The Hangover Part II

The basics

The Hangover part II, which came out in 2011, is the sequel of the American comedy The Hangover which came in 2009. In this film the wolf pack is back and set for another night out that they will never forget and a night that they will remember nothing of.

The film brings back all the favourite cast from the first one (including a cameo from Mike Tyson) and is directed by the same director Todd Phillips. Like the first one this film is a comedy about a bachelor party, friendship, investigation, hangovers and having to deal with Alan (aka Zach Galifianakis or more commonly known as ‘that guy from The Hangover’)    

What is this film about?

Well if you haven’t guessed already this film is basically the same as the first one but with a few minor changes. The film starts off with a phone conversation with Phil claiming ‘It happened again’ (because it has) then it shoots back to the beginning to show us story leading up to the phone call.  This time around it is Stu who is getting married (like I said minor change) and he is planning to do his nuptials in Thailand.

Due to what has happen in the past Stu’s bachelor party is ……………………….. A brunch at a IHOP before they leave America. Once in Thailand, a few days before the wedding, Stu gets convinced to have just one sealed bottle of beer on the beach around a camp fire with his friends and his soon to be wife’s little brother Teddy. They enjoy their one sealed beer and have a few marshmallows to roast over the camp fire.

Next thing we know they wake up in a dirty little room, Phil is hung-over, Alan has a shaven head, Stu has a Tyson like face tattoo, there is a monkey wearing people clothes,  Doug is safely back at the hotel which is good. But where is Teddy? This leads to the adventure of the wolf pack, retracing their steps around Bangkok trying to find Teddy as they have no clue of what they did that night.      

My views on it

The big question is not whether I liked this film, it is more did I like the first one and the answer is mmmmmmm yes, yes I did. This film has the same story line, cast and director as the first one but what did we really expect of this film. The film is called The Hangover Part II, how much variation from the original story line could they do. Most people do seem to put down this film a lot for being the same as the first one and I do a bit because it does seem a bit lazy but this is not what this film is about. This film is a laugh out loud comedy which you are meant to sit back just enjoy for its stupidity and its crude sense of humour. If you looking for a film that’s a thinker, is original and intelligent then this is not for you as this film was never trying to be nothing more than just a good laugh, which it is.

All in all I would say that this film is not better than the first one but, it is not off it by far.  In this film the humour dose seem to be cruder then the first one especially when it comes to the bit about the lady boy’s (its set in Bangkok you knew this was going to happen). This is one of the reasons why I prefer the first one as the first one is just as funny if not funnier and it doesn’t go that crude.

So I can say I enjoyed this film almost as much I enjoyed the first one and if the rumours are right I will be enjoying The Hangover Part III in 2014.

Favourite Quote

Stu [Part of the lyrics to" Alan town"]: I got fucked in the ass... / By a girl with a dick.

Rating 3/5

DR. Horrible’s Sing Along-Blog

The basics   

DR. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog is an American short film (or TV mini-series) which was created in 2008. During the writer strike in 2007, Joss Whedon set out to direct and write this 3 part musical which he co-writ with his brothers Zack and Jed and Jed’s Fiancé Maurissa Tancharoen. At first DR. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog was only meant to be shown on the internet but from there on it has been shown in a few public places like Comic-Con in Sian Diego and is available on DVD. This film is a comedy musical about super-villains and super-heroes, love, career ambition, revenge and the balance DR. Horrible has to find between them.

What is this film about?

The film starts off with our unlikely hero (the villain) DR. Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris) doing his own video blog where he is just replying to the emails that he has received. Soon on in the film we find out, through the medium of song DR Horrible’s two goals in life. One is to be let in to the prestigious Evil League of Evil which is led by the legendary thoroughbred of sin, Bad Horse and the second is to pick up the courage to talk to the cute girl in the Laundromat who he has a crush on. 

In this we get to see DR. Horrible struggle to balance both of these dreams at the same time. As he get repeatedly beaten up by his nemesis Captain Hammer (who is a cheesy super-hero and a jerk) and during one of this heist to get so Wonderflonium for his Freeze-Ray he accidently introduces his dream girl, Penny to Captain Hammer and they start dating as well. Will it ever work out for our loveable DR. Horrible?

My views on it

For a film, well TV mini-series if you want to be pedantic that is only 42 minutes long, written during the writers’ strike  and was only meant to be shown on the internet  its very good and lovable. This is a great little rom-com musical that will just make you smile all the way through it. Now I am not saying this film is fantastic, it does have its flaws but you have to take it for what it is and it was released as nothing more than just an internet video, not a blockbuster film, an internet video.

The main surprise about this film is that the songs and the singing in it are actually good. You will find yourself as the title suggests singing along to the songs as the story unfolds and singing them still after it has finished. Also who knew that Neil Patrick Harris could sing?

This film is defiantly heading to become a cult classic which will be enjoyed for many years, and may I suggest makes a great film for when you have got a hangover.

Favourite Quote 

Captain Hammer: 
It may not feel too classy
Begging just to eat
But you know who does that?
Lassie. And she always gets a treat

Rating 4/5 stars