Saw a charming movie the other night: "Paul," written by and starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Pegg and Frost, of course, are the geniuses behind "Shaun of the Dead" (Best. Zombie Movie. Ever.), and "Paul"--while not QUITE in the same league--shares the same general vibe as that previous masterpiece.
In "Paul," Pegg and Frost play two British uber-nerds who have decamped for the San Diego Comic-Con. After taking in the convention, the pair set off on a geek-odyssey to take in the legendary sights of the American Southwest (Roswell, etc.). On the way, though, they meet the eponymous Paul, an actual alien (voiced by Seth Rogen), complete with big gray head, wide eyes, and various otherworldly powers. Shenanigans ensue as the friends must flee from government agents, angry rednecks, and biblical literalists, As in "Shaun," comedic hijinks are balanced with moments of true humanity, and the movie provides a satisfying helping of warm fuzzies in the end.
One quibble: The head badguy is played by Sigourney Weaver. Now, in the world of "Paul," the characters are heavily influenced by all the icons of geek culture: "Star Wars" references abound, as do references to "Star Trek" (Pegg and Frost occasionally converse in Klingon), "E.T.," and "The X-Files." So, what I'm getting at is, Wouldn't these guys be familiar with the "Alien" saga? Wouldn't they recognize Ripley?
Yeah, OK, I'm thinking about this way too much. Just watch the movie.
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PUBLICATION NOTE:
Your-Not-So-Humble-Correspondent is off to New York tomorrow night, so I may not be around too much over the next couple of weeks. I'll see you all in early August. Keep the faith!
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