Guardians of the Galaxy

The summer of 2014 hasn’t exactly been a stellar one for big, huge, gigantic, popcorn-guzzling blockbuster flicks. Yeah, I liked 22 Jump Street, Edge of Tomorrow, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, but for the most part, there hasn’t been a Batman, a Superman, an Avengers, a HUGE summer movie. What’s been the flick that made the most money? One that deserves its distinction as the summer’s highest-grossing flick, 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy.

It’s 1988 and young Peter Quill runs from a hospital room where his mom just died. As he sits in an open field, a spaceship flies over him, a huge light shining on him. Some 20 years later and now all grown up, Peter (Chris Pratt) has become an outlaw, dubbing himself Star Lord, with a growing reputation (so he thinks) in a far-off universe made up of countless planets and species. He’s managed to steal a seemingly normal orb for a buyer, but he’s stumbled into something bigger than he knows. The orb is incredibly powerful and whoever possesses it could control the universe. With some unwilling allies, including Gamora (Zoe Saldana), an experienced assassin, Drax (Dave Bautista), an enormous warrior, Rocket (Bradley Cooper), a genetically-mutated, talking raccoon who’s become a bounty hunter, and Groot (Vin Diesel), a humanoid tree capable of regenerating), Peter must prevent the orb from falling into the wrong hands…if this crew can pull it together.

If there’s a such thing as a “risky” flick in the Marvel Universe, this one was it. No huge stars, no Iron Man or Captain America or Thor or Hulk, and a story in a far-off universe where many to most viewers have no history…yeah, I guess that is a little risky. Now all that said, $500 million at the international box office seems to indicate that movie-going audiences don’t really give a crap. If it looks good, we’ll give it a shot. Director James Gunn turns in a gem, a movie that shrugs off all those concerns to tell a story in a far-off universe with all sorts of weird characters and species that’s a heck of a lot of fun. Dramatic, funny, entertaining, well-written, action-packed, unique and transporting viewers to a really cool universe. An easy one to recommend.

This is a movie that knows where it comes from in terms of the science fiction genre. It has touches of everything from Star Wars and Star Trek and The Avengers. On another level, it eats up a chance to add a new layer to the men-on-a-mission concept with films like The Guns of Navarone and The Dirty Dozen. Touches, yes, but this is its own movie. It seeks out its own identity. This is a popcorn movie, a true blockbuster that is well-acted, well-told, but mostly? ‘Guardians’ just wants to have some fun. It is stylistically aware of itself without being overbearing. The soundtrack with a lot of 1970s/1980s pop could be aggressively over the top, but the script finds a way to blend it seamlessly into the story. A big, colorful movie that embraces all the good – and very little – of the blockbuster concept. Yeah, the story can be confusing at times with so many characters and planets and situations and history, but it finds a groove pretty quickly.

What’s the best thing going here? The aforementioned men-on-a-mission angle similar to The Avengers and countless other movies. The concept is simple. You put a disparate group of individuals together, some specialists, mostly outcasts in one way or another, and give them some impossible mission to achieve. Here, it works effortlessly, a tribute to the talented cast. Pratt is a huge rising star, the roguish Peter Quill who desperately wants to be an infamous outlaw who’s name precedes him. Saldana is sexy and smooth, Cooper is at his scene-stealing best as the fiery, feisty Rocket (yes, Bradley Cooper provides his voice to play a raccoon), Bautista – an MMA fighter/WWE wrestler – an underplayed laugh machine, and Diesel having some fun as the one-liner repeating Groot. Yes, Vin Diesel plays a tree who has one repeated line, albeit with some different inflections.

More than the action, more than the other-worldly exploration, more than all that flashy stuff, I found the script to be the best thing going here. Working with Nicole Perlman and based off a series of graphic novels, Gunn brings these people to life. That's the men-on-a-mission angle; five disparate, different individuals forced to put their differences aside to get the job done. So many scenes are memorable, most of them worthwhile because of a sight gag among the group or a quick, witty one-liner. They may not always get along, but our Guardians are gonna keep at it. My favorite scene comes late, a staple of the specialist idea. Faced with impossible odds, they have to decide if they should go on, knowing full well many may not make it back. The build-up is hysterical as they talk it out (some would say criticize each other), and the pay-off is sublime, Cooper's Rocket absolutely killing a quick monologue. It is those moments that stick with me days after seeing the movie.

Also look for Glenn Close and John C. Reilly as high-ranking officials and staff on Xandar, the universe's capital. If there's a relative weakness, it's the villains, including power-seeking Ronan (Lee Pace) and his fiery daughter, Nebula (Karen Gillan). Michael Rooker has a lot of fun as Yondu, leader of the Ravagers who kinda sorta likes Peter but also knows he can't fully trust him. Last seen in Thor 2, Benicio Del Toro makes a quick appearance as The Collector while Djimon Hounsou is wasted as a tough guard who is on Peter's trail. 

No point overanalyzing this one. Risky though it may have seemed, it is a gem, ranking up there with The Avengers as one of my favorite flicks from the Marvel Universe. Yeah, the story can be tough to follow early on. Yeah, the villains could use some pumping up, but these complaints are almost wasted. This is a FUNNY movie. I laughed here more than I did in intended comedies. For goodness sake, Bradley Cooper lends his voice to play a wisecracking, weapons slinging raccoon. Vin Diesel plays a tree. A TREE. 'Guardians' is everything that's right about summer blockbusters. Can't recommend this one enough. The easiest of recommendations.

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014): *** 1/2 /****

American Hustle

Although he worked semi-regularly in Hollywood since the late 1990s, director David O. Russell has definitely put his name on the map over the last few years, starting with 2010's The Fighter. He followed it up with the halfway decent Silver Linings Playbook, picking up an Oscar nomination while not winning, and if the buzz is right, he'll pick up another nomination for 2013's American Hustle. Will he? Will he win this time around? Only time will tell.

A self-made businessman, Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) owns a string of dry cleaners in New Jersey, but that's just a front for his far more lucrative job. Working as a con artist, he sells forged art, pulls shady deals, but mostly he embezzles money from desperate men who can't do a thing because they're so desperate when they realize they've been fleeced. One day at a Christmas party he meets Sydney (Amy Adams), a goal-oriented young woman without the means to reach those goals. Polar opposites, they hit it off immediately, Sydney becoming an involved part of Irving's running cons, the money rolling in in piles. Well, it does for quite awhile at least. They've caught the eye of an FBI agent, Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper), who rather than have them serve a jail sentence, enlists them in helping him run his own operation, taking down corrupt politicians looking to take bribes. Irving and Sydney know the plan isn't so simple, but they're left with no other alternatives. None of them know how far this plan could really go.

