Paul

Theatrical Release Date: 2011 03 18 (USA)

UPC: 025192043536

Studio: Universal Studios

MPAA Rating: NR   Contains:[Profanity, Sexual Situations, Drug Content]

Summary: Two average sci-fi geeks get caught up in the ultimate interplanetary adventure after picking up an extraterrestrial during a road trip to Area 51 and becoming the targets of a nationwide manhunt. Graeme (Simon Pegg) and Clive (Nick Frost) are two British sci-fi geeks on holiday in America. After a trip to Comic-Con to meet their favorite author, Adam Shadowchild (Jeffrey Tambor), Graeme and Clive load up their RV and hit the road for a tour of some of the most famous UFO hotspots in the American Southwest. They know we're not alone in the universe, but they won't be satisfied until they get a firsthand glimpse of the famed Area 51. However, somewhere deep in the Nevada desert, the two UFO enthusiasts narrowly avoid crashing into a speeding car when they happen across a most unlikely hitchhiker. Paul (voice of Seth Rogan) is a pint-sized alien who has spent the last 60 years in Area 51. He's been cooped up in the care of the U.S. Government for far too long, and he's starting to get a little homesick. Though Graeme and Clive are more than willing to help their wisecracking new friend get back to his mother ship, Special Agent Zoil (Jason Bateman) of the FBI is closing in fast. And he's not the only one; in their race to get their new friend home, Graeme and Clive have also become unwitting kidnappers, and the enraged father of their not-so-unwilling captive, Ruth (Kristen Wiig), is determined to rescue his daughter at all costs. Sigourney Weaver, Bill Hader, Blythe Danner, and David Koechner co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Category: Comedy

Awards: Film Presented – SXSW

Features: Hilarious bloopers
The Evolution of Paul
Simon's silly faces
Who the hell is Adam Shadowchild?
Feature commentary
Galleries

Paul

Format: DVD

Release Date: 08/09/2011

Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Cinemascope

Audio: DD5.1 Dolby Digital 5.1, DD2 Dolby Digital Stereo

Runtime: 214 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English,French,Spanish

Subtitles: French,Spanish

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Disc #1 -- Paul
1. Chapter 1
2. Chapter 2
3. Chapter 3
4. Chapter 4
5. Chapter 5
6. Chapter 6
7. Chapter 7
8. Chapter 8
9. Chapter 9
10. Chapter 10
11. Chapter 11
12. Chapter 12
13. Chapter 13
14. Chapter 14
15. Chapter 15
16. Chapter 16
17. Chapter 17
18. Chapter 18
19. Chapter 19
20. Chapter 20

