Growing up as a wee boy who wanted to make films in Scotland was not easy. Though the state of Scottish cinema is much healthier today, making the decision to study film after leaving high school in 2015 was not as easy as you would think. At the time, as far as mainstream Scottish films would go, Sunshine on Leith and Brave were pretty much it. At least that’s what I, a cinema-obsessed seventeen-year-old, was led to believe.

Luckily for me, it was that summer in between leaving high school and entering college that I would discover the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF). Attending live Q&As, meeting the likes of Haskell Wexler, Seamus McGarvey and Ewan McGregor (who, not only had I grown up with, but was the star of the greatest Scottish film ever made, in my eyes) and seeing films with hundreds of others in attendance, was like something I had never experienced before. I knew right away that I needed more of it. Two weeks every summer where I could breathe, eat and sleep movies – how on earth had I gone my whole life without realising that an entire world of cinema was right on my doorstep? 

The Edinburgh International Film Festival introduced me to films from all around the world, brilliant pieces that I may have never seen if not for the festival. More importantly, it showed me that Scottish films were being made, and it also gave me a place to see them. Over the years I would discover such delights as John McPhail’s Anna and the Apocalypse, Ninian Doff’s Get Duked and Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun. 

Aside from cementing my choice to study film, both EIFF and its home the Edinburgh Filmhouse did so much for me as far as film education and my own career in film go; EIFF introduced me to one of the very first international films I saw (The 400 Blows), sparked my interest in film programming and hosting Q&As, screened films I had directed and acted in, allowed me to share a room with brilliant filmmakers and actors such as John Landis, Joe Dante, Oliver Stone, Kevin Bacon and Richard E. Grant. Furthermore, these institutions allowed me to see classics on the big screen for the very first time – movies like The Seventh Seal, The Exorcist, There Will Be Blood, A Nightmare on Elm Street, 2001: A Space Odyssey – as well as providing a venue for new found favourites such as Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, Bait, Uncut Gems, Spencer and Licorice Pizza. 

With all that EIFF and Filmhouse introduced me to, you can only imagine the devastation I felt on the morning of the 6th of October 2022 when I heard the news that both EIFF and Filmhouse had ceased trading immediately. How could two things that mean so much to me simply just stop? There wasn’t even a chance to say goodbye…

The history of both institutions, but specifically Edinburgh International Film Festival, is astonishing. It is the longest continually running film festival in the world, beginning in 1947 and running until this year. It is a landmark that keeps Scotland on the map, a cultural landstone that has helped Edinburgh remain famous as a city renowned for its art and culture. The influence that the Edinburgh International Film Festival has had on film culture not only in Scotland but the world over is undeniable, bringing filmmakers such as Orson Welles, George Lucas, Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott, Kathryn Bigelow and Bong Joon-Ho to the capital and introducing films like Jour de fête, Pather Panchali, Wild Strawberries, Easy Rider, Alien, Blade Runner, E.T. and Reservoir Dogs to the UK and the world. John Huston once said “I rarely go to film festivals. The only one as such that’s worth a damn is Edinburgh. My god, it’s unique”. It was always easy to see why.

I am not the only one affected by the news. Many filmmakers have come out in support of both institutions. Edgar Wright tweeted “The @edfilmfest was the first festival to ever show a film of mine and I have had so much support and great screenings with the amazing @Filmhouse cinemas since, so this is a terrible blow. My heart goes out to those who love film and have lost jobs. Hoping for a resolution soon”. French Animator Sylvian Chomet stated in an interview that the closures were “a bitter disappointment for the city of Edinburgh and its wonderful people.” Before a screening of Aftersun at the London Film Festival, Charlotte Wells made a tribute to both EIFF and the Filmhouse in saying “These are spaces that mean a great deal to me, it’s where I saw my 1st film, it’s where this, my first feature, played. I wouldn’t be standing here without them”. Further filmmakers such as Mark Jenkin and Mark Cousins have also voiced their disappointment, with Cousins himself writing an article for The Guardian on the matter.

Many others have taken the news as a call to arms, organising groups designed to help save the Filmhouse, hosting candlelit vigils outside of Edinburgh Filmhouse, and starting a petition that now has over 20,000 signatures. Furthermore, the Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said she would engage with Edinburgh city councils and the financing entity Creative Scotland to determine any paths forward to salvage the institutions.

The outpouring of support is a good sign and certainly shows that many do care about both the Filmhouse and EIFF, but whilst the Filmhouse remains closed the threat remains. Not only to the Filmhouse but to cinema in general. Earlier this year Cineworld Group plc announced that they were filing for bankruptcy, putting Cineworld, Picturehouse Cinemas and Regal Cinemas all at risk. Thankfully all three remain trading to this day, but in the year 2022 there is a very clear and very real threat to what we have long understood to be cinema.

Martin Scorsese recently denounced what he calls the “focus on numbers” in the film world, calling it “repulsive” and “insulting”. This is a world that runs on money and so the money that a film and a cinema makes is important. If one type of movie makes a lot of money then Hollywood bankrolls more of that kind of movie – if it doesn’t, then so long hopeful cinematic universe. Moreover, cinemas rely on films making a lot of money; more people buying tickets and memberships mean that the cinemas are earning money, and the cinemas earning money means they can afford the cost to run the cinema itself, and being able to do that allows the cinema to show more movies, and so on and so forth. 

