Review: A 'Hangover' They Don't Deserve

When Phil (Bradley Cooper) calls a very distressed Tracy at the beginning of The Hangover Part II, you know exactly where Todd Phillip's latest round-up with Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifinakis is going. Initially, the thought process of the viewer goes from shock, confusion, anger and then finally complacency. Are they going to remake The Hangover shot for shot?

The problem with the sequel to the very successful 2009 comedy is that it really isn't a film, it's an exercise of cynicism in show business. Warner Brothers had 277,322,503 reasons to make a sequel, yet they may have gone a bit overboard in recreating what they had with the first film.

Todd Phillip's sequel is structurally the same as its predecessor —the hijinks are justly ratcheted up several notches— but the draw of The Hangover Part II wasn't originality, the draw was hanging out with Phil, Stu and Alan for another crazy ride. It is understandable that Warner Bros. greenlit a sequel because the original was so successful financially, but this is borderline offensive to audience sensibilities.

Thankfully, some of the repetition can be forgotten because all three leads have grown into their own and the script gives them plenty of room to breathe comically. Fortunately for Doug (Justin Bartha), he is given more to do than just sit on a hotel roof, Stu's future brother-in-law Teddy (Mason Lee, who could use some seasoning) gets to suffer that indignity this time.

What makes the whole situation worse for the group is they all could have avoided this if Stu had just been given his bachelor party at IHOP, like he wanted. Given that these boys will boys, we all know what will happen instead.

Bangkok makes for an excellent locale for a movie that needs something to sustain itself after trashing Vegas and the sometimes beautiful, but always dangerous city obliges. Scenes you wouldn't think would make it past an MPAA board are flaunted right in your face. Around every corner lies countless dangers, drug-dealing monkeys, tattoo parlors and occasionally a very pissed off Paul Giamatti. Mr. Chow is also available for a second go around (Ken Jeong is a brave, brave man).

Despite the carbon copy nature of plot, laughs are still had, though they are few. I don’t know where Phillips and co. are heading for the inevitable sequel, but maybe we could avoid letting Alan handle the food next time and take some ginseng for memory?

**/****

The Best of the Decade

Over the last ten years, the cinema has given us a great deal to be thankful for: a rebirth of the Batman franchise, a series of examinations of what it means to live in this particular decade, and a mass of character studies whether they be animated or popcorn thrillers. As much as I have enjoyed the offerings, a list must be culled together for the end of the year. Except this year is different, this year ten films must be selected from hundreds. Below are some of the best of the aughts. Enjoy! 10) There Will Be Blood Paul Thomas Anderson's magnum opus, a scathing look at extremism in America and the evils of greed and profiteering from religion. It also features the best performance of the decade with Daniel Day-Lewis as oil-man Daniel Plainview. 9) Up A beautiful tale that entrances all ages, Up managed to captivate children and tell a tale that adults cherish as well. 8) The Dark Knight Maybe just a comic book film, but it is the best comic book film

Paprika vs. Inception

Months before Inception hit the theaters forums were alive with rumors that Christopher Nolan either accidentally or intentionally stole some details from another film, the Japanese anime Paprika. The biggest point of comparison for some bloggers and forum runners was the fact that both of the films featured a device that allowed a person, or people, to travel into another’s dreams and delve into their subconscious. Minor points of comparison include scenes in Paprika where the character Paprika breaks through a mirrored wall by holding her hand to it, as well as a scene where a police detective falls his way down a hallway. Claims have been made that Inception abounds with imagery similar to or exactly like the anime movie, but with the recent release of the film on DVD and Blu-Ray, and with Paprika available for several years now, an examination of the two plots can be made more fully. Let us begin with the primary claim— Inception stole the idea of a dream

Armond White or: How I Learned to Stop Caring and Ignore the Troll

Whether it is his glowing review of Norbit , his thrashing of Toy Story 3 , or just his general pompousness, you are aware of Armond White. His dismissal of Toy Story 3 came at a convenient time when the film was sitting pretty with a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes. "But Toy Story 3 is so besotted with brand names and product-placement that it stops being about the innocent pleasures of imagination—the usefulness of toys—and strictly celebrates consumerism." A claim that could have been taken at face value had he not followed it with this sentiment " Transformers 2 already explored the same plot to greater thrill and opulence." I am sure if one were inclined to interview Michael Bay at his most enlightened he would have never crafted an answer that insightful regarding hidden parables in his Transformers vehicle. White was at his most incensed when forced to sit down and type out his thoughts regarding Precious , but praised Norbit for its reflection o

Never Mind Pop Film

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