Studio-Provided Plot Synopsis: The third installment of director Edgar Wright’s trilogy of comedies starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, following the successes Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Hot Fuzz (2007). In The World’s End, 20 years after attempting an epic pub crawl, five childhood friends reunite when one of them becomes hellbent on trying the drinking marathon again. They are convinced to stage an encore by Gary King (Simon Pegg), a 40-year-old man trapped at the cigarette end of his teens, who drags his reluctant pals to their hometown and once again attempts to reach the fabled pub – The World’s End. As they attempt to reconcile the past and present, they realize the real struggle is for the future, not just theirs but humankind’s. Reaching The World’s End is the least of their worries.

My Thoughts: I hate that promotional materials are referring to this as the third part of a trilogy, for one reason and one reason alone: I want more of these collaborations. Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and their cohorts are in fine form here, a decade removed from their first film collaboration. I can’t think of another comedy that I’ve seen this year where I’ve felt the need to watch it again because of the laughter from the audience. I can’t blame them – I was laughing alongside them. The film’s turn into a science fiction comedy as the film progresses helps establish it as a comedy set within a different genre, just as Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz did with the zombie and buddy cop themes. The cast is pitch-perfect, the special effects are solid, and the film leaves you wanting a bit more. I can’t complain about anything here. This is easily one of the best films of the year, and it’s worth multiple viewings at that.