Two things came to mind when watching this Russell-directed flick, working off a script written by Russell and Eric Singer. One, it pays tributes to films like it from the past, embracing a throwback, retro style that plays well from the opening credits. Those credits are the old studio credits that a movie from the 1970s would have used, not the polished ones greeting audiences now in 2013. The style is everywhere, the big hair, the ridiculously awesome-looking suits as style changed in a big way between the 1970s and 1980s, the giant, spacious cars, the great soundtrack featuring everything from folk rock to soft jazz and everything in between, just the general look of 'Hustle.' It's like a modern period piece, if a quick trip to the past in the 70s/80s. It feels like we're in that fun to watch, visual and a very fun trip in a time capsule. Russell clearly spared no expense, and it shows, the atmosphere, the look (even in the background) all adding another layer to the story.

As for that second thing, it's the casting, a very talented cast from top to bottom. Having worked with Russell last year in 'Playbook,' both Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence return here, both of them leaving their mark. Lawrence plays Irving's wife, Rosalyn, more than a little kooky in her conversations, beliefs and generally....yeah, everything she does. With Adams (vamping it up), Bale (chubbing it up), Lawrence (crazying it up) and Cooper (perming it up with an awesome hairdo), you've got an ensemble that should be able to carry any and all movies. And don't be fooled, this is the definition of an ensemble cast. Each of those actors are more than capable of carrying a movie on their shoulders, and they have so seeing their ample talents together in a single movie, it's a treat. Oh, and there's more. Also look for Jeremy Renner, comedian Louis C.K., Michael Pena, Shea Whigham, Anthony Zerbe, Elisabeth Rohm, Jack Huston, Alessandro Nivola and some actor named Robert De Niro appearing in a brutally efficient, uncredited one-scene cameo. Yeah, I guess that's a decent cast.

Heading into this movie, I had a general idea of what the story was about, an ever-moving story based somewhat loosely on a true story, dubbed Abscam. I don't want to give too much away, Russell's film covering a ton of ground in its 138-minute running time. It is a smart, well-written script that gives the cast a chance to show off their talents. Why does it work so well? It's simple; that story. Too often movies have to be about a gimmick, a message, about explosions, violence or sex. 'Hustle' instead chooses to focus on a crazy situation that keeps on getting crazy, all the cast getting their opportunities to step into the spotlight. It was refreshing to see a movie that's content to be just that; a good movie. The humor is never overdone, and there's a lot of it. I was surprised how funny the movie actually is, one laugh after another as this blackmail/entrapment scheme gets more and more complicated.

I can't pinpoint a weak acting performance in Russell's film, but for me, it's more than easy to identity the strongest performance here, and that goes to Christian Bale. Having already won a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his part in Russell's The Fighter (also co-starring Adams), Bale leaves another lasting impression with his most recent part. First of all, physically he put on a fair amount of weight, giving himself a nice little gut, while also favoring a truly amazing combover. In a weird way, Bale just commits to his Irving's goofy, gentlemanly style, but it's more than that. He makes Irving a real flesh and blood character, and oddly enough, one of the more sympathetic characters around because he's such an accomplished con man. Backed into a corner, Irving is worrying about maybe 13 different plates spinning all around him, also planning 15 or 16 moves ahead so he's always in control, even if it doesn't seem that way. It isn't necessarily a showy role, but that's what I liked it. Subtle in his delivery, letting his physical appearance add some laughs. It could be a busy Oscar season, but I'm betting money that Bale gets a Best Acting nomination. I hope he does.

If there is a weakness, it's that Russell's film covers so much ground with so many characters that by the end, it drags in parts. They all know what the ending will be, what it will offer and how it affects all the characters, but there are stretches getting to that point that slow things down needlessly. By no means is any of that complaint a dealbreaker. 'Hustle' is still an incredibly easy film to recommend. Could it use some tightening up? Probably, but you'll no doubt enjoy this one. Lots of talent, lots of fun.

American Hustle (2013): ***/****

Silver Linings Playbook

Each movie awards season, some movies gain crazy amounts of momentum. Little films turn into BIG films thanks to some critical buzz, others because of word of mouth. Too put it lightly, I can be a little wary of these films, especially when everyone is shoving it down your throats. Case in point, 2012's Silver Linings Playbook. I needn't have worried. I liked it....a lot.

After an eight month stay at a mental institution, Pat Solitano Jr. (Bradley Cooper) is finally released and moves back in with his parents, Pat Sr. (Robert De Niro) and Dolores (Jacki Weaver), at their home in Philadelphia. The incident that put him in the institution still hangs over Pat though, and though he's trying his best, he's struggling to adjust. His parents have their own issues going on while Pat tries his best to get back together with his wife, proving he's changed. It doesn't go particularly well until he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a young widow who struggled with sex addiction following her husband's tragic death. Tiffany offers a solution though; she'll help Pat get back together with Nikki if he helps her in an amateur dance competition that requires a partner. He bristles at first but decides to go along. Maybe these two can end up helping each other.

One of the most talented directors currently working, David O. Russell delivers a gem here. He earned a Best Director nod, ultimately losing to Ang Lee for Life of Pi. While it is a drama, it has some very funny moments. It isn't a drama or comedy, refusing to be hamstrung by either genre description, and it's the better for it. The drama, laughs and emotions come from the personal reality of the story. While the amateur dance competition seems a little out of left field, it isn't an issue. It fits in with the story effortlessly. 'Playbook' also deftly handles a story that focuses so heavily on mental health issues. Pat, Tiffany and others struggle with depression, addictions and other assorted things that can't be seen like a disease or a sickness. There aren't easily seen symptoms, but the diseases are very, very real. It's a human drama, and a good one.

An awards season darling, 'Playbook' didn't catch all that buzz because of any huge style, crazy cinematography or groundbreaking new storytelling technique. Plain and simple, it's the acting with a nomination for each of the Best Acting categories. Cooper and Lawrence aren't close age-wise at all, Cooper 37 and Lawrence 21 at the time of filming, but the age difference isn't an issue in the least. Talk about chemistry, it's pretty perfect every time they have a scene together. They drive each other nuts but can't quite get away each other. Cooper does a fine job showing a pissed off frustration at the world while still being sympathetic. Lawrence was the lone Oscar winner, taking the Best Actress award, and she deserves it. There are moments where her armor is up, protecting herself, but revealing her worries and concerns in these horrifically dramatic moments that are difficult to watch. Very likable actors in just about every part they do, and as the hearts of the film here, they don't disappoint.

Also earning supporting nominations were De Niro and Weaver. Of the two, I was more impressed with De Niro, his Pat Sr. an epic Philadelphia Eagles fan who lives on superstitions and luck, struggling with his own past demons and current issues while trying to help out his son. He has a scene late that's perfect with Lawrence, a confrontation that gets defused in a great back-and-forth. Weaver's role is more familiar but still worth watching, a mother who worries and worries about everyone around her. In some other key supporting parts look for a subdued Chris Tucker as Pat's friend from the institution, Anupam Kher as Dr. Cliff, Pat's psychiatrist, John Ortiz as Ronnie, a friend of Pat's who's married to Nikki's nagging sister (Julia Stiles), and Shea Whigham as Jake, Pat's older brother who doesn't know how to deal with his brother's mental health issues.

