The Hangover II review, new jokes make up for a repeat formula

It's already been two years?  Holy wow, I can't believe how time flies!  In 2009, The Hangover became the highest grossing R-rated comedy of all time.  Rightfully so.  With a blend of unique characters, a funny premise, and shock value to boot; it was a homerun.  It catapulted Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis to stardom.  And it proved director Todd Phillips was a someone with longevity in this business.

The first movie followed the three main characters as they tried to find their lost friend after a night they couldn't remember.  The movie took place in Las Vegas and the city was a great backdrop to the story being told.  This time around, the "Wolfpack" finds themselves in a similar situation, only this time, they've lost a friend in Bangkok, Thailand.  Oh no... The Hangover II.

What I liked about the film:
The Wolfpack (including the monkey)

This is an obvious one.  Cooper, Helms and Galifianakis have an unbelievable chemistry together.  The three actors feed and play off of each other so well, they're totally believable in their roles.

Galifianakis steals most of the scenes again, as he did in the first film.  Helms plays the paranoid panic attack very well.  And the contrast to Helms is Bradley Cooper, who never seems to get phased by anything.  Ken Jeong and Paul Giamatti round out some great supporting characters as well.  And don't forget about the much talked about monkey.  Baby Carlos has NOTHING on the cigarette smoking, drug dealing monkey in the sequel.  It was cleverly worked into the film and actually served a purpose in the plot.  Great!

The setting

Vegas was a great place to setup the last film.  It just made sense for the guys to wake up in their hotel room, not remembering much.  This time, they pushed the envelope.  Thailand is so visually busy, the movie will need a second viewing to catch everything.  Tying in Jeong's character into the setting was great.  Watching the movie, you got a real sense of how difficult it was for the cast and crew to work in such busy conditions.  I've read interviews with director, Phillips, where he says it was his most difficult shoot to date.

The one-liners, memorable

I hate when I go to a movie and leave not recalling a thing.  That wasn't the case with this film.  My wife and I left the theater repeating one-liner after the other.  I am well aware of all the criticisms of the film being identical to the first (I'll get to that in a minute), but the movie is very memorable and will hold up against a lot of other comedies out there.


What I didn't like about the film:
Sub-plot
I find myself disliking a lot of film sub-plots.  It's because it feels like the movie wouldn't have suffered if they took it out completely.  Without giving anything away, the sub-plot involves Jeong and Giamatti's characters.  The writers used it as a device to take the main characters from one place to the next, but once the sub-plot is revealed in full, there's no pay off.  I didn't like it and wished they would have written it out of the movie.


The Verdict:
Loved it, KNOWING what I was walking into

I think people just wanted to hate the film.  "It's exactly like the first one."  "They couldn't have thought of anything better?"  Interesting how you weren't criticizing the movie while laughing so hard I couldn't hear the dialogue.  Look, the first trailer showed us all that it was going to have the EXACT same format as the first film.  So I knew what I was getting myself into and was very content with it.  To me, it was fresh and funny in ways the first one wasn't; and it was enough to satisfy my hunger for another grown-up comedy after Bridesmaids.  Check out The Hangover II, you will not be disappointed!

Robert De Niro Chases a "Limitless" Bradley Cooper In This New Trailer

It's rare, but it happens... a Hollywood plot I haven't really seen before. Bradley Cooper plays a guy who just found a way to use the entire power of his brain. Imagine that for a second. The average human uses something like 10%, what if that were 100%? This trailer shows us what happens. Enjoy Robert De Niro chasing Bradley Cooper in this Limitless trailer. The film hits theaters in March of 2011.

The A-Team review

I complain A LOT bout Hollywood's lack of original material.  A sequel here, a prequel there and every kind of reboot you could imagine.  The A-Team was no different to me.  Hollywood took an 80's TV show and decided they could make money on it.  How?  Reboot of course!

Well, it's 2010 and we have to work with what we've got.  Let me tell you something, this is the most fun I've had at the movies since the FIRST Iron Man, I'm not kidding!  The movie is a ton of fun, and I can't wait to talk about it with FattMatt.

Let me refresh everyone on our reviews, opinion, not plot.  I go over my "likes" and "dislikes", let's dive in!