It is this focus on figures that leads Scorsese to believe that “cinema is devalued, demeaned, belittled from all sides, not necessarily the business side but certainly the art”.

Look back at the past twenty-one years of the worldwide box office. Every year the top 5 (and sometimes even more than that) are not only major blockbusters but major blockbusters almost exclusively designed for audiences 12 and under. Harry Potter, Shrek, Lord of the Rings, Transformers, Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Wars, Toy Story, Marvel. These are all very much films in which audiences of all ages can attend, but are designed for children to beg their parents to go see, doubling the tickets sold and money made in one foul swoop. 

To the outside, this change clearly works. Movies are making more money than ever, the ten highest-grossing movies of all time is constantly changing, the U.S. domestic box office recorded its highest ever earnings only four years ago. That’s all great, but only certain types of movies are making that much money. 

Imagine if Jackson Pollock’s paintings were selling for the highest amount so Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso decided to paint only in the style of Pollock. You’d tire of seeing the same thing, and these other artists wouldn’t stand out for their originality. As a culture, as a society, we’d be left without these great artists and the uniqueness of their work, we’d be lesser as a whole. 

Occasionally you’ll get smaller and more unique films making good money at the box office, such as Everything Everywhere All At Once or Get Out, but the gap in overall gross between films like these and films like, say, Thor: Love and Thunder is astonishing. Before 2000, films like Saving Private Ryan, The Fugitive, A Few Good Men, Pretty Woman, Ghost, Rain Man were all top ten highest-grossing films of their respective years. They feel like they are a million miles away. Would they possibly be in the same position today?

The current era isn’t without quality filmmaking either. There are brilliant films out there that go practically unnoticed at the box office, films like You Were Never Really Here, Dope, Blindspotting, The Vast of Night, Never Look Away. These are the kinds of films that are most likely to screen at a place like the Edinburgh Filmhouse or the Edinburgh International Film Festival. 

Film is an art form, not a commodity. Not everyone is going to like the same moving pictures and that is fine, but there needs to be a variety. Such places that you could find variety were Filmhouse and EIFF. With that being said we must support independent cinemas, cherish their unique approaches and the independent films they often showcase; these are the few places that offer what you will not experience anywhere else in the world, the institutions that support and celebrate the work that makes up the majority but is seen by the minority.

The future of both Filmhouse and Edinburgh International Film Festival are uncertain, but if they are given the second life they deserve then we must hold them near and dear to our hearts and support them however we can.

Regardless of what happens, this wee boy from Scotland will be forever indebted to both EIFF and the Filmhouse, as both institutions played a major role in the movie fanatic I am today; widening my movie palette, strengthening my passion for cinema, providing me with numerous opportunities that I never would have had otherwise and, most importantly of all, helping me to realise that a life in the movies was possible where I was from and not just a pipe dream. Thank you Filmhouse and thank you Edinburgh Film Festival.

With that in mind, we here at The Film Magazine are to judge the always referential, always funny and clearly artistic talents of one of mainstream film’s most unique directors. In this latest edition of Ranked, we’re looking to the Cornetto Trilogy and beyond to proffer which films from Edgar Wright’s feature directorial filmography are the best and which are the worst, judging each entry on artistic merit, cultural significance and popular consensus.

Follow @thefilmagazine on Twitter.

7. Last Night in Soho (2021)

Last Night in Soho Review

A love letter to all things 60s, Last Night in Soho’s ambition can get the better of it sometimes, though it remains an ambitious attempt at an out-and-out horror from director Edgar Wright; one anchored by strong performances from Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy.

The first half is especially effective at capturing swinging 60s Soho, London in its heyday with some fine cinematography from Park Chan-wook regular Chung-hoon Chung.

Last Night in Soho falls towards the lower end of Wright’s filmography, mostly due to its final act which split audiences and critics, though it remains a worthwhile watch due to its loving craftsmanship and knockout 60s soundtrack.

6. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Review

This is a fine first foray away from collaboration’s with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost for Edgar Wright, and is a great showcase for his unique blend of action, humour and pathos.

Focusing on down on his luck Scott Pilgrim and his relationship with his area’s newest arrival Ramona, Scott Pilgrim boasts some fantastic set pieces between the titular Scott and a series of Ramona’s exes.

It falls lower in Wright’s filmography as it is perhaps lacking some of the universal appeal of his earlier works, but make no mistake that Scott Pilgrim shows off Wright’s love of comic books and video games, with some scenes acting as clear homages to both forms of entertainment and the film remaining a must-watch for fans of the director’s work.

Recommended for you: James Gunn Directed Movies Ranked

Last Night in Soho (2021)
Director: Edgar Wright
Screenwriters: Edgar Wright, Krysty Wilson-Cairns
Starring: Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Terrence Stamp, Diana Rigg, Rita Tushingham

Edgar Wright has long been interested in the horror genre, of course paying homage to and sending it up with his feature film debut, 2004’s Shaun of the Dead. He has spoken about his love for classics of the genre, especially John Landis’ An American Werewolf In London, and his latest feature (his first since 2017’s Baby Driver) is the psychological horror Last Night in Soho. This 2021 release plays out in a dual timeframe, with the bulk of its runtime set in present day London and a series of dream sequences taking us back to Swinging Sixties Soho.

