Let's Talk About Movies

Paul [2011]

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When it comes to british comedy, nobody does it quite like the hilarious Simon Pegg/Nick Frost duo. After the massive success of both “Shaun Of The Dead” and “Hot Fuzz”, the dudes are back in one of the funniest movies I’ve seen so far this year. In “Paul”, they play two british nerds on vacation in America. Their first stop on their list is San Diego, where they check out the geek festival also known as Comic-Con. Their journey continues on to Area 51, where they accidentally pick up an alien named Paul (a hilarious Seth Rogen)  who brings them on an insane road trip. It seems that for the past 60 years, Paul has been hanging out at a top secret military base. And when he discovered that he’s been a prisoner the entire time, he decided to escape the compound and hop on the first vehicle out of town. Now it’s up to Pegg and Frost to make sure he returns safely to his mother ship before it’s too late. Think “Close Encounters” meets “Superbad”.

Director Greg Mottola, in for Edgard Wright (who handled the first two Pegg/Frost epics), makes the most of his zany cast, including Jason Bateman and Bill Hader as Men In Black agents. The story is straightforward enough, and won’t really hit you by surprise, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It doesn’t pretend to be anything more than it really is, and I liked that about it. Now if you’re a die hard sci-fi fan like I am, then the humor in “Paul” will definitely appeal to you. The in-jokes are obvious and funny, while the characters will at least be instantly relatable. On the other hand, if you’ve never been comfortable with science fiction, then the story might not hit the same notes. This is a movie that targets the geek niche. The people involved in this are all part of this culture, and they make the most it. The result is one hell of a comedy, and possibly the funniest I’ve seen in quite a while. Time will tell if the Pegg/Frost duo has what it takes to become one of the great screen double act, but right now, they’re three for three. I for one, cannot wait for their next project.

Rating: 3/4

Comments

6 responses to “Paul [2011]”

  1. Da322or Avatar
    Da322or

    WTF la7a2et to7daro?? is it out yet?? as long as seth rogen is in it im so watching it! looks like a nice movie

    Reply
    1. anistabetreviews Avatar
      anistabetreviews

      hilarious movie man! I watched it on monday. Nezel last week. It references many sci fi movies such as close encounters and star wars. It’s a must see la 2elna :p

      Reply
  2. Nada Ghrayeb Avatar
    Nada Ghrayeb

    Watched it yesterday 😀 such a great movie in terms of simplicity, comedy and the creative idea of the film and its content.

    In your review you didn’t mention anything about the visible/hidden messages of the movies so my question to you Anis, what do you think about the content of the movie? Do you think it is real? I mean things related to religions/aliens/god/other world/we are not alone stuff – OR you see it as an illusion of a creative mind?

    Reply
    1. anistabetreviews Avatar
      anistabetreviews

      Well to be honest, I didnt really pay attention to any hidden message. But Ive been fascinated with the whole “aliens” subject for a long time. For a deeper experience, u can watch “Close encounters of the third kind” or even “Signs”. But I dont think “Paul”l tried to be more than it really is (a comedy that is). But now that u’ve mentioned it, I don’t think its an illusion. I mean it could be real, we don’t have real evidence yet, but with time, who knows? Now I would like to ask you: what do u think?

      Reply
      1. Nada Ghrayeb Avatar
        Nada Ghrayeb

        I will watch the two movies you mentioned

        As you said, I say again, it could be real, with time we will know everything.

        I don’t have a really big knowledge about these stuff, to be honest I haven’t read a lot. It’s more about discussions with a friend who has great experience and knowledge and he studied with spiritual masters, who died and return with their spirit using someone else body (after having a contract with this person in the life before).

        (This next paragraph is not totaly related with our subject, but I already wrote it 😛 ) What I personaly feel/think is that religions limits us somehow in the name of god, I mean by that not the religions itselves, it’s more the people who try to control our minds and our ways of thinking by filling us with fear and if you don’t follow this specific religion you will go to hell. bullshit! do you think that god is so cruel? When they say that we are the children of god or we our from the soul of god, so why he will let us struggle and suffer here. If god is limitless don’t you think that we are too? If not so we are not his children neither from his soul. This leads me to the main subject which is aliens/other creatures/other worlds. The space is huge, and there is only life on earth????? how could we consider that with the limitless that we talked about? We are not only body and mind. we are much more than this! What we are living here is just a big LIE 😀

        I can’t say more, I’m learning and trying to be enlightened, I have fed up with everything where you ask someone “WHY?” they tell you 3am tokfor ya ebni/ma tfaker fiha asslan, hayda l shitan 3am ywasswesslak ta yeb3dak 3an tari2 allah. w hek bndal mssatlin w teb3in shi m3ayan w ma 3arfin lesh w kif w 3anshen shu, 3al 3emyeni lol a plus to this l 3a2yed wel ta2alid li mishyein 3alyha ka2nha shi m2adas, wel mojama3at l mbyeni 3al zaher wel habal…… Whatever.

        That friend told me: they are preparing us indirectly for the day when the aliens will come, so we will not be shocked. Don’t forgot that our unconscious mind is strong enough to store and remember every moment of the movie. Be ready dude 😛

        Watch Paul again and listen carefully to the sentences that he says.

        Sorry for writing a lot. Have a great time 🙂

      2. anistabetreviews Avatar
        anistabetreviews

        haha na i enjoyed reading wat u had to say. And I agree: we should be ready for that day. U never know when aliens will finally land and make an appearance. For me tho, Paul was strictly a comedy movie. But I liked how u analysed it. And u got a point. I will look into it again I promise 😀 (I will definitely watch this one again). Meanwhile, keep visiting 😀 and I’d love to answer ur questions anytime :p

        P.S: Don’t forget to check Close encounters of the third kind :p

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