Paul (2011)

First they fought zombies, then they shot their guns up in the air going, "Aaaah," and now they've met an alien. Paul is the newest release from the comedic duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, whose first two films, Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, left audiences doubled over with laughter.

Paul follows the road trip adventures of British sci-fi nerds Graeme and Clive, from their visit to Comic-Con onto an extra-terrestrial themed tour with stops at the famous Black Mailbox and Area 51. Their journey eventually leads the two to meet Paul, an actual alien escaped from a government facility, however, he is not exactly what they are expecting. Paul is an irreverent, sarcastic stoner who is personally responsible for creating many of the pop culture phenomena of the last 50 years.

Graeme and Clive must help Paul get to a rendezvous point where he is to be picked up by a spacecraft and taken back to his home planet. Joining the trio is Ruth, a Bible-thumper who is quickly enlightened by Paul and who longs for world experience. On their tails are federal agents Zoil, Haggard and O'Reilly, whose boss, "The Big Guy," demands they capture Paul and return him to Area 51 for experimentation and dissection.

Paul could scarcely have been cast better. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost star as Graeme and Clive, and both pull off brilliant comedic timing and talent. Pegg is outgoing and full of energy, while Frost's more laid back and introspective humour compliments Pegg nicely. Kristin Wiig plays the converted Ruth, and is hilarious both as an uber-religious type as well as a wild, free-spirited woman willing to try anything. Wiig's comedy proves pitch-perfect while delivering some of the film's best lines. Jason Bateman, Bill Hader and Joe Lo Truglio play the feds Zoil, Haggard and O'Reilly respectively, and Sigourney Weaver makes a hugely funny guest appearance as "The Big Guy."

The real star of Paul, though, is Seth Rogen, voicing the title character. You simply can't say enough for Rogen's genius performance, made even more impressive by his lack of physical acting, as Paul is the product of CGI. It's as if all of Rogen's highlights were taken from previous stoner flicks and slightly more serious fare and complied into an entire flick of Rogen comedic brilliance.

Smart humour is what gives Paul much of its appeal, as many of the jokes are more in the vein of sarcastic social commentary than simple pot-induced giggles. More than just funny, Paul appeals to nerds and geeks everywhere, with enough science fiction, comic book, film, television and pop culture riffs and references to keep just about every nerd entertained.

Though Paul lacks a complicated mythology, this film is sure to entertain. And if you just want to see Sigourney Weaver attack aliens one more time, definitely check this one out!

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars