MOVIE REVIEW: The Hangover Part II (2011)

Most of the time by watching the trailer, I can sense what kind of a sequel a sequel is going to be from a mile away. After seeing the trailer for The Hangover Part II, I was very afraid. "This is the exact same movie!", was the thought swimming through my head, as I stared slack-jawed at my screen. The only way I knew this film could be good was if it still managed to be almost as funny, but even more outrageous than the first. So now that I've seen it, I can oddly enough say that Hangover II is this decade's Home Alone 2 - An obvious re-hash that managed to surprise me by how funny and ridiculous it still managed to be.

Somewhere between the first and the second movie, Stu fell out with his hooker Vegas-bride and is now engaged to a gourgeous Thai beauty named Lauren. Two nights before the wedding, Alan embarrasses Stu before his fiancee's rigid father, then Stu, and his "three-best-friends-that-anyone-can-have" take Lauren's teenage, med-student prodigy brother, Teddy down to the beach for a bonfire, complete with beer and marshmallows. They wake up the next morning in a dingy Bangkok hotel, without a clue how they got there. Doug and Teddy are both missing, and in their place is a mischievous monkey. All hell breaks loose as the three take to the streets as culture-shock and insanity ensue.

You don't need to have seen the first one to enjoy the second, and contrary to the general consensus, most people who I know loved the first one will enjoy this one. I guess I happen to fall into the camp of the latter, since I loved the first one so much. The more-of-the-same gags were fun, in a revisionist sense; like Stu's tattoo and Mr. Chow's full-frontal nudity, but they're either mildly predictable, or mostly spoiled in the trailer. Yet, where the film excelled was by taking some of the gags (especially those for shock value) above and beyond the pale. In some instances, Hangover II does manage to out-gross it's predecessor with the shock-gags. Even if the plot was predictable itself, because everything was playing out almost exactly the same as before, the air of mystery was still present, as I still wondered "How the heck are they really going to get out of this one?". I guess I'll still hold the first Hangover, near-and-dear to me, because of it's freshness, and for the fact that said quality actually allowed the humor to be more effective. But make no mistake, it's re-hashed sequel is still enjoyable, and took me by surprise with it's humor quite a few times.

8/10

Peace,
- Jon

MOVIE REVIEW: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

Hello everyone! Sorry for my prolonged absence from blogging, but a lot has been going on lately between work, finalizing my law school admission, getting a lease on an apartment, and getting abused by my allergies. Since life in general has been taking such a toll on my spare time, I've decided to reduce my postings to more current events. I'll still write about something if I feel like it, or if I have the time, but since my leisure-writing time has become scant nowadays, I regret that so will my blogging frequency. No matter, though. I'm going to keep writing until compelling circumstances state otherwise. In the meantime though...

What came seemingly out of nowhere, and with less hyped fanfare than what I remember is Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, the fourth entry in the Disney/Bruckheimer cash cow, helmed by the great Johnny Depp. This is a much different, more tightly focused entry in the series. From what I understand, the purpose was to open a new chapter in the adventures of wily protagonist Jack Sparrow a la "Indiana Jones" and other serials. Gone now is the tired, overblown love story between Will Turner and Elizabeth Swan. Instead, the audience gets what they may have secretly wanted in the first place: a story owned and encompassed by Jack Sparrow, as opposed to the Will/Elizabeth/Jack trifecta that dominated the original trilogy. While it's a fun film, it lacks the epic scope that made the original three more far-out and entertaining.

Some time after the events of At World's End, Jack Sparrow finds himself in front of the King of England and Barbossa, his old nemesis, now Captain of the British Navy. They are comissioned to venture back to the Caribbean to beat the Spanish in search of the Fountain of Youth. But Sparrow is also in search of an imposter of his, who turns out to be Angelica, the feisty daughter of the rogue pirate Blackbeard, and Sparrow's jilted lover. The three reluctantly join forces in the quest to find the Fountain, and must endure a series of trials in order to unlock the Fountain's secrets. As is expected in these films, the typical cartoonish madness also ensues.

