The filmmaking trio of Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright and Nick Frost are quickly becoming favorites of mine after their absolutely incredible "Shaun of the Dead" and equally entertaining "Hot Fuzz." With Pegg and Wright sharing writing credits, Wright directing and Frost and Pegg sharing screen time, the trio has produced two of the better comedies in the past few years and have paid homage and parodied the genres in which their films are based. "Shaun of the Dead" was heavily influenced by George A. Romero´s landmark "Night of the Living Dead." Romero was so impressed with the film that the actors were awarded a cameo in the director´s fourth film in the zombie trilogy "Land of the Dead." In their follow-up, Pegg and Wright tackle the police/buddy action films such as "Bad Boys" and "Point Break."
The laughs and intelligent spoofs are non-stop as Simon Pegg portrays Sergeant Nicholas Angel. Angel is the perfect cop, but he is too successful and is reassigned to the quiet little town of Sandford, where the crime record is the lowest on the British Isles. Of course, Angel is none-too-happy with the assignment, but accepts the supposed promotion and travels to the quaint little town. Upon arriving, he travels to the local pub and boots a number of under-aged drinkers from the bar and arrests a drunkard who nearly runs over him and nearly demolitions the town fountain. The man turns out to be his eventual partner Sergeant Danny Butterman (Nick Frost). Danny is a good-hearted and well-intended officer who is as green as the town´s grass and eager to learn about Angel´s big city exploits and learn if he has ever dove through the air shooting two guns a la "The Killer."
Although Sandford boasts an incredibly low crime rate, the town has an underlying epidemic of accidents. People are beheaded by a street sign. A man blows up while cooking bacon in his kitchen and a gardener dies when she falls upon her own pruning shears. Danny and the rest of the police force believe these are all accidents, but Angel clearly sees that foul play is afoot and when local reporter Tim Messenger (Adam Buxton) is killed just before conveying information relating to an earlier accident, Angel quickly finds that the problem in the town is far worse and more widespread than previously believed. The key suspect is grocery store owner Simon Skinner (Timothy Dalton), who has an erratic behavior and is prone to making odd comments that relate to the numerous accidents happening around Sandford. The perfect town is far from perfect and Angel´s unsurpassed investigative skills only grate on the patience of the townsfolk and his fellow police officers.
Pegg and Frost are a more-than-capable comedy duo and in the years that come, they have the potential in becoming one of the silver screen´s truly great partners. The two actors´ long friendship is apparent and they feed off of each other through each scene and their chemistry shows the strong bond of friendship they share. They are two everymen that audiences can relate to, and they are two genuinely funny individuals that have a talent for generating laughter. Pegg is a capable leading man and he has been noticed by Hollywood, but his talents are best utilized with his partners Wright and Frost. I hope to see many more adventures featuring the talents of Simon Pegg, but I hope his friend Nick Frost is with him every step of the way.
"Hot Fuzz" is intelligent, witty and captivating. Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright have a gift in their writing and their love of cinema is apparent as they are able to masterfully craft a comedy of this caliber that has been almost universally well received by critics. Comedies are typically the odd stepchild when it comes to critical reception, but both "Hot Fuzz" and the earlier "Shaun of the Dead" have been darlings and for good reason. This is top-notch storytelling and filmmaking. Pegg and Wright have become the masters of comedy and provide a recipe that is better written and far more intelligent than the majority of comedies released. Perhaps only the Coen Brothers surpass Pegg and Wright with their dark and eccentric comedies. The fruits of labor from Pegg and Wright are more easily digested by the mass audience and although their works have a commercial appeal, they have sacrificed none of their artistic abilities.
I laughed heartedly throughout "Hot Fuzz" and although I would place "Shaun of the Dead" a few ounces taller in my proverbial favorite drinking glass, it is a wonderful and effective follow-up to the zombie flick. "Hot Fuzz" captures every cliché of the action/cop buddy film and perfects jabs and homages to those films. The over-the-top scenes are initially eschewed for swan chases and the arrests of drunkards. However, when the townsfolk bear arms against the forces that threaten to change their town; the action joins and surpasses much of what is seen in the blockbuster films it parodies. A small nod to "Shaun of the Dead" is also contained within the film and tastefully awards the filmmaker´s fans with a clever shortcut. Perhaps the most telling tale of "Hot Fuzz" is that this little comedy easily surpasses most of its targets in being the superior film. Nobody will place "Bad Boys II" among their all-time favorites list, but I bet "Hot Fuzz" will be remembered by many.
