A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas

[Watashi]

R95TeZ9jE0Y

Sure, why not?

[Spinal]

Are these movies funny? I've never seen one.

[Winston*]

Are these movies funny? I've never seen one.

The first one is. Didn't really like the second.

[Spun Lepton]

The first one is. Didn't really like the second.

Agreed. 2nd had its moments, but, overall, rather meh.

[Kurosawa Fan]

Are these movies funny? I've never seen one.

The first one is pretty meh as well. It has some inspired moments, but it can't sustain the comedy for 90 minutes.

[Henry Gale]

The biggest laugh for me was once the trailer was over, just trying to process exactly what I saw and trying to figure out how any of it was going to fit into an actual movie. I guess I'll have to see it.

I recently watched White Castle for the first time since the year it came out, and it definitely starts off way slower than I remember, though not without some great moments (along the way like the "Marijuana Kills" PSA), but something starts to happen at around the halfway point, once it actually starts to show that it has something to say, and it just gets better and better all the way until the end.

But yeah, the second one was mostly bad news, just a lot of rehashing of stuff from the first one, fairly dated political humour (even when it came out), but with Rob Corddry and NPH helping things along the way. I don't think I'll ever rewatch it.

[Ezee E]

The second one uses stereotypes for its best comedy.

Hmm, same with the first mostly, but probably more successfully.

[Henry Gale]

The second one uses stereotypes for its best comedy.

Hmm, same with the first mostly, but probably more successfully.

I'd say that the first one actually uses it to inform Harold, Kumar and the other minority characters' frustration, having them confront the increasingly ignorant characters in scenes along the way. The second one seems to use the stereotypes away from the main two guys more often than not, simply to try and get reactions from the audience, whether it's a well-intentioned laugh or not. It's like it was made by entirely different people.

[baby doll]

The first one was pretty hilarious (or at least that's how I remember it), but the second one was seriously lame. The only line worth remembering is, "Fuck you! Doughnuts are awesome."

[Dead & Messed Up]

The first one was pretty hilarious (or at least that's how I remember it), but the second one was seriously lame. The only line worth remembering is, "Fuck you! Doughnuts are awesome."

I liked "Why is your ass so dirty?" But yeah, a weak shade of the original.

[number8]

The first one is brilliant. Really pointed in its satire of racism, but part of why it's so effective is because the political commentary is inherent in the characters and informs the way they choose to interact to the plot. The movie on a whole is still a pot comedy.

The main problem with the sequel was that they heard that praise about the first movie and decided to base the second movie entirely on the political commentary and make the plot some kind of satire on American politics that was just shallow and not funny. It's outlandish instead of relateable, which is a quality that the first movie was so good at.

[MadMan]

I haven't seen the second one, but I really enjoyed the first one. I figure at this point they are going to keep extending the series as long as it makes money.

[number8]

I haven't seen the second one, but I really enjoyed the first one. I figure at this point they are going to keep extending the series as long as it makes money.

The first two movies weren't exactly moneymaking hits. They only made the second one, four years later, when it suddenly became popular on DVD.

[MadMan]

Hm, I actually did forget that the first movie wasn't a huge hit in theaters.

[number8]

Anyway, I still can't process this trailer.

[Henry Gale]

This movie is really, truly fun, and it packs the sort of sweetness the first one did while re-appropriating it to cinema's joyous essence of Christmas and the overall underdog spirit of the trilogy as a whole. Not every joke hits, but the ones that do revel in either being spot-on or finding just the right sort of unique, off-beat nature that the best of this series has established before. And even though Kumar's new buddy isn't as funny as Harold's (who happens to be Tom Lennon, who's daughter inappropriately steals the show), there's nothing that really brings the mood down. The 3D, like anything else in the special ironic sub-genre, is best when they absolutely pushes it as winkingly over-the-topness as far possible, while expectedly floundering in simply staged, straightforward dialouge scenes. But it's worth the extra admission fee, if only because I'm not sure how some of the jokes even would work otherwise, and since it's actually shot in 3D, the majority of it (barring its inherent digital blurriness) looks pretty damn good.

Upon their exit NPH simply points at the titular duo and tells them "See ya in the fourth one." and really at this point (as lukewarm as I was on the second one) I realized that this is a good-hearted and enjoyable enough franchise that I'd wish to see continue for as long as possible. My biggest complaint is that they didn't release it closer to the actual holiday season, so if that's what I'm left with on the negative side, I can only encourage every fan of Go To White Castle to pay their well earned money to see this.

Also, Elias Koteas (who I didn't even know was in this) pretty much owns his scenes.

***

[Ivan Drago]

This was absolutely hysterical.

[eternity]

Other than the genitals on display, this seemed like it was already edited for basic cable. It was sweet, it was charming, but I only laughed twice, and both laughs were merely chuckles. What a pleasant bore.

[Sycophant]

There were a lot of jokes that didn't work for me. The 3D gags about how lame 3D gags are were pretty lame. Most of the "lol marijuana" stuff didn't work for me (though stuff that was actually jokes about the characters' marijuana use, etc. often really worked for me--if you can see the difference there). It had a sweetness that felt real and earned, and was so happy to just be a comedy movie, it was mostly delightful. The animated segment in the middle didn't work for me, and felt kinda discordant with the rest of the picture.

I'm with Henry Gale, though. I'd be happy to see this series continue on and on. They did some really fun and sweet stuff mindful of the passage of time in the world and on the characters, and I'd be happy to continue checking in with these guys every three or four years.