Paradise

I've always been interested in the idea of the "universal myth"; a story that crosses all geographic and cultural lines. One of my favorite examples is the concept of paradise. A  physical location that is, in every conceivable way, perfect. But to achieve this perfection, one must suppress all the flaws that makes them human, leaving behind an artificial mirage with only one goal: maintain the status quo. This concept has always been fascinating to me, so naturally I've been drawn to films that feature it, my favorite example being the film "Hot Fuzz".
Released in 2007, the movie stars Simon Pegg as a by-the-books cop who is transferred to a small, quiet village outside of London after his peers decide his stellar arrest record is making them look bad. Pegg is obviously not happy about the change, especially given how the excitement of police work is the only thing that makes him happy anymore. Soon, however, things start to turn dark, and after a series of increasingly gruesome murders, Pegg discovers that this town, that has maintained the "best village" award for several years, has kept their record by killing anyone they deem not up to their standards. The movie culminates in a huge shootout that is essentially Pegg against the entire town, including the priest and the sweet old lady who owns the inn where he was staying. The movie's writing is genius, presenting the best rendition of "paradise" I've ever seen, and it was a comedy. I HIGHLY recommend it to those who have yet to see it.