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In The Hangover Part II, buddies Phil (Bradley Cooper), Alan (Zach Galifianakis), and Stu (Ed Helms) move their frat-boy hi-jinks from Las Vegas to Bangkok, Thailand. The film was criticized upon its theatrical release for being too similar to the first one, and for going to raunchy extremes. As for it being more of the same, I’m fine with that. If you like the premise and the craziness of the first “Hangover,” this one gives you more of what you like, but in a different way. And as for it being extremely raunchy, I didn’t take it that way at all. Maybe my expectations for the level of raunchiness were too high, but even the more raunchy parts were way more tame than I thought they were going to be. This is actually a good thing, because sometimes filmmakers try so hard for raunch that they forget to make something good. Overall, I thought the film was well paced, with strong laughs throughout, and especially if you are a big fan of the first one, Buy It.
The Help is sure to re-generate its theatrical release buzz come awards time. For those who missed it in the theatres, now is your chance to catch up. The film handles the hot-button issue of race with intelligence, dignity, and bit of humor, and there are Oscar-worthy performances all around by the actresses. While it may not be the most historically accurate or truthful portrayal of race relations in the south in the 1960s, the story that unfolds is an entertaining and powerful one, which is what a great movie should be. If you want history, watch a documentary. As for “The Help,” Buy it.
It’s sad when great film premises go to waste. Unfortunately, that is what happened with The Debt. As Dan said in his review, “‘The Debt’ is what happens when compelling narrative is undone by poor storytelling. The plot – about ex-Mossad agents living a lie of heroism for 30 years, and the origins of that lie – is fascinating to be sure. So why an experienced director like John Madden (“Shakespeare In Love”) didn’t tell it in a more organized, clear way is anyone’s guess.” Too bad. Skip It.
With penguin-mania still in somewhat high gear, it’s only natural that Richard and Florence Atwater’s book of Mr. Popper’s Penguins, about a corporate executive who has to take care of six of penguins in his New York City apartment, would be made into a movie. Too bad it wasn’t made into a better one—at least for adults. As Dan noted, “In terms of family entertainment, director Mark Waters’ (‘Mean Girls’) ‘Mr. Popper’s Penguins’ is harmless. Sure, it’s completely unrealistic and has random quirks such as song lyrics from The Doors and The Beatles worked into the dialogue, but it also has a wholesomeness not easily found these days. Unfortunately it needs to offer more … to get adults excited.” Rent It.
Also out this week: “The Lady Vanishes,” Hitchcock’s classic about a woman’s disappearance on a train; “Dragon Tattoo Trilogy: Extended Edition,” see the original Swedish versions before David Fincher’s hits theatres; “Mission: Impossible Trilogy (Extreme Edition Gift Set),” a good way to catch up on the first three before the new one hits theatres; “Tora! Tora! Tora!,” a remarkably well-made film about Pearl Harbor that gives equal time to both the Japanese and the American side of that fateful day as well as the days leading up to it; and “The Simpsons: The Fourteenth Season,” a must-buy for “The Simpsons” collectors, like me.
Andrew Hudak is a lifelong film lover. His column on blu-ray new releases appears every Tuesday; he also regularly reviews new theatrical releases for Hudak On Hollywood. He lives in Connecticut.
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