Simon Peggis one of the busiest actors inHollywood, andhis modest beginnings as a TV star and comedian were a great foundationfor the legacy he’s built over time. Pegg, though entering the mainstream, never forgot his roots and still works with some of his oldest and best friends. Whilewe love Pegg in anything he does, his most rewatchable movies remind us of how awesome he’s always been.
The most rewatchable Simon Pegg movies aren’t just wittycomedies;they’re alsoactionmovies and adventures that often verge onthrillerandhorror. The mix of genres suits Pegg, as he’s able to step into the shoes of characters from all walks of life. The charismatic actor has had plenty of roles, but these movies have the most material for a rewatch.
10’How to Lose Friends & Alienate People' (2008)
Directed by Robert Weide
How to Lose Friends and Alienate Peopleis a famous memoir by journalistToby Young. It was adapted as the same-name feature film in 2008, and plenty of the events in it were fictionalized, and the names changed, but the skeleton of Young’s experiences remained the same. The name is a parody ofDale Carnegie’s 1937 bestseller,How to Win Friends and Influence People,referencing the difficulties of adapting to the vast American life as a small British journalist. Young contributed toVanity Fair, and in the movie, Pegg portrays the fictionalized version of Young, who also comes to a magazine to work.
How to Lose Friends and Alienate Peopleis about Sidney Young (Pegg), an aspiring British journalist who gets a job at the highly coveted Sharps Magazine in New York City. However,the way he gets the job and his personality are highly disliked, so Sidney has to find a better way to approach the people he works with and do his job.How to Lose Friendsis rewatchable for Pegg, who takes the movie to great heights, andRoger Ebert really liked it, too.
How to Lose Friends & Alienate People
9’Hector and the Search for Happiness' (2014)
Directed by Peter Chelsom
Hector and the Search for Happinessis a somewhat unknown film, but Simon Pegg takes the lead as the titular Hector. This charming movie feels like a modernized version ofAkira Kurosawa’sIkiru, andPegg carries it on his vastly talented shoulders (despite not being the only talent in it). Charming, witty, and somehow adorable, Pegg makesHector and the Search for Happinessan interesting and likable view of the meaning of life and the quest for happiness. He’s joined byRosamund Pike,Toni Collette, andStellan Skarsgård.
Hector and the Search for Happinessfollows the eponymous Hector, who lives with his longtime girlfriend Clara (Pike) but feels unhappy with his mundane life. He tells Clara his plan oftraveling the world in search of the meaning of life and happinessand ends up in different countries, experiencing various people’s life circumstances and conditions. If you’re curious about life, its meaning and the infinite possibilities of learning from it all,Hector and the Search for Happinessis a pretty nice and charming movie to rewatch from time to time.
Hector and the Search for Happiness
8’Man Up' (2015)
Directed by Ben Palmer
Simon Pegg in a rom-com? All of us are in! Many people love a funny man, and Pegg really cranks it up as the witty Jack, who wins over the leading woman immediately inMan Up.Lake Belljoins Pegg as his love interest, and their back-and-forth and chemistry are brilliant;Bell herself is a great comedian, too, so their conversations and jokes in the movie land brilliantly. Though slightly clichéd and predictable,Man Upis one of the cutest and funniest rom-coms of the past decade, showing that “the one” and “love at first sight” tropes can be presented in a fresh way.
Man Upfollows the cynical Nancy (Bell) arriving in London for her parents' anniversary party. She meets a young woman, Jessica (Ophelia Lovibond), on the train headed for her blind date; Jessica carries a book that her date should recognize her by, but when she accidentally forgets it, Nancy takes the book and Jack (Pegg) mistakes her for Jessica. Jack and Nancy have great chemistry and spend the evening together, butplenty of events make their night just a little more complicated than they expected.Man Upis one of thoserewatchable rom-comsyou can easily turn on when you’re feeling lovelorn or down.
