The Hangover RRated SingleDisc Edition

Posted In: Get Him To The Greek

Seema Hooe says...

Can you blame Warner Brothers for wanting to milk every cent out of the most successful comedy in the last 5 years? You can if you bought the first-ever barebones DVD release of The Hangover. Or if you held out and bought the edition they released a few months later that included a fair slate of extras. Or maybe you waited until they released the deluxe pack that included the t-shirt? You would think, after about 3 or 4 different releases of The Hangover on DVD and Blu-ray that Warner Brothers would figure that everyone who wanted to buy a copy at this point had. But no. In an effort to catch any last stragglers they've put together the Extreme Edition. Now, you would think that, assuming this is their final end all be all release of the film, that they'd go the extra mile and pack it with anything they were wise enough to hold back and throw in a really cool collectible like a stuffed baby with sunglasses, the t-shirt, and more. Instead, this deceptively titled Extreme Edition falls so far short of its namesake that it's actually disgusting. Buyer beware, The Hangover: Extreme Edition is a prime example of shameless studio profiteering on worthless repackaging. If you really want something more than just the film on your shelf, buy the edition that comes with a t-shirt - this is a criminal waste of your money.



If you're anything like the average 20 or 30-something, your friends have probably insisted on watching The Hangover a few dozen times, and thus you know the story of Doug (Justin Bartha), Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) as well as you might the story of the three little pigs or Snow White. Four guysgo to Vegas for a bachelor's party, get hammered, and wake up the next morning to find the groom-to-be missing, one of the friends newly married, an Asian guy (Ken Jeong) in their trunk, Mike Tyson's tiger in their hotel suite's bathroom, and nary a clue as to how it all went down. They begin retracing their steps in a desperate race against the clock so they can find Doug and get him home in time for his wedding. It's quotable, it's rewatchable, and it's genuinely funny (the first few times). You can't argue with the comedic talent of the cast, as Cooper, Helms, and Galifianakis prove to be a worthy team who benefit from an equally capable roster of character actors including Heather Graham, Mike Epps, Rob Riggle, and Jeffrey Tambor.



For Todd Phillips, this was a long overdue return to form of the comedy that put him on everyone's radar, Old School in 2003. Since then he had two comic flops with Starsky & Hutch (which attempted to cash in on the exhausted comic relationship of Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson) and School for Scoundrels (which never had anything going for it whatsoever). The Hangover proves that Phillips is at his best when directing funny guys playing male roles with the maturity of fraternity pledges as they yell, scream, and curse through a parade of physical comedy. I'm not dumping on the film here, this is just what Todd Phillips does, and he does it extraordinarily well. So yeah, the film has strong comedic merit, but no comedy ever could warrant so many blatant cash-in releases as The Hangover has received from Warner Brothers. The Extreme Edition has nothing to set it apart from its predecessors save for a little booklet featuring some of the crazy pictures of the forgotten night's events that may elicit a chuckle from you if you're drunk, but utterly fails at comedy. The only reason the photos were funny originally was because they trailed the film during the credits with our endorphins already flowing and the events of the film fresh in our mind. Looking at the booklet of photos without the film's entirety preceding it as context, it's little more than a scrapbook for a few guys you don't know from one of the best parties no one can remember. This is the "substantial" addition, with a music sampler CD of the more memorable songs from the soundtrack spliced with audio clips from the film (but I'll be damned if that has ever been a worthwhile extra) constituting the other new bonus. Substantial is in quotes here, because it's a useless picture book that you'll never look at again, assuming you even do the first time.



Blu-ray Bonus Features



The disc includes both the theatrical and unrated versions (7 extra minutes of hilarity(!)(?)) of the film, a picture-in-picture commentary of the film with Phillips and the stars (but only on the theatrical version of the film). Keep in mind though, this commentary, and the rest of these extras were all available on previous Blu-ray releases - making it absolutely clear, once again, that Warner Brothers is trying to screw you over with a picture book and music sampler for a few extra dollars or a double-dip (but if you double-dip for this version, you deserve to be reamed). The other extras are a map of the night's events, more pictures from the missing camera (essentially made redundant by the now-included picture book), a featurette on Ken Jeong, the potty-mouthed wedding singer's performance of "Fame", Ed Helms singing his humorous in-film song, and a collage of action moments from the film.

Posted on November 1, 2010

Lewis Noth says...

When I first saw the previews for The Hangover I didn't want to see it in the least bit. I thought they were trying to be like Old School and could never live up to it. I kept hearing that it was the funniest movie and I got curious so I went to see to go see it. This is by far the funniest movie that has been out in a while. It was as good as, if not better than Old School. I'm not one of those laugh out loud people when I watch movies but I was dying laughing watching this movie. Seriously hilarious and some of the best movie quotes came from The Hangover! Can't wait to buy it.

Posted on November 2, 2010

Michal Schornick says...

