REVIEW: The World's End

PLOT: Five friends who reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from 20 years earlier unwittingly become humankind's only hope for survival.

REVIEW: The World's End was my most highly anticipated movie of the year, considering that this troupe's first hit film in Shaun of the Dead is my absolute favorite film to watch at any time. That film then spawned Hot Fuzz, which was a smart parody of sorts but this time of the action genre and not zombies. Then the fan base cried for more, and because of small connections between the first two, the group of films then became known as the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy because of the reappearance of Cornetto ice cream in the first two films. It became a trilogy as well due to the "three flavors" of genre chosen by Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost to be parodied but at the same time you could say that these films are intricate studies of the genres as well. I for one absolutely love Shaun of the Dead because of its commentary on the genre of zombie film as well as it being a really great zombie film all on its own. I've found that something special is always present in Edgar Wright's films and it isn't the comedy that is so rewarding, but it's that it is done with so much care that he doesn't take away from it being part of the genre it's making fun of.

The World's End is probably the weakest of Edgar Wright's three films in this "series", but that doesn't mean at all that it is subpar in any way. Wright has yet again found a way to perfectly blend the sense of humor of his character actors Simon and Nick, as well as analyzing a genre that he's gotten closer and closer to in his career over the last few years. With the possibility, and proable reality of his Ant-Man film being made in the next few years, it's nice to see that his exercise in the genre of science fiction went quite well because that's where he's going to be spending a good amount of time soon. Wright's Scott Pilgrim vs. the World also was a great example of how his style of filmmaking not only analyzes and parodies the subject material, but becomes part of it simultaneously. The World's End takes all of the typical happenings of a science fiction coming to Earth story, and makes it his own via his band of merry pranksters that I couldn't see ever disbanding. I hope to all that is holy that these three continue to make films and that there could even be a possibility for another trilogy of the same type would be a great one.

Simon Pegg plays the rogue type, nothing is off limits personality this time around as he's edged closer and closer towards it in the previous two. In the first film he played a very down on his luck, almost shy guy with not a clue as to how the real world worked and Nicholas Angel in Hot Fuzz was a little closer to that bad ass personality but not quite to this degree. Pegg plays as the one and only Gary King, or The King if you'd like, and he's planning to assemble his group of friends back together from high school to attempt The Golden Mile. The Golden Mile is a pub crawl in their hometown of Newton Haven that involves drinking a pint at each and every pub in a certain order to complete the challenge. In high school they were unable to complete the mile as it became riddled with issues and distractions, which is explained at the beginning of the film and surely missed by the end of the film. I love Pegg's rough side on display here, and he really breathes a lot of life into the film because even though the rest of the actors playing the friends in the film are great, they don't bring quite as much energy as Gary.

Nick Frost stars sort of alongside Pegg again as Andy Knightley, his high school friend and practically brother, who is on the wiser end of the list when it comes to the group in its entirety. Throughout the film an event is referenced as a reason that Andy would never speak to Gary again, and it's one of the questions that lingers throughout the film and is perfectly revealed towards the end. The friendship on display in these films though between the two actors always appears so authentic, and I think that's what makes their relationships between their characters in these films so special. You can see the love between these two guys, and despite them playing characters in movies they always seem to be true to each other in a special way that brings chemistry to the characters in the film. I personally thought that this film was a stronger outing for Nick Frost, who has continually played the bumbling idiot in Wright's films, is now playing the wiser, smarter, and more mature character of the two, and actually all five here in The World's End. I was happy to see that despite Simon Pegg's obvious turn as the main character, Frost was able to star alongside and be the role model of the group when he typically isn't.

Also in the film is the star of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Martin Freeman, who is already a proven actor but is now a little more well known due to his portrayal of Bilbo Baggins. He also stars in BBC's Sherlock series as Watson, and does a fantastic job in that show, but here he plays the slick and suave O-Man. Along with Paddy Considine and Eddie Marsan, they round out the other three of the group who are as much involved as the rest and each have their own quirks. Out of the three I particularly liked Peter Page, who is played by Eddie Marsan, and his strange relationship with certain characters in the film, including Gary King. He wasn't really the bravest or funniest of the three, but he was the easiest to laugh at and he has quite possibly the best comedic moment in the film towards the end. The group of them played out really well together and I was worried about adding the other three after the first two films in the unofficial trilogy mainly starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost with each other and using the others as side characters. This time around they are part of a bigger group, but it all works for the better and provides for some interesting story when it gets down to the nitty gritty.