What I liked about the movie:
The Casting
Wow, the chemistry amongst the four primary actors is awesome!  Hannibal, played by Liam Neeson.  Face played by Bradley Cooper.  B.A. Baracus played by Quiton Jackson.  And last, but certainly not least, Murdock played by Sharlto Copley.  I have never, EVER given a casting director a shout out... but here goes the first!  Deborah Aquila, thank you!


Neeson is just bad ass as the leader of the group.  I knew he had the action chops after Taken, this movie further proved the obvious.  Cooper played the arrogant, good looking guy perfectly.  Just the right mix of charm, humor and attitude so we loved him, not hated him.  I have to say, when I first heard about Jackson being cast in the movie, I was not OK with it.  But I stand corrected.  Jackson brings the physical presence needed for the role; plus there's an emotional side that was very well written for the Baracus character.

The man who steals the show.... drum roll please... Sharlto Copley as Murdock.  I can't explain enough how good Copley is in this movie.  After District 9 everyone knew Copley could play a corky type of character, but this is beyond that.  Murdock is a brilliant pilot that is literally insane... literally, he's in a mental hospital.  The comedy Copley brought to the role is awesome.  He alone is reason enough to see the movie.

The Action
Unbelievable, memorable, stunts!  Usually action movies have 3 separate action sequences.  One is usually in the beginning, the next is the middle and the third is the climax of the film.  The A-Team has 5 lengthy action sequences, FIVE!  All of which are creative, inventive ways to show action we haven't seen before.  The beginning of the movie jumps right in with a great escape scene.  There are planes, cars, helicopters, boats and motorcycles that develop into an awesome spectacle.  Thumbs up to Joe Carnahan, director of the film for the action.

The Director
Carnahan can do it all in my opinion.  Narc was a suspense thriller that was a critical success and had a decent sized following.  He directed Smokin' Aces which was also a fun ride.  He knows how to do action, he can direct big name actors, The A-Team was no different.  The pacing, the tone, the comedic timing and the score, all of them worked.  People criticize his editing choices, but I love it.  It's fast, and it's representative of the action.
Side-Note: watch the Narc DVD special features for an explanation from Carnahan about his editing.

What I didn't like about the movie:
Simple
I think Hollywood takes us fans as really simple people.  I touched on this a little bit in my 'Prince of Persia' review; the plots to movies these days are so simple.  Don't misunderstand me, I liked the plot to The A-Team, it's just so simple.  It's also a story I've read or saw in film a dozen times; as recently as this Summer's The Losers.  It's OK studio executives, we can handle a complex story!  I know the studios play it safe with simple stories like these, but come on, give us more!


Miss Jessica Claire Biel
I'm sorry to all of our male, testosterone driven readers, miss Biel just doesn't do it for me.  And I'm speaking from both a physical and acting level.   I will say this though, the character is essential to the story, I'm just not a fan of Biel.  She has to play this really tough Captain in the military, yet she's got a ton of make up on.  Not saying attractive women wouldn't be in a position of power in the military; I just don't see them caring more for their hair products than they do for the safety of the country.


The things I didn't like are really quite minor in comparison to the positives in the movie.  It was so much fun, I actually laughed and clapped at a movie!  Other than Toy Story 3, this is the only other highlight to an otherwise abysmal Summer at the movies.  I haven't seen The Karate Kid yet; but I'm going to say this will easily end up in my top 3 movies of the Summer this year.

The A-Team did the TV series justice and improved on it in my opinion.  The characters felt a bit more real than the TV show.  The acting and directing were top notch as well.  Go see it and tell everyone about it!  There's no reason this film shouldn't be doing better numbers at the box office.  And hopefully, HOPEFULLY they make a sequel to this awesome action flick!

Who should star in all these new Superhero movies?

Yesterday I posted news of Wonder Woman, The Flash and Aquaman coming to life. I'm really excited about this. Ever since I was a kid, I remember having ideas in my head of what the superheros would look like in live-action adaptations. If you have ever read this blog, you will see the passion I have for superhero movies. So, what actors should take these roles? I'll tell ya!

This post is completely for fun, I have no say in any of this, but It's fun to use your imagination to match actors to superheros. Heck, one time I was right on the money. So let's go in order and discuss casting.

