The World's End by Pegg and Edgar... Pegdgar!

[imitationleather]

I turned this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-WorldS-End-Various-Artists/dp/tracks/B00DS3DPZS/ref=dp_tracks_all_1#disc_1

In to this:
http://open.spotify.com/user/imitationleather/playlist/7ANoP67nCq1nfU0c5OfzsZ

[Retinend]

I had medium expectations, and they were met. I really liked the first two films but in the last few years "Pedgar"s output has been less than stellar, as others have already covered. The jokes in the trailer were abysmal, but I think that this has more to do with how its character-based jokes fail to work on their own.

Despite the sci-fi frills it's basically a character study and it has the same purposefully pokey, provincial feel as the last two films. Only this time the themes are very depressing (an exagerrated version of Pegg's go-nowhere character in SoTD)  and by the end of the film, you feel that the glib extra terrestrial comedy/action scenes are only a light relief that don't really dovetail with the more existential moments. Frost is competent but I feel like both the script and the performance could have been boosted to make the moment of Gary's betrayal more of a big moment. Perhaps even a flashback wouldn't have been too cheesy. There was quite a good story there, and the two main character had enough substance to sustain a more serious treatment of these themes of age and the strain on their friendship;

I like the idea of an alien invasion being an explanation for "how much things have changed" since being young, but there seems to be an imbalance. On the one hand, Gary is unable to let go of the past, and this is a character flaw, but on the other hand, the world is being taken over by sinsiter aliens who murder us and spice up our culture with cold management jargon and bewildering gadgets. So which is it? Is moving on desirable or is the world going mad? Maybe this isn't such a contradiction, but at any rate the two agendas are competing, even if you agree with them both.

At any rate it's very entertaining and if you take someone who doesn't know about the mid-point twist, it would be a much improved experience. The action sequences are good, it's very british and it takes itself/doesn't take itself seriously in the right places.

[Olarrio]

I like the idea of an alien invasion being an explanation for "how much things have changed" since being young, but there seems to be an imbalance. On the one hand, Gary is unable to let go of the past, and this is a character flaw, but on the other hand, the world is being taken over by sinsiter aliens who murder us and spice up our culture with cold management jargon and bewildering gadgets. So which is it? Is moving on desirable or is the world going mad? Maybe this isn't such a contradiction, but at any rate the two agendas are competing, even if you agree with them both.

Yeah, I struggled with this too. On the one hand I was all like "yeah, fuck technology and the impersonal nature of today's society" but on the other Gary was clearly deluded and very unlikeable.

I didn't really laugh much at all until

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the showdown with the Network. It felt to me like this was the only scene where they'd attempted to write an actual comedy sketch

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. Having said that there were a few excellent comedic moments (mostly already mentioned) such as

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Frost putting his hand through the glass and "you're just drinking... rain"

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. Ooh, though I did feel the stirrings in my groinal area in the

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school disco scene

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! Missed opportunities an' all that.

[Olarrio]

I, in addition to a few others, would perhaps like to see it again for a proper assessment. Which shouldn't be an issue considering I "film cheated" on my girlfriend today by going by myself...

[WesterlyWinds]

You heinous bastard!

I'm going this evening. I have carefully kept my expectations as low as they possibly could be in order to ensure I do not completely hate it. Plus it's Orange Wednesday so I won't feel ripped off, either!

[Glebe]

Saw it the other night... the build-up was the most interesting part, and has already been suggested it did feel like two different movies. Lot of laughs, but overall I found it to be a lot less fun than Hot Fuzz (I still haven't seen Shaun, would you believe). In fact, maybe it's just because I was kind of tired and not in the best mood, but I found the whole 'getting older' theme quite depressing. It felt uneven in parts too, and the last act felt a bit rushed, although the conclusion was a surprising bit of fun.

[EDIT]Oh yeah, the film's 'bland homogenized culture' theme was pretty timely and on-the-money.

[Serge]

Just got back from my annual trip to the cinema[nb]I really should go more often[/nb], which this year was 'The World's End'[nb]Though I might go and see 'Kick-Ass 2'.[/nb].

Thoroughly enjoyed it, though maybe didn't find it as funny as 'Hot Fuzz' (I never really got on with 'Shaun') and in fact, my biggest laugh was at

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Martin Freeman's football head

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at the end. Definitely thought Nick Frost walked away with the film, though all of them were very good (as I said before, Considine and Marsan are always going to be worth watching, whatever they're in.) Glad they resisted the temptation to do any too-obvious referencing to 'Invasion Of The Bodysnatchers' (in the 'Spaced' days, a 'Donald Sutherland point' would almost have been a given, though I also got an Auton vibe from the invaders too[nb]I realised I was starting to read to much into it when I wondered if the statue coming to life was a reference to 'Blink'.[/nb] Loved the Cornetto bit, as I was starting to worry that I'd missed it.....