The laughs and intelligent spoofs are non-stop as Simon Pegg portrays Sergeant Nicholas Angel. Angel is the perfect cop, but he is too successful and is reassigned to the quiet little town of Sandford, where the crime record is the lowest on the British Isles. Of course, Angel is none-too-happy with the assignment, but accepts the supposed promotion and travels to the quaint little town. Upon arriving, he travels to the local pub and boots a number of under-aged drinkers from the bar and arrests a drunkard who nearly runs over him and nearly demolitions the town fountain. The man turns out to be his eventual partner Sergeant Danny Butterman (Nick Frost). Danny is a good-hearted and well-intended officer who is as green as the town´s grass and eager to learn about Angel´s big city exploits and learn if he has ever dove through the air shooting two guns a la "The Killer."
Although Sandford boasts an incredibly low crime rate, the town has an underlying epidemic of accidents. People are beheaded by a street sign. A man blows up while cooking bacon in his kitchen and a gardener dies when she falls upon her own pruning shears. Danny and the rest of the police force believe these are all accidents, but Angel clearly sees that foul play is afoot and when local reporter Tim Messenger (Adam Buxton) is killed just before conveying information relating to an earlier accident, Angel quickly finds that the problem in the town is far worse and more widespread than previously believed. The key suspect is grocery store owner Simon Skinner (Timothy Dalton), who has an erratic behavior and is prone to making odd comments that relate to the numerous accidents happening around Sandford. The perfect town is far from perfect and Angel´s unsurpassed investigative skills only grate on the patience of the townsfolk and his fellow police officers.
Pegg and Frost are a more-than-capable comedy duo and in the years that come, they have the potential in becoming one of the silver screen´s truly great partners. The two actors´ long friendship is apparent and they feed off of each other through each scene and their chemistry shows the strong bond of friendship they share. They are two everymen that audiences can relate to, and they are two genuinely funny individuals that have a talent for generating laughter. Pegg is a capable leading man and he has been noticed by Hollywood, but his talents are best utilized with his partners Wright and Frost. I hope to see many more adventures featuring the talents of Simon Pegg, but I hope his friend Nick Frost is with him every step of the way.
"Hot Fuzz" is intelligent, witty and captivating. Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright have a gift in their writing and their love of cinema is apparent as they are able to masterfully craft a comedy of this caliber that has been almost universally well received by critics. Comedies are typically the odd stepchild when it comes to critical reception, but both "Hot Fuzz" and the earlier "Shaun of the Dead" have been darlings and for good reason. This is top-notch storytelling and filmmaking. Pegg and Wright have become the masters of comedy and provide a recipe that is better written and far more intelligent than the majority of comedies released. Perhaps only the Coen Brothers surpass Pegg and Wright with their dark and eccentric comedies. The fruits of labor from Pegg and Wright are more easily digested by the mass audience and although their works have a commercial appeal, they have sacrificed none of their artistic abilities.
I laughed heartedly throughout "Hot Fuzz" and although I would place "Shaun of the Dead" a few ounces taller in my proverbial favorite drinking glass, it is a wonderful and effective follow-up to the zombie flick. "Hot Fuzz" captures every cliché of the action/cop buddy film and perfects jabs and homages to those films. The over-the-top scenes are initially eschewed for swan chases and the arrests of drunkards. However, when the townsfolk bear arms against the forces that threaten to change their town; the action joins and surpasses much of what is seen in the blockbuster films it parodies. A small nod to "Shaun of the Dead" is also contained within the film and tastefully awards the filmmaker´s fans with a clever shortcut. Perhaps the most telling tale of "Hot Fuzz" is that this little comedy easily surpasses most of its targets in being the superior film. Nobody will place "Bad Boys II" among their all-time favorites list, but I bet "Hot Fuzz" will be remembered by many.
