HOT FUZZ

It's rare for an action film like the ones Andy religiously watches to have just as much heart as action, but 'Hot Fuzz' is an undeniable labour of love for these kinds of movies. Rather than pointing out the ridiculousness of Michael Bay's characters flying through the air while shooting a gun in slow motion, this craziness is aspired to by Andy. There are so many in-jokes and references that the satire is used more as an homage, both appreciating the grandeur of a house exploding and laughing along with the audience at the same time.

Wright rounds up the cream of the British actor crop, in both major and minor roles. Among the most memorable of these is Timothy Dalton ('Toy Story 4') as shady supermarket owner Simon Skinner and a scene-stealing, innuendo-laden performance from Olivia Colman ('The Father') as Doris Thatcher, the sole female police officer in Sandford. They bring life to what one expects to be a standard buddy-cop plot trajectory; Nicholas' disdain for Andy, through time passed and being joined at the hip while solving the murders, ends up turning into love. However, 'Hot Fuzz' is so much more than a bromantic comedy. Although its core DNA lies in the buddy-cop genre, the film also functions as an excellent slasher flick - set in a small town where everyone has a secret and anyone could be the hooded killer, 'Hot Fuzz' sounds like a perfect slasher set up. The kills are inventive and impressive, and when the killer(s) reveal drops, it's a genuine twist that even horror fans might not even see coming. On top of all of that, it's also ridiculously, ludicrously funny - Andy's attempts to replicate Nicholas' epic fence-jump chase knocks the wind out of me to this day. By mixing comedy, horror and action with a meta spin and pulling it off with a laugh every single time, 'Hot Fuzz' aims for a level of comedy timelessness that few studio films rarely aspire to.

It's been nearly nine years since Wright, Pegg and Frost have worked together on Cornetto closer 'The World's End', and while Wright has spun off into more pointed action, documentary and horror attempts with his recent outings ('Baby Driver', 'The Sparks Brothers' and 'Last Night in Soho' respectively), he's well and truly due for a return to his roots. Pegg mentioned a future reunion with Edgar Wright in recent interviews, so let's hope we see Frost join the project so this dream team can deliver some more big-screen laughs.