EDIT: And I loved the early '90s soundtrack, and even the fact that they worked the dialogue from 'Loaded'[nb]alright, from 'The Wild Angels'[/nb] into the film (even if they did cut out 'no way, baby, let's go' both times.)

[Spiteface]

EDIT: And I loved the early '90s soundtrack, and even the fact that they worked the dialogue from 'Loaded'[nb]alright, from 'The Wild Angels'[/nb] into the film (even if they did cut out 'no way, baby, let's go' both times.)

That bit made me feel old. When I went to see the film, I must have been the only person to pick up on Pegg's character quoting that towards the end. The other people in there also laughed at the "Grown Ups 2" trailer though.

[Joeyjojo]

Enjoyed the film overall; not as good as SotD but about on par Hot Fuzz.

Some of the fight scenes were pretty spectacular;  could see the Jackie Chan influence, and saw him credited under "Special Thanks" which was nice.   

It was good to see Pegg playing a prick for once, and Frost playing a serious character, rather than the usual pairing of lovable dorks. Great to see Eddie Marsan in a comedy role too, a solid, likeable performance, though I don't think his acting style gelled with Wright's directing too well... I think he was expecting (and sometimes got) more lingering camerawork which upset the rhythm of things a bit.

The main plot was pretty thin though. At least with zombies you don't have to ascribe them a motive.  With this plot, you do, and it didn't really seem to make sense at all - particularly when there's that recurring, er, 'gag' about the word Robot, which seems to contradict the actual goings on.

Did anyone spot Jessica Stevenson though? All the other Spaced actors made an appearance - not sure if I missed her or if she wasn't in it.

Finally: I took a lady to see the film and she wasn't impressed. For one, it failed the Bechdel Test, and second, she's not impressed by good fight choreography (I am).  The gags are good and often enough to (just about) keep everyone's interest, but for a non-sci-fi, non-action fan it's a little watery.

[Famous Mortimer]

I learned about the Bechdel Test today, so ta Joeyjojo. I'm a bit horrified to think of the number of films I like which utterly fail it.

[Serge]

That bit made me feel old. When I went to see the film, I must have been the only person to pick up on Pegg's character quoting that towards the end. The other people in there also laughed at the "Grown Ups 2" trailer though.

I'm pretty sure I was the only person in the cinema over 30 (never mind 40), so did wonder if I was the only one internally thinking, 'YESS!' when some old part of my record collection cropped up. I was probably the only one who sat stony-faced through the trailers for 'Grown-Ups 2', 'The Heat' and 'We're the Millers', though. Christ, even the trailer for the new Michael Bay movie came as sweet relief after that trilogy.

[Retinend]

Bechdel Test

I don't think that this test is useless. Women are not usually given fleshed-out fictional social lives unless it's virtually demanded e.g. the film stars a women or is written for a mostly female audience.

But this film is quite deliberately about being a middle aged bloke with memories of being a young man. Fancying girls. Being divorced from women. And so on. I think Joeyjojo's friend was being a bit overcritical.

Some films require more effort to "get" if you're not the audience the makers had in mind. Some films have their main appeal in men mostly to the exclusion of women and others, women mostly to the exclusion of men. It wouldn't be a solution for such films to cease to be written. I.e. if every film to pass the Bechedel test we'd miss out on good films written from one or the other perspective.

[BritishHobo]

Yeah, it's not the best attitude to automatically dislike a film for failing the test, it's more a demonstration of a trend than a way to gauge the quality of a specific movie. It does fail, but I thought Rosamund Pike's character was well-written, and had more to do than simply be the love interest.

I loved the film by the way. It didn't have quite as many laughs as Shaun or Fuzz, but I thought it was simultaneously great fun and a really emotional piece - it would have been nice to end the final film with

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Pegg and Frost's characters sitting happily together

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, but the change in relationship dynamic made for a really moving story - the scene between them

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behind the bar at the World's End, along with the scene where they finally come to blows about the until-that-point mysterious accident that they were involved in

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are, I think, the strongest in the trilogy. And the climactic scene, which I at first thought had fucked up the tone of the movie, was actually a really perfect way to round it out.

The whole nostalgic atmosphere about it just gave it a really interesting feel to me that kept it distinct enough from the previous two. I liked that they didn't re-tread old glories (apart from the fence joke and the cornetto joke, which at least felt like nice nods rather than a big 'Hey, remember this joke?!' retread) and go for the same sort of plot/relationship. Pegg playing a deluded wanker was great, and the addition of Marsan, Freeman and Considine worked well. I loved seeing the relationship between all of them unfold, especially the way that the romance was handled. It sort of felt like the grown-up of the trilogy, if Shaun is kind of an adolescent (a fantastic movie, but The World's End seemed a lot more adult and mature in the ideas it explored).

[BlodwynPig]

Considine was particularly poor in this. I have to disagree with you Hobo, I thought it was quite an infantile film, the robots and "blue blood" was symptomatic of how bad modern sci-fi is. I just cannot get over how bad the film was - I actually am trying not to be sneery for once as I thought "I'll go along for the ride and maybe it will be fun" - but it just wasn't, or at least the second half, more specifically.

