Jaws. Pirates of the Caribbean. The Lion King. The Hangover. What do all of these movies have in common? They shouldn't have had sequels. It certainly seems reasonable to cash in on a huge hit or continue a great story, but these films are good on their own. What makes things worse about The Hangover Part II is that it does not even make sense to try and add on to its predecessor. The story ends with the Wolf Pack getting home from Vegas in time for the wedding. Perfect. In Jaws, the shark blows up. Perfect. With Pirates and Lion King there is room for character development and a more detailed story, but these certainly aren't necessary when one takes a look at the sequels. There is simply nothing to do for a Hangover sequel but copy the same exact formula. And that's just what Todd Phillips and the gang did.
The first few minutes of both films can be played side by side and one would barely be able to tell the difference. Bradley Cooper's character Phil looks up into the sky after talking to Doug's wife on the phone to look at "The Hangover" written in the same font as in the first movie. I didn't even think they were going to include "Part II." Then the opening credits roll along with a song from the same artist who was featured in the previous film. Things start to change up just a bit while the Wolf Pack discusses their trip to Thailand for Stu's wedding, but once they arrive, one realizes that he or she should've just popped in the 2009 DVD to save some time and money.
The only real difference in Part II is the scenery, the person they lose, and the level of obscenity. Once again, Stu gets the worst of it and I even began to feel bad for him, not only for the terribly disgusting things happening to him, but the fact that it's his second go-around. One character I absolutely do not feel bad for is Alan. Zach Galifianakis is not meant for a lot of screen time, and in Part II it shows. He has become even more hard to believe due to his insane obsession with the Wolf Pack and his carelessness towards them at the same time. He, along with Ken Jeong, who should've stuck with just Knocked Up and the first Hangover so we would miss him a little, is completely exhausting. When Jeong first appears on screen and something abruptly happens to him, I almost shouted with joy. Don't worry though...he comes back.
While the first film had a sequence of crazy events and a true mystery, the sequel involves one riot (which doesn't seem so bad knowing what the characters can handle) and it's a lot easier to piece this one together. Plus the laughs are barely present. There is one scene in particular, when Alan has a flashback of the evening while meditating that is quite funny, but I think I laughed the hardest during the opening credits when I saw who would be playing the surprise cameo. He disappoints, however, like the rest of the cast.
Many people were probably looking forward to a solid comedy since this summer will be bombarded with superhero movies, but The Hangover Part II does not satisfy. Avoid this carbon copy and enjoy all of the hilarious quotes from the first film if you can resist the urge to give this pathetic sequel more money. Or better yet, see Bridesmaids or wait for something like Horrible Bosses. I'm sure if I can remember the few humorous lines from Part II, I'll be reciting them throughout the summer. But I doubt I'll enjoy it. Watching the first Hangover is like experiencing a happy buzz with the potential of getting hammered. Watching Part II is like the next morning when you feel like shit.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Following Along with the Typical Cliche of Saying "I Do" to "Bridesmaids"
Judd Apatow strays away from his typical movie characters just a bit with his next production, Bridesmaids, which follows a group of women as opposed to lazy, pot smoking, wisecracking men. Saturday Night Live's leading lady, Kristen Wiig, heads this hilarious cast as the depressed and jealous Annie, all the while proving that she deserves more time on the big screen.
The audience immediately discovers Annie's low self esteem in the first scene, involving an uncomfortable yet hysterical sex scene with Jon Hamm's character. Hamm shows off his comedic chops as well by acting out the side of Don Draper that we know he is just bottling up on Mad Men, acknowledging his handsomeness as a complete dirtbag.
When Annie finds out that her best friend Lillian, played by Maya Rudolph, is getting married, she can't help but feel sorry for her lonely self. Things only get worse when she meets Lillian's new rich, obnoxious, party planning friend Helen, played by Rose Byrne who appeared in Apatow's previous production Get Him to the Greek. The competition among Lillian's best friends results in side-splitting scenarios, most notably Wiig's drunken rant about first class on the bridesmaids' plane to Vegas.
However, Wiig is not the only one that provides a standout performance. Mike & Molly's Melissa McCarthy plays a big role, not just because of her size, but her ability to cause a burst of laughter with every word or gesture. Her slightly disgusting actions (one concerning a sink and another involving her obsession with an air marshal) mixed with her lovable and caring qualities make for a great character.
Annie's jealousy continues to grow, leading to some measures that are a bit absurd and unlikely, but she slowly finds herself caring about a police officer who pulled her over, played by Chris O'Dowd (the man with the most screen time), allowing her to get over her distasteful behavior.
Bridesmaids may come across as a chick flick due to its censorship in commercials, but this R-rated comedy is just as entertaining for men as it is for women. There are a few emotional scenes that will target the females, but the men will look right past them once the next outrageously funny incident takes place. Bridesmaids sets the bar pretty high for the rest of the comedies releasing throughout the summer season.
The audience immediately discovers Annie's low self esteem in the first scene, involving an uncomfortable yet hysterical sex scene with Jon Hamm's character. Hamm shows off his comedic chops as well by acting out the side of Don Draper that we know he is just bottling up on Mad Men, acknowledging his handsomeness as a complete dirtbag.