I liked the movie throughout, but I wasn't sure early on exactly where it was heading. It's never slow, but an episodic story that runs 122 minutes does cover a lot of ground. I never thought I would write this in a review, but the story really comes together as the amateur dance competition and the training for it steps to the forefront. Go figure. All the different personal issues come together in a scene that could have gone poorly if handled a little differently. It's high on emotion -- maybe a little too much -- but like so much else here, it works. Maybe it shouldn't, but it does. The dance competition ends up being a great scene and a fitting finale. I'm not one who is typically in favor of a movie having a happy ending, but this is one where it is required/necessary. Great ending to a really good movie with a handful of worthwhile acting performances.

Silver Linings Playbook (2012): *** 1/2 /****

The Hangover Part III

While I liked 2011's The Hangover Part II, I can admit it was far from the most original story. I liked it almost in spite of itself. It was inevitable, wasn't it? In the age of the unnecessary sequels, it was only a matter of time before there was another follow-up. Naturally, I was a little concerned/suspicious/wary of a second sequel, but I've invested this much time so one more movie wouldn't kill me. And away we go with 2013's The Hangover Part III.

It's been two years since the hijinks in Bangkok, and the Wolfpack has moved on....for the most part. Alan (Zach Galifianakis) has hit a bit of a rough patch and gone off his meds. His family and friends are worried about him though and manage to convince him to go to a quasi-rehab center in Arizona. Well, that's the plan at least. With Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms) and Doug (Justin Bartha) along for the ride, the quartet heads out to bring Alan to the facility only to be stopped in the middle of the desert by a revenge-seeking gangster, Marshall (John Goodman). Years ago, Marshall had a costly run-in with a certain Leslie Chow (Ken Jeong). Marshall threatens to kill Doug unless the group can bring Chow to him. Recently escaped from a high security prison in Thailand, Chow won't make it easy though. From Tijuana to Las Vegas, the Wolfpack has one last adventure.

Have you made it to the third paragraph of this review? Congratulations! I imagine most people know/knew prior to starting this review whether or not they were going to seek this sequel out. Did you like The Hangover (a classic) and The Hangover Part II (meh but entertaining)? Then you'll like this movie. It is simple as that. Don't expect anything hugely groundbreaking, just good, solid laughs with characters we've come to like a lot by this third movie.

My biggest worry heading into this sequel from director Todd Phillips (the first two Hangovers, Old School, Due Date) was that....well, that it would be the same movie I'd seen twice before. I came away from Hangover 2 liking it, but feeling ashamed I liked it because it was literally the same movie as the first with Bangkok replacing Las Vegas. Thankfully, Phillips and script co-writer Craig Mazin didn't go for 'same old, same old' here, and the movie benefits greatly from it. There's no literal hangover here. The crew doesn't wake up after a night of debauchery and partying and have to find out how they got to that point. Instead, we get some background with Jeong's Chow, Goodman's Marshall, the Wolfpack and some $42 million in gold bars (just go with it). It's a little forced, but it's different.

Drinking, drugs, debauchery and everything else aside, I came back to the movie because of the cast. Cooper, Helms and Galifianakis are perfect together. Phil the smarmy, confident, good-looking guy, Helms the tortured demon-possessed quasi-normal guy, and Alan the all-around, off-the-wall screwball. Put those weird differences in personality together, and you've got a perfectly cast comedy trio. What they get into gets crazier and crazier, but 'Part III' is just better if you go along with it. Alan has an epic man crush on Phil who just wants to get Doug back while Stu resents everything about what they've gotten themselves into. Oh, and Bartha returns in a part that has to be painful for him. He's there, then gone, then back, then gone again as the story requires.

The best supporting part goes to Jeong though as Leslie Chow, international thief and all-around nut bag. The character is the definition of unpredictable. At different points, he sings karaoke to Johnny Cash's Hurt, pretends to be a dog and eats dog food, parachutes off Caesar's Palace, escapes from a high security prison, and steals a hidden cache of gold. Goodman too is a welcome presence as Marshall, the mobster who wants nothing but revenge on Chow. Also new, Melissa McCarthy is a scene-stealer as Cassie, a pawn shop owner who takes a shine to Alan. Heather Graham as Jade the stripper and Mike Epps as Black Doug also return from the first flick. And last but not least, yes, we see 4-year old Carlos, a really good scene between him and Alan.

There's that something missing that would have made this sequel really special, but I can't put my finger on it. It's missing a certain energy, and at 100 minutes feels a tad rushed. With all the craziness, it never slows down and wraps up rather quickly/abruptly. None of this is a movie-killer, but it does prevent it from reaching that full potential. It's really good stuff that could have been great. And according to cast and crew, this will be the final Hangover movie. That's the right decision. Now that said, stick around for the credits. It's the perfect final scene, bringing everything full circle with one good surprise after another. A worthy finale to a series that had its ups and downs but one that's definitely finishing out strong.

The Hangover Part III (2013): ***/****

The Place Beyond the Pines

It's been about 24 hours since I saw 2013's The Place Beyond the Pines in theaters, and I'm still processing the film. Reviews were uniformly positive, the trailer instantly hooked me as did the cast, and my first thought was that it resembled an art-house crime drama like a Melville film or a moody 1970s American flick like The Driver. So yeah, I'm still processing it, but in a good way for a change. I liked it a lot, just deciding if maybe I loved it too.

A stunt motorcycle rider at a traveling carnival, Luke Glanton (Ryan Gosling) meets Romina (Eva Mendes) as the carnival returns to towns it visited the summer before. She has a shock for him; she had a baby, and it's his, the product of their one night together the year before. Romina has moved on, but Luke wants to help raise his son. He starts work as a mechanic, hoping to provide for his boy, but the money just isn't there. With a co-worker, he starts to rob banks, netting more than enough money to give Romina and his son everything they need. The plan can only work for so long though, and Luke's actions have put him on a path that will have him cross ways with Aaron (Bradley Cooper), a talented if inexperienced cop dealing with his own issues in the department.

I don't usually do this, but here goes. This is a review that's going to be somewhat difficult to write without giving some spoilers away. I won't be giving away any MAJOR SPOILERS -- and there are some surprising twists -- but be forewarned. There are some storytelling twists that I will have to talk about to be even remotely coherent.