This is Wright’s first direct foray into outright horror, and it’s clear that the filmmaker (who acts as director and co-screenwriter here) takes heavy inspiration from Roman Polanski’s Repulsion, Nicholas Roeg’s Venice-set Don’t Look Now and the Giallo horrors of Dario Argento in particular.

We follow fashion student Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie) who is obsessed with all things 60s and takes many of her grandmother’s records with her when she moves from Redruth in Cornwall to London. After moving into a lodging on Goodge Street, Eloise begins to have visions of the 1960s and a former inhabitant of her room, Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy). What begins as a dive into the world of Eloise’s dreams takes a darker turn as we plunge into a world of mystery and dread, with no one being quite who they seem.

Last Night in Soho is a wonderful advert for Edgar Wright’s creativity as a director. The opening segment – set in the 1960s – shows Eloise walking through night-time Soho to the Café De Paris through a cinema ad-horned with a poster for 1965’s Thunderball. It’s mesmerising. There, Wright sets up an electric dance sequence featuring back and forth between Taylor-Joy and Mckenzie, with Matt Smith’s Jack featuring as a sleazy hang-around who acts as a manager and love interest for Taylor-Joy’s Sandie.

The performances are by and large one of the film’s highlights, with Thomasin McKenzie’s introverted Eloise offset by Anya Taylor-Joy’s outgoing aspiring singer Sandie. Terrence Stamp is given a late chance to shine as a broody and mysterious individual frequenting Soho’s Toucan bar, and we are also treated to a fine final performance from Diana Rigg who is central to the film’s plot.

Camera work from Park Chan-Wook’s cinematographer Chung-hoon Chung ensures this is one of Wright’s most visually arresting films. The clear love he holds for this time period and for Soho itself is apparent. The soundtrack is a stand out aspect of the film too, and arguably one of the best within Wright’s canon of work – which is of course quite the achievement given that he has a knack for finding the perfect music to match each of his films. We are treated to an array of 60s classics including music from The Kinks, Cilla Black, The Who and Dusty Springfield. Perhaps the most prominently used song is Petula Clark’s “Downtown”, which features in addition to Anya Taylor-Joy singing an acapella version.

The final act of the film has earned some criticism and is perhaps a jarring shift from the acts that have preceded it. While not entirely derailing the film, some of the story choices may seem questionable, especially in relation to the depiction of female violence. While this is certainly divisive, the majority of the film is an enjoyable transportation back to the 1960s.

If Last Night In Soho is not Edgar Wright’s finest moment as a director, it is a fine advert for his obvious qualities as a filmmaker, with the slow build-up of action creating an undercurrent of tension and showing his appreciation for the horror genre. The soundtrack and performances are pitch perfect and help to build a true sense of what the 1960s might have been like: glamorous on the surface but with something altogether more murky lurking underneath. If the final act doesn’t necessarily land some of the plot points teased earlier in the film, it shouldn’t ultimately prevent anyone from enjoying the film as a whole, Last Night in Soho being a loving ode to a time and place close to Edgar Wright’s heart.

18/24

The Sparks Brothers (2021)
Director: Edgar Wright
Starring: Ron Mael, Russell Mael, Edgar Wright

Whether you’ve seen one Edgar Wright film or his entire filmography, one thing is apparent: his love of music. Whether that be shown through the likes of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, or through his more music-centered films such as Baby Driver and Scott Pilgrim vs the World, it is clear that the man loves music, with the soundtracks of his movies being consistently lauded for their quality and their impact on the films themselves, particularly with regard to how each of them are edited. Wright is a self-confessed music fanboy and this is no more apparent than through his social media accounts, each of which he often updates with excellent curated Spotify playlists, from Top 50 of the Year collections to playlists specific to David Bowie and Ennio Morricone. Over the past few years, one of Edgar Wright’s most vocal loves has been that of Sparks, which first became obvious with his original Sparks for Beginners playlist (now “The Sparks Brothers – Official Film Playlist”). The famed director’s love of music – and specific love of Sparks – makes him the perfect choice for director of a documentary on brothers Ron and Russell Mael aka The Sparks Brothers.

Sparks are a famously mysterious band, as pointed out in the trailer when Julia Marcus offers the soundbite statement that Sparks “are a band who you can look up on wikipedia and know nothing!” Given that the story of the Mael brothers is shrouded in mystery whilst also having lasted fifty years, one must take a well thought out approach in portraying the story of their lives and that of the band. Wright’s approach could be argued to be formulaic due to its structure in going from album to album in chronological order, yet the story of Sparks simply does not allow for the structure to seem placid, with each of the band’s albums (and consequentially the periods in each of the Mael’s lives) being unique in their own way. Wright bringing some structure to the insane story of the band actually allows the whacky real-life narrative to be told in a cohesive manner. 