When Annie finds out that her best friend Lillian, played by Maya Rudolph, is getting married, she can't help but feel sorry for her lonely self. Things only get worse when she meets Lillian's new rich, obnoxious, party planning friend Helen, played by Rose Byrne who appeared in Apatow's previous production Get Him to the Greek. The competition among Lillian's best friends results in side-splitting scenarios, most notably Wiig's drunken rant about first class on the bridesmaids' plane to Vegas.
However, Wiig is not the only one that provides a standout performance. Mike & Molly's Melissa McCarthy plays a big role, not just because of her size, but her ability to cause a burst of laughter with every word or gesture. Her slightly disgusting actions (one concerning a sink and another involving her obsession with an air marshal) mixed with her lovable and caring qualities make for a great character.
Annie's jealousy continues to grow, leading to some measures that are a bit absurd and unlikely, but she slowly finds herself caring about a police officer who pulled her over, played by Chris O'Dowd (the man with the most screen time), allowing her to get over her distasteful behavior.
Bridesmaids may come across as a chick flick due to its censorship in commercials, but this R-rated comedy is just as entertaining for men as it is for women. There are a few emotional scenes that will target the females, but the men will look right past them once the next outrageously funny incident takes place. Bridesmaids sets the bar pretty high for the rest of the comedies releasing throughout the summer season.
Friday, May 13, 2011
"Thor" Hammers Away with Action
Kicking off a summer full of superhero movies is the next installment in the Marvel franchise, Thor. It follows the success of two Iron Man films, and the not so successful The Incredible Hulk as the next member to join the forthcoming 2012 hit The Avengers. Robert Downey Jr.'s character Tony Stark will have to watch out after being teamed up with the equally cocky, but more robust Chris Hemsworth who plays the title character in the most recent Marvel film.
Thor has never been as popular as other characters in the franchise such as Iron Man, Spider-Man, Captain America, or The Hulk, but this humorous, action-packed motion picture has proven that Thor deserves a little more attention. The film starts with a sequence of Natalie Portman, who has become a bit exhausting on the big screen lately, and her science team, during which we meet Thor who crashes down to earth (and then into Portman's van) after being banned from his home, Asgard. As he curses the heavens while appearing to be a psychopath, the audience gets its first hint that the movie knows how ridiculous it will most likely come across as, thus acknowledging the comical parts where appropriate.
Thor is frequently captured by the government agency S.H.I.E.L.D. who will be running the Avengers team, and one scene full of ass-kicking really stands out (with an unexpected appearance of another new add-on to the group). The great action segments and outstanding visual effects of Asgard and the other realms of the universe make for an entertaining two hours by themselves.
As enjoyable as the scenery may be, Chris Hemsworth also delivers a marvelous breakthrough performance despite his dull sidekicks and friends. His pals from Asgard serve almost no purpose and we never learn a significant detail about any of them, but Thor's evil brother played by Tom Hiddleston as well as Stellan Skarsgard's role of Dr. Erik Selvig somewhat make up for the lack of depth in the other characters.
Thor may not be the best superhero movie in the past few years, nor will it likely be the best of the summer, but it certainly serves as a good trip to the movies and a decent introduction to a new figure in the series. Although it would make sense for the studio to flesh out the supporting characters of Thor in The Avengers or in a possible sequel, hopefully they are completely disregarded since The Avengers already seems to have too much on its plate. Combining the numerous heroes, villains, and side stories from all the Marvel movies will certainly be too much to handle, but it's nice to enjoy one protagonist at a time while it lasts.
Thor has never been as popular as other characters in the franchise such as Iron Man, Spider-Man, Captain America, or The Hulk, but this humorous, action-packed motion picture has proven that Thor deserves a little more attention. The film starts with a sequence of Natalie Portman, who has become a bit exhausting on the big screen lately, and her science team, during which we meet Thor who crashes down to earth (and then into Portman's van) after being banned from his home, Asgard. As he curses the heavens while appearing to be a psychopath, the audience gets its first hint that the movie knows how ridiculous it will most likely come across as, thus acknowledging the comical parts where appropriate.
Thor is frequently captured by the government agency S.H.I.E.L.D. who will be running the Avengers team, and one scene full of ass-kicking really stands out (with an unexpected appearance of another new add-on to the group). The great action segments and outstanding visual effects of Asgard and the other realms of the universe make for an entertaining two hours by themselves.
As enjoyable as the scenery may be, Chris Hemsworth also delivers a marvelous breakthrough performance despite his dull sidekicks and friends. His pals from Asgard serve almost no purpose and we never learn a significant detail about any of them, but Thor's evil brother played by Tom Hiddleston as well as Stellan Skarsgard's role of Dr. Erik Selvig somewhat make up for the lack of depth in the other characters.
Thor may not be the best superhero movie in the past few years, nor will it likely be the best of the summer, but it certainly serves as a good trip to the movies and a decent introduction to a new figure in the series. Although it would make sense for the studio to flesh out the supporting characters of Thor in The Avengers or in a possible sequel, hopefully they are completely disregarded since The Avengers already seems to have too much on its plate. Combining the numerous heroes, villains, and side stories from all the Marvel movies will certainly be too much to handle, but it's nice to enjoy one protagonist at a time while it lasts.
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