As I said before, the lack of featherweight subplots that I felt bogged down the last two films is refreshingly absent for Tides. In return, we get a few old faces, but mostly some new, interesting characters. What I felt was sorely missed from this entry though, was the lack of spectacle and over-the-top action sequences that made the series unique. Apparently, the budget for this series was slashed in half, from the $300 million special-effects-behemoth of At World's End. $150 mil isn't chump-change for a film, but it shows in the lack of epic action money-shots and more emphasis on (admittedly) some very good swordplay and stuntwork. Actually, some may appreciate the return to practicality, but I just felt the series set such a high bar for fantasy and spectacle that Tides didn't really meet it in that department. In fact, I'd argue it's even less epic than the first film, but don't consider that a deal-killer when deciding to see the film.

What Tides does have to offer is Johnny Depp returning in full form, anyone who missed his antics as Jack Sparrow will be very pleased to see him gobble scenery like a kid in a candy store. Also fun to watch is newcomer Penelope Cruz, who brings identically caustic chemistry between her and Depp that they both shared in Blow, ten years earlier. Angelica is pretty much the "Princess Leia" of the new series, and I found her very engaging as a female lead. Also, at a few minutes shy of two hours and forty minutes, it's the shortest, and most tightly-paced of all the Pirates films in my opinion.

Fans should generally enjoy Tides, and everyone else may find themselves in for a fun, harmless ride. It's a different Pirates, but a very solid standalone adventure tale. I didn't see the film in 3D, but by all accounts, I was told by many it was terrible and inconsistent. The effects only surfaced in several sequences, and the process made the film dark and grainy. 3D is becoming sadly overrated in mainstream films nowadays, anyway. But I'm sure hardcore Pirates fans won't care, either way.

7/10

Peace,
- Jon

SPECIAL POST: Osama Bin Laden (1957 - 2011)

I am writing this as I watch this historic news event unfold before my eyes: "Osama Bin Laden Is Dead". It's a very surreal moment, as many people and myself can recall the scathing memory of where we were on 9/11, when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center in New York City. We would later learn that Bin Laden, the leader of Islamist Terrorist group Al Qaida was responsible for helming the attack. Now, he lies dead in a Pakistan mansion at the hands of American troops. As I write this, people are massing outside the White House in D.C., in a public display of patriotism and celebration. I'm reading on Facebook about undergraduates at my alma mater celebrating and singing on the quad. I wish I was there with them. Admittedly, it is a barbaric thing to act so hedonistically over the death of an individual, even one so evil as Bin Laden. But realistically, it's one less terrorist in the world that we need to worry and fear about.

These past ten years have been subconsciously riddled with fear for me, the amplification of security in every avenue of transportation and public gathering. The constant micromanaging from educational institutions to working specific jobs. Not to mention the dismal perspective other events in the world at large have brought upon us. I'm in awe of seeing people gathering now at Ground Zero, I visited the site a year after the attack. It was a very eerie place; the last time I had seen the WTC was the summer before, from across the Hudson Bay in Jersey City. It is an incredible feeling of justice after learning what has happened. I almost feel as though I'm writing my feelings as a stream of consciousness, but this is the best way I can express myself in my current state of mind (The moderate amount of alcohol I've had, notwithstanding).

What makes this event so significant, is how much it feels upon first glance as a turning point for our political climate. We still do not know the full details of what happened, aside from President Obama's speech about how the attack operation was executed. My first thought was: "This is going to be as important to Obama's presidency as was the fall of the Berlin Wall was to Reagan's" (even though the USSR fell during Bush Sr., pundits still attribute that event to the Gipper). Does it spell re-election for Obama? So many will hold their breath baited in anticipation. I do anticipate heightened security in the interim; Bin Laden may be gone, but there's always going to be another upstart in the works. It is imperative that we keep our guard up for the best interests of our country.

Does this spell the end of the "War on Terror"? Probably not, as terrorism is unfortunately perpetual. But it is notable that a major force in the Al Qaida movement is now gone. And what of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq? I have friends who have served. One of whom I currently work with insists that things have been "over and done, long enough". It would seem ideal that we could terminate operations and bring the troops home. I don't expect the wars to be over as soon as possible, but I do think we should see a reduction in combat of some kind. It may still be too early to predict a lot of the impact that this event will result in. It is incredible though, that for all the mudslinging, caustic debate over political rhetoric, and ire over Democratic/Repubican schisms that have been among the biggest divisive social issues in this country, that the death of Bin Laden becomes the one to unite us, once again.

God Bless America,
- Jon