Jason Buchanan

The syrupy geek sentiment that forms the lifeblood of Paul carries a communicable charm that's nearly impossible to resist. And even if this loving homage to all things sci-fi never quite hits the sturdy comedic stride of, say, Shaun of the Dead or Superbad -- the two films audiences are most likely to compare it to -- movie lovers will still have a field day wading through the nonstop film references, while fans of creative profanity will find plenty to chuckle about, and the fun being had by the cast lends the whole affair an affectionate, laid-back appeal. Graeme (Simon Pegg) and Clive (Nick Frost) are two British sci-fi geeks on holiday in America. After a trip to Comic-Con to meet their favorite author, Adam Shadowchild (Jeffrey Tambor), Graeme and Clive load up their RV and hit the road for a tour of some of the most famous UFO hotspots in the American Southwest. They know we're not alone in the universe, but they won't be satisfied until they get a firsthand glimpse of the famed Area 51. However, somewhere deep in the Nevada desert, the two UFO enthusiasts happen across a most unlikely hitchhiker. Paul (voice of Seth Rogen) is a pint-sized alien who has spent the last 60 years in Area 51. He's been cooped up in the care of the U.S. Government for far too long, and he's starting to get a little homesick. Though Graeme and Clive are more than willing to help their wisecracking new friend get back to his mother ship, Special Agent Zoil (Jason Bateman) of the FBI is closing in fast. And he's not the only one; in their race to get their new friend home, Graeme and Clive have also become unwitting kidnappers, and the enraged father of their not-so-unwilling captive, Ruth (Kristen Wiig), is determined to rescue his daughter at all costs. From Spaced onward, longtime collaborators (and renowned offscreen pals) Pegg and Frost have constructed nearly their entire careers on the foundation of clever film references. The longer the self-professed fanboys stick to their routine formula of paying homage, though, the less effective it becomes. Perhaps it's due to the notable absence of longtime collaborator Edgar Wright in Paul, but this gleefully obscene road trip comedy lacks the inspiration and creative flair that endeared Spaced, Shaun of the Dead, and even the somewhat spotty Hot Fuzz to fun-loving pop-culture junkies weaned on a steady diet of genre films and sugary beverages. Still, saying that Paul is the least inspired work from the people who gave us some of the previous decade's best comedies isn't to say that it's an outright failure, just that it's pretty much on par with your average Hollywood comedy -- only with a geeky slant rather than a populist one. Nevertheless, it's hard not to love a film that's so sincere in its unabashed love for all things dorky, and the team behind Paul does deserve extra credit for having the courage to turn out an R-rated comedy that could have easily been watered down to a PG-13 if they simply wanted to sell more tickets. The fact that Pegg, Frost, and director Greg Mottola created such an amiable, sweet-natured comedy with such cheerfully profane dialogue shows that they still haven't compromised their creative vision, a fact that adult moviegoers are sure to appreciate in a time when it seems like most filmmakers are quick to sacrifice integrity in favor of mass appeal. Likewise, some of the best jokes in Paul are also the most incidental, such as the climactic revelation of Agent Zoil's first name, or the throwaway line from Bill Hader -- playing one of Zoil's underlings -- after shining a flashlight on his partner's junk. Although in many films the fun being had by the cast on the set doesn't always show through in the final product, it's easy to get caught up in the good vibes reverberating throughout Paul, thanks not only to the authentic connection between the film's two leads, but also the supporting performances by Joe Lo Truglio, Wiig, Hader, and Bateman. And despite the fact that the gimmick of a foul-mouthed, ganja-smoking Grey with the personality of Seth Rogen does wear thin rather quickly, the character of Paul is animated in a way that still makes him endearing despite the one-note gag. Thankfully Paul brings geek humor to the masses a bit more effectively than the dismal Fanboys did just a few years back; however, that doesn't change the fact that, from the plot to the dialogue, virtually everything about the film is derivative. If Pegg and Frost are truly going to have any staying power on the big screen, it's high time they broke out of their comfort zone and finally challenged themselves to make a movie that's completely original. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Tim Bevan  Producer 
Eric Fellner  Producer 
David Arnold  Composer (Music Score) 
Liza Chasin  Executive Producer 
Debra Hayward  Executive Producer 
Edgar Wright  Executive Producer 
Greg Mottola  Director 
Natascha Wharton  Executive Producer 
Simon Pegg  Screenwriter 
Nira Park  Producer 
Nick Frost  Screenwriter 
Robert Graf  Executive Producer 
Simon Pegg  Actor 
Nick Frost  Actor 
Seth Rogen  Actor 
Jason Bateman  Actor 
Kristen Wiig  Actor 
Bill Hader  Actor 
Blythe Danner  Actor 
John Carroll Lynch  Actor 
Sigourney Weaver  Actor 
Joe Lo Truglio  Actor 
Jeffrey Tambor  Actor 
Jane Lynch  Actor 
David Koechner  Actor 
Steven Spielberg  Actor 
Nelson Ascencio  Actor 
Brett Michael Jones  Actor 
Jennifer Granger  Actor 
Jeremy Owen  Actor 
Joe Berryman  Actor 
J. Todd Anderson  Actor 
Mark Sivertsen  Actor 
Michael Miller  Actor 
David House  Actor 
Diego Deane  Actor 
Lori Dillen  Actor 
Syd Masters  Actor 
Gary Roller  Actor 
Oliver O'Shea  Actor 
Lonnie Otha-Mayer  Actor 
Will Veitch  Actor 

Country: USA