Director Derek Cianfrance's follow-up to his uniquely interesting -- some would say odd -- 2010 film Blue Valentine, 'Pines' is a gem of a film. I fell for it the second I watched the trailer. It is an artsy, well-told and unique story that doesn't settle for any semblance of the status quo. The developing story has a lyrical feel to it, based in this world but in an almost ethereal feel to it. Cianfrance filmed on location in Schenectady (where the story takes place), a city in eastern New York that feels removed from the congestion and business of everyday life. It's a town that looks like any number of small towns across the country. Maybe the best thing adding to the mood and tone is the soundtrack from composer Mike Patton. It is a perfect mix of trance, subtle electronica, choirs, and quasi-religious church hymns. The score is perfect, giving it an authentic sense of the ethereal, the other worldly. Give it a listen HERE for the best track. 

Here comes the semi-spoilers so again, be forewarned. At 140 minutes, 'Pines' is broken down into three separate segments. The first has Gosling's Luke trying to provide for his son in desperate fashion, turning to robbing banks. The second has Cooper's Aaron trying to carve a name out for himself as a young police officer dealing with quite a legacy. The third actually fast-forwards 15 years as Luke's son, Jason (Dane DeHaan), meets Aaron's son, A.J. (Emory Cohen), at high school, the two teenagers not knowing that they're somehow connected through their fathers. Each segment is given equal time, about 45 minutes, each given a chance to breathe and develop without feeling forced. Don't be confused. They are connected, one part of the story transitioning seamlessly into the next. It's rare to see a story develop like that, and 'Pines' does it well. It's different from most films which isn't necessarily a good thing, but this one is a huge positive.

The unifying link among the three segments is the relationships between fathers and their sons, a story arc used in everything from Field of Dreams to The Godfather and countless others. Luke sees he's made a mistake and wants to right those mistakes. He's so driven to do that, he turns to crime. Aaron similarly wants to care for his infant son, but he doesn't know if the career he's chosen is actually the right one. Cianfrance's script shows how one decision affects another, one action leads to another. The relationship between a father and son is a simple and complicated relationship at the same time. Without sounding pretentious, the artsy story uses the notion that the universe is connected, people who are supposed to meet will meet. Some paths and individuals are destined to cross no matter what happens.

There isn't a weak performance in the bunch. Semi-channeling his part from the equally impressive Drive, Gosling is a gem. His part as Luke is the perfect doomed, moody anti-hero. We know from when we meet him his path will not be a smooth one. Luke's scenes with his baby boy are perfection, including one silent scene after some startling violence. He continues to impress me as an actor. Arriving about the 45-minute mark, Cooper takes a familiar part -- young cop dealing with corrupt police force -- and makes it his own. He's a hero on the force and struggling to deal with his newfound fame. Relative newcomers DeHaan and Cohen more than handle themselves well in the final act. The high point of the story was Gosling's portion, but I enjoyed it all from beginning to end.

Playing a key supporting part, Mendes too is very solid as Romina, the mother of Luke's child who has moved on, moving in with Kofi (scene-stealing Mahershala Ali). Without being obvious in her part, Mendes does a good job making Romina human without being obnoxious or hamming it up. Ben Mendelsohn is similarly a scene-stealer as Robin, Luke's boss at a fix-it shop who turns him onto bank robbery. Rose Byrne plays Aaron's worrying wife while Harris Yulin plays his famous father. Bruce Greenwood makes an effective, quick appearance as a district attorney while Ray Liotta plays (GASP!) a dirty cop recruiting Aaron. All solid parts supporting the leads.

I'm liking this film more and more as I write the review. The third part drags a little bit, and I would have liked a more definite ending, but it works just the same. Cianfrance's script has everything coming full circle (well, almost), wrapping up everything in a moving, at times heartbreaking finale. The title comes from the Mohawk translation of Schenectady by the way. I loved this movie. It starts with a worthy start, an impressive tracking shot following Luke as he walks through the carnival, and never really lets up. Well worth seeking out, and definitely a change of pace from most movies.

The Place Beyond the Pines (2013): ****/****

Hit and Run

Over the 1970s and 1980s, a sub-genre of flicks came along that audiences ate up. They weren't road movies in the typical sense, but instead on steroids a bit. Think of movies like Smokey and the Bandit, Cannonball Run, The Getaway, Midnight Run and many others along with TV shows like The Dukes of Hazzard.. What if you combined all those movies? Then you'd get the oddly appealing, very entertaining 2012 flick Hit and Run.

Living in a quiet California town, Charles Bronson (Dax Shepard) has been dating his girlfriend, Annie (Kristen Bell), for almost a year. They've got a great thing going, impressive considering Annie knows Charlie is in the Witness Protection Program after testifying against several bank robbers he witnessed robbing a bank. There's a problem though. Annie has been offered her dream job in Los Angeles, and she doesn't want to leave Charlie behind. Knowing how much it means to her, he decides to go with to L.A., but ah, there are more layers to discover. Annie's ex, Gil (Michael Rosenbaum), suspects Charlie is up to something and starts to dig into his mysterious past. As they head for L.A., someone from Charlie's past (Bradley Cooper) is on their trail. What hasn't he been telling Annie?

I'll give credit where it's due. Dax Shepard has come a long way from being Ashton Kutcher's henchman on MTV's Punk'd in 2003. He's transitioned that supporting part on a prank show into a legitimate actor on film and television. That's not all. On top of his acting, Shepard also directed (with David Palmer), produced, and wrote the script for this flick with a retro, throwback feel to it. He shows a knack for doing all those things well, a solid directorial debut.

The biggest appeal is that retro/throwback feel to so many similar flicks from the 1970s and 1980s. Yes, there is a story -- however shallow and/or simplistic -- is a means to an end. It's nothing more than to get the story going toward a never-ending, fast paced series of car chases with lots of badass cards and funny, cool one-liners. I find that very appealing. 'Hit' isn't trying to rewrite the formula or carve out a niche for itself as a new end-all, be-all flick. It's goal is simple. It wants to entertain the hell out of you, and for me, it succeeds in a big way. Some of the humor can be pretty low-brow while other times it's surprisingly smart, but who am I kidding? You don't go into a movie like this expecting to see anything groundbreaking. Just sit back and enjoy the very cool, very fast cars gunning across the country after you.

Maybe a little surprising for me was that the story is actually pretty good here. A real-life couple outside of acting, Shepard and Bell have a very natural, easy-going chemistry with each other. Maybe they're just being themselves, but they're a believable enough couple. Their couple/relationship story works because of the general craziness of Shepard's Charlie's past. (Sidenote: He chose Charles Bronson as his Witness Protection name because his real name, 'Yul Perrkins,' wasn't tough enough). I suppose this is a semi-SPOILER, but Charlie/Yul didn't just testify in a bank robbing case....he turned on his former bank robbing accomplices (including Cooper). Charlie and Annie are forced to figure out how important they are to each other, and oh yeah, some bank robbing thugs with guns are after them. It's kinda goofy, kinda sweet, and always funny.

