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.

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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.

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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:

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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

Fighting With My Family (2019)
Director: Stephen Merchant
Screenwriter: Stephen Merchant
Starring: Florence Pugh, Jack Lowden, Lena Headey, Nick Frost, Vince Vaughn, Dwayne Johnson

Stephen Merchant’s movie about wrestling isn’t just any old titter-tattered attempt at recreating the spectacle and pomposity of the WWE, nor is it a recreation of the down-trodden reality check that was The Wrestler, it is instead a heartfelt underdog story that truly captures the very essence of what it feels like to be a wrestling fan, mixing elements of the bad and the good of the wrestling profession to present a Rocky-like story that anybody, whether a fan or not, can engage with and ultimately get behind. This is probably the 2nd best wrestling movie ever made.

Produced by the heavily promoted but only sporadically featured Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, himself a former WWE wrestler from a wrestling family background, in partnership with the biggest wrestling company on the planet WWE and the folks behind the documentary source material Film4, Fighting With My Family holds such a clear respect (if not admiration) for professional wrestling as a means of entertainment that it is simply palpable – even if you’ve never seen a wrestling match in your life, this film is enough to get you hooked.

Fighting With My Family does, at times, offer moments that are far from the truth, but it all seems in aid of its uplifting central arc, the likes of which we could do with more of in the current landscape. In presenting the Gothic wannabe wrestler Saraya (ring-name Paige) as an outcast from society due to her family’s love of wrestling, and then furthering that aspect by having her appearance be chalk and cheese to the typical WWE “Diva”, Merchant and company develop the old “outcast finds acceptance” trope as the film’s central theme, something any wrestling fan can relate to given how grossly misrepresented the industry is by the general public. In this sense, Merchant’s movie is more a coming of age picture reminiscent of the turn of the century teen films we’ve all come to love (like Ghost World) rather than a straight sports movie, and it works. The characters are worth investing in, their stories particularly unique in specifics but universal in generalities – who doesn’t want to see someone achieve their dream? – and the icing on the cake is the film’s unrivalled access to legitimate WWE branded facilities, events and merchandise. Never has wrestling seemed so vibrant, the top felt so special and unique. In watching Fighting With My Family it becomes abundantly clear as to why the central cast of characters would choose to pursue the dream of being a wrestler, no matter how wild and speculative it may seem before setting eyes on the movie. This is probably Merchant’s biggest achievement behind the camera and is the largest benefit of having Dwayne Johnson steer the ship at executive level as well as having WWE Studios on board; Fighting With My Family is a true story about a real dream, and never is the significance of that lost during the duration of its run-time.

The authenticity of the surroundings and Merchant’s wonderful capturing of the dream itself come to fruition largely because of the attention paid to the family at the centre of the movie – themselves a rag-tag bunch of misfits who clearly care so immensely for one another that you can’t help but to root for them. The movie’s base in Paige’s hometown of Norwich, England consolidates this, family dinners, overseas phone calls and constant reminders of the grind of real-life putting into context the surreal nature of the lead character’s career. Florence Pugh is particularly endearing in the lead role, her portrayal being loyal to the real-life wrestling superstar without seeming like forced mimicry, and her dedication to learning some of the wrestling having a positive impact on just how real the film felt – it would have been hard to come back from a “that wasn’t her” moment at the height of the story’s most emotional moments.

Nick Frost and Vince Vaughn were also particularly strong, Frost offering a hard man with a heart of gold in the best performance of his non-Cornetto-Trilogy film career as Paige’s Dad, while Vaughn played a tough speaking coach whose own history developed him into the mentor figure Paige needed, each veteran actor offering moments here and there that brought smiles, grimaces and a general sense of class to a movie that actually wasn’t short of it, even despite being about wrestling.

It’s not that Fighting With My Family blows anything out of the water – in fact, it doesn’t at any stage step beyond your typical sports movie/coming-of-age screenplay formula and will hardly be an art-house breakout hit – but it is a lot of fun, and the wrestling is by far the best looking that has existed on the big screen since The Wrestler. This Stephen Merchant offering is a truly fitting tribute to such a grossly misunderstood and misrepresented industry that will deliver a feel-good hearty dream-come-true movie to anyone willing to give it a chance. Fighting With My Family is truly the most uplifting film of the year so far.

16/24

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Tomb Raider (2018)
Director: Roar Uthaug
Screenwriters: Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Alastair Siddons.
Starring: Alicia Vikander, Maisy De Freitas, Emily Carey, Dominic West, Walton Goggins, Daniel Wu, Kristin Scott Thomas, Derek Jacobi, Nick Frost, Jaime Winstone, Hannah John-Kamen, Antonio Aakeel, Duncan Airlie James.
Plot: When the young Lara Croft finds her missing father’s research on Himiko, an ancient queen of Yamatai, she embarks on an adventure in Japan, searching for answers.

I find this new ‘Tomb Raider’ to be less interesting than I expected. Alicia Vikander is very convincing in portraying Lara Croft – she obviously trained to star as the titular character and got a ripped body that would allow the heroine to survive unbelievable feats almost unscathed, and this certainly shows; not to mention her signature feistiness – but some elements are left unsolved. For example, Lu Ren, the man who helps Lara in her journey, offered a lot of potential for character development but didn’t play a major role; he seems to be a simple plot device that is useful only in aiding Lara in her pursuits of getting what she wants. The whole film is based very much on visual effects and computer techniques (CGI), an aspect of the picture that may put off traditionalists, while the story seemed promising but developed in a way that thwarts the viewer’s expectations, creating a finished product that fans of the gaming franchise and adventure movies in general may appreciate or even come to adore.

12/24

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The announcement made Thursday 25th January 2018 revealed that Sky will be offering a day-and-date service to Sky Cinema subscribers, meaning that customers of their paid service will be able to access their original movies the day and date of their releases in cinemas.

The company’s first release will be animated monster comedy Monster Family, set to be released on March 2nd 2018, starring Emily Watson, Nick Frost, Jessica Brown Findlay, Ethan Rouse, Catherine Tate and Jason Isaacs. Rob Cohen’s disaster movie Hurricane Heist starring Clive Owen and Amanda Seyfried will be the company’s 2nd release, with Final Score starring Pierce Brosnan and Dave Bautista following soon after.

Sky Cinema group director Ian Lewis said the following:

“We start off from the premise that Sky Cinema already has, by a mile, the best movie proposition in the market. We got the output deals with all of our studios partners. We have over 1,000 on demand. We guarantee our customers a premiere every day, which means we buy hundreds of films from independents as well as studios. [Customers] tell us there are certain genres they would love to have even more content from, both British and American movies, particularly in the mainstream spaces.”

Sky Movies are expecting to release 5 to 7 films in 2018, each with budgets ranging from £5million to £35million. He continued:

“We are also looking to evolve this industry in a way that benefits not just our customers, but the industry overall. We could have just invested in these additional movies and just shown them to Sky customers. Instead, all of our marketing will drive people to the cinema as well as to Sky. This is about trying to engage not just those customers already into movies, but also about bringing more people in.”

Sky are currently in discussions with governing bodies regarding their sale to Fox, a 39% shareholder in the company, though competition between Sky and Fox for the box office seems unlikely as Sky Movies are set to take on the UK & Irish box office exclusively for the time being.

A Sky Cinema subscription costs £10 per month and can be bought alongside satellite television or the company’s on-demand service Now TV.

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