But, don't let me bring you all down - I can understand if you have a more invested interest in the careers of Pegg and Frost and like Dr. Who, then it probably was middling to good.

[Thomas]

I wasn't going to mention it, Blodders, but that's the second time I've read 'Dr. Who' in your posts this morning.

It's Doctor Who, and Series 5 was jolly good.

[BlodwynPig]

I wasn't going to mention it, Blodders, but that's the second time I've read 'Dr. Who' in your posts this morning.

It's Doctor Who, and Series 5 was jolly good.

Shoot me with a ray gun! You have youth on your side. I remember when TV sci-fi was generated with finger puppets and crayons, not the CGI shitfest that Dr. Who (seems to) rely on. Case for the prosecution - Catherine Tate and Kylie Minogue.

[Thomas]

I've time for finger puppets and crayons of olde, too. Sometimes the modern CGI isn't great, so that harks back nicely.

I'm not a fan of Catherine Tate's run (Series 4), and that Minogue Christmas episode wasn't up to much either.

[BlodwynPig]

I've time for finger puppets and crayons of olde, too. Sometimes the modern CGI isn't great, so that harks back nicely.

I'm not a fan of Catherine Tate's run (Series 4), and that Minogue Christmas episode wasn't up to much either.

We'll discuss it in detail over a pint - typing this shit just makes me sound snarky, petulant and rude.

[Thursday]

the robots and "blue blood" was symptomatic of how bad modern sci-fi is.

Why?

[BlodwynPig]

Why?

Paradoxically because they didn't seem believable.

[SteveDave]

They have trodden the pub names as clues to where the story will be going thing in Shaun Of The Dead where it's tossed off quite early in the film. I can't remember the whole quote but it mirrors what happens when the zombies attack which is exactly what happens in The World's End. I thought that was a bit lazy.

[Thomas]

A bloody Mary first thing, a bite at the King's Head, couple at the Little Princess, stagger back here and bang, back at the bar for shots.

[SteveDave]

That's it. Thanks.

A bloody Mary first thing, a bite at the King's Head, couple at the Little Princess, stagger back here and bang, back at the bar for shots.

The girl in the garden[nb]in the garden there's a girl[/nb] is called Mary & she's quite bloody.

A bite at the King's Head, Shaun's step-father's been bitten.

A couple at the Little Princess (Bernard Black & Dawn from the Office at his ex-girlfriend's flat).

Stagger back pretending to be zombies.

Shots at the bar- shooting zombies at the Winchester.

[Thomas]

That sort of detail in Shaun of the Dead was very nice.[nb]similarly, the one-shot journeys to and from the local shop are great.[/nb] I've not yet seen The World's End,[nb]might catch it on ITV2 at some point.[/nb] but the way the pub-name foreshadowing is shown in the trailer seems much less subtle.

[Hat FM]

Quite enjoyed it though the ending was a bit mangled (Gary hanging out with the empties).  I'm not a massive fan but for some reason I thought this was lacking a Peter Serafenowicz appearance.  i would have liked to have seen him in Martin Freeman's role.

[Queneau]

I'm a fan of Pegg and Wright but I have been looking for a torrent for this. I watched Shaun of the Dead (several times) and Hot Fuzz at the cinema, and I nearly booked a ticket for this the other night. However, the price didn't make me feel as though I was supporting them, instead I feel as though I was supporting an overpriced sweetshop for fuckheads.

[Hat FM]

Tell me about it. I (well my girlfriend) paid £11.50 for my ticket.  Went to a picturehouse cinema on a Sunday as well.

[zomgmouse]

Well, I just got back from seeing this. Really enjoyed it and heaps of fun, but it's easily the weakest of the three. I liked the peppering of old faces (and some new) and that apart from the

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fence

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bit and the

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Cornetto

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they also managed to get the

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video game "level up" noise thing

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in this one as well. Although I think the best line for me was the

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Casablanca reference: "We'll always have the disableds."

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Still, could have used some tightening and a it felt a bit rushed, like some people have said here, it felt like they just swept a lot of things into the film for the sake of it. The

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robot

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reveal seemed to early but maybe it wasn't - though is it just me or would it have been more suitable if

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the robot blood was green and not blue? I know it'd ruin the "Dr. Ink" joke

[close]

but still. I appreciated the depressing

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alcoholism and not-letting-go-of-the-past

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aspects of it but perhaps they shouldn't have pushed them so hard. I dunno. It felt quite sloppy in general.

In any case, I liked it a lot despite it not being as good as the others. Will definitely be rewatching it.

[billtheburger]

Is the

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blood blood mot a reference to our royal family being overrun with aliens, too?

[close]

[SteveDave]

Is the

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blood blood mot a reference to our royal family being overrun with aliens, too?

[close]

You are David Icke AICM£5