Pretty much across the board, the casting here is....shall I say oddly appealing? Cooper shows off his versatility as the Hurley-wearing, dreadlock-toting bank robber Alex Dmitri in a surprisingly funny part. Joy Bryant and Ryan Hansen play Neve and Alan, two other members of Alex's crew. Completely out of left field, the usually shrill, annoying Tom Arnold is a scene-stealer in a good way as Randy, a U.S. Marshal with Witness Protection assigned to watch over Charlie. His general clumsiness and nerves provides some good laughs as well as his ability with a pistol. There's also a funny sub-plot with Gil's gay brother (Jess Rowland),  a cop and his partner (Carly Hatter). Also look for Beau Bridges in a funny part as Charlie's Dad with Kristin Chenoweth, David Koechner, and Sean Hayes all making quick appearances. Even Jason Bateman makes a one-scene cameo.

No real point in analyzing this one too much. It's funny, entertaining and has a lot that certainly looks like they're having a hell of a lot of fun. I went in with low expectations for this one, but I liked it a lot. Surprisingly good flick with a lot of laughs.

Hit and Run (2012): ***/****

The Words

It's September, and for a moviegoing audience, you know what that means. It's that time of the year in between the summer blockbuster and the award season. Translated? Time to dump the crappy movies in theaters that don't fit anywhere else. Thin pickings in other words, but if you're looking for a worthwhile venture, try 2012's The Words.

With several years of struggles and rejection letters to show for his work, Rory Jansen (Bradley Cooper) is at a career crossroads of sorts as an aspiring writer. He lives in NYC with his wife, Dora (Zoe Saldana), hoping to write the novel that will put his name on the literary map. Finally, Rory gets his chance. In a hidden panel of a briefcase he carries, Rory finds an unpublished story that is profound and perfect in its message. Wanting nothing more than to become a respected writer, Rory turns in the transcript as his own and fame and accolades follow. "His" novel opens all sorts of doors until one day, an old man (Jeremy Irons) confronts him, claiming the story is his own. What should, or can Rory do?

That's the most streamlined plot description I can come up with because for lack of a better description....this is a gimmick movie. It is actually a story within a story within a story. Confused much? Don't be, I'm making it more complicated than necessary. Rory's story though is actually that of a novel written by acclaimed novelist Clay Hammond (Dennis Quaid), doing a reading of the story for a captive audience. As Clay reads the story, we see the story of Rory, Dora and the plagiarized novel. On top of that, we also get the Old Man's background, Irons explaining to Rory how his story came to be. Maybe gimmick isn't an appropriate description, but it's not enough you see a story like this. Confusing? No, not once you get in rhythm. A little odd? Yes, but acceptable as long as I kept reminding myself what was going on.

So with that gimmick, your enjoyment will come from how much you're willing to go along with that twisting story. The Quaid portion was the least interesting for me. His Hammond must deal with an adoring fan (Olivia Wilde) who knows everything about him, bordering on stalker territory. A minor issue here; Hammond's novel he reads from has the simplicity of a Dick and Jane story. 'Rory likes Dora...Rory and Dora move in together...Rory and Dora get married.' The Rory and Dora relationship is some familiar territory if predictable, but it's interesting to watch the moral dilemma develop in Rory's eyes. The highlight though in a too short late 1940s post WWII Paris is Irons' story of how he originally wrote his novel that Rory claims as his own.

Across the three stories though, the casting is solid to above average. Cooper is showing he can do a wide variety of roles -- drama, action, comedy -- and doesn't disappoint as the aspiring writer. What he does through his actions are despicable, but his head and heart start tearing away at him almost immediately. Saldana as the loving wife who wants what's best for her husband is well-cast as well. Quaid is acceptable in a workmanlike role that doesn't give him much to do while Wilde is subtle but more than a little creepy. Jeremy Irons as the unnamed Old Man is the highlight though, his deep, scratchy voice bringing the movie up a notch. Also look for J.K. Simmons as Rory's dad, Zeljko Ivanek as Rory's publisher/editor, Ben Barnes as Irons as a young man, and Nora Arnezeder as his wife, Celia.

Where 'Words' struggles some is the end. In a story about personal integrity, morals and ethics, how one bad decision can derail the lives of so many, of paying for that mistake or skating by, 'Words' doesn't how to end. It doesn't always know how to get there either. At just 96 minutes, the last 30 minutes drags as Rory decides what to do about his dilemma. There's also some twists and turns in the Quaid storyline, but it's an open-ended finale. Now all that said I enjoyed this movie, the story and the performances. It's refreshing to see a story-driven movie without a ton of sex, violence, drugs and explosions. Gotta take your chances when you can get them.

The Words <---trailer (2012): ***/****

Limitless

Depending on where you read or who is trustworthy, numbers vary on how much of our brain we actually use. Some state that in one way or another we use 100% of its functions, albeit at different times, never all at once. Other reports have us using anywhere from 10-20% of our brain function.  So as 2011's Limitless brought up, what if we could utilize our brain for the amazing piece of science it really is? What if we could be functioning on a second-to-second basis, using every little ounce of intelligence, observation, and ability we have?

A struggling writer in New York City, Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) is given a pill -- NZT 48 --by his ex-brother in law (Johnny Whitworth) who tells him it opens up the sensors in your brain, expanding what you were previously capable of. Somewhat suspiciously, Eddie takes it and is blown away by the results. Everything begins to fall into place for him. He can remember everything he's ever seen or heard, can analyze numbers, trends, and algorithms in ways no one else can. Money and success start to roll in, and the possibilities are endless as his mind and his ability increase by leaps and bounds, even working with a huge energy company (run by Robert De Niro) with billions of dollars at stake. What is this pill though? Can he get more of them? And what are the consequences? Eddie starts to see, where there is an obvious positive there is almost always a costly negative.

Since his starring role in 2009's The Hangover, Bradley Cooper has had quite a couple of years.  He's an actor who is also a movie star, and he certainly seems destined for bigger and better things.  Cooper is a great choice to play Eddie, a pretty regular guy who's completely bottomed out on life and given this incredible opportunity to better himself...at a price of course.  As an actor, Cooper has a knack for playing a likable asshole for lack of a better description.  He's obnoxious at times, condescending and smarmy, but well...aw shucks, he seems nice still.  This character is more interesting than likable, but that's all the story needs. Eddie's narration is a quality and necessary part of the story, explaining what's happening and changing without telling us every little thing. This is Cooper's movie though, and he doesn't disappoint there. It's good to see him carry a movie on his own.

This movie had its fair share of flaws -- which I'll get to -- but overall I liked it. Limitless is a thriller that isn't built around explosions or action or violence or sex.  It is a thriller of one person stumbling into something and quickly getting in over his head. Low-key isn't the right description, but that's all I'm coming up with. Director Neil Burger has a smart, interesting and mostly well-thought out thriller. The scenes of Eddie "expanding" his brain/mind are highly stylized without being obnoxious. The negative side effects -- jumps in time, loss of short term memory -- are equally stylized, a blur of people and actions that aren't quite clear. The conspiracy theories pop up late with some twists and needless turns, but a personal thriller of one man caught up in some shady dealings is always entertaining.

