It’s only March and a number of alien films have hit theaters in 2011 with even more waiting to debut over the next year.
Are you tired of seeing the same old alien theme of taking over the world? Well look no further because “Paul” has arrived.
Released last Friday “Paul” has done remarkably well in the box office grabbing a spot as one of the top five movies of the weekend. This sci-fi comedy and its great ensemble cast have lured audiences all over the world. “Paul” was directed by Greg Mottola who also directed “Superbad.” British comedic duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost best known for their roles in “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz also write and star in Paul which takes viewers on a spacy road trip that never leaves American ground.
The film follows nerds Graeme Willy (Pegg) and Clive Gollings (Frost), who, after having their fun at Comic Con International — a multiple day convention of nerd awesomeness — decide to visit various places known to have had alien activity across the U.S.
Content in their RV, the characters run into a little bit of trouble, which brings them across Paul. Paul is a CGI alien voiced by comedic mastermind Seth Rogen, who needs Pegg and Frost’s help in returning to his home planet and escaping the evil clutches of a group of suspicious government agents, fronted by Jason Bateman, a mysterious female and two FBI agents, Bill Hader and Joe Lo Truglio.
As Pegg, Frost and Paul attempt to outrun the government agents, the trio comes across a diverse cast of characters who give their comedic chops a chance to shine.
Paul” is a charmingly funny movie that taps into everyone’s inner nerd and reveals the talent of Pegg and Frost as actors and writers. The film’s sense of humor comes from the fact that it thrives off the cliché cheesiness of its sci-fi predecessors — E.T. comes across as the largest influence — and uses them to its advantage.
Although it wasn’t a straight A+ across the board the characters are what make the film the most interesting and most fun. It’s more of a story about characters than a story about plot but just because the plot is not exactly the focus of “Paul” doesn’t mean the plot is completely worthless.
The film is campy outrageous and silly but instead of being a negative thing the film knows what it is and uses it to its benefit. The humor is cheeky yet fitting. And for an alien Paul sure can keep up with his clever human friends in the humor department. Seth Rogen’s voice for Paul is deliriously charming and hilarious. But be prepared the film’s humor is not suitable for children. It is rated R. So don’t be surprised with all its innuendo laced on-the-cusp-of-vulgar humor.
Paul is a well-made outlandishly humorous film that answers the burning question we all have: Do aliens make great road-trip buddies? After watching Paul the answer is indisputably YES.
Watch out vampires 2011 seems to picking up on a new trend: aliens.