7’Paul' (2011)
Directed by Greg Mottola
Remember that timeSeth Rogenwas the voice of an alien that behaved like a typical LA surfer? Yeah, that wasPaul, where, besides Rogen, the stars are longtime friends Simon Pegg andNick Frost. Pegg and Frost wrotePaultogether, and this is one of their greatest and most iconic collaborations.Their ventures into sci-fi also continued when they wrote the showTruth Seekersin 2020, butPaulis the first instance of their potential in the genre and ahilarious, rowdy, and very cheeky film.
Paul follows Graeme Willy (Pegg) and Clive Gollings (Frost), two comic book authors and sci-fi enthusiasts who travel to the US to attend the San Diego Comic Con. While traveling,they stop and visit various roadside UFO locations for fun and even encounter a stray alienposing as a redneck. Graeme and Clive learn the alien’s name is Paul and travel with and hide him from Special Agents who are pursuing him. The road trip adventure is hilarious and charming and is one of the most rewatchable comedies of the 2010s.
6’Mission: Impossible – Fallout' (2018)
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie
TheMission: Impossiblefranchise has plenty of admirable action heroes and stars, so Simon Pegg might feel like an unfitting casting choice for a series of action-packed films. Yet,Pegg blends in skillfully and with plenty of charm, charisma, and dedication, so Benji Dunn quickly becomesa fan-favorite character. Often equipped with the latest tech inventions and witty one-liners, Benji is to Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) something like what Q is to James Bond. Despite the many movies in the Mission: Impossiblefranchise,Falloutis often cited among the best; it’s also widely considered amongthe best movies of 2018and one ofthebest spy movies of the past 30 years.
Mission: Impossible—Falloutfollows the events of the previous installment,Rogue Nation.Ethan Hunt and his IMF team chase after the terrorist-for-hire group hired by an elusive businessmanto steal plutonium cores for nuclear bombs. WhileFalloutdoes fall within context, it’s still highly rewatchable even if you’re not totally set on the events up until then. you may watch it over and over again because of the brilliant action scenes, but also the interesting and powerful character development.
Mission: Impossible - Fallout
Ethan Hunt and his IMF team, along with some familiar allies, race against time after a mission gone wrong.
5’Ready Player One' (2018)
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Ready Player Oneis one ofSteven Spielberg’s more underrated movies.It’s a beautiful sci-fi adventure based on Ernest Cline’s same-name novel, infused with Spielberg’s love of the genre and a colorful and elaborate vision.Ready Player Oneis rewatchable for the sheer details within the in-game universe and the elaborate character design, but also because it’s just so fun,no matter what they say about it. Simon Pegg portrays Ogden Morrow, the co-creator of the VR game OASIS that people in the movie play. This is a big role for Pegg and pivotal for the movie, but also the second movie he was in that year.
Ready Player Oneis set in 2045 and shows that people’s daily lives are overtaken by a virtual reality game, OASIS. People use it to escape the real world, often creating elaborate and powerful characters. The protagonist is Wade (Tye Sheridan), who roams OASIS alone andenters a tournament for a coveted set of keys that unlock the secrets of the virtual world. Sheridan and Pegg are also joined byOlivia Cooke,Ben Mendelsohn,Lena Waithe, andT.J. Miller, and the movie expertly blends sci-fi, adventure, action, and comedy.
Ready Player One
When the creator of a virtual reality called the OASIS dies, he makes a posthumous challenge to all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune and control of his world.
4’Star Trek' (2009)
Directed by J. J. Abrams
TheStar Trekfranchise reboot started with the 2009 movie, and for a self-proclaimed nerd like Pegg (according to his autobiography,Nerd Do Well), a role in an iconic sci-fi franchise might just have been the icing on the cake. Moreover,most of the movies in theStar Trekrevival are pretty great, though none are as rewatchable and enjoyable as the very first one. The movie really revivedStar Trekfor modern fans and helped them get to know the universe in a fun and action-packed way.