Let's talk flaws because what's the fun in just slobbering all over a movie? This pill is supposed to make you freakishly smart, but then why does Eddie do so many stupid things? That is not necessarily Cooper's fault or even the character's fault.  I think it's just some lazy screen-writing, and things needing to happen for the sake of the movie moving along more than actually making sense. Eddie gets a stash of pills when the brother in law gets killed and seemingly never runs out of pills.  Oh wait, he does run out when we need a twist. Oh, and then he finds individual pills as needed going ahead. Oh, except for that hidden stash he left with his girlfriend (Abbie Cornish) in her apartment. I realize the lack of pills is key to the story, but it needs to add up at some point. He increases his dosage but never seems to run out, and the original bag wasn't that big. Just saying...

There's more than that of course. In an effort to add some tension and danger to Eddie's situation, Morra does things that he just wouldn't rationally do. Investing in stocks, he's doubling and quadrupling his money almost daily, but he needs to borrow money from a stereotypically frightening and intimidating Russian loan shark? Andrew Howard does a fine job being intimidating as the loan shark by the way. Of course it doesn't make any sense, but without some sort of bad guy, Eddie will just float along figuring things out by himself. There's also a ridiculous jump in logic late when Eddie "needs" a fix. He can only get it by slurping up the blood of someone who injected themselves with the drug. Disgusting? Yes. Stupid? Yes. I'm no doctor, and I don't think that would work.

My only other complaint is the casting of Robert De Niro, still one of the coolest people to ever walk the Earth. The trailers built up his part -- surprise, surprise -- but he's really a secondary character. I wish there were better, smarter and more well-written parts than he's been offered of late. He makes the most of his appearance, and his scenes with Cooper show an easy, flowing chemistry, but there needed to be more of this screen legend.

Well, I did it again. Re-reading the review, I'm seeing how negative this sounds for a movie I genuinely enjoyed. The flaws aren't movie-breakers, but they're certainly noticeable.  All I can recommend is that what I enjoyed about Limitless outweighed what I didn't like. The ending is a little too tidy for my liking, but I suppose it works. Worth checking out.

Limitless <---trailer (2011): ***/****

Wet, Hot American Summer

It is either funny or it isn't, right? That is a comedy at its most simplistic. You either laugh/chuckle/cry or you don't. There's little in between. It's rare you hear someone say 'Well, it wasn't funny, but I liked it anyway.' I'm struggling to come up with a comedy that will be more divisive than 2001's Wet Hot American Summer. There is smart humor and there is stupid humor, and then there's this movie which doesn't really fall into either category. It just is. Yeah, I'm going existential on your asses.

I was introduced to this movie when I was in college, and whenever it comes up in conversation I will recommend it to anyone who listens. I'd like to think it is a really stupid movie that know it is really stupid, and is therefore....really smart. Does that make any sense? Eh, I'm probably over-analyzing this one, but I don't care. I love this spoof/satire of the 1980s summer camp movies. It takes the humor you know and know well and manages to spin it into this odd stratosphere where nothing really is what you'd think. I don't even know where to start so brace yourself.

It's the last day of summer camp at Camp Firewood in Maine in August, 1981. Camp director Beth (Janeane Garofalo) is trying to get all her campers through that one last day, and also stop her camp counselors from completely destroying the camp and themselves in the process.  She's got no idea what is in store for Camp Firewood on this day though. Beth also has started to notice Henry (David Hyde Pierce), an associate professor at a local college living near the camp, but that's the least of her problems. Nothing is going to go as planned today, and there's nothing she can do about it.

To say this movie has an actual plot in the typical sense of the word is misleading.  The movie comes from the mind of star/writer Michael Showalter and director David Wain, both members of MTV's skit show The State that ran between 1993 and 1995. Much of the cast from The State is working together here again, bringing an odd, unexplainable chemistry to this comedy that plays like a series of running gags. Title cards tell you the time as the day moves along (including one epic training montage that takes 15 minutes in real world time, watch it HERE), the antics getting creepier and weirder as the day moves along. One commenter at the above video said it is one of the stupidest, dumbest, most inane movies they'd ever seen. I'm hard-pressed to disagree, but I loved it anyways.

Because there's no way to describe the humor and the cast without some ridiculously detailed descriptions, here's a cliff notes version of what's going on. Counselor Coop (Showalter) is a bit of a nerd and has a major crush on fellow counselor, Katie (Marguerite Moreau), who has a boyfriend, Andy (Paul Rudd), who is in general an asshole. Andy is more interested in making out with Lindsay (Elizabeth Banks). Arts and crafts teacher Gail (Molly Shannon) clicks in an odd way with one of her students as she copes with her recent divorce. Gary (Zak Orth) is trying to hook up McKinley (Michael Ian Black) with any girl, but McKinley's gay and hooks up with Ben (Bradley Cooper) who is also running the talent show with Susie (Amy Poehler).

Meanwhile, Victor (Ken Marino) and Neil (Joe Lo Truglio) are leading a river-rafting trip, but Victor wants to get back to camp to hook up with the slutty Abby (Marisa Ryan). In the kitchen, counselor Gary (A.D. Miles) is dealing with cook Gene (Christopher Merloni), a Vietnam vet who's become unhinged since returning home. That's some, just some, of the chaos going on. Some bits are funnier than others, but the ones that work are amazingly funny.

The humor is of the odd, eccentric off the wall variety. It's the little things that work. Scenes end and characters don't know what to do. Kids run off into the woods, Orth's Gary walks off a pier randomly, Showalter's Coop goes and joins the other counselors standing against a wall. Merloni's Gene spouts the bizarre things he likes to do only to pretend he never said it. A trip into town ends in a crime spree with a drug trip. Rudd's Andy loses two kids to drowning (it's funnier than you'd think) and takes them to a "special pizza party," leaving them in the woods. Andy later pouts over cleaning up his breakfast on the floor...that he threw there. Lo Truglio chases Marino because...well...because he does. The talent show is horrifically awful, saved in the end by a camper (Kevin Sussman) with a special power, especially needed when part of a satellite comes crashing down on the camp. Yeah, you read that right. Satellite crashing into summer camp. Like so much of the movie, all I can say is go with it. 

I realize this is going to sound pretentious as I write this, but this is a movie you either get or you don't. You're either going to go along with the bizarre, schizophrenic nature of the movie, or you're going to question what kind of lunatic made this movie. I've recommended it to people knowing they probably won't like it, but you have to give it a try. If you hate it, I apologize, and I owe you one.

Wet Hot American Summer <---trailer (2001): ****/****

The Hangover Part II

So 2009's The Hangover was pretty fun, right?  Yeah, I thought so. It was that perfect blend of really smart humor, really raunchy humor, and just a genuinely good, funny movie that became the highest-grossing R-rated comedy of all time.  It was only a matter of time, wasn't it?  I was one of the masses to go to a midnight show last night for 2011's The Hangover Part II, a sequel to the comedy that regardless of reviews or word of mouth will no doubt make boatloads of money. 

