April Sokol's Review of A Wrinkle in Time

Movie review: A Wrinkle in Time

A Wrinkle in Time is the latest adaptation of the beloved children's book of the same name.

Directed by Ava DuVernay

Starring: Storm Reid, Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Levi Miller, Chris Pine, Zach Galifianakis and Michael Pena

My review:

Before I start writing I feel as though I should introduce you all to the 12 year old version of myself that was. I was awkward. Lonely. Bookish. Isolated. And completely saved by this book. Meg Murray was one of my very first heroes. Ever. So this movie is directed at a very personal area of me. Even with a stern talking to....my own personal expectations for this movie was pretty high. I'm going to do my level best to divorce the movie from the book. But as any avid book lover knows, that is far easier said than done. But here goes:

A Wrinkle in Time is the story of Meg and her little brother Charles Wallace on a quest to locate their missing father. They are guided on their travels out of our known galaxy by 3 celestial beings (Mrs Which, Mrs Whosit and Mrs Who played by Winfrey, Witherspoon and Kaling respectively). The epic quest quickly goes from lighthearted to dangerous as they're forced to confront the growing evil entity known as The It.

Let's get right to it. Is it any good? Well yes, it is. Is it as good as the book? Of course it's not.

We'll get the bad out of the way. All of the goodwill that was built in the 1st and 2nd acts of the movie is lost as the 3rd act slowly careens off the rails. I found the last 30 minutes or so of the movie to move at a snail's pace. The set up for the final showdown between good and evil was laborious. Were the problems so egregious that I ended up hating the final product? No. But it does feel like a sort of almost miss when you step back and examine the final product as a whole.

Let's get back to the good, shall we? The visuals are stunning. Mrs Whosit (Witherspoon) was really the stand out for me. Her perfect amount of whimsy was spot on. I was pleasantly surprised by how engaged I was with the young actress who played Meg (Reid). The success of this movie was always going to rise or fall upon her shoulders. It's a heavy weight for one so young (Reid is only 14 years old). The themes of this movie are timeless and were handled with deft hands. I felt more than once as though Momma Oprah was speaking wisdom directly to the bruised 12 year old child that still lives inside of me. Loving yourself, not in spite of your flaws, but because of them is a wonderful lesson for children and adults alike. Yet DeVernay never allowed this to creep into the saccharin territory of the too sweet.

A Wrinkle in Time clocks in at 2 hours and is rated PG for thematic elements and peril. I give it a very solid 3 ½ stars out of 5.

MOVIE REVIEW: THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE

Batman (voice of Will Arnett) defends Gotham City from criminals and supervillains while bonding with a young orphan (Michael Cera) he accidentally adopted -- who, of course, eventually becomes his sidekick Robin. This spin-off of The Lego Movie also features the voices of Rosario Dawson as Batgirl, Zach Galifianakis as the Joker, and Ralph Fiennes as Batman's loyal butler Alfred Pennyworth. Directed by Chris McKay (Robot Chicken). ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director Chris McKay

Cast: Will Arnett, Michael Cera, Zach Galifianakis, Rosario Dawson, Ralph Fiennes

Release Date: Feb 10, 2017

Rated PG for Rude Humor and Some Action

Runtime: 1 hr. 44 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Animated, Comedy

The Lego Batman Movie is a worthy follow up to The Lego Movie.  It’s not as thoroughly enjoyable as The Lego Movie but it hits more often than it misses.  Will Arnett returns as the blocky caped crusader and he’s clearly having a ball.  Michael Cera costars as the overly eager to please Robin.  They both play off each other very well along with Rosario Dawson and Ralph Fiennes who round out the hero side of things.  Zach Galifianakis is just as much fun as the Lego Joker.  The plot itself is more simplistic than The Lego Movie but it’s filled with enough jokes and bat references to keep most adults laughing for the better part of the films running time.  Its visual flare and cast are enough to overlook most of its minor flaws.  

B+

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of John Wick: Chapter 2 & The Lego Batman Movie

Dearest Blog: Yesterday it was off to Marquee Cinemas for a highly-anticipated pair of pictures: John Wick: Chapter 2 and the Lego Batman Movie.

 

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

 

Ladies and gentlemen, dear reader(s), what follows is the historic, first-ever, perfect-nine-Weasley double-bill! Steel yourselves!

 

First on yesterday's agenda: John Wick: Chapter 2.

 

John Wick is dragged out of retirement when an old marker is called in.

