The Poorest film in the IMDB top 250 - Hot Fuzz (2007) Discussion

[–] Funkyzeit 17 years ago

A recap:

THIS FILM IS NO LONGER IN THE TOP 250. JUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED.

British film critics who were disappointed in Hot Fuzz and the comments that get my respect:

The Mirror: so many of the jokes start missing their target, with the film becoming more and more concerned with cramming in movie references, and less and less with the small business of keeping us entertained.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/showbiz/entertainment/movies/tm_headline=hot-f uzz%26method=full%26objectid=18621717%26siteid=89520-name_page.html

Chris Tookey: The comedy arises not from verbal wit, of which there is none, but from the contrast between the slow-moving, friendly banality of British country life contrasted with the action-packed frenzy of U.S. crime movies.

It takes ages to get going (more than 40 minutes before the first murder

It seems to me that Wright and Pegg have misunderstood their previously successful formula. As with their first zombie movie, an American-dominated form of cinema has been transposed to parochial England.

But Shaun Of The Dead had something pertinent to say about the inhabitants of modern Britain: that so many of us behave like zombies already that an invasion of the undead would be hardly noticeable. Hot Fuzz has no such originality of observation.

But this promising satirical approach is soon jettisoned in favour of an attack on the much-maligned burghers of Middle England.

They are far too dated and familiar a target. Hardly a single TV crime drama has been broadcast over the past two decades - from Morse to Midsomer Murders - without the lid being taken off the supposedly sleazy realities that lie behind respectable facades.

Hot Fuzz also, fatally, has little or nothing to say about the American action pictures that it spoofs. Indeed, it revels in the excessive violence, melodramatics and machismo that many would regard as the genre's least appealing characteristics.

It's the lack of any serious intent that means too much of it is desperately unamusing, and unamusingly desperate

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/reviews/article-436569/It-aims-It -fires-And-misses.html

Anthony Quinn: The same impish spirit is uncorked here, but it has been fatally indulged: the film, unable to decide on a finale, merely bolts one ending on to another, and the running time creeps up to the two-hour mark. By this point the fizz has gone out of this Fuzz.

http://web.archive.org/web/20070227050531/http://enjoyment.independent .co.uk/film/reviews/article2272682.ece

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[–] solmaquina 17 years ago

Hilarious and intelligent in every frame, the brilliance of "Hot Fuzz" is simply arresting. -Linda Cook, Quad City Times

Pegg in a stellar comic performance lifts the film from being a mere applaudable satire to a first-class entertainment. Imagine Jimmy Stewart in "Animal House" or Steve McQueen in "Road Trip." -Brandon Judell, New York Theatre Wire

The dialogue is packed with jokes and the script is packed with subtle sight gags and references to other cop movies. -Robert Roten, Laramie Movie Scope

The makers of Shaun of the Dead have done it again. This time they have combined a classic cop-buddy movie with a quaint town in England, and yes, laughs definitely ensue. -Jeff Bayer, Daily Herald

Yet another excellent mélange of movie genres from Britain’s team of Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. -JoBlo, JoBlo's Movie Emporium

It's a movie that is literally, painfully funny, insofar as I occasionally laughed so hard that I thought my chest was about to collapse. -Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstasy

The soaring, rocking climax more than justifies any pacing issues mid-movie and pays off perfectly with the same winking deftness that Arrested Development episodes exhibited when tying multiple lines together. -Karina Montgomery, rec.arts.movies.reviews

Wright and Pegg have clearly done their homework; their familiarity with action movie cliches is deep enough that they don't always have to go for the easy or obvious joke. -James Kendrick, Q Network Film Desk

The characters are more fully rounded than the heroes of the Bruckheimer films being aped. -Jeffrey Westhoff, Northwest Herald

After seeing Hot Fuzz I doubt it'll be possible to keep a straight face during a Michael Bay movie again --assuming one could ever do such a thing in the first place. -Sean Burns, Philadelphia Weekly

This film doesn't rely on cheap gags or fart jokes for its humor. Hot Fuzz is what you expect from a good satire, a lot of laughs, smart writing, and a cast talented enough to deliver the goods. -Julian Roman, MovieWeb

Outrageously funny... The movies Pegg and Wright are parodying are mindless, yet the movie they've made is marvelously witty. -James Sanford, Kalamazoo Gazette

'Hot Fuzz' pokes fun at buddy cop movie clichés, but Wright also delivers action scenes worthy of the films he's satirizing. -Dan Lybarger
eFilmCritic.com

It's so effortlessly formed, so wholly its own entity that you consistently find yourself giddy with satisfaction at how good the film makes you feel. In a domain that's forgotten how to satisfy, Hot Fuzz is the very definition of a crowd pleaser. -Bill Gibron, PopMatters

A high octane, sweetly appealing, absolutely hilarious cop actioner. I never thought all those elements could be rolled together so brilliantly... -Beth Accomando, KPBS.org

And so forth

Really? Worst film you ever saw? Well, my next one will be better. Hello? Hello?