At a runtime of 2 hours and 20 minutes many would feel as though The Sparks Brothers is rather long for a documentary (though fans of Mark Cousins’ work might disagree), yet the sheer volume of information Edgar Wright is able to tell throughout this runtime is astonishing; The Sparks Brothers covers all 25 Sparks albums, how they were made, their legacies, best songs, music videos, press at the time, etc., whilst also covering the upbringing of the brothers, how they came to love music, stories of their first bands, and even going so far as to cover multiple failed film projects as well as their famous 21 concerts in a row, playing every album of theirs in full. Multiple moments in the careers of the Spark Brothers would be worthy of feature length documentaries themselves, but somehow Edgar Wright manages to tell it all in one movie whilst never conveying the feeling that any one section receives favour over another.

While the volume of information being told at any one time throughout The Sparks Brothers is enough to save the film from dragging, Paul Trewartha’s editing of the documentary keeps the film moving at a brisk pace with a tempo and rhythm almost as catchy as those found within the music of Sparks. Much of this is helped by Wright’s excellent choices of Sparks songs to play throughout the documentary, all of which further compliment each era of the band, bringing more meaning to the story being told and vice versa.

On top of this, the band have been so influential throughout their careers that the documentary also works as its own mini-history of music over the past half century. Even through moments in time in which Sparks were far removed (ie, the Punk explosion of the 70s), the documentary fills in the blanks, adding layer after layer to an already rich offering. 

Despite the truly fascinating story, Wright’s excellent use of the band’s entire discography, the editing, the pacing, and the sheer volume of information told in the film’s runtime, perhaps the greatest aspect of The Sparks Brothers is its use of talking heads. This is something the film itself pokes fun at, its own trailer featuring a line from the brothers that states: “we didn’t want to do the standard documentary full of talking heads […] it would become too dry”, each doused in water shortly thereafter. By conducting the interviews himself, Wright (subtitled as “fanboy” in the doc) successfully creates an atmosphere of Sparks fans nerding-out together, allowing for each interview to seem truly natural and for every single interviewee’s passion for the music to shine through. Vitally, Wright has assembled a brilliant and varied cast of interviewees that spans from fellow musicians to actors, writers, journalists, directors and fans, showing the true reach of Sparks. As well as this, the sheer number of interviews filmed for the movie allows for each album and era of the band to be represented by their own unique set of talking heads.

With The Sparks Brothers it is blatantly apparent that Sparks were the best subject matter for Edgar Wright to cover in his first foray into documentary filmmaking, and equally that Wright was the best director to make a long-awaited documentary about the Mael brothers. The passion of the director, and everyone else involved, never fails to shine through in The Sparks Brothers, just as the genius of Sparks themselves never seems to fade.

This documentary is an impeccable 2-hours-plus of pure joy.

23/24

Recommended for you: Edgar Wright Movies Ranked

Timothée Chalamet in promotional material for Dune (2021).

The upcoming sci-fi adaptation was initially scheduled to release in November of 2020, so another three weeks likely won’t make fans too upset. The most interesting part of the move is Dune’s new competition: Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho and the new Wes Anderson film, The French Dispatch. Like Dune, these films are the works of popular directors and have been hotly anticipated, especially the latter which was intended to premiere at Cannes 2020. It would be surprising if the other studios decide to keep this release date, as each of the films play to similar audiences.

The move actually came about to tackle competition. According to insiders, the studio wanted to increase space between Dune and the newest James Bond film, No Time to Die, due to open 8th October. This shows WB’s faith in the film performing well, expecting it to deliver blockbuster figures.

It should be noted that in the US, Dune will be available to stream day-and-date on HBO Max, so its box office earnings may be effected by this.

Dune is set to premiere at the Venice International Film Festival and sees director Denis Villeneuve (Arrival; Blade Runner 2049) return to the sci-fi genre. The latest adaptation of Frank Herbert’s groundbreaking novel stars Timothée Chalamet (Little Women), Zendaya (Spider-Man: Far from Home), Rebecca Ferguson (Doctor Sleep), Josh Brolin (Avengers: Infinity War) and Oscar Isaac (Star Wars Sequel Trilogy).

Last Night in Soho continues the career high of Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch), who turned in an award-winning performance in Netflix miniseries ‘The Queen’s Gambit’. This is Edgar Wright’s (Scott Pilgrim; Hot Fuzz) first film since Baby Driver (2017), which was not only a critical success, but also became the director’s highest grossing film earning $226,945,087 worldwide.

The French Dispatch on the other hand sees Wes Anderson (Rushmore; The Grand Budapest Hotel) reunite with his acting regulars as they take on the final days of an American newspaper outpost in 20th century France. Timothée Chalamet also stars here. While film fans will no doubt revel in a Chalamet double feature, it will be interesting to see how general moviegoers react to the actor being prominently featured in both.

Other films affected by the shuffle include Clint Eastwood‘s Cry Macho, now set to debut on 17th September, and ‘The Sopranos’ prequel The Many Saints of Newark, scheduled for 1st October.

