外星人科幻喜剧片《保罗》

    In this comedy adventure, two sci-fi geeks* go on a road trip in Nevada where they accidentally meet an alien named Paul.

    Seth Rogen is never more likeable than as the bald-headed* extraterrestrial* who just wants to phone home. The film was written by and costars the “Hot Fuzz” cops and “Shaun” zombie* hunters Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, perfecting their personae as affable* buddies on the run to protect the alien intruder*.

    “Paul” is an ode to films past. In this case, the targets for all the sight gags* and slight puns are sci-fi movies great and small. The movie is a good fit for director Greg Mottola.

    The story begins in San Diego at the annual gathering of sci-fi movie freaks*, Comic-Con. Graeme (Pegg) and Clive (Frost) are in the crush of all the convention crazies yet still managing to look nerdy and out of place even in a crowd that favors Darth Vader*-wear.

    The “we’re all aliens” and “it’s hard for a lot of us to fit in” themes are well presented long before Graeme and Clive set out in their RV* after the convention closes. Their aim is to visit all of the major close-encounter* hot spots around the country. By the time they hit Area 51 and come face to face with Paul, we understand their outsiderness, and most of us will feel their pain.

    The trip picks up speed once Paul is on-board. He’s been imprisoned at a secret military facility for some 60 years, where he’s been advising world leaders and moviemakers. But now the security chief wants to see what might be learned by poking around inside his big head.

    Much of the real action comes as Paul goes on the run, with Clive and Graeme recruited as his accomplices*, and a team of special agents on their tail.

    There is no real attempt at serious depth and Mottola, with cinematographer Lawrence Sher, keeps things light and breezy. Sher is a comic specialist with an indie*-feel starting with such films as “Garden State” and “Kissing Jessica Stein,” and moving on to bigger stages with “The Hangover” and “I Love You, Man,” among others.

    As a running riff* on all the sci-fi movie conventions, a lot of scenes will feel familiar because they are, just put through the Pegg-Frost juicer. (SD-Agencies)