The filmmaking trio of Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright and Nick Frost are quickly becoming favorites of mine after their absolutely incredible "Shaun of the Dead" and equally entertaining "Hot Fuzz." With Pegg and Wright sharing writing credits, Wright directing and Frost and Pegg sharing screen time, the trio has produced two of the better comedies in the past few years and have paid homage and parodied the genres in which their films are based. "Shaun of the Dead" was heavily influenced by George A. Romero´s landmark "Night of the Living Dead." Romero was so impressed with the film that the actors were awarded a cameo in the director´s fourth film in the zombie trilogy "Land of the Dead." In their follow-up, Pegg and Wright tackle the police/buddy action films such as "Bad Boys" and "Point Break."
The laughs and intelligent spoofs are non-stop as Simon Pegg portrays Sergeant Nicholas Angel. Angel is the perfect cop, but he is too successful and is reassigned to the quiet little town of Sandford, where the crime record is the lowest on the British Isles. Of course, Angel is none-too-happy with the assignment, but accepts the supposed promotion and travels to the quaint little town. Upon arriving, he travels to the local pub and boots a number of under-aged drinkers from the bar and arrests a drunkard who nearly runs over him and nearly demolitions the town fountain. The man turns out to be his eventual partner Sergeant Danny Butterman (Nick Frost). Danny is a good-hearted and well-intended officer who is as green as the town´s grass and eager to learn about Angel´s big city exploits and learn if he has ever dove through the air shooting two guns a la "The Killer."
Although Sandford boasts an incredibly low crime rate, the town has an underlying epidemic of accidents. People are beheaded by a street sign. A man blows up while cooking bacon in his kitchen and a gardener dies when she falls upon her own pruning shears. Danny and the rest of the police force believe these are all accidents, but Angel clearly sees that foul play is afoot and when local reporter Tim Messenger (Adam Buxton) is killed just before conveying information relating to an earlier accident, Angel quickly finds that the problem in the town is far worse and more widespread than previously believed. The key suspect is grocery store owner Simon Skinner (Timothy Dalton), who has an erratic behavior and is prone to making odd comments that relate to the numerous accidents happening around Sandford. The perfect town is far from perfect and Angel´s unsurpassed investigative skills only grate on the patience of the townsfolk and his fellow police officers.
Pegg and Frost are a more-than-capable comedy duo and in the years that come, they have the potential in becoming one of the silver screen´s truly great partners. The two actors´ long friendship is apparent and they feed off of each other through each scene and their chemistry shows the strong bond of friendship they share. They are two everymen that audiences can relate to, and they are two genuinely funny individuals that have a talent for generating laughter. Pegg is a capable leading man and he has been noticed by Hollywood, but his talents are best utilized with his partners Wright and Frost. I hope to see many more adventures featuring the talents of Simon Pegg, but I hope his friend Nick Frost is with him every step of the way.
"Hot Fuzz" is intelligent, witty and captivating. Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright have a gift in their writing and their love of cinema is apparent as they are able to masterfully craft a comedy of this caliber that has been almost universally well received by critics. Comedies are typically the odd stepchild when it comes to critical reception, but both "Hot Fuzz" and the earlier "Shaun of the Dead" have been darlings and for good reason. This is top-notch storytelling and filmmaking. Pegg and Wright have become the masters of comedy and provide a recipe that is better written and far more intelligent than the majority of comedies released. Perhaps only the Coen Brothers surpass Pegg and Wright with their dark and eccentric comedies. The fruits of labor from Pegg and Wright are more easily digested by the mass audience and although their works have a commercial appeal, they have sacrificed none of their artistic abilities.
I laughed heartedly throughout "Hot Fuzz" and although I would place "Shaun of the Dead" a few ounces taller in my proverbial favorite drinking glass, it is a wonderful and effective follow-up to the zombie flick. "Hot Fuzz" captures every cliché of the action/cop buddy film and perfects jabs and homages to those films. The over-the-top scenes are initially eschewed for swan chases and the arrests of drunkards. However, when the townsfolk bear arms against the forces that threaten to change their town; the action joins and surpasses much of what is seen in the blockbuster films it parodies. A small nod to "Shaun of the Dead" is also contained within the film and tastefully awards the filmmaker´s fans with a clever shortcut. Perhaps the most telling tale of "Hot Fuzz" is that this little comedy easily surpasses most of its targets in being the superior film. Nobody will place "Bad Boys II" among their all-time favorites list, but I bet "Hot Fuzz" will be remembered by many.
