Paul (2011)

There have been a lot of big laugh comedies to come out in the last couple of years, but there haven't been many that transcend gimmicks and tell a story rather than a series of comedic events. Paul was both one of the most substantial comedies in a couple years and the first good movie of 2011. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are great, but usually what people rave about are the films they star in that are made by Edgar Wright like Sean of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Well, Wright wasn't involved in this one, and it was still golden.

I think most people who talk about Paul speak of the brilliance of the placement and abundance of alien movie references. If you ask me, the movie was a whole lot more than that. You don't have to watch E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Alien to appreciate this movie. You just have to have a sense of humor and an appreciation of what Simon Pegg and Nick Frost continue to bring to the world of comedy.

If you haven't already, you should check out Paul.