Review-The Hangover Part II

The Hangover was the biggest surprise hit of 2009. Even before the movie did so well, the makers of the film was talking about a sequel. If you compile those two details and fast forward two years, you have The Hangover Part II.The story starts two years after the events in Las Vegas. Stu(Ed Helms) is off to get married to Lauren(Jamie Chung) in Thailand. Phil, Doug and Alan (Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha, Zach Galifianakis) are reluctantly invited to come along to the wedding. Just like in the first movie, things get fuzzy after a late night drink.  When you add to the mix that Mr. Chow(Ken Jeong, as hilarious as he was in the first) is along for the ride, things get real crazy. The first movie, for me, was funny but wasn't consistently funny.The sequel is a better movie because it is funny all the way through. It follows the same formula of the first movie (almost as a fault). The sequel gives me more of the things that I found funny in the first(Stu and Mr. Chow) while dialing back a little of what didn't work (Alan felt more of a complete,but messed up, character).As like the first one, watch the credits and enjoy.

Review-Rio

Rio is an animated movie about two birds that are brought together to save their species. Blu(voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) is a sheltered bird who lives with his owner Linda(voice by Leslie Mann). Linda is told that there is another like Blu but they are the last of their kind. To have the birds mate, Linda and Blu must go to Rio with bird expert Tulio(voiced by Rodrigo Santoro). It is in Rio where you meet Jewel(voice by Anne Hathaway), the bird Blu is suppose to meet up with. She is a little more street smart than he is. Before they can give comfortable with one another, they are kidnapped and force to escape to save themselves. That is when the fun begins. Rio is fun, sweet and charming movie that people of any age can enjoy.It is a good fish out of water story and has a romantic element to as well. It reminds me of The Little Mermaid in parts of the movie. With actor/musicians Jamie Foxx, will.i.am and Jemaine Clement(from Flight of the Conchords) providing voices, the music for the movie is great and will have you dancing in your seats.

Review-Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is the fourth installment of the franchise starring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow. The story this time centered around finding the Fountain of Youth.  The government for both England and Spain are competing to find it first. As Jack gets entangled into the search, he runs into every side hunting that spot down. There is Angelica(Penelope Cruz), his former love that he spurred before. His old rival Barbossa(Geoffrey Rush) is now working for the British government and helping them lead their search. Jack has a run in with Blackbeard(Ian McShane),whose looking for the fountain to avoid a prophesied death. Mixed in with all of this is a subplot about mermaids that could scare some children at first. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is a fun addition to the Pirates franchise. Johnny Depp is awesome in it as usually and the rest of the cast is great too. The movie is directed by Rob Marshall(Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha, Nine) and it is the first Pirates film under his helm. While the movie does miss Gore Verbinski(director of the first three Pirates movies), Marshall does well most of the time of not letting us know the difference. It's not better than the first but it is less bogged down than the second and third film. Please advise, just like the first three, to stay after the credits roll.

Review- Thor

Thor is the newest movie based on characters from Marvel Comics, like Iron Man and Incredible Hulk(I mention those two for a reason). Thor(played by Chris Hemsworth, most familiar as Captain Kirk's dad in 2009 film Star Trek) is an arrogant, self centered man whose thirst for battle is wore on his sleeve. His home is Asgard, which is in a different realm than Earth. His father Odin(played by Anthony Hopkins) has make a decision on which son he would have succeed him, Thor, the God of Thunder or Loki(played by Tom Hiddleston). Thor, due to actions of his own, is stripped of his powers and banished down on to Earth as punishment. The movie is directed by Kenneth Branagh, who is known for acting in and directing some of the great Shakespeare adaptations. Thor, under the surface, plays like a modern day Shakespeare tale. Elements like jealousy, power struggles  and epic battles are all present in the movie. On the surface, it's a good action movie with the story of redemption deeply rooted inside. It starts out a little slow trying to tell the back story. Once you get through that and on Earth, it's even paced and charming, especially the chemistry between Thor and a scientist named Jane Foster(played by Natalie Portman). As like the other movies(Iron Man 1 & 2, Incredible Hulk) there's stuff after the credits so don't leave yet. It's all connected so go see it.