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
Director: Edgar Wright
Screenwriters: Michael Bacall, Edgar Wright
Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Anna Kendrick, Alison Pill, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Schwartzman, Ellen Wong, Chris Evans, Brie Larson

Following the success of the first two entries in the critically and commercially acclaimed Cornetto Trilogy, Edgar Wright turned his attention to North American audiences with his adaptation Bryan Lee O’Malley’s “Scott Pilgrim” graphic novel series. With the film turning 10 in 2020, and with a theatrical release promised by the director himself, now seems like a fine time to revisit one of the filmmaker’s most under-watched gems.

Whilst a box-office flop at the time of release, Scott Pilgrim has gained a steady number of fans in the decade since, becoming something of a cult classic. The New York Times wrote that “Its speedy, funny, happy-sad spirit is so infectious that the movie makes you feel at home in its world even if the landscape is, at first glance, unfamiliar”. The film additionally earned praise in the UK with a five star review from Empire Magazine.

The protagonist of the film is the titular character Scott Pilgrim (Cera), a 22 year old from Toronto who is the bassist for struggling rock band Sex Bob-Omb. The plot focuses on Scott’s pursuit of a relationship with newcomer to the area Ramona Flowers (Winstead), who is trying to escape her past. To earn her affection, Scott must defeat her seven evil exes in a series of fun and elaborate video-game styled fights that could have leapt straight from the screens of classic Pac-Man or Super Mario. As an avid video game fan (as proven by their significant inclusions in ‘Spaced’ and Shaun of the Dead), Edgar Wright delivers in colour, stakes and homage, for a joyful sensory journey through the original material’s witty and relateable content.

As with each of Wright’s other films, the casting of Scott Pilgrim is spot on, and many of the core cast have gone to achieve great success in the years that have followed. Michael Cera is fantastic as Scott, the ‘Arrested Development’ star bringing his blend of humour to proceedings and nailing the empty-headed character with his typically endearing delivery. Mary Elizabeth Winstead offers some great support work as Ramona, with her tough attitude coming across as mysterious and interesting in wholesome opposition to the protagonist. In smaller roles, Chris Evans and Brie Larson (now veterans of the MCU) both excel in playing against type, and we are offered an early glimpse at Kieran Culkin’s talents prior to the smash hit series ‘Succession’.

Similarly, Wright is able to effectively and humourously balance the changes in tone that Scott Pilgrim’s original material has to offer, ensuring that comedy, action and romance exist seamlessly within the same picture. Early scenes with Scott and his initial love interest Knives, as well as his initial interactions with Ramona, seem to come from an entirely different film to the comic-book/video-game hybrid on offer later on, these early moments feeling more like a rom-com than an action-comedy. The juxtaposition of the tone works in the film’s favour, offering a graphic novel adaptation about as unique as you’ll find in pseudo-mainstream English language cinema.

The action sequences of Scott Pilgrim are perhaps its most unique feature however, with each of them illustrating Wright’s unique gift for making absurd situations work, the climactic showdown between Scott and Gideon proving an audio-visual delight. Many of the fight sequences are lifted straight from the pages of the source material, showing Wright’s reverence to the text and translating as unique and enjoyable cinematic inclusions in their own right.

With the film predominantly focusing on Scott and his band-mates, the music in Scott Pilgrim is of course a crucial ingredient as regards the film’s success. Many of the original songs performed by Sex-Bob-Omb fit the alt-culture tones perfectly, and Brie Larson nails her musical number as Scott’s ex Envy Adams – remarkably Larson was only 19 at the time of filming. The indie/alternative artist Beck features prominently on the soundtrack too, and he even composed some original material for the film, illustrating the reach of the novel and of Wright’s music-led directorial approach. There are even several video game pieces from the The Legend Of Zelda video game series scattered throughout.

In Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, it was refreshing to see Wright stretch his muscles and begin to show the variety in his releases that would be further demonstrated in his next non-cornetto film Baby Driver (2017). Pilgrim, like Driver, proved that Wright could operate without co-screenwriter and leading man Simon Pegg, and worked to solidify Wright as a trusty filmmaker in the Hollywood realm despite its financial woes. Funny, creative and endearing, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a film very much in the mold of its director.

18/24

The World’s End (2013)
Director: Edgar Wright
Screenwriters: Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Eddie Marsan, Rosamund Pike, David Bradley

2013’s The World’s End has been cited by some fans as the most disappointing entry in the Cornetto Trilogy despite a positive reception from critics who welcomed it just as favourably as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Coming 6 years after the trilogy’s middle entry, The World’s End acts as the culmination of the miniature series of Pegg, Frost and Wright collaborations, offering yet more reoccurring gags and winks for fans, with plenty for new new viewers to digest. It recounts a quintet of school friends, led by Simon Pegg’s Gary King, as they attempt to finish a pub crawl known as The Golden Mile they had attempted some twenty-plus years prior, encountering some otherworldly obstacles en-route.

One of the film’s major strengths is the way in which it flips the leading roles of the two previous films on their head. On this occasion Nick Frost plays the uptight, professional and reluctant straight-man to Pegg’s man-child, the latter firmly longing for his adolescent years. This change in roles does little to nullify the chemistry of the two leads who, by this point, are so in tune that they hit every single mark and establish a relateable leading duo even after 6 years apart. Martin Freeman as Oliver is also cast against type as a stone faced estate agent, a far cry from his roles as Bilbo in The Hobbit and Tim in ‘The Office’. The other two members of the central quintet are famed British talent Paddy Considine (who of course featured in Hot Fuzz) and Cornetto newcomer Eddie Marsan (Filth).