 

The first John Wick was a pleasant surprise. With very little buzz and a not-quite-A-list lead, it turned out far better than the generic actioner promised by the trailers. Following up such unexpected success almost unfailingly leads to disaster, but I am pleased to report John Wick: Chapter 2 actually breaks the mold and improves upon the original.

 

Beginning with the obvious: Keanu Reeves has found the role for which he was born. Sure, the guy has all the acting chops of "Shepherd #3" in your local elementary-school Christmas pageant, but he's given us a few iconic leads over his long career, and John Wick seems destined to become one of his best remembered. Reeves works even the film's corniest lines to perfection and still manages to be the perfect stoic killing machine. A solid supporting cast includes Ian McShane, Common, Laurence Fishburne, and the suddenly-ubiquitous Ruby Rose. John Wick: Chapter 2 boasts epic fight choreography, a dark humor that always hits its mark, and stellar production design. A shootout in a hall of mirrors is a real standout, along the lines of the original's red room scene. The extraordinary body count undoubtedly renders a picture like this not everyone's cup of tea, but if you're able to set aside genre bias, you'll have to admit John Wick: Chapter 2 is one hell of a great movie.

 

John Wick: Chapter 2 clocks in at 122 minutes and is rated R for "strong violence throughout, some language, and brief nudity."

 

John Wick: Chapter 2 is a strikingly filmed, beautifully executed movie that's well served by its self-awareness. I pondered long and hard, looking for a reason to dock it even a half-Weasley, and I couldn't find one. Of a possible nine Weasleys, John Wick: Chapter 2 gets nine.

 

Fangirl points: My beloved Ian McShane! Peter Serafinowicz!

 

Next on the docket, The Lego Batman Movie.

 

The Bat goes brick.

 

The Lego Batman Movie has all the sharp colors, cool artwork, and constant motion that are hallmarks of most good animation these days, but considering it a kids' movie does it a great disservice; it is straight-up comedy gold, and I mean hilarious. I can't remember the last time I heard a cinema crowd laugh as hard or as much. The movie lovingly makes fun of the Bat-verse, from Will Arnett's sulking, self-centered Bruce Wayne to hilarious callbacks to various film faceoffs with his arch-nemesis the Joker. If Gotham's Clown Prince isn't your favorite baddie, never fear, the Lego Batman Movie not only features many of Batman's classic enemies, but cameos by villains from the furthest reaches of fiction. A rockin' score by Lorne Balfe occasionally echoes past Batman themes, underlining the movie's nods to Bat-history, while standing firmly on its own Lego feet.

 

The Lego Batman Movie runs 104 minutes and is rated PG for "rude humor and some action."

 

The Lego Batman Movie is everything a moviegoer could want, be he die-hard Batfan or casual walkup. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Lego Batman Movie gets nine.

 

Fangirl points: "Iron Man sucks!"

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES

An ordinary suburban couple (Zach Galifianakis and Isla Fisher) discover that their hospitable new neighbors (Jon Hamm and Gal Gadot) are actually government spies. Soon, all four of them are caught up in an international espionage imbroglio. Greg Mottola (Superbad, Adventureland) directed this action comedy. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director:Greg Mottola 

Cast: Zach Galifianakis, Jon Hamm, Isla Fisher, Gal Gadot, Matt Walsh

Release Date: Oct 21, 2016

Rated PG-13 for

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Keeping up with the Jones is a fun little comedy.  As a spy movie satire it’ll never live to last year’s Spy or even Mr. & Ms. Smith which it borrows heavily from as well.  Still, it’s light and breezy direction by Greg Mottola makes for an enjoyable if inconsequential comedy.  Its biggest strength is its cast.  The foursome of Zach Galifianakis, Jon Hamm, Isla Fisher & Gal Gadot are likeable throughout with each shining at one point or another. The plot in of itself is thread bare with nary a surprise in sight.  This oversight does leave the film lingering past its expiration point.  It’s a shame because with a slightly better script and plot this could have been something special. 

B-

MOVIE REVIEW: BIRDMAN

A fading actor (Michael Keaton) best known for his portrayal of a popular superhero attempts to mount a comeback by appearing in a Broadway play. As opening night approaches, his attempts to become more altruistic, rebuild his career, and reconnect with friends and family prove more difficult than expected. Lindsay Duncan.

Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu

Cast: Michael Keaton, Lindsay Duncan, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough, Emma Stone

Release Date: Oct 17, 2014

Rated: R for brief Violence, Some Sexual Content and Language Throughout

Runtime: 1 hr. 59 min.

Genres: Comedy, Drama

Review:

Birdman is a dizzying powerhouse of a film that’s showcases it’s cast and director on multiple levels.  Alejandro González Iñárritu has crafted a fascinating dissection of fame and celebrity culture through the guise of a mental breakdown.  Michael Keaton’s soul baring performance is simply amazing.  It’s an unglamorous performance which shows every inch of age on Keaton’s face while showcasing his impressive talent.  Aided by excellent supporting turns by Edward Norton and Emma Stone, Birdman maintains an impressive energy throughout as it builds to its crescendo.  There’s nary a moment when the film drags and it’s at it’s best when Norton and Keaton share the screen together since you can tell they are both having a blast while putting on some impressive performances.  If there’s a small drawback it’s the film does reek of self importance even smugness at some points.  That being said, Birdman is the type of prestige film that should hold up well upon repeat viewing thanks to some wonderfully crafted filmmaking and acting.

A

Cindy Prascik's Review of Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

 
Dearest Blog, this weekend my cinema unexpectedly offered awards season hopeful Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). I owe them a debt of gratitude for eschewing the usual smalltown "If it's not Transformers, why bother?" mentality and not making me fit in *all* the nominated films in the two weeks leading up to the Oscars!

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

The washed-up star of a big Hollywood superhero franchise tries to kickstart his career on Broadway.
Well, dear reader(s), Birdman is the kind of movie that many people may dislike despite it's being well done, and there probably won't be much middle ground: people will love it or they'll hate it. Me, I really, really loved it.

Michael Keaton turns in an extraordinary performance in the lead, simultaneously heartbreaking and hilarious and sympathetic and distant and serious and insane. Early goings yet for me to say "All the awards, please!" but this is the kind of work that, even if he ends up not being my guy when the time comes, I won't complain about anything he wins. The supporting cast is similarly terrific, especially Edward Norton and the lovely Emma Stone.

I'll go on record as saying this is the first time I've seen Zach Galafianakis in anything where I didn't want to kill him; he is very good and almost unbelievably not annoying! At a glance, the story sounds like a buzzkill, as "has-been actor" tales rarely end well, but the telling is so entertaining that it doesn't feel that way. Certainly there's a bit of melancholy about the past, but there's also a hopeful note that comes with the having courage to take a chance. There has been much online debate about the movie's ending, and I won't spoil it here, but I will say it's a real conversation starter and--in my opinion--a perfect finish to a film that poses more questions than it answers.

Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) clocks in at 119 minutes, and is rated R for "language throughout, some sexual content, and brief violence."

Birdman is, across the board, one of the best movies I've seen this year, smartly written, beautifully acted, and truly entertaining from start to finish.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) gets eight.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: THE HANGOVER PART 3

The Wolfpack set out in search of Mr. Chow after Doug is kidnapped by a criminal seeking to recover $21 million from the diminutive hustler as the decadent Hangover trilogy winds to an outrageous close. Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong, John Goodman, and Melissa McCarthy star in this Warner Bros. release from director Todd Phillips. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Todd Phillips

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong, John Goodman, Melissa McCarthy

Release Date: May 23, 2013

Rated R for Drug Content, Brief Graphic Nudity, Pervasive Language, Sexual References and Some Violence

Runtime: 1 hr. 40 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

“The End.” “It All Ends.” “It Ends.” Etc… I really hope those taglines at the top of the posters are a firm promise. Some series really shouldn’t go past its original film. It’s fairly apparent that The Hangover was the kind of movie that never should have been a franchise. It would have been a smart decision to avoid sequels, like Phillips did with Old School. Instead we were dealt one of the laziest sequels ever. This 3rd film is only marginally better. I do give Phillips credit for mixing up the formula this go around even though it creates a weird serious / comedic tone throughout. As a comedy, it’s never consistently funny. At best it, delivers a handful of chuckles here and there along with long stretches of nothing. By nothing, I mean nothing. No fun, no thrills, no suspense. The audience is just left wading through uninteresting exposition until we get to the next set piece. The cast is just as disinterested as most of the audience, Cooper and Helms in particular. They both seem content in delivering lines from the past films and not much else, not that I really blame them. Zach Galifianakis and Ken Jeong both get larger roles here and are given free reign to do whatever they want. Both take their characters to extremes with grating results. John Goodman and Melissa McCarthy are terribly underused in one note characters. The film has a strange feel about it, like it’s disinterested in itself. The few chuckles that come through don’t last long enough to reach a zenith. It only finds a tad breath of energy in a post credit scene which comes after an awkward slow-mo montage. Let’s hope they don’t renege on their promise to let it end.

