Dork Shelf sits down with writer-director Edgar Wright and actor Nick Frost to talk about their trilogy capping comedy The World's End, working with Simon and everyone they have grown close to one last time, what separates this effort from the recent glut of “manchild” moves, how nostalgia for music is a trademark of stunted adolescents, what their next plans together might be like if they ever happen, the one awkward thing that Frost always seems to have to do on his wife’s birthday, and why Wright has changed his opinion on Bad Boys 2 (somewhat).
Now in its second year, Kapow! Comic Convention converged on London UK this past weekend. While a bit of a comic novice, I've been seeing more films of late either based on comic books, or inspired by the format. So I spent an afternoon at the convention, wandering the aisles, attending panels, and getting a sneak preview of an upcoming film.
It is rare that a film is released in Europe before North America, unless it is a European production. And while The Adventures of Tintin is technically not European, its roots are, and so its release here in the United Kingdom last week was appropriate.
Having never been to London, what I know of it comes from television and film: fish and chips, strawberries and cream; a love for tennis and football. They have funny accents and use weird words like 'bobby' instead of 'policeman', 'boot' for 'trunk', and 'shag' for 'sex'. And now, after watching Attack the Block, I know not to fuck with their inner city youth - especially if you're from another planet.
While mugging a young woman on her way home, a gang of South Londoners are ferociously interrupted by what they think is a meteorite striking a nearby car. Seeing the youths distracted, the woman makes a run for the nearest building which happens to be her home: nicknamed The Block. Upon closer investigation, the gang discovers the object that struck the car was not a space rock at all: it’s an alien.
Tintin is not just a comic series; for many, it's a religion. The Adventures of Tintin has been in works for a while, and finally we have a trailer. With Steven Spielberg directing, Peter Jackson producing, Edgar Wright, Steven Moffat & Joe Cornish writing, and Jamie Bell, Nick Frost and Simon Pegg (among others) acting, I have high hopes for this film.
The masterful cinematic combination of Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost have oodles of talent on their own; but bring the three of them together, and they hit a whole new level of brilliance. Separate the trio, and while the work is still very good, it doesn’t quite reach the same peak. Scott Pilgrim is one example of this; and now Paul is another. Not a great film, but a very good one.
