Paul

Paul is the latest offering from lovable Brit-com duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (this time without writer-director Edgar Wright, who was presumably too busy off helping Scott Pilgrim take on the world). Pegg And Frost star as, well as themselves really - a couple of British Sci-Fi geeks on a roadtrip round the US's top alien sites when they pick up the eponymous alien (voiced by Seth Rogen) who is trying to get home.

As a comedy, its a slow starter - the initial Comic Con scenes feel too much like a love letter to the fans and as such lack any real bite (Jeffrey Tambor's bitter comic book writer has potential, but is underused), whilst the repeated running gag about people thinking they are a gay couple feels tired and overused on its first appearence, let alone repeated outings. Its only when get out on the road and meet Paul himself does the film really take off. To be fair, even then its never quite reaches the comic heights of either Hot Fuzz  or Shaun of the Dead, but rather like Pegg and Frost themselves, its rather charming and hard to dislike. Rogen hasn't been this funny in ages, probably since Knocked Up and he's joined by a host of other familiar faces - Jason Bateman gives good value as the Man in Black in hot pursuit, Kirsten Wiig is Pegg's disllusioned creationist romantic interest and Sigourney Weaver has fun as the big bad boss, amongst others.

Director Greg Mottola (Superbad, Adventureland) creates a good-looking film whose Spielberg references (both visual and verbal) successfully tread a fine line between homage and pastiche.

Overall - 7/10 It never threatens greatness, but is a charmingly funny and entertaining film.