D+

MOVIE REVIEW: THE CAMPAIGN

IN THEATERS ON DVD

THE CAMPAIGN



Two powerful CEOs pit a blundering congressman against an unlikely political newcomer in order to seize control of a crucial North Carolina district in this satirical political comedy starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis. On the eve of an upcoming election, incumbent congressman Cam Brady (Ferrell) makes a misstep that threatens to end his career in politics. Recognizing the opportunity to gain influence in the aftermath of the public gaffe, a pair of scheming CEOs handpick credulous tourism-center director Marty Huggins (Galifianakis) as Brady's political rival, quickly shaping him into a viable candidate with the help of a seasoned campaign manager. As Election Day draws near, Brady and Huggins cast ethics aside to engage in the brand of hysterical mud-slinging that's sent contemporary politics straight down the toilet. Jason Sudeikis, John Lithgow, and Brian Cox co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Jay Roach

Cast: Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Sudeikis, Dylan McDermott, Katherine La Nasa

Release Date: Aug 10, 2012.

Rated R for Crude Sexual Content, Brief Nudity and Language

Runtime: 1 hr. 25 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

The Campaign is a consistently funny skewering of the American political process with enough silly laughs to keep thing light and easy to digest. Jay Roach keeps the film moving at a brisk pace never lingering on anything to long to let it get stale. He moves his film to set pieces (debates faux campaign ads etc) and lets his stars take over. Will Ferrell and Zack Galifianakis put on wonderful performances, each creating great caricatures. Ferrell delivers a strong turn as Brady, playing his a dumb smug entitled moron who out to win at all cost. He’s all façade with no substance. Galifianakis matches with his well meaning odd duck Huggins, who is strange but always sympathetic. While the two stars dominate the supporting cast really rounds out the film. Sarah Baker, who looks like Wendi McLendon-Covey long lost sister, is good fun as Huggins ignored wife. Dylan McDermott shows that he can do comedy just as well as anyone. Karen Maruyama has a bit role but leaves a great impression while working with a running gag throughout the film.

B

[Trailer] The Campaign

The perfect film for the upcoming elections; could be a classic or a massive miss (Jay Roach is directing) either way I’ll be there opening weekend!

MOVIE REVIEW: THE HANGOVER PART 2

IN THEATERS

THE HANGOVER PART 2



A modest bachelor brunch devolves into a wild weekend in Bangkok when the gang travels to Thailand to see Stu get married. Still traumatized by memories of the Las Vegas fiasco, Stu (Ed Helms) vows to keep his pre-wedding partying to the bare minimum. But when Phil (Bradley Cooper), Doug (Justin Bartha), and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) show up, Stu's low-key brunch makes their previous Vegas fiasco look like a family trip to Disneyland. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Todd Phillips

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong

Release Date: May 26, 2011

Rated R for pervasive language, strong sexual content including graphic nudity, drug use and brief violent images

Genres: Comedy

Review:

“Classic Stu.” That statement should tell you everything you need to know about this sequel. Todd Phillips doesn’t raise his game in this sequel, instead he just changes the background and changes a few things. Déjà vu all over again. I’ll admit I laughed during a parts of films, there are a few high points that reach a manic level but it never sustains it, but my overall enjoyment of the film was hindered by the fact that this is about as lazy a follow up as you can imagine. The writing team seems to have literally taken the original script and just changed names and places. Galifianakis is grating this go around and just feels like he’s trying too hard. Ed Helms is given more to do and his comedic talents are given more room this go around. Bradley Cooper is just as douche baggy as he was the first time and doesn’t do more than he needs too. Ken Jeong is fun but the expanded role makes his one note character more obvious. Cameos and scenes don’t surprise because you are just waiting for them because Phillips telegraphs them to such an extent only a simpleton would be waiting for them. Hangovers suck especially when you recount the same night over and over again.

C-

[Trailer] The Hangover Part 2

Full Trailer is out...







First reaction is that it all seems incredibly familiar, plot looks almost identical to the first film with a few changes here and there.

I was kind of hoping for something a tad more innovative but we'll see what the final product looks like....