The laughs and intelligent spoofs are non-stop as Simon Pegg portrays Sergeant Nicholas Angel. Angel is the perfect cop, but he is too successful and is reassigned to the quiet little town of Sandford, where the crime record is the lowest on the British Isles. Of course, Angel is none-too-happy with the assignment, but accepts the supposed promotion and travels to the quaint little town. Upon arriving, he travels to the local pub and boots a number of under-aged drinkers from the bar and arrests a drunkard who nearly runs over him and nearly demolitions the town fountain. The man turns out to be his eventual partner Sergeant Danny Butterman (Nick Frost). Danny is a good-hearted and well-intended officer who is as green as the town´s grass and eager to learn about Angel´s big city exploits and learn if he has ever dove through the air shooting two guns a la "The Killer."
Although Sandford boasts an incredibly low crime rate, the town has an underlying epidemic of accidents. People are beheaded by a street sign. A man blows up while cooking bacon in his kitchen and a gardener dies when she falls upon her own pruning shears. Danny and the rest of the police force believe these are all accidents, but Angel clearly sees that foul play is afoot and when local reporter Tim Messenger (Adam Buxton) is killed just before conveying information relating to an earlier accident, Angel quickly finds that the problem in the town is far worse and more widespread than previously believed. The key suspect is grocery store owner Simon Skinner (Timothy Dalton), who has an erratic behavior and is prone to making odd comments that relate to the numerous accidents happening around Sandford. The perfect town is far from perfect and Angel´s unsurpassed investigative skills only grate on the patience of the townsfolk and his fellow police officers.
Pegg and Frost are a more-than-capable comedy duo and in the years that come, they have the potential in becoming one of the silver screen´s truly great partners. The two actors´ long friendship is apparent and they feed off of each other through each scene and their chemistry shows the strong bond of friendship they share. They are two everymen that audiences can relate to, and they are two genuinely funny individuals that have a talent for generating laughter. Pegg is a capable leading man and he has been noticed by Hollywood, but his talents are best utilized with his partners Wright and Frost. I hope to see many more adventures featuring the talents of Simon Pegg, but I hope his friend Nick Frost is with him every step of the way.
"Hot Fuzz" is intelligent, witty and captivating. Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright have a gift in their writing and their love of cinema is apparent as they are able to masterfully craft a comedy of this caliber that has been almost universally well received by critics. Comedies are typically the odd stepchild when it comes to critical reception, but both "Hot Fuzz" and the earlier "Shaun of the Dead" have been darlings and for good reason. This is top-notch storytelling and filmmaking. Pegg and Wright have become the masters of comedy and provide a recipe that is better written and far more intelligent than the majority of comedies released. Perhaps only the Coen Brothers surpass Pegg and Wright with their dark and eccentric comedies. The fruits of labor from Pegg and Wright are more easily digested by the mass audience and although their works have a commercial appeal, they have sacrificed none of their artistic abilities.
I laughed heartedly throughout "Hot Fuzz" and although I would place "Shaun of the Dead" a few ounces taller in my proverbial favorite drinking glass, it is a wonderful and effective follow-up to the zombie flick. "Hot Fuzz" captures every cliché of the action/cop buddy film and perfects jabs and homages to those films. The over-the-top scenes are initially eschewed for swan chases and the arrests of drunkards. However, when the townsfolk bear arms against the forces that threaten to change their town; the action joins and surpasses much of what is seen in the blockbuster films it parodies. A small nod to "Shaun of the Dead" is also contained within the film and tastefully awards the filmmaker´s fans with a clever shortcut. Perhaps the most telling tale of "Hot Fuzz" is that this little comedy easily surpasses most of its targets in being the superior film. Nobody will place "Bad Boys II" among their all-time favorites list, but I bet "Hot Fuzz" will be remembered by many.
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