As with the two previous entries in the Cornetto Trilogy, there is an assortment of guest stars including standouts Pierce Brosnan, Rosamund Pike and David Bradley, with a further selection of familiar faces strewn across the 12 pubs visited, including (as always) some of the cast of Wright and Pegg’s cult TV sitcom ‘Spaced’.

The 6 year gap between the films, which saw Pegg and Wright establish themselves as some of Hollywood’s go-to filmmakers on the likes of Star Trek and Mission: Impossible (Pegg), and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Wright), was one of the major drawbacks for The World’s End at launch as it led expectations to be at a high level amongst fans. It is difficult to note whether the gap (in terms of time and expectation) affected the film’s box office haul, which was just over half of what Hot Fuzz made, but in terms of audience reception there must be some consideration made towards the high levels of expectation the duo brought with them into this film.

As was the case with the previous Cornetto movies, The World’s End once again treated us to some inventive action sequences, including the trademarked pub fight. The standout here was perhaps the brawl in the pub toilet, which proved to be imaginative and enthralling, and nicely contrasted the style of action seen in Hot Fuzz.

Thematically, The World’s End has plenty to say and is without question the most sobering of the Cornetto films. It offers commentary on the “Starbucking” of UK towns as many of Newton Haven’s pubs have been bought out by chains and have lost their unique qualities, with a recurring comment being whether it is our quintet or their childhood town that has changed the most. Another of the main themes is letting go of the past and any disappointment one might feel about how life has turned out, Gary commenting that his life was never as good as the night they first attempted the Golden Mile. The film also offers insight into life in a small town and the nature of a lads’ night out. Meanwhile, the surprising addition of an alien invasion thread proves to be satisfying and gives the premise a welcome breath of fresh air.

A great soundtrack is one of the hallmarks of the whole trilogy and music plays arguably its most prominent role in its finale. A particular emphasis is placed on 90s Britpop which reflects the group’s at-the-time burgeoning adulthood with tracks from the likes of The Stone Roses, Pulp and The Happy Mondays. In keeping with the pub crawl theme, several of the tracks including The Doors’ “Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)” and The Housemartins’ “Happy Hour” are nods to the film’s alcohol-fueled plot-line.

The World’s End does, overall, round the trilogy off in fine fashion. It is more of a slow burner than its two predecessors, building suspense and a sense that something is not quite right with the residents of Newton Haven, the audience and characters alike being teased for longer than before, and the slow build isn’t to everyone’s taste, but the contrasts to the previous entries tonally and character- wise bring added depth and ensure the film never feels formulaic or repetitive. In The World’s End, we are offered more of a varied glimpse at the acting chops of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as well as some strong support from the core cast. Perhaps the film will be viewed in a more positive light in the years to come and step out of the shadow of its two siblings to take on a life of its own, but for now it remains an underappreciated entry into the canon of the Cornetto films and Edgar Wright’s wider filmography.

Score: 17/24

Hot Fuzz (2007)
Director: Edgar Wright
Screenwriters: Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Bill Bailey, Lucy Punch, Olivia Colman, Jim Broadbent, Alice Lowe, Timothy Dalton

2007’s Hot Fuzz forms the middle entry in the standalone Cornetto Trilogy, which began with 2004’s Shaun of the Dead and concluded with 2013’s The World’s End. As with the other two entries in the series, the film was co-written by director Edgar Wright and leading man Simon Pegg, and co-starred fellow ‘Spaced’ collaborator Nick Frost.

Hot Fuzz has been labelled by some as the best of the trio’s three films and was the most financially successful at the box office by some distance, receiving critical praise in both its native UK and the United States. As is the case with Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz featured on Empire Magazine’s list of the greatest British films of all time and it has been labelled as one of the finest action comedies ever made.

Given the links in cast and crew to Shaun of the Dead and ‘Spaced’, there may have been some worry of overkill in the Frost-Pegg partnership, but there are no signs of that in Hot Fuzz. In fact, familiarity with the pair works in the film’s favour as the chemistry between the two leads is arguably the best it has ever been, the pair bouncing off one another with any number of clever quips and jibes. Here, Pegg plays the uptight and consummately professional Sgt Angel who has been transferred from hustle and bustle of London to the sleepy country village of Sandford in Gloucestershire, while Frost plays his Police colleague Danny, a man who is precisely Angel’s opposite as the rural cop searching for the big time of a London lifestyle while still coming to grips with how to act as a grown up in a professional manner.

As ever in the Cornetto films, the supporting cast brings plenty to the table. Particular standouts are Jim Broadbent as Sandford’s head of police and Timothy Dalton as mysterious supermarket owner Simon Skinner, but other notable inclusions are Oscar-winner Olivia Coleman in the small role of PC Doris and The Wicker Man (1973) star Edward Woodward, the latter of whom brings particular attention to the film’s sleepy English village setting and indicates a darker underbelly reminiscent of the 70s classic. In keeping with the in-joke present in Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz features a cameo by a ‘Spaced’ cast member too, this time that of Julia Deakin who played Stella Tulley. There are also numerous cameos for fans of British cinema and television, including appearances by Martin Freeman, Steve Coogan and Bill Nighy.