For starters, yes, I did like the movie. I like the cast, and there were some genuine laughs.  But the second I heard a sequel was hitting theaters, my first thought was "Really? Where are they going to take this?"  Well, my concerns were legitimate. The Hangover Part II is literally the same movie as the original with Bangkok, the capital of Thailand (or Thighland according to one character), stepping in for Las Vegas.  I don't mean similar or with shades of its predecessor. I mean THE...EXACT...FREAKING...MOVIE almost scene for scene.  Oh wait, it's raunchier, a lot filthier, and it still manages to be funny. But don't expect an update or a tweak on the original. It's the same damn movie.

After the debacle at the bachelor party of their friend, Doug (Justin Bartha), groom-to-be Stu (Wes Helms) wants nothing to do with another bachelor party before he marries his fiance, Lauren (Jamie Chung). The wedding will be in a remote part of Thailand, and the whole crew is making the epic trip there. Phil (Bradley Cooper) is more than disappointed there will be no bachelor party, but he goes along, and of course, Alan (Zach Galifianakis) is along too. The Wolfpack is reunited. They celebrate lightly on the beach only to wake up the next morning in a dingy, sweaty, nasty Bangkok hotel room. Lauren's 16-year old brother, Teddy (Mason Lee), is missing (short a finger apparently), and there's no sign of him. Stu, Alan, and Phil remember none of what happens and start to put the pieces together, all in hopes of keeping the wedding on.

That may have been the most needless plot description I've written in over 600 reviews these last few years. If I was in a lazier mood or hadn't enjoyed the movie, I would have either linked to the original's review or maybe more cynically, just said 'See the first The Hangover and repeat (in Bangkok).' This is my problem with most things in Hollywood.  The original movie was great, a truly funny movie that was original and unique and damn entertaining.  It was so good they just had to go back to the well.  I get it, this movie will make a bajillion bucks, and it's as close to a sure thing as is out there.  But director Todd Phillips -- and I can't make this point enough -- makes the same EXACT movie.

To a certain point, you just know you're in trouble when the lines 'It's happening again' is used several separate times.  Still, above all else and any complete lack of originality, The Hangover 2 is an enjoyable movie. The whole gang is back. The next-morning scene of the trashed Bangkok hotel room -- while not as perfectly made as the Vegas shot -- is a gem.  The reveal of what happened (Stu's facial tattoos, Alan's head has been shaved) is the gimmick because we want to know how it happened. Mr. Chow (Ken Yeong) is back for more chaos, and the debauchery continues. The Wolfpack is reunited, searching for 16-year old Teddy and hoping to find him before the wedding. The best is saved for the end, the reveal of what actually did happen, all courtesy of the pictures on Teddy's phone.  That is the one thing that is significantly improved from the original. The pictures are priceless.  Alan also has a reveal about the pictures from the first movie that is priceless.

Thankfully, the whole cast is back for more. Lame retread of a successful story, yes, but the appeal of the first movie and now the sequel was the interaction among the cast. Cooper's Phil is the unofficial leader of the group, basically a likable a-hole.  Helms' Stu is wondering if his future father-in-law is going to approve of him EVER, and is the dupe of all the worst stuff (see Face Tattoo if you missed that). Galifianakis' Alan is the weirdo, glad to be back with his "friends," especially with his man-crush on Phil.  Their chemistry and interactions make this sequel worth watching, a fair share of surprises revealed along the way. Their misadventures are amped up, and the shady underworld nature of Bangkok adds a whole other level to the story. Joining the cast is Paul Giamatti as Kingsley, an American businessman up to no good who needs the guys to bring him Mr. Chow. And yes, Mike Tyson is back for an odd, somewhat falls short cameo as himself.

All criticisms aside, I did like this movie. It is a blatant rip-off of the original that never tries to take another step forward.  The mystery and misadventures produce a fair share of laughs, and it's fun seeing the cast reunited.  Galifianakis not surprisingly steals the show again, but the whole cast is worth mentioning.  But as I watched the movie and things moved along, a thought came to me (I know, they're rare). At what point will Hangover 3 be out? It will be stupid, a retread of a retread, and will almost assuredly make lots of money. I'll probably be seeing that one too.  But I feel duped because I've paid to see the same movie twice...two years apart.  Funny from start to finish so it gets a positive review even if it does lack some of the energy of the first The Hangover.  Still good though.

The Hangover Part II <---trailer (2011): ***/****

The A-Team

In a continuing trend of why be original when you can duplicate past success, The A-Team hit theaters a few weeks ago and quickly started raking in the money.  Based off the popular 80s TV show of the same name, it's that perfect summer movie you can eat with piles of popcorn and a pop as big as your head.  I went in with moderate expectations having some knowledge of the show without actually seeing an episode although The Family Guy spoof was perfect. So anyways, strap yourself in for one-liners, lots of explosions and Liam Neeson being awesome.

When I reviewed The Losers in April, I mentioned how a stream of similar movies was hitting theaters this summer, a group of specialists taking on a job that seems nearly impossible.  Including 'Losers' and 'A-Team' there's also The Expendables and Takers coming out later this summer.  I've mentioned in the past how much I love these movies, and one has to be pretty bad for me not to recommend it at least partially.  The Losers started things off right, and A-Team is an incredibly similar movie with almost duplicate scenes in some cases.  Still, decide for yourself.

After eight years working together as a Special Forces team, Colonel John 'Hannibal' Smith (Neeson) and his Alpha Team (hence A-Team) that includes Lt. Templeton 'Face' Peck (Bradley Cooper), B.A. Baracus (MMA fighter Quinton Jackson), and pilot Murdock (Sharlto Copley), are sent on a mission that ends up being a double cross.  They're court-martialed and jailed until a mysterious CIA agent, Lynch (Patrick Wilson) shows up offering to help them break out and find the real culprits.  The A-Team has to not only catch a privatized security force responsible, but the force also has a connection with counterfeited money plates that could flood the market with fake U.S. money.  All the while, government agent Sosa (Jessica Biel) is on their trail trying to figure out exactly what they're up to.

Director Joe Carnahan's last movie was 2006's Smokin' Aces, a mess of a movie that was a ton of fun to watch.  Big cast, lots of action, explosions all around, all that good stuff that makes a good popcorn movie.  The A-Team has all of that.  With one exception, the action is well-handled and thankfully steers clear of any ultra-fast quick editing that makes the action impossible to follow.  One early scene has the team taking down a heavily guarded convoy transporting counterfeit money through Baghdad.  It's a great scene, as are most of the action.  One assault on a building in downtown Berlin is packed full of great stunts, as is the ending in a shipping yard with an ambush waiting around every corner.  If action is what you seek, then you won't be disappointed here at all.

