THE HANGOVER

THE HANGOVER (Warner Bros.)
Directed by Todd Phillips

Comedies, what would we do without them? I posed this question years ago and to this day, I still believe Hollywood would not survive if comedies all of sudden vanished. I know it’s a ridiculous notion to put out there, but hey, it could happen. No one ever thought our great country would elect an African American for President either, but look at us now. So, truly, anything is possible, but the entire industry would have to collapse for comedies to go away. Fact is they help bridge the gap between all the drama and action flicks that flood our theaters for most of the year. And as much I hate to say it, most people would actually rather see a comedy than sit through two hours or more of heartfelt drama or non-stop action. There’s a lower chance of disappointment and who doesn’t like laughing? The equation is simple, yet I still have a hard time going to the theater to watch a comedy on the big screen. So, when I finally do, trust me, there’s a good reason and this time, that reason was director Todd Phillips. Having written and directed one of my favorite comedies in recent memory, OLD SCHOOL, it was a “no brainer” for me to hit the theater for THE HANGOVER, a film that still has me laughing, long after seeing the credits roll.

The story for THE HANGOVER, is quite simple on the surface, but underneath offers great moments of clarity. It follows a group of buddies who set out on a trip to Vegas for a bachelor party. The plan was easy; get drunk and have a good time, all the while sending off the soon-to-be groom into the world of marriage. This common definition of a bachelor party has been passed on for decades, but every now and then, things get way out of hand, lending to a night no one can remember and frankly may not want to. For Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Alan (Zach Galifianakis) and Doug (Justin Bartha), the plan seemed to be full proof, but when they woke the next morning to find a 'live' tiger roaming the bathroom of their extremely overpriced and now trashed penthouse suite, they knew something had gone very wrong the night before. And on top of that, Doug was missing, the groom-to-be, and one guy they could not afford to lose, given his very wedding was hours away. But, that was just the beginning to this hilarious and all too revealing truth of a night that on the surface seemed like a bad dream, until they finally saw the pictures to prove it.

No one really remembers a cast from a comedy, unless some giant star like Jim Carrey or Will Ferrell is the lead. And even then, the jokes must hit and the timing be perfect for it to work and be memorable; but either way, the cast still somewhat has to be able to pull off the humor that is asked of them. And let’s face it, not all stars can do it, so when I saw the cast to THE HANGOVER, I was a bit surprised, given its lack of star power. That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t work, as SUPERBAD clearly showed us a few years ago by casting several actor’s many of us had never heard of, resulting in one of the funniest movies in recent memory. However, you just never know how it will all come together. Luckily for this group, the writing was good, so any lack of experience or uneasiness gets thrown out the window almost right off the bat, leaving the cast to basically not screw it up, which they managed to do very well here.

In fact, never seeing guys like Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis or Bradley Cooper in a film like this, I went in with very low expectations, but they all managed to shine with the roles given to them, proving yet again that with a good script, a comedy can go a long way, no matter who makes up the cast. The only star worth noting was Heather Graham, who clearly needs more to do, as you almost forget about her until she pops up in some crazy film like this. And here, she was wonderful, adding in that cute, yet nonchalant nature she's known for, all the while hitting her marks with the comedy. Of course, Ed Helms is from the hit TV show THE OFFICE , but I would bet many still have no idea who this guy is, however, he did well here, adding in just the right amount of unexpected humor throughout. The only miss to this cast might have been Ken Jeong , who played an over-the-top low-life criminal out to take money from the clan at the most inopportune time. And here, I think the idea was valid, but the wrong actor was chosen for the part, as I had a hard time believing it, which is sad given how low your expectations are to begin with.

THE HANGOVER just has that look of something you should see and if you do, I think you will be pleasantly surprised in just how easy it is to watch. Under the crafty direction of Todd Philips, this story majestically moves in out of consciousness, in a way that offers up more than a few laughs, all the while giving you a story you have no choice but to respect; especially when the final payoff is revealed.

B+

UP

UP (Disney – Pixar)
Directed by Pete Docter

Computer animation in film has come such a long way that I find myself wondering if it’s even cool anymore. By now, we’ve pretty much seen it all, right; or at least enough to where we almost expect great animation when sitting down to view the next Disney-Pixar or DreamWorks film? It’s almost as if we are spoiled by these great minds that created what we now refer to as CGI and computer animation. The things that can be done are truly spectacular and I think all too often, we forget that because we’ve sort of become accustomed to it. But, the people behind this type of technology should get more credit than they do, as it’s hard to find any flaws when it comes to computer-generated graphics and animation in films like these. And what’s funny is it really hasn’t been all that long since we first saw this new technology blow up on the big screen, as it finally did with TOY STORY back in 1995. Ever since then, Pixar has made one great film after the next, setting the tone for all other production companies like it to follow, DreamWorks included. And now, having reached 10 total films, with the release of UP, this once small company has become one of the most respected and well-known entities in Hollywood, unleashing great entertainment for the entire family every chance they get. And with UP, that trend of consecutive #1 hits’ at the box office continues, proving even the stories that don’t look like a sure-fire hit can become one with just the right mix of heart, humor and visuals.

