Paul teams Shaun of the Dead/Hot Fuzz stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, who also wrote the script, with director Greg Mottola, who I think is one of the best directors working today.  You might be tempted to disagree, but remember, I will fight you.

The plot concerns best friends Graeme and Clive (get it? they’re British), two comic-book nerds traveling through the US who encounter an alien named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen) near Area 51.  If this were anyone but Pegg/Frost/Mottola, I’d probably say this looks really dumb, but since it’s them, I’m going to assume it’s a clever take off on the old we-found-an-alien-but-we-have-to-hide-him-from-the-government genre that was bizarrely ubiquitous in the late 80s (Alf, Out of This World, E.T., Mac & Me, Harry and the Hendersons {sorta}…). Mottola would seem to be the perfect choice, as he has a special gift for recreating that glowy nostalgic feel of an 80s comedy.  But more importantly, this better include an elaborate dance party set at McDonald’s:

Read the rest of this entry »

"Really, a scythe? Pretentious ass."

This is the trailer for Burke & Hare, starring Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis (aka Gollum, my preciousses), an indie comedy from the UK that so far doesn’t have a US release date.  But who knows, maybe we can find a distributor here who’s not too busy watching Two & a Half men reruns and we can eventually see it. (Oh, I get it, Charlie Sheen wears bowling shirts!  Classic!)

Burke & Hare  is based on the true story of the body-snatchers William Burke (Pegg) and William Hare (Serkis). These two Irish entrepreneurs discover that a dead body can fetch a hefty price when the demands of the leading medical professors Dr. Knox (Tom Wilkinson) and Dr. Monroe (Tim Curry) reach beyond that of the local supply. Also stars Isla Fisher,  David Schofield, Allan Corduner, Bill Bailey, Hugh Bonneville, Michael Smiley and Christopher Lee. [ComingSoon]

It comes from director John Landis, who had an insane run of hits starting in the late 70s — Animal House, Blues Brothers, Trading Places, Three Amigos, and Coming to America, only to flame out in the 90s — Oscar, Beverly Hills Cop 3, Blues Brothers 2000.  According to IMDB, his last feature film was 1998′s Susan’s Plan, starring Billy Zane and Rob Schneider which I hadn’t heard of until today.  To be honest, I probably could’ve gone even longer.  This one looks like it has potential (and has an awesome cast), so here’s to hoping this is Landis’ return to form.  I can’t remember a comeback after a long crappy period ever happening with comedy, but maybe this can be the first.  Also, am I the only one who constantly misreads “Hugh Bonneville” as “Huge Bonerville”?  I think that’s Isla Fisher’s home town.

Read the rest of this entry »

DreadCentral picked up an exclusive at the recent “Monster-Mania Convention” (I bet they talk about actuarial life tables there).  John Landis will be producing a movie based on the West Port murders, and Simon Pegg is on board to star.  In 1827 in Edinburgh, Scotland, William Burke and William Hare stole the corpse of someone who owed Hare £4 and sold it to a medical school for dissection.  They made a little over £7.  If my calculations are correct, that’s either around $800 in inflation-adjusted U.S. dollars, or it’s $giraffe.

Recognizing this as a profitable home business, Burke and Hare began killing people in order to sell their bodies, most fetching £8 to £10.  Man, those were the good old days.  Not like now, when you’ve got to pay the big bucks to maintain a crawlspace filled with quicklime.

~ robopanda

I wasn’t shy about loving Adventureland, not that anyone paid attention to me judging by its $16 million gross in eight weeks.  Nonetheless, it was a moderate success given its sub-$10 million budget, and Director Greg Mottola’s follow up sounds… uh… even awesomer.

Seth Rogen, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader and Jane Lynch have joined the cast of “Paul.” The road trip laffer [die in a fire. -ed.] also stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.

Pegg and Frost, who wrote the script, will play two science-fiction fanatics on a road trip whose conspiracy dreams come true when they trek to Area 51 and encounter the title character, an escaped alien.  Rogen will provide the voice of the alien. [Variety]

Anyone else thinking what I’m thinking?  That they should shoot this as an homage to Mac & Me?   Hey, bros, I just flew 1500 light-years from Xylon 4, and boy am I thirsty!  Now who wants to party?  *air guitar* ….So just me then?  Carry on.

This is the latest clip from JJ Abrams’ Star Trek, aptly titled “Answer Me.”  In this one we get to see plastic condom mannequin with eyebrows Zachary Quinto play Spock, as well as hints at the origin of Scotty (played by Simon Pegg).  Apparently, Scotty just wandered in one night when it was raining and they decided screw it, you can be the ship’s engineer.  It’s funny because isn’t that just like a Scotsman lol!

Fun fact: Chris Pine was drawn to acting in junior high after he quit basketball. His coach was always riding the Pine.

[via ropeofsilicon]