1. Shaun Riley Shaun of the Dead
Well, it had to be on here, the film where Pegg puts on a masterclass in in-over-your-head earnestness. It helps that he looks like an average bloke, but thats totally the point and it just adds to the char of normality. Of course, theres also a little off-kilter sentiment to proceedings how could there not be but everything Shaun does is rooted in what you imagine you, or at least a late 20-something with an arrested development complex, would do. Its touching, sad, realistic and downright hilarious, whether hes bashing in zombie brains or quoting Bertrand Russell off the back of a beer mat. The killer detail is his facial expressions and mannerisms throughout witness when he sits down after beating a zombie in his garden and look at his face, and youll see perfectly normal what-the-hell-is-all-this bewilderment. Couple that with the almighty shock he gets awhen confronted with a one-armed zombie in his living room and we see Pegg just nails the everyman charm. Theres also a little weirdness apparent too (who goes to a pub to survive flesh-eating hordes?) but that just makes the whole thing even more endearing. After all, theres an odd charm to a man who sees a romantic hotspot and an impenetrable fortress as one in the same thing, but hes always kept in the realms of believably by the human cost of his quest. Really, I defy you to watch the scene where Shauns mother dies and not be slightly affected by Peggs performance. Click "next" below to see the performances that sucked...