The story of UP follows a 78-year-old retired and recently widowed balloon salesman by the name of Carl Fredricksen (Voiced by Ed Asner) as he attempts to fulfill he and his wife’s dream of travelling to Paradise Falls, a far-off land in South Africa. The plan was simple; tie thousands of balloons to his house and float to paradise, away from a city and country he simply didn’t fit into anymore. So, when the day came for a local retirement establishment to come pick Carl up, he put his plan into action and floated up into the air, starting his journey to South Africa, surprising all who happened to see the old house gliding through the city landscape. Not too long into the flight, however, Carl gets a knock at his door. Clearly thinking he must be dreaming, he ignores it. But, when the knock came again, he got up and answered the door, and standing off to the side, holding on to dear life, was Russell (Jordan Nagai), the 8-year-old ‘Wilderness Explorer’ that came to his door the day before. Turns out, Russell was stowed away underneath the house searching for the so-called Snipe that Carl asked him to find, in hopes of fulfilling his final ‘Wilderness Explorer’ badge, “Assisting the Elderly.” Together, they embark on a journey of a lifetime, encountering a host of characters like Dug (an overzealous talking dog), Kevin (a fabled bird) and Charles Muntz (a once- famous adventure and childhood idol of Carl’s) that would not only hamper them from time to time, but also force them to work in unison, building a friendship like no other, resulting in what became an adventure no one would ever believe.

Most times, people have no clue who is behind the voice of the characters in films like UP. And even if they did, they may not care because when it’s all said and done; if the animation is top notch and the story is layered enough to enjoy, the voice behind this character or that one is the last thing on your mind. That’s just how it goes with films from this genre. The actors know it, the director knows it and the audience knows it, making the cast almost the least important feature of the film. That’s something you don’t always hear, but its true and even though I can see the face behind the voice sometimes, as I did with Ellen DeGeneres’s ‘Dory’ in FINDING NEMO, maybe the credit doesn’t fall with the actor like one would think. Maybe the praise should go to the crew behind the animation of the character, being able to match each voice inflection and movement perfectly. That alone, if done right, can make you see the voice behind the character and maybe no one is better at this art than Pixar. Sure, the actor or actress has to do their part as well, like Ellen did back then or Edward Asner did here with the voice for Carl Fredricksen, but the magic behind these animated characters falls with all those people you never see or hear from. They are the brilliant minds behind the cast and the one’s that make it all fit together when it’s all said and done, no matter what A-list star shows up.

It’s almost a given, when it comes to direction, Pixar will get the right people involved. And although there isn’t someone in a chair directing a cast around, there still is direction and luckily here with UP, one of the best was involved. Writer/director Pete Docter was back to help with UP, previously nominated for his work with WALL-E, TOY STORY and MONSTERS,INC. A clear vet when it comes to this genre, Docter wound up being the right choice for this film. Having worked in multiple areas within Pixar, Docter knows exactly how these films need to look and feel, right down the writing, so needless to say, I couldn’t find much wrong with anything I saw. The animation was flawless and the story moved along at just the right pace, so all the young members of the audience wouldn't get antsy. Even the back-story, told with flashbacks, was done swiftly with a whole lot of care, making sure the entire audience was covered. That’s the Pixar way and why it’s hard not to compare each new Pixar film to previous ones. The bar has been set so high, that when I sit down to watch anything that Pixar has put its hands on, I expect to be blown away with some incredible animation, but mostly I expect a story that will not only touch me, but take me on a ride that I can’t help but enjoy, no matter what I do. UP certainly did all that, plus some without much problem, with the only aspect needing resurfacing being the talking dogs. The one dog, Dug, was hilarious, but once the story reached the heralded Charles Muntz and his Zeppelin, another 50 plus talking dogs showed up, dwarfing any humor and originality Dug created. After that, it almost got to the point where you were tired of the dogs, which I must say is a first for Pixar, as I can’t recall any previous installment having an overdone feature like that. But, where the talking dogs missed, the rest of the film and story picked up, quickly making you forget, in the mitts of one spectacular animated sequence after another.

In typical Pixar fashion, they have done it again, creating a film that simply didn’t look as great as all its predecessors. But, the Pixar name got me into the theater and I’m glad, as UP proves yet again with a good heartfelt story and crafty animation, the sky is the limit for a company that just doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

A-