The A-Team casting is hit or miss with two parts working for me and two falling short.  Neeson as Hannibal is an inspired choice, and is another great move for the Irish actor who's been doing more mainstream work of late.  His Hannibal is smooth, highly intelligent, calm under fire and a master planner.  He's a great choice to fill George Peppard's shoes and one of the big positives to come out of the movie.  Same for MMA fighter Jackson who succeeds in making B.A. (Bad Ass) more than a stereotype.  Playing a role Mr. T made famous could be a little daunting, but Jackson passes with flying colors.  Same for Wilson as CIA agent Lynch, a smarmy, smart-ass who you just love to hate.  Brian Bloom is also solid as Pike, the security official responsible for setting the team up.

Now those are the positives of the casting.  I like Cooper as an actor, especially comedy, but I don't know if he was the right choice here to play Face.  He yells a lot, seduces women left and right, takes his shirt off for some strategically placed flexing, and I thought was generally pretty annoying.  District 9 star Copley gets what should be the funniest part as Howlin' Mad Murdock.  Here's something pretty basic though, if the movie's too loud to actually hear the one-liners it kinda defeats the purpose of having the one-liners.  That said, what lines I did hear were funny, but Murdock was too over the top for me.  Then there's Biel who god bless her, may be the most attractive government agent ever.  But she's not a great actress, and her background with Cooper's Face seems a little forced. Also look for Jon Hamm in a quick, miss it and you'll blink scene late.

Seeing this in theaters, the movie ended and I walked out thinking it was good, an average action movie that didn't leave much of an impression on me.  Then, the more I thought about it, I liked it more.  But now, most of a week since viewing the movie, I've got that empty feeling again.  I can't put my finger on it, but something was missing, some sort of energy.  My favorite part was definitely the beginning as the four members of the A-team meet on a mission south of the border.  The rest? It's good enough, but nothing spectacular.  There will be better summer movies and there will be worse.  A decent enough way to spend 2 hours.

The A-Team <----trailer (2010): ** 1/2 /****

The Hangover

When it comes to popular movies, TV shows, or books, I'm never one to jump on the bandwagon.  I haven't read the Harry Potter books beyond the first one, the Twilight series looks like garbage, I started watching Lost midway through the third season, and Avatar doesn't appeal to me in the least.  Some of it is intentional -- I don't like people telling me I HAVE TO see or read something -- and some of it is just not getting around to it, like 2009's The Hangover, a huge success in theaters last summer.  I wanted to see it, just never got around to it.

What Wedding Crashers started a few years back with the R-rated comedy, The Hangover continues with a raunchier brand of laughs than what PG-13 comedies get away with.  These harder comedies were everywhere in the 1980s, and then they sort of just disappeared.   Thankfully, they've popped back up on the radar, and with good examples like Wedding Crashers and The Hangover hopefully they're here to stay.  Of course, there's the bad -- cough Hot Tub Time Machine  cough -- but they can't all be perfect, can they?

It seems somewhat pointless to write a plot summary of The Hangover but here goes.  Two days before he's supposed to get married, Doug (Justin Bartha) heads to Las Vegas for his bachelor party with his best friends, Phil (Bradley Cooper) and Stu (Ed Helms) and his soon-to-be brother in law Alan (Zach Galifianakis).  Before they head out, they toast the groom to be and fade out.  Fast forward to the next morning, and they wake up in their destroyed hotel suite with massive hangovers no memory of what happened the night before.  Making it worse, Doug is nowhere to be found.  So what did happen during the bachelor party?  They've got little time to find out.

After this quick intro, the rest of the movie is the trio's effort to A. find out where Doug is and B. what the hell happened to them?  It is a search that includes a full-grown tiger in their bathroom, Stu's marriage to a stripper/escort, Jade (Heather Graham), boxer Mike Tyson tracking them down because they stole his tiger, an angry Chinese gambler (Ken Jeong) they supposedly  kidnapped, a trip to the police station and a tasing exhibition, a drug dealer (Mike Epps) with something in common with the fellas, a stolen police car, and a baby Alan names 'Carlos' that was left in a closet in their hotel room.  If that's not a recipe for success, I don't know what is.

A key to any successful comedy -- or huge, megahit in this case -- is the one-liners, or making it simpler, how quotable is the movie?  Here is IMDB's Memorable Quotes, which even out of context provide some good laughs. The ridiculously over the top situations provide some great physical humor, especially the scene in the police station, but that's just the start.  Like with his other huge success, Old School, director Todd Phillips has a movie full of quotable one-liners.   Cooper is more of the straight man to all the antics (although he does have his fair share of good lines), Helms gets to go crazy because he's missing a tooth and also gave his grandma's ring she wore through the Holocaust to his new stripper bride, and Galifianakis, well, he gets his own paragraph.

Some comedies have huge breakout characters capable of carrying a movie on their own.  For The Hangover, it's clearly Galifianakis.  Cooper and Helms are great in their own right, and the supporting cast is nearly perfect, but this is his movie.  In describing the character, think of him as someone who's not all there mentally but is still really smart, awkward beyond belief with some of his statements, and in the big picture....one of the funniest characters I've ever seen in a movie.  Well over half of those memorable quotes come from him, and it would take a much longer review to talk up how funny Alan really is.  Anyways, here's just a few, his friendship/wolfpack speech, Alan's criticism of Rain Man, and of course, the taser scene.

With a so perfectly sublime character as Alan leading the way, Phillips doesn't stop there.  Before the movie even came out, the trailer scene that people talked about was Mike Tyson going Rock Band on some classic Phil Collins.  Here's Tyson's introduction, still one of the movie's best and funniest moments.  The boxer is in the movie for about 10-15 minutes tops and makes the most of it with his fair share of lines that produced a laugh or two or seven.  He's able to poke some fun at himself and even throws a punch or two ("He's still got it") with the scene at his mansion providing some much-needed explanation for the tiger in the bathroom. 

It might seem a waste to describe the story-telling device in a comedy, but for the Hangover, the decision to not show the actual bachelor party at all made this movie. Seeing it no doubt would have been funny, but hearing about it instead and how legendary it was works so much better.  Meeting all these people they've interacted with who react like they're meeting their heroes does more to show how crazy the night was than ever seeing it.  Of course, we do get some revelation late when Alan stumbles across Stu's camera with hundreds of pictures detailing their escapades.  Using the photos over the credits is a perfect ending.

I can't remember the last time I laughed this much at a movie in a long time.  The cast is great, the story and setting is ideal, and the one-liners are flying left and right.  The Hangover 2 is supposedly in the works, and I'll be curious to see where they actually go with a sequel.  For now though, I'll just enjoy the first one.  It was more than worth the 2-month wait on Netflix.  I also included the link to Stu's song about the epic clusterf*ck they find themselves in.

The Hangover <----trailer (2009): ****/****
Stu's Song