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[–] ikinmoore 17 years ago

I03623351927 is a hater on this board. He seems to want to make a point by refering to what some(minority) British newspapers said at the time. Naturally Cyper-turnip you found a number of reviews which is in Hot Fuzz's favour. I loved this film. I033623351927 does not. Whilst not everyone will like Hot Fuzz and I do respect this, he seems to take the film's ratings far too seriously. This guy, judging by his profile, doesn't have much taste in films. Has he seen good quality british films or does he like poking fun at them. I have this guy mark out as an idiot. Hot Fuzz is one of the most intelligent British film I have seen for a very long time.

Edgar, Simon and Nick are just pure fried Gold.

The best films are made in an intelligent format.

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[–] Funkyzeit 17 years ago

Obviously you are too stupid to make sense of what you read. I never said the film was bad, merely that it disappoints and that it doesn't deserve to be in the top 250.

And now... it's not. BWAAAAHAAAAHAAAAHAAAAAAAAA!

>>he seems to take the film's ratings far too seriously.'

Apropos the subject of this thread, I predicted that the film would be out of the top 250, YOU HOTLY DENIED IT. I win, you lose. It's your own fault if you take the ratings so seriously that THIS COMPLETELY GETS UNDER YOUR SKIN.

>>I03623351927 is a hater on this board.

I'll tell you what I hate. Puny pea brains like you who have no life and feel their entire ego rests on refuting the OP's honestly expressed and entirely legitimate opinion.

If you want to know whether I've seen good quality British films why don't you ask me directly? Yes. Unlike you with your provincial rah-rah Anglophilia born of an inferiority complex, I watch films from all over the world, not just America. I am especially passionate about Hitchcock, Leigh, Jordan and Greenaway. I discuss them, too, just not at IMDb.

>>Hot Fuzz is one of the most intelligent British film I have seen for a very long time

I'm sure it is. All the truly brilliant ones just flew over your head.

(I can't believe I'm talking to someone who claims "Dances with WOLFS[sic]" is one of his/her all time favorite movies. And then manages to get the date wrong on top of that. )

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[–] mfred901 17 years ago

He's not only a hater he's a lazy hater because he has to quote the critics instead of coming up with intelligent criticism on his own. And the dude who quoted the good reviews of Hot Fuzz was merely making a point on the opposite side. For as much as the haters don't like this movie, it sure is important to them if they're willing to spend time and energy arguing about and researching criticism for this movie. Get a dog or a girlfried or something, dude.

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[–] Funkyzeit 17 years ago

I already came up with my own criticism. I said it referenced a lot of movies but that the whole was less than the sum of its parts because it forgot, all too often, to be genuinely funny and to stand on its own, apart from its homages.

>>Get a dog or a girlfried or something, dude.

Thanks but I prefer mine sauteed. Get a life moron and stop being so sensitive. It's just a movie. If you loved it, good for you.

Oh, and did I mention that it's NO LONGER IN THE TOP 250?

BWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

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[–] ikinmoore 17 years ago

i036233519297 I knew you would take the bait. And yes you have. Ha ! Ha ! Ha ! Why come on here and shout.

The best films are made in an intelligent format.

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[–] xxgreatscythexx 17 years ago

At least Shaun of the Dead is back in the top250! That didn't take to long to hop back into the bandwagon of the top250. I wonder if Hot Fuzz will be back in ever?

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[–] Gotensive 17 years ago

I have IMDbPro free trial right now, and Hot Fuzz is currently ranked #251, so it will probably be back in the top 250 tomorrow. Personally, I don't think either Hot Fuzz or Shaun Of The Dead belong in the top 250, but If I had to choose between the two, it would be Hot Fuzz EASILY. Shaun Of The Dead is a movie I despise, while Hot Fuzz is pretty enjoyable in a quirky sort of way. With all that said, the top 250 list is pretty much a joke anyway, so it all doesn't matter in the end.

Formally known as Coilector

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[–] ikinmoore 17 years ago

It will be ! It's just that 1036233351927 doesn't seem to think so.

The best films are made in an intelligent format.