Star Trekrevives the old characters, Earth-born Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) and Vulcan-born Spock (Zachary Quinto), aboard the spaceship USS Enterprise. In this part, Kirk and Spock fight against Nero (Eric Bana), a Romulan who time travels to the past to threaten the United Federation of Planets. Pegg portrays Scotty, aka Dr. Montgomery Scott,a Scottish scientist who helps Kirk and elder Spock transport back onto the Enterprise. This fun sci-fi movie is all the more fun for Pegg’s charming portrayal of Scotty, who’s always been a very likable character.
J.J. Abrams' 2009 movie Star Trek rebooted the iconic sci-fi franchise in a totally new timeline. When a Romulan ship travels back in time and alters the past, the lives of James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto), and the future crew of the USS Enterprise are drastically changed. In this new timeline, the Romulan Nero (Eric Bana) sets out for revenge on Spock, setting off a chain of events that reshape the entire universe.
3’The World’s End' (2013)
Directed by Edgar Wright
The third andfinal movie in the Cornetto trilogy,The World’s End, may have had the least favorable reception among wider audiences, but Pegg recently named it one of his four favorite films in a quick red carpet interview withLetterboxd.The World’s Endis a great ending to an already great trilogy, and it’s a film worthy of the fame and acclaim of the first two. Just likeShaun of the DeadandHot Fuzz,The World’s Endwas co-written by Pegg andEdgar Wright, who directed all three films. Interestingly, each of the movies was inspired by a certain genre, so whileShaunwas inspired by zombie horror andHot Fuzzby iconic action movies,The World’s Endhas heavy sci-fi vibes, similar toThe Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
The World’s Endfollows a group of once inseparable friends: Gary (Pegg), an immature alcoholic; Andy (Frost), a teetotal corporate lawyer; Steve (Paddy Considine), an architect; Oliver (Martin Freeman), an estate agent; and Peter (Eddie Marsan), a car salesman. Out of all five, Gary is the only one without a perspective and still living in the past, and hegathers his group of friends, who are all now 40-year-olds, for a pub crawlthat ends in the pub called The World’s End. While on their pub crawl, they realize something is happening to the people in their hometown, and a mystery ensues.Pegg underwent rehab for alcoholism, so this movie could be his favorite of all three because of the personal story he infused into his character Gary.
The World’s End
2’Hot Fuzz' (2007)
The second movie in the Cornetto trilogy,Hot Fuzz, is the most action we expected to see Pegg and Frost in, though Pegg has been a steady part of theMission: Impossiblefranchise for a while now.Hot Fuzzcombines everything we love about cop movies, murder mysteries, and buddy comedies, and it’s an incredible array of hilarious and highly memorable characters. From the detective pair called the Andys (Rafe Spalland Paddy Considine) to the only female constable in the small town of Sandford, Doris (Olivia Colman),Hot Fuzzhas a lot of material to make you love it and want to watch it again and again.
Hot Fuzzfollows elite London policeman Nicholas Angel (Pegg), whose great performance makes his co-workers look bad. The chief decides to move him to a small town called Sandford, where he will investigate a series of unusual deaths. His partner becomes thelocal policeman Danny (Frost), who watches numerous action movies and is inspired by them when solving cases.Hot Fuzztakes a pretty dark and twisted turn at one point, making it a brilliant feature full of surprises; it maintains the level of mystery and suspense throughout.
Shaun of the Deadis probably still the most famous Simon Pegg feature film. He plays the titular character Shaun, a slacker without too much perspective in life, living with two roommates, Ed (Nick Frost) and Pete (Peter Serafinowicz). One evening after returning home from a pub, Pete complains to Shaun and Ed about a homeless man biting him;the next day, Pete and the rest of London become zombies. Shaun and Ed head out to find Shaun’s parents, girlfriend, and her friends.
Shaun of the Deadwas also co-written by Pegg and Edgar Wright, who wrote the showSpacedtogether and created Shaun out of some episode ideas for it. The movie was heavily inspired byDawn of the DeadandGeorge A. Romero’s influence, and it becamean inspiring film in return. Many authors, directors, actors, and otherinfluential people citeShaun of the Deadamong the greatest movies of all time(likeQuentin TarantinoandStephen King), so the movie isn’t just highly rewatchable but a great modern classic.