[Trailer] The Hangover Part II

Teaser Trailer shows very little actual footage, can it live up to the original? Still not sure....

MOVIE REVIEWS: DUE DATE

IN THEATERS

DUE DATE



Director Todd Phillips re-teams with his break-out Hangover star Zach Galifianakis for this road movie concerning a soon-to-be father (played by Robert Downey Jr.) and his cross-country trip to make it back in time for his baby's birth -- with the only roadblock being the dubious passenger (Galifianakis) who's along for the ride. Michelle Monaghan and Jamie Foxx co-star in the Warner Bros./Legendary Pictures production. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Todd Phillips

Cast: Robert Downey, Jr., Zach Galifianakis, Jamie Foxx, Michelle Monaghan, RZA.

Release Date: Nov 05, 2010

Rated: Language, drug use and sexual content

Runtime: 1 hr. 40 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Todd Phillips has made this type of film various times throughout his career; he has an almost unhealthy obsession with road trips and odd ball characters. Here Phillips throws together as many odd couple traveling clichés possible and contrived situations to make a plot. It’s barely a plot but it’s enough to give Galifianakis and Downey Jr. a showcase. Galifianaskis is in full man child mode, pretty much playing an even stranger version of his Hangover character. He gives his character enough heart to make a slightly different animal from that other role. Robert Downey Jr. delivers a strong performance as well, he’s like a tightly wound ball of rage and mania ready to burst at any point. He and Galifianakis have solid chemistry together and they are best thing about this entire film. Sadly, its strength is limited to these two and when the script tries shoe horn some sentiment or contrived connection it just rings incredibly false and hollow. These moments drag the film down and make it feel a lot longer than it actually is. Jamie Foxx walks through a few scenes and Michelle Monaghan is given less to do than Juliet Lewis and Danny McBride who both have memorable cameos. Due Date is a generally funny movie that feels like fast food and has as much nutritional value.

C+

MOVIE REVIEWS: DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS

IN THEATERS

DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS



Tim, is an up-and-coming executive who has just received his first invitation to the "dinner for idiots," a monthly event hosted by his boss that promises bragging rights to the exec that shows up with the biggest buffoon. Tim's fiancée, Julie, finds it distasteful and Tim agrees to skip the dinner, until he bumps into Barry--an IRS employee who devotes his spare time to building elaborate taxidermy mouse dioramas--and quickly realizes he's struck idiot gold. Tim can't resist, and invites Barry, whose blundering good intentions soon sends Tim's life into a frenzied downward spiral and a series of misadventures, threatening a major business deal, bringing crazy stalker ex-girlfriend, Darla, back into Tim's life and driving Julie into the arms of another man.

Director: Jay Roach

Cast: Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Stephanie Szostak, Zach Galifianakis, Bruce Greenwood

Release Date: Jul 30, 2010

Rated PG-13 for sequences of crude and sexual content, some partial nudity and language and sexual content

Runtime: 1 hr. 50 min.

Genres: Comedy, Comedy

Review:

Kind of like an old basketball court with too many dead spots Dinner For Schmucks looks like its ready made for classic comedy status with a strong cast and a funny concept, it’s a remake of the French film Le Dîner de Cons, but plays it too safe throughout and fails to keep the laughs coming at a consist basis. Jay Roach, the walk example of directorial mediocrity, directs this film with a unfocused hand and delivers an uneven and overlong comedy. Running nearly 2 hours and feeling every second of it, Roach can’t seem stay focused on the funny aspects of the film or his cast. Steve Carell is totally committed to his character and is likable and funny more often than not. Paul Rudd doesn’t fare as well as he’s left to function as the straight man to the general zaniness around him. It’s a shame that Rudd’s finally gotten headlining roles but been denied to the ability to be funny, just take a peek at his older films and you’ll see how terribly he’s being misused as of late. Zach Galifianakis has a small role but he steals every scene he’s in and you’re left wishing his character had had a bigger part. Lucy Punch is semi terrifying as Tim’s one night stand. Jemaine Clement is relegated to overly cartoonish over the top role as the “cutting edge” artist. His character is a good example of what’s wrong with the film. The script peppers the film with all these overblown characters but never utilizes them properly and plays it to safe and thoroughly avoids anything even close to mean spirited even though the concept is very much so. Instead, we are left with a generally predictable paint by the number affair that holds off on the big dinner scene for way too long and leaves wondering if it was worth the wait.

