The Hangover Part II (2011)

One its own, this would have been a passable comedy. It had equal parts raunch and wit, and could have easily kept audiences happy. But the fact that it's nearly identical to the original makes The Hangover Part II seem exceptionally lazy.

Two years after their experience in Las Vegas, Stu, Phil, Alan and Doug head to Thailand to celebrate Stu's impending nuptials. Almost immediately, the group decides to avoid their Vegas debacle and have a calm bachelor bonfire on the beach the night before the wedding. Cut to the next morning, and it's deja vu for the guys. Phil wakes up still a little smashed, Alan is sporting a new buzzcut, and Stu somehow got a face tattoo mirroring Mike Tyson's. Oh, and there's a monkey. Chaos ensues when the guys realize Stu's fiance's brother is missing in Bangkok. Now, the gang must first figure out what steps they took the night before in order to retrace them. Their misadventures take them to a Buddhist temple, a transsexual strip club and a health clinic. They also had run ins with Russian mobsters and a dangerous crime lord. Twists and turns along the way, of course.

Where to begin. I'll start with the similarities between the two Hangover movies. They're all there. Instead of Doug going missing, it's Stu's fiance's brother. Instead of a tiger, it's a monkey. Instead of the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas, it's the seedy underbelly of the world. Throw in Chow and the supporting cast from the first flick, and there you have it. I'm not sure where the blame lies with getting this movie green lit, but I'm just going to spread it around to all parties involved. Save for some Zach Galifianakis one-liners, this really isn't worth it. Grade: C-

Due Date (2010)

A basic road trip movie made by a director (Todd Phillips) who has a lot of experience making road trip movies. But this one was better than most because of the great performances by the two leads.

Peter (Robert Downey Jr.) is an uptight yuppie who arrives at the airport to make it home in time for his wife to give birth. He's casually making his way in when Ethan (Zach Galifianakis) runs into him...literally. Once they both are kicked off the plane for making "terrorist" threats, they have to embark on a car ride from Atlanta to L.A. in order to make it for the childbirth. Along the way, shit goes down. Car accidents, Western Union beatdowns, an appearance from Ray, and a dog. And Ethan just can get on Peter's good side. Every time he tries, it just doesn't work out. It eventually doesn't become a question of when they'll make it to California, but if they can even stay alive.

Zach Galifianakis is almost always funny, and Robert Downey Jr. is a great actor. These two actors together had a great rapport, but it wasn't a complete match. They definitely had their moments though. Ethan's going to L.A. to get on "Two and a Half Men," and his obsession is hilarious. He even has a superfan website that, yes, actually exists. RDJ's best quality in this is his ability to keep such a straight face in the midst of shenanigans. A good movie that's funnier than you think. Grade: B+

The Hangover (2009)

I don't think I stopped laughing throughout this entire movie. Just a hilariously fun ride from beginning to end. God Bless, Zach Galifianakis.

The story follows 3 friends (Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Galifianakis) as they try and locate there friend (Justin Bartha) who has gone missing after his own bachelor party and no one seems to remember a thing. As they search, they also try to decipher what actually happened the night before. They encounter a tiger, a mob boss, a stripper/hooker and Mike Tyson. Hilarity ensues and good times are had by all....kind of.

As great as this movie was as a comedy, it was just as great as a mild-detective movie, too. They go through the day finding little bits and pieces of things that help in the effort of finding their friend. Also, it proves that every baby is made better with sunglasses.