Edgar Wright’s films are known for their eclectic soundtracks, and in Hot Fuzz the director makes moves to bring his chosen songs in on the joke, the likes of Supergrass (get it?) and Dire Straits being featured prominently, with a particular focus on The Kinks’ iconic album Village Green Preservation Society.

By the same token, Hot Fuzz wears its influences on its sleeve and with a sly grin on its face, the film making multiple references to the movies of Tony Scott, Shane Black and Kathryn Bigelow in particular; Bigelow’s Point Break (1991) being the subject of a few of the film’s most referential moments of comedy. These references and homages don’t feel out of place in Hot Fuzz, but are instead more indicative of Wright’s immense respect for those who inspired his own directorial and written work. Wright himself would of course go on to write and direct Baby Driver, one of the finest action films in recent years, the fingerprints of his coming mastery of the genre being played out to great effect in small town chases and shoot outs that not only bring thrills but absurd moments of comedy too.

Along with predecessor Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz is a fantastic showcase for the collective talents of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright. It is without question the most quotable of the three Cornetto films and arguably the most iconic. The ensemble cast are clearly having an absolute blast throughout, and the humour blends immaculately with the film’s darker moments and inventive action sequences. Far from being a copy of previous collaborations between the cast and crew, Hot Fuzz feels tonally distinct; a new adventure from hugely talented filmmakers who at this point were offering some of their best ever work.

18/24

Written by Christopher Connor

You can support Christopher Connor in the following places:

Twitter – @chrisconnor96

Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Director: Edgar Wright
Screenwriters: Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, Peter Serafinowicz, Rafe Spall, Bill Nighy

16 years after its release, Shaun of the Dead remains one of the best loved British comedies of the contemporary era; a release that, alongside its fellow Cornetto Trilogy entries Hot Fuzz and The World’s End, has had a profound effect on the British cinematic landscape.

The much loved sitcom ‘Spaced’ (1999-2001) launched the careers of its stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, as well as director Edgar Wright. Over the past two decades, the trio have all come to have considerable success on both sides of the Atlantic, with Pegg finding major roles in both the Mission: Impossible & Star Trek franchises, Frost starring in hits like Fighting with My Family, and Wright going on to direct cult favourites like Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World and 2017’s hugely successful Baby Driver.

Rewatching Shaun of the Dead following the success later achieved by those involved is fascinating as it offers glimpses behind the success of the aforementioned trio. The film focuses on Shaun (Pegg) and Ed (Frost), a pair of unhappy late 20s flatmates struggling to get by in London – there is also heavy focus on the struggling relationship between Shaun and his girlfriend Liz (Kate Ashfield). The early parts of the film play out almost like a buddy film, or a rom-com, such is the blend of laddish humour and focus given to Shaun and Liz’s relationship.

Coming fresh off the heels of ‘Spaced’ there are clear comparisons to be drawn, and Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg have mentioned how the show had a heavy influence on the film in many interviews over the years since, but much rather than it being a carbon copy of the cult favourite TV sitcom, these influences are minimal and help to provide the film with a degree of familiarity to those in-the-know, while never being overwhelming to those who aren’t – Pegg’s ‘Spaced’ co-star Jessica Hynes (then Stevenson) appears in a recurring cameo role for example, an element of Shaun of the Dead that is both in tribute to the filmmakers’ days on television but also unique to the film.

In addition, Shaun of the Dead is clearly made as a tribute to zombie and horror films, particularly those of horror icon George A. Romero – most obviously Dawn of the Dead (where this film got its name), itself a second entry into Romero’s own zombie movie series following Night of the Living Dead.

There are frequent examples underlining why Wright is seen as one of the most talented British directors of his generation in Shaun of the Dead. An extended tracking shot in the opening sequence following Shaun from his flat to the local shop is a fantastic piece of cinematography, and the choice to mirror this with the same shot later in the film once the world has been turned upside down by zombies is one that is both intelligently cinematic and truly funny. The misdirects early in the film are of the highest comedic sensibility too, with the use of imagery to evoke the pending zombie arrival providing some fantastic sight gags.

The humour is a huge part of what makes the film work and much of this comes down to the chemistry between Pegg and Frost. We are introduced to several recurring motifs from the rest of the Cornetto Trilogy with gags about shops, fence hurdling and pub fights all reappearing in some shape or form in Hot Fuzz and The World’s End. In spite of this, the screenplay of Wright and Pegg manages to blend more serious moments with its outright comedy, realising a surprising amount depth and character development for a film of its genre.

The use of music is crucial to many of Wright’s films, particularly Baby Driver, and Shaun of the Dead is no exception. Music is used to incredible effect, opening to The Specials’ “Ghost Town” and featuring multiple Queen tracks, “Don’t Stop Me Now” taking on a life of its own as the now iconic soundtrack to the pub brawl in the final act. In keeping with this marrying of music and film, one of the film’s best gags revolves around which of Shaun’s vinyl collection should be used as weapons against the Zombies, he and Ed having a back and forth regarding the importance of certain records as they fight off one of their slow but seemingly unstoppable foes.