C-

MOVIE REVIEW: YOUTH IN REVOLT

ON DVD

YOUTH IN REVOLT



Superbad's Michael Cera discovers a vacation romance in Youth in Revolt, a teen comedy from Charlie Bartlett's screenwriter, Gustin Nash, and director Miguel Arteta (Chuck & Buck). The film is an adaptation of C.D. Payne's first book in a series of best-selling satirical novels starring Nick Twisp, a sexually charged 14-year-old whose intelligence and hormones get him into all sorts of adventures. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide

Director: Miguel Arteta

Cast: Michael Cera , Portia Doubleday , Jean Smart , Zach Galifianakis , Adhir Kalyan

Release Date: Jan 08, 2010

Rated R for sexual content, language and drug use

Runtime: 1 hr. 30 min.

Genres: Comedy, Comedy, Romance, Romance

Review:

Take one part Wes Anderson, one part Napoleon Dynamite and a sprinkle Fight Club’s split personality, mix with a teen angst story line and you’ll have Youth in Revolt. A subversive and off beat film that a bit off kilter but occasionally hits the sweet spot with its originality. Director Miguel Arteta gives his film a subtle pop that serves it well throughout. The script is kind of hit or miss with a few segments hitting an impressive stride but there are more than a few dead spots along the way. Cera and Doubleday’s characters also speak like they are intellectual yuppies in their late 30’s. Cera though does a solid job of making it feel naturalistic and Twisp feels very much like the kind of character we’ve become accustomed to seeing him play. He has a lot more fun playing his imaginary alter ego Francois. He’s clearly enjoying himself on screen and I think the character is underused as he mostly disappears from the film near the end. Fresh faced Portia Doubleday delivers an impressively naturalistic performance and handles the material well. The supporting cast mostly sit in the shadows and have fun with fairly clichéd stock characters. Having watched the film I understand the difficulty in marketing this film because it’s very atypical, fun if not perfect especially if you’re looking for a comedy that’s off the beaten path.

B-

Movie Reviews: THE HANGOVER

Sunday, June 07, 2009
Movie Reviews: THE HANGOVER
IN THEATERS


THE HANGOVER

Two days before his wedding, Doug and three friends drive to Las Vegas for a wild and memorable stag party. In fact, when the three groomsmen wake up the next morning, they can't remember a thing; nor can they find Doug. With little time to spare, the three hazy pals try to re-trace their steps and find Doug so they can get him back to Los Angeles in time to walk down the aisle.

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Heather Graham, Justin Bartha, Jeffrey Tambor

Director: Todd Phillips

Opened June 5, 2009

Runtime: 1 hr. 40 min.

Rated R for some drug material, pervasive language, sexual content and nudity
Genres: Farce, Comedy

Review:

Sometimes the best party nights are best left to the forgotten abyss but when you wake up with a trashed suite, missing groom, a baby and a tiger in the bathroom you just have find out what happened. Todd Phillips raucous and strangely inventive what the hell happened last night comedy is varying levels of fun throughout. Phillips’ takes what could be a fairly paint by the numbers scenario and turns it into something enjoyable and thoroughly insane. The cast works well together with Copper, Helms and Galifianakis getting the majority of the screen time. Bradley Copper brings a sort of arrogances and alpha male quality to Phil which fits his characters type similar to Vince Vaughn’s character Old School also directed by Phillips. The Office’s Ed Helms is wonderfully neurotic and he cycles between moments of clarity and paranoid fervor over what he did last night. Zach Galifianakis brings a blind childlike innocence to his “bearded Jesus” who might be an idiot savant. Heather Graham has a small supporting role as the nicest bride/stripper/hooker/mom on the Vegas strip. Ken Jeong has plenty of fun as a gay Asian stereotype mobster whose trash talk is almost as funny as the beatdown he puts on the three dazed and confused hungover trifecta. Mike Tyson has great extended cameo and mostly plays a straight man that’s had something stolen from him. The script is fun and it’ll probably recall a lot of day after where the party does and doesn’t look as fun in the daylight. There are some small miscues mainly the film loses a little steam once they find the groom and the characters are clearly types as opposed to fully realized people. Small complaints and nothing really earth shattering and it definitely doesn’t bring down any of the R rated fun. From Road Trip to Old School and now The Hangover (we’ll ignore Starsky and Hutch) Todd Phillips has shown a great ability to deliver some great comedies.

B+