz. But back to the action and comedy combo for a second. There is a scene where The People’s Elbow gets used a fight. I almost fell out of my chair laughing.

If you liked This is the End, another hilariously funny movie from 2013, I think you will also like The World’s End. The World’s End almost seems like the British answer to This is the End. It’s almost funny how similarly they are named and that they were released around the same time.

I’ve seen Wright, Pegg and Frost’s other two movies, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. If I had to rank them, I’d rank them Shaun of the Dead, The World’s End and Hot Fuzz. But really, they’re all great, and The World’s End keeps the winning streak going for these three.

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At The Theater 2011 #7: Attack the Block

Saw the new Harry Potter and are still jonesing for a cast of Brits fighting against the unworldly? Then you need to go see Attack the Block.

It was hard to get behind the protagonists initially in Attack of the Block. They start the movie robbing a woman at knife point and follow that up by acting like the loud, obnoxious teenagers that they are. I won’t lie, for a little while I was rooting for the aliens to dismember them and took a fair amount of glee when the aliens took out the teen who I found the most annoying. The aliens aren’t picky about who they kill though; a likable character is just as likely to buy it as a highly unlikeable one. Well, maybe not just as likely, but still very high.

The aliens are very cool looking in Attack the Block. They’re these eyeless ape-dog hybrids with rows and rows sharp, iridescent teeth and fur that’s darker than the night. They’re vicious, speedy and deadly, which made for a movie full of great thrills.

Nick Frost is hilarious as a constantly stoned pot dealer.

I’m used to Nick Frost movies being really funny, but Attack the Block doesn’t have as much humor as Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz did, and if you go to this movie expecting amount of humor from those movies, you might be disappointed. But it works great as a thriller. If you’re a fan of movies like Gremlins or Aliens, I highly recommend it. Catch it while you can in the theater.