Search

Search only in certain items:

The Hangover Part III (2013)
The Hangover Part III (2013)
2013 | Comedy
When “The Hangover” came out in 2009 it did so with modest expectations. Few critics expected it to become a box office smash much less the highest grossing R rated comedy of its time. Naturally a sequel followed and despite mixed reviews, “The Hangover 2” reaped in millions and vaulted over the original in terms of earnings. So, it was no surprise when “The Hangover 3” was announced and that the cast and writer/director Todd Phillips would be back again for the further adventures of The Wolfpack.

The films starts with dysfunctional Alan (Zach Galifianakis), creating a spectacular mess and being his usual spoiled and oblivious self though the consequences which have tragic ramifications. His friends Stu (Ed Helms), Phil (Bradley Cooper), and Doug (Justin Bartha), decide that an intervention is needed and convince a reluctant Alan to get some help from a clinic in Arizona.

En route, the group is run off the road which results in Doug being held hostage by a criminal (John Goodman) who wants to use the group to bring in insane criminal Leslie Chow (ken Jeong). The group is told they have three days to find Chow and save Doug. It turns out Alan is the only one to have any contact with Chow since he was incarcerated. The guys soon find themselves in Tijuana hatching a desperate attempt to capture and return the demented Chow.

Naturally things do not go as planned and despite their best intentions the group only makes matters worse and sets a chain of events into action which bring them full circle in a race against time to save Doug.

This time out the film has ramped down the gross out humor of the first films aside for one epic scene following the credits. The film has some chuckles along the way but lacks the jaw dropping shock humor that defined the previous films. I spent the majority of the film enjoying the cast but waiting for the big comedic payoff to arrive which sadly did not come until the after-credits scene.

The cast works well with the material but it does seem like they have run out of ideas and are going through the motions. The addition of Melissa McCarthy does add some nice moments to the film and does leave open some ideas should they decide to continue the series despite promising that this is the conclusion. In the end it is a nice enough diversion but for me was neither as enjoyable nor memorable as the previous efforts.

http://sknr.net/2013/05/24/the-hangover-iii/
  
Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)
Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)
2020 | Action, Adventure, Crime
Life is not going well for Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie). She has recently
split from the Joker and is wallowing in self-pity and trying to find a
new focus in her life. As a further complication; the protection she
enjoyed under the Joker has vanished and now everyone with a grudge is
gunning for her.

Fate has Harley cross paths with a young Pickpocket named Cassandra (Ella
Jay Basco), who comes into possession of a diamond that happens to hold a
very valuable secret. Before Harley knows what has hit her; she is on the
run not only from all manner of thugs but the very dangerous Roman Siona
(Ewan Mc Gregor) has upped the stakes for their heads and will stop at nothing to get it.

Throw in a disgruntled Detective (Rose Perez) a jaded singer (Jurnee
Smollett-Bell), and a mysterious assassin (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and
you have a very interesting and dangerous mix.

Sadly the film becomes jumbled at the start as the film will go down certain paths only to abruptly stop, rewind, go down another path, and resume.

This comes off as a disjointed mess at times and while I took it to help symbolize the mental state of Harley; it made connecting with the character and stories difficult.

 

This combined with the over the top
characters and routine story underminded the potential of the film.

While it entertained in parts, I do have to wonder if Director Cathy Yan
was in over her head. Yan had previously done four shorts and an Art Film
and seemed to be unsure of the pacing, action, and visual effects at times
as it certainally showed.

It is rumored that the head of the John Wick
stunt team was brought in to oversee reshoots for the film but Yan has
claimed this was simply for Second Unit work.

The film does have a strong theme of empowerment and I liked how it
emphasized that a woman does not need anyone to be strong and that they
have limitless potential. This is a very strong message that worked
wiell. Sadly the story offered no real variation from what we have seen
many times before in action and comic films and underscores how DC and
Warner Bros constantly come up lacking in this genrre where Marvel soars
time and again.

There isome entertainment in the film and Robbie is the perfect embodiyment of the character, sadly this Bird never really takes
flight.

2.5 out of 5
  
    Second Canvas Mauritshuis

    Second Canvas Mauritshuis

    Education and Entertainment

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    Second Canvas Mauritshuis is your tool for exploring the beautiful Mauritshuis museum masterpieces...

    Essential Skeleton 4

    Essential Skeleton 4

    Medical and Education

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    App

    ***** DON'T MISS! - Number 1 Free Medical iPad app in over 95 countries worldwide ***** NEW...