Shaun of the Dead has amassed legions of fans in the 16 years since its release, with Empire Magazine placing it 6th in its list of Top 100 British Films and horror icon Stephen King dubbing it “10 on the fun meter and destined to be a cult classic”. It’s clear to see why this opening Cornetto Trilogy film has come to be so beloved and influential amongst comedy filmmakers, the first cinematic collaboration between Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright being a superbly written and acted film that lays an outstanding platform from which the trio have reached to great heights; one of the earliest examples of Wright’s unique brilliance at blending humour and pathos.

19/24

Written by Christopher Connor

You can support Christopher Connor in the following places:

Twitter – @chrisconnor96

Baby Driver is the latest movie from Edgar Wright, the creative mind behind the camera for each movie in the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, The World’s End), as well as Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and stars teen heartthrob Ansel Elgort encountering the colourful personalities of a stacked cast of supporting talent that includes Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm and Kevin Spacey.

Telling the tale of a young-man with Tinnitus (described as “a hum in the drum” for poetic purposes) being sucked into heist after heist as repayment for a debt owed to a mob boss (Spacey), Baby Driver roars its way into your consciousness courtesy of some excellent sound mixing, a killer soundtrack and Edgar Wright’s abundantly original premise and delivery that has this particular summer movie feeling like La La Land on wheels.

In much the same way as the rest of Edgar Wright’s filmography, Baby Driver is crammed full with references to the filmmaker’s personal favourite movies, with Bullitt (1968) and The French Connection (1971) being prevalent reference points throughout, yet these obvious inspirations and the film’s references to them don’t come across as if a spoof of their concepts and techniques in the same way as Shaun of the Dead did, nor does the film rely upon self-reflection and referencing in the same ways that Hot Fuzz and The World’s End did. The result of this is a totally original conception of what the filmmaker has described as ‘a passion project 20 years in the making’, that combines musical elements with fast-paced action, car chases and bank heists to create a naturally comedic tone that affords Wright the room to flourish with his traditionally comic sensibilities.

It is indeed comedy that is the film’s central focus, and despite cleverly weaving a number of other elements into the movie – including the finality and trauma of death, as well as the thriller/drama elements that encompass this – it is in typical Edgar Wright fashion that the comedy elements of the film become all encompassing by the film’s end. The result here is perhaps less effective than in the rest of this director’s filmography as it seems only to unravel much of the movie’s more investable story strands in favour of an almost too over-the-top finale filled with laughs and action but somewhat lacking in stakes. Wright uses this conclusion in such a way that unravels all reasonable character development and storied reality, playing these moments like a dream sequence filled with scenes plucked directly from the movies and music that inspired the film, enhancing the musical elements (and therefore the fantasy and comedy elements) of the picture entirely at the expense of the more dramatic elements, creating a funny and uplifting send-off that matters little to the overall journey of the central character and his ongoing narrative.

This is not to suggest that it ruins the film, as it most certainly does not, and his creative decision to shift the focus into a more fantastical realm was one preempted by the groundwork the screenwriter-director had laid out in the movie’s opening two acts. In fact, the final act placed a heavy focus upon the movie’s extraordinary sound mixing, ensuring audiences got their fill of the movie’s impressive musical elements, with the side-by-side sequencing of gun shots, car squeels and car crashes with the music of the central character’s iPod being wholly impressive and terrifically original.

In Jamie Foxx and Kevin Spacey in particular, Wright’s casting of the movie’s secondary characters was close to perfect, with each of the titular Baby’s fellow heist-men (and women) being their own brand of unusual in a typically Edgar Wright sense. Central protagonists Ansel Elgort and Lily James were also impressive in their roles, but their presence at the centre of the piece seemed unusual and somewhat not-befitting of the overall picture. The idea here was to clearly establish Elgort’s Baby as the baby of the group (hence the title) and to tell a coming-of-age story we can all relate to, yet Baby was an unusual and almost old fashioned young man whose music tastes may have been respectable, but were certainly not relateable – even to the most hipster of young people – and his wardrobe echoed this. Baby Driver tried to explain the music taste and presentation of the character by ensuring we knew that he was an outcast from an unusual background, though it seemed more like Wright had created a middle-aged man in a young person’s skin – like the creation of someone looking to relive their youth in more exciting, musically-inspired circumstances – and the overall presentation of the film (including its many homages) echoed this, creating the sense of a silly adult film along the same lines as the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy that leaves the question of whether younger audiences, particularly teenage audiences, will be fully able to identify with that.

Baby Driver is, then, a creative picture with some extraordinary sound mixing and enough fun to please even the most hard-nosed of film goers. Its musical elements are fantastically woven into the film and some of the secondary characters are show-stealing good, yet the movie remains problematic in terms of what it is trying to be and the ways in which it feels self-indulgent through its characterisation of Baby, making its raving reviews across the board more indicative of the influential middle-class, middle-aged male who dominates film criticism and will clearly identify with such a character, more than it does the creativity and fun that Baby Driver quite clearly possesses. Even so, “La La Land on wheels” remains an accurate representation of a film that should be considered one of this summer’s best movies. A very good picture, but not quite as good as you’ve heard…

17/24