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[–] solmaquina 17 years ago

It will be in and out of the 250 for a while, films always are before dropping off properly. It wont last there when it gets back in.

Really? Worst film you ever saw? Well, my next one will be better. Hello? Hello?

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[–] xxgreatscythexx 17 years ago

YEP...IT IS BACK IN THE TOP250 WOOT~!

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[–] Funkyzeit 17 years ago

Woot....NOT.

It will come and go until the late fall when it will disappear once and for all.

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[–] backstrokin 17 years ago

rofl :S pssst, hey bud, it's the internet, please stop caring.

do dat dat do dat

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[–] Funkyzeit 16 years ago

>>It will be ! It's just that 1036233351927 doesn't seem to think so.

Still don't see any sign of its return, ikinmoore. Are you still hopeful?

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[–] Mookie_2 12 years ago

It's the lack of any serious intent that means too much of it is desperately unamusing, and unamusingly desperate

Good line. It made me think of the difference between a serious film like Being There and fluff like Elf. Like Elf, there's no broader social context in Hot Fuzz. It's all simulacra.

Agree with both of these comments. Simple spoofing is nowhere near as interesting as satire or parody.

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[–] Funkyzeit 17 years ago

Not sure why you replied if you don't want a response and don't care.

Grow a thicker skin. The OP's post was routine.

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[–] steve2901 17 years ago

The poorest film on the Top 250 is Pirates of the Caribbean. All the films on there are good, though. And just because you didn't find it funny doesn't mean that most others didn't. Personally I loved it.

I don't think you should worry about the world we live in over IMDb - it's users seem to be able to rate things reasonably - utter *beep* like Meet the Spartans, Epic Movie get what they deserve - low ratings, while this also gets what it deserves - a high one.

It's just an opinion poll.

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[–] Dragon_Eye_Morrison 17 years ago

There's a ton of films that shouldn't be in that top 250, but Hot Fuzz ain't one of them.

"I believe the common character of the universe is not harmony, but hostility, chaos and murder."

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] juanbarros_88 17 years ago

agree, this movie its a joke, those who rated this films are almost retarded. Its sad, This movie was stupidly entertaining but if you take a better look at it, its terrible its stupid doesn't deserve to be in the top movies. It is terrible modern comedy.....There no good comedy lately, its really hard to make a comedy movie a top film, you absolutely need a better movie than this, more bright ideas, better story or something thats makes smart people laugh. a broader humor.... We are minorities in this boards, but if you go around good movies' boards saying hot fuzz is a great film, you'll be kicked out of boards.... People are getting dumber over time. We have to take care of the 10% of smart inhabitants left before everything is over. This is a mediocre film. I cant believe people actually like this film, its not even art anymore.... isn't cinema suppose to be art????? WTF is this?

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[–] juanbarros_88 17 years ago

maybe I dont know how to rate comedy, is not the same as drama which are more serious......when do you see Comedies being taken seriously???? It happens but not as often. I like COmedy, but I think none of them are qualified as great films.... I cant think of one right now

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[–] Sam_Hain 17 years ago

I just watched this for the first time and there were a few laugh out loud moments and overall I found it to be rather enjoyable. But it fails in comparison to Shaun of the Dead. Shaun of the Dead could be in the top 250 and I'd have no arguments but Hot Fuzz I feel is best left off that list. Even though the top 250 is a popularity contest and not a true indicator of a film's merit I'd like to think that the voters would be able to grasp quality over just entertaining.

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[–] Michestellar 17 years ago

How about this?

If you don't understand that film is subjective, don't write anything until you do.
Seriously, folks, there's nothing more annoying than some guy who thinks he's a walking encyclopedia on what makes a film good or bad.

Hot Fuzz is my favorite movie of all time. And, honestly, I don't give a crap whether it's on any list (good or bad) or if anyone has anything bad to say about it. Obviously the number of people that enjoyed it is considerably higher than those who didn't. I don't see what the big deal is. Aren't movies supposed to be enjoyed? If the answer is yes (like I think it is), then Hot Fuzz was extremely successful.

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[–] Scar38 17 years ago

I fail to see how anyone would not see this movie funny, it was just a true masterpiece , and its easily the best comedy ive seen in years, put it this way i dont usually like comedies at all they bore me but this and shaun of the dead were incredible......end of

Victims...........arent we all.

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] Werewolfy 17 years ago

The poorest excuse of a movie that's in the IMDB top 250 is the godfather. It is the second worst movie from hollywood that I have ever seen. The worst being Narnia.

I f-ing hate monotheists.

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