I really liked this film a lot, and even though it doesn't even come close to Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz for me, I would still rank it amongst some of my favorite comedies. Edgar Wright's stylized direction for the sci-fi/comedy romp comes in handy as The Network (name for the aliens) surges to life in a pub's men's restroom and steadily becomes the threat that our group of silly heroes face. I still can't see Edgar Wright doing any wrong when it comes to film, and I'm extremely excited to see him now get to work on Marvel's Ant-Man and let's hope that the news of Nick Frost being Hank Pym is true (not really, but it was a funny joke). I can't recommend this loose trilogy to people enough, as the first two films are among probably my top five favorite comedies of all-time and this one, while it may not rank amongst some of the greatest, it is extremely enjoyable. Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz even rank pretty highly in their respective genres, because they are that great. The mindless robotic violence that is present throughout the film is highly entertaining, and I love the way the "gore" is presented in blue. It's all very fun, and not once through the film does it drag and feel like you need it to hurry to the next part. Each bit is slowly revealed after the previous one, and more and more is found out about The Network as it progresses to its apocalyptic end. The fight scenes were probably some of the funniest as the combat against these alien foes was completely outrageous, and Nick gets to have a good old Hulk Smash moment, or two, or three. All in good fun seems to be Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost's mantra as a group, because the conclusion to the Three Flavours Cornetto is as entertaining as ever and leaves you again wanting more from this well-directed dynamic duo.

ACTING : ( 9 / 10 )

STORY : ( 8 / 10 )

EXECUTION : ( 10 / 10 )

POSTER : ( 6 / 10 )

AWESOME : ( 9 / 10 )

FINAL RATING : ( 9 / 10 )

TOP TEN TUESDAY: The Holy Trilogies

This weekend is a huge weekend for movies, and it very well may be the last big weekend of the summer. The big, upcoming horror hit You're Next promises to be this year's most talked about horror film and is still holding steady at 90% fresh on RottenTomatoes.com a few days before its release. I have advanced screening passes to go check it out tomorrow night, so I'll have to let you know how accurate that figure is. It didn't look all that great to me when seeing trailers but from what I hear it sounds like a gruesomely good time and pretty promising. Also, for the non-adult crowd and probably more likely tween girl crowd we have the highly anticipated release (for said crowd) of The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, which is the latest young adult novel adaptation that is all the craze. I expect it to be yet another mock-Twilight that is trying to capitalize on the success of previous films based on teen novels that drive the girlies crazy. I'm not entirely sure what the attraction is to these films, based off of book after book that appear to be highly overrated (I'm a librarian, I know these things). There are a handful of limited release films like the kung fu entry The Grandmaster which looks pretty intense and dramatic, as well as Nicolas Cage and John Cusack's The Frozen Ground, which proves that neither can find much else to do. The movie that I'm extremely ecstatic about coming out this weekend is The World's End which is the final entry in the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy. If this is your first time visiting the site, you may have question as to why I would be so excited for such a thing but those of you who are familiar with my tastes know why. Fans have been waiting quite awhile for this third film from writer/director Edgar Wright, writer/actor Simon Pegg, and buddy Nick Frost to follow up their well-respected first two films Shaun of the Dead (my favorite movie ever) and Hot Fuzz (which is equally great). I can't hardly put into words how excited I am about The World's End and how well it's being reviewed thus far, so I've decided to count down the top ten film trilogies of all-time, or at least the ones that I've seen all three films to. There is a huge list of trilogies that are worthy of this list, and obviously the trilogies wouldn't exist if at least one to two of the movies were amazing. However, I have narrowed it down and so I present to you, my holy trilogies of film.

10. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

 

This is a trilogy that is probably up much higher on the list for most but because I was introduced so much later in life, it doesn't hold quite as special of a place in my heart as it does for other fans of film. Obviously, Indiana Jones is a very popular character because he became part of the title after the first film. Most people don't even know that Raiders of the Lost Ark did not have an "Indiana Jones and" attached to the beginning, and it wasn't until the creative team saw the power of the name Indiana Jones, did they begin attaching it to the beginning of the movie titles. Kind of similar to how First Blood turned Rambo into a sensational franchise character, and thus ended up becoming part of the rest of the titles. Matter of fact, why didn't that end up on my list... Anyways, Indiana Jones became an iconic character for two reasons that I can see. One, the outstanding acting of Harrison Ford as a hero with an attitude was proven yet again in these films as he became probably the greatest action/adventure character ever created. Doctor by day, adventurer by night and if it wasn't for Ford's incredible ability to create a character that's as funny as he is serious, it could have easily been a flop. The second reason this trilogy works so well is because of the big creative mind behind it, Steven Spielberg. The guy is a film legend for a reason, and this trilogy is one of the many examples brought to attention when recalling his prolific career in filmmaking. I'm not the biggest fan of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom but it is still pretty entertaining, and the other two films are just classic. Raiders of the Lost Ark is easily one of the greatest action/adventure films ever made.



9. Back to the Future (1985)

Back to the Future Part II (1989)

Back to the Future Part III (1990)

 

Another trilogy that I wasn't really introduced to until much later in life, though I had seen the first film a couple of times growing up because of my parents showing it to me and loving Michael J. Fox. When I received the Blu-ray trilogy box set for my birthday though a few years ago, I was able to watch all three films and I was instantly in love. At the time the gift giver knew my obsession with all things nerd, and of course Blu, so it was a wise choice and I suddenly discovered how much I was a fan of Back to the Future. These are some films that are just downright fun, and even watching them today they for some reason don't feel all that dated. Not to mention the strange coincidences like the Star Wars film playing in the background in the future of Back to the Future Part II and other things. These movies are a little corny but they have earned their place in popular culture due to notable scenes and the famous DeLorean, and just being downright entertaining and fun. Also involved in this trilogy is Steven Speilberg, but not as a director who would be Robert Zemeckis that is also known for fun and usually family films. This is one of those classic trilogies that just has to be introduced to your children when you have them, or your family when it's completed. It's a truly magical experience that I believe will stand the test of time for years to come. Marty is going to continue being McFly until someone else makes as fun of a time travel movie as these ones.

 

8. The Evil Dead (1981)

Evil Dead II (1987)

Army of Darkness (1992)

 

There are several horror trilogies that you could probably include on here, but none of them are quite as successful through the entire run as Evil Dead was. The only other comparable series was the Scream trilogy but the third film just doesn't do that whole series any justice by being a joke of itself. Evil Dead however, progresses from being a truly frightening experience full of demons, evil, and brilliant practical FX work into quite possibly the greatest horror comedy of all-time. Army of Darkness is a cult classic for many reasons, but mainly because of its sense of humor. Horror comedies often have struggle with balancing the elements of both a comedy, and a horror film. Army of Darkness executes on both sides perfectly, and presents one of the funnest adult horror films you'd ever see. It's so corny in a way, but at the same time you recall all that the character Ash has gone through up until that point and know that evil is bound to find him yet again. One of the reasons I love the Evil Dead trilogy is obviously because it's horror, but the amazing use of practical FX back in the 80's and early 90's was just stunning. The witches or whatever you want to call them, from the first two films, are downright creepy and some of the monsters after the first film are insane. There's also a reason they made a remake, and it's because these films were great then and they're still great now, and though it didn't need an update the Evil Dead trilogy is as relevant today as ever.
 