First, Green Lantern is already set, they're currently in production. Ryan Reynolds was not the person I wanted. It came down to Ryan Reynolds and Bradley Cooper; I was rooting for Cooper. Don't get me wrong, I love Ryan Reynolds in almost anything he does, but to me, Cooper was a better choice; especially coming off the success of The Hangover. Cooper was funny and witty in that film, something that would have to shine through for the character of Hal Jordan (Green Lantern).

OK, here's a biggie, Wonder Woman is a great character. There is no way to win this argument, but I'm looking at looks, build, and acting ability. She needs to be cast perfectly, you ready?... Kate Beckinsale. Now, I'm not the first person by any means to suggest this, but she would be perfect! She can act (The Aviator) and she can kick butt (Underworld). Look at these pictures of Beckinsale actually dressed as Wonder Woman for Halloween, classic! She deserves an online petition or something.

Next is The Flash, a character I really don't care for; with proper casting, Warner Brothers could quickly change my mind. So what do we know about The Flash? He's fast, obviously, but he's a smart character as well. Who has the physique and brains to play the character?... Ryan Gosling. I've been a fan of his since Murder by Numbers, and LOVED Fracture. He has what it takes.

And last but not least is Aquaman. More than any other character, I want to see Aquaman come to the big screen. I've been talking about it for years now, my pick?... Paul Walker. Listen, Walker is not going to be winning any Oscars any time soon OK; he looks the part EXACTLY. I've read the comics since I was a kid and Walker is a spitting image of Arthur Curry (Aquaman). Walker was Into The Blue, he was basically Aquaman in that movie. He's my pick and I'm sticking to it.

Let me know what choices you agree or disagree with (the blog is Agree to Disagree after all). This is a fun time for this blogger, the golden age of comic cinema.

Quickie: A-TEAM Cast Picture!

From left to right:
Bradley Cooper (The Hangover) as Lt. Templeton "Faceman" Peck
Rampage Jackson (UFC) as Sgt. B.A. "Bad Attitude" Baracus"
Sharlto Copley (District 9) as Capt. H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock
Liam Neeson as (Taken) as Col. John "Hannibal" Smith

Are you excited?
"I love it when a plan comes together."

UFC's Rampage Jackson set to play A-Team’s B.A. Baracus

Hello all, this is a bit of bitter/sweet news. The sweet news is, rapper The Game, WONT BE playing B.A. Baracus in the new A-Team movie adaptation. A few months ago we told you about The Game's possible casting in the role, those rumors turned out to be untrue. So if that's the sweet, what's the bitter? We still didn't get a good actor to play the role, we instead got a UFC fighter... Quinton Rampage Jackson. He's a former UFC Light-Heavyweight champion who is one of the stars of the industry.

My personal opinion is there are better ACTORS who could play the role. But really, can anyone match Mr. T's charisma and charm (kidding of course). Mr. T was the iconic actor of the A-Team TV series, replacing him was never going to be easy. I think casting Jackson was a better move than The Game though. We'll have to see the end result of course. Other notable castings include: Liam Neeson as John Smith (Hannibal) and Bradley Cooper as Lt. Templeton Pack (Faceman).

The Game (rapper) in talks to play B.A. Baracus in The A-Team? Seriously?!

Blackfilm is reporting that rapper, The Game, is in talks to play B.A. Baracus in the A-Team movie coming up. B.A. Baracus was played by Mr. T in the 1970's TV show. When John Singleton was in control almost two years ago, he was looking at Ice Cube. But now the movie has changed hands to Joe Carnahan, director of Narc and Smokin' Aces. Why do I have a problem with this? Because Baracus and the A-Team are such an important part of Pop Culture. This isn't a newly created story with actors playing unknown characters.

And my opinion isn't even based on rappers switching over to acting. Tupac was an amazing actor, Ice Cube has become a comedic staple in movies, and Snoop Dogg as well. The Game had a small part in a terrible movie (Waist Deep) and a cameo in another (Street Kings). There's nothing on his resume to play such an important character.

The movie already has Liam Neeson as John Smith (Hannibal) and Bradley Cooper as Lt. Templeton Pack (Faceman). We'll have to wait for confirmation on this one.