7. The Bourne Identity (2002)

The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

 

There are so many action trilogies out there in the world, but I feel there are few that match the intensity of these films. From The Bourne Identity forward, they continue to up the ante and match the intensity of the previous film by adding more layers to the story and a lot more action. The Bourne Ultimatum in my opinion, may be one of the greatest action films of all-time and though it's not like action films of the 80's, it wallops as Matt Damon cruises through his enemies in the best ways possible. There are a lot of great fight scenes and action scenes throughout this whole trilogy, but there is a lot of well acted drama too and that's what sets these films apart from the rest of the action trilogy canon. The scene in the third and final film where Jason Bourne sets up his followers by making them think he is elsewhere, when he really is in their offices placing the call to them. It's just brilliant hero stuff, and you can't help but root for Bourne as he is easily misunderstood and just wants to be normal. There are a lot of things that you can relate to as a viewer, but when your hero is so relatable it makes it that much easier to get involved and root for the guy. If you have seen The Bourne Legacy but never saw the first three films, or never had any interest in this trilogy, I highly recommend it. It will be regarded as an action/drama classic series of films by the time 15 years have past on The Bourne Ultimatum.
 

6. The Godfather (1972)

The Godfather: Part II (1974)

The Godfather: Part III (1990)

 

I obviously didn't see this classic trilogy until much later in life, other than the horse at the foot of the bed scene on a few countdowns of classic film moments. It's a hardcore drama through and through, and if you don't believe me you can take a look at the total runtime for this trilogy. There are several reasons this trilogy is one of the greatest, and for me there are a few other reasons that make it not the single greatest ever like a lot of people claim it is. First of all, the third movie is so far off the mark of the first two it makes it hard to claim that the entire trilogy is legendary. When anyone thinks of these films, it's usually moments from the first two. Imagine a world where The Godfather: Part III is equally as intense as The Godfather: Part II. The acting of Marlon Brando is most of what makes this classic for most, but take a look at other actors that got their start in the mob here. Al Pacino does amazing work, as well as Robert De Niro, and let's not forget the master director behind all of these films. Martin Scorsese has proved since nearly the beginning of his career that runtime is not a problem, because the film that he makes will be great. His movie can be listed as four hours long, and everyone is still going to see it because Scorsese can craft some of the most epic drama films anyone has ever seen. There is no one that rivals his talent when it comes to hard-hitting dramas, and The Godfather trilogy is proof that even after nearly ten hours of The Godfather goodness, you can leave folks wanting more. Of course, let's not hope for it because if The Godfather: Part III is any proof, a fourth entry would just be really long and good, but not great like these first two films are. Scorsese won't touch it either, unless they make him an offer he can't refuse.

 

5. Clerks. (1994)

Mallrats (1995)

Chasing Amy (1997)

 

I don't know how many regard the first three films of Kevin Smith as a trilogy, but it is packaged and sold as one so I thought it deserved its spot here. Similar to the trilogy that is the reason for this list, Kevin Smith's Jersey Trilogy is comprised of three films that have their own stories and main characters, but all take place in the same fictional universe that Smith has created since making Clerks. back in 1994. They are comedies, and they are rude, crude and most often socially unacceptable but that Kev Smith has always had a knack for writing truly authentic people into his movies. Clerks. was a comedy that no one expected when it came out and despite its lacklusted performance in terms of money, it has become a cult classic and of course began the launch of Smith's wild career that has now landed him as one of the biggest commentators of Hollywood today, at least for us fan boys. When Clerks III finally hits theaters in the somewhat near future, I may have a more literal trilogy to put on a list like this, but for now I felt that Smith's work needed to be acknowledged. These are merely his first three films, and each one touches on a different subject matter while all retaining Smith's unique voice as a writer and director. Chasing Amy may be one of my favorite love stories ever, and the only reason I can't call it a chick flick because it is truly a love story written for dudes to enjoy, and Ben Affleck nails it.
 

4. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)

 

Oh my god, I know but please don't kill me. Star Wars not being in the top three trilogies of all-time might as well be a betrayal to my geekdom and status as a film fan. Really, it's one of my favorites as it's sci-fi and action, and I grew up on it but the three above this just really have quality written all over them. Despite the high entertainment value of the Star Wars trilogy, I can't say that they're the most brilliantly written movies and present intense dramas without a little corn. The special effects are amazing, and so is the action and sesne of adventure. Nothing can beat these films, and like I said with Back to the Future, Star Wars is one of those that will be passed down from generation to generation just because of what it is. It's still as relevant as it was more than 30 years ago, if not more so now today than it was then. Kids grow up knowing what Star Wars is, and it's ingrained into their DNA somehow to just love. It's rare that you find a person out in the world that doesn't know who Darth Vader is, or Luke Skywalker. Everyone knows some of the basic stories and characters of Star Wars, even if they've never seen a minute of the films in their life. It's truly a testament to the power of the universe that George Lucas has created, and the multitude of new stories in science fiction novels and the merchandise and spinoffs created for kids are the proof. There is nothing quite like Star Wars and I dare you to find a trilogy that is more well recognized than this one is. Maybe, in a galaxy far, far away.

 

3. Toy Story (1995)

Toy Story 2 (1999)

Toy Story 3 (2010)

 

This is the trilogy that I think of when it comes to my childhood. I pretty much grew up watching these characters and these films, and when the final one came out a couple of years ago it was able to strike me directly in the heart when it looked like it could be the end of all our favorite toys. I was such a little kid when the first one came out, and I loved it because it was a Disney movie and it was computer animated and it was so cool to imagine your toys coming to life and being their own people when you weren't around. It kind of matched the magic of The Indian in the Cupboard which was also one of my favorite movies growing up. The first film is a hands down family classic, and while I don't think the second film is anywhere near as good, it holds its own against a lot of the family film competition. Each one of these films taught a valuable lesson in life, and I think it's truly amazing that even after 15 years they were still able to do that, and to teach something to the same crowd that started out watching Toy Story as a kid. Toy Story 3 had me and about everyone else my age in tears when we saw the film, because it was a group of people that we had come to know and love in these films and we didn't want to see them go. It's a lesson taught to kids and adults alike in the third film, and I really can't think of a trilogy that quite does what Toy Story can. It is as close to magic as you can get, and go figure it's Disney.
 

2. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

 

Definitely the most successful trilogy when it comes to Academy recognition, Peter Jackson's epic take on the trilogy of books written by author J.R.R. Tolkien rung in a new era of film. It was the biggest and most epic adventure since some of the classic trilogies you saw earlier on in this list. This was the trilogy of my generation, and it has the length to show up all the rest. From the beginning, the magic of Tolkien's Middle Earth is woven so perfectly by Peter Jackson. Everything seems to have leapt straight off the pages and created directly from the words of Tolkien, and while I haven't read much of the trilogy of books, I could tell that they were pretty faithful to them. The plethora of characters provides enough choices for anyone to pick a favorite, and it ranges from bad ass to straight up cowardly, and intelligent to moronic. There really aren't too many words that can explain the magic of the Lord of the Rings films without actually seeing them for yourself. There are those who swear by the extended editions but you'd be looking at about a 12-hour day of all Lord of the Rings. But definitely try this trilogy out, and if you've only seen one or two shame on you. This is a trilogy that has to be experienced from beginning to end, because it is the greatest fictionalized adventure of all-time, at least in my opinion. This film series should be listed next to epic in the dictionary, because it is most definitely so.

 

1. Batman Begins (2005)

The Dark Knight (2008)

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

 

For the second week in a row, Christopher Nolan's trilogy of Batman films tops the list. It really goes to show how much I love Batman, but also how truly great these films are as an entire piece of work. We all have our favorite film from the trilogy, most would say The Dark Knight, but together they serve as one of the greatest Batman stories ever told. Of the heroes rise to the occasion turned into an overwelcome stay in the underbelly of Gotham. No one could have made these films quite like Nolan, and I don't think it could or can be done, any better than it has been here. I hope it's a long time before they try to reboot the character and do something new, and I hope that if they do it turns into an R-rated horror fest like the recent comics have. If you've only seen one of these movies, or if you've never watched them sequentially, you ought to give it a shot. These movies are the definition of quality film. This is what should be studied in schools, because it's one thing when you make a good superhero movie like Marvel Studios has been in recent years. But when you make a hero film that could serve just as well as a police drama or wild action movie, you know you have gold. This trilogy is the definition of perfect, and honestly all trilogies that strive for similar goals should aspire to be what Nolan has crafted.