I know that it has gotten a lot of flack for being `overrated', but seriously, this movie is ridiculously hilarious.I avoided it, thinking that it was just going to be an overuse of gross out humor, but it really isn't.Sure, it is offensive, but it is done in a VERY humorous way that makes this one never-ending laugh riot.It had NO BUSINESS winning all those comedy awards over the far more refreshing `(500) Days of Summer', but that is no reason to pan this film as unworthy of our attention.The jokes are all different and all hit with reckless abandon.The performances are fleshed out beautifully, and all of the actors really have great interaction with one another, which creates a natural chemistry even in the midst of highly unnatural circumstances.Bradley Cooper is dapper and charming, Ed Helms is hilariously unnerved and Zach Galifianakis is a comedic goldmine here.His performance is one of the best comedic performances of the decade.He really understands how NOT to overdue it while making sure that he is completely over the line.I never stopped laughing.The plot itself may have its fair share of holes and it may not all make sense (it's a slapstick buddy comedy, so it really isn't supposed to) but that doesn't matter because the screenplay is so rich with comedic engagement that you forget all about the fact that its one of the most improbably comedies in recent years.What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas is not a phrase that carries a lot of weight, but this film makes VERY good use of that ageless moniker.I totally recommend this movie.If you are looking forward to just laying back and soaking in the laughter, this one delivers in spades...and then some!

Posted on November 2, 2010

Aileen Vescio says...

First of all, this was a very smart, gross, dark, crude, hilarious and obnoxious film that had me in tears throughout the film. Yes, this subject has been done to death, but not to this level of enjoyment. I haven't enjoyed a Vegas bachelor party film this much since "Very Bad Things" and I would have to rate this higher. My wife enjoyed this film as much as me and she commented how rare it is to see a film that is consistently funny from start to finish. My expectations were very high after all of the hype leading up to the release of this film and it didn't disappoint.



The director does a great job setting the stage for a night no one can remember. Each role was cast perfectly with Zach Galifianakis stealing the show. Make sure you don't leave early and miss the slide-show during the credits. Freaking hilarious!!!!



If you are easily offended by crude humor or you, then this isn't the movie for you.



Thank you, Todd Phillips for another over-the-top, laugh-out-loud masterpiece

Posted on November 2, 2010

Katherina Demar says...

In the current film market, the "guy picture" and the films of Tyler Perry are the two hottest sub-genres of comedy out there.Thanks to Judd Apatow's smashing successes, the litany of comedies focusing on the trials and tribulations of young men teetering on the brink of manhood (even those well into their 30s) is impressive - "Knocked Up," "40-Year Old Virgin," "Wedding Crashers," "Superbad," "Pineapple Express," and on and on.



Smashing through the pack is Todd Philips' "The Hangover."There may not be a more classic setup for a buddy flick - a bachelor party in Vegas gone horribly wrong.But I cannot think of a recent film that has taken a more stodgy premise and injected such brilliant and unexpected hilarity into the mix.



We know from the first scene that things have gone wrong:a bleeding guy stands in the middle of the desert, calmly explaining to a nervous bride-to-be that he's lost her fiance and the wedding ain't gonna happen.We think, sure - we've seen this before.



No we haven't.



Cut to the guys getting ready to hit Vegas.The fiance, Doug (Justin Bartha ("National Treasure") is a pretty good guy.His two best friends are Stu (Ed Helms, "The Office") and Phil (Bradley Cooper, "Wedding Crashers").Stu is a hen-pecked guy who's lied to his controlling girlfriend - she honestly thinks he's taking Doug to a bachelor party in Napa (serves her right).Phil is a teacher frustrated by his job and his marriage and is just dying for a night of depravity.



But there is a fourth guy along for the ride - Alan (Zach Galifianakis), the soon-to-be brother-in-law.In a lesser movie, Alan would quite simply steal the whole shooting match.Galifianakis combines the zaniness of John Belushi with the untrammelled sweet innocence of Michael Cera.Alan is not quite right - starved for friendship, socially maladroit, and fanatically loyal.The first sign of trouble comes when the guys agree to take shots from Alan's booze on top of a Vegas hotel/casino.



The brilliance of the movie comes from the next scene - the guys wake up in a completely trashed hotel suite.But there are signs of a true blowout - broken tables, a burning sofa, a baby in the closet and a tiger in the bathroom.And a missing fiance.



The rest of the movie involves Stu, Phil and Alan trying to track down Doug in Vegas even though nobody can remember a single thing from the night before.The twists and turns involve Vegas crime lords, a sweet prostitute (Heather Graham), and Mike Freaking Tyson.



This movie is hilarious from start to finish.Fast moving, perfectly cast, and always unexpected, "The Hangover" benefits from perfect comic performances from the entire cast.It's not a surprise to see either Ed Helms or Bradley Cooper in a hilarious movie, but to see Galifianakis graduate from "Out Cold" and various "Reno 911" episodes to the comic big time is a pure pleasure.



Get this movie!

Posted on November 4, 2010

Constance Sinkler says...

This film was funny in parts but not nearly as funny as I was led to believe. I don't watch a lot of comedies but I did enjoy films like Wedding Crashers and Old School. Thus, several people assured me I would love this as well. Well, those films actually had pretty good scripts and lots of memorable one-liners, whereas I honestly have trouble recalling any memorable lines from this film....and I just watched it last night. The premise was promising: 4 dudes travel to Vegas for a bachelor party and end up losing the groom, but I just couldn't get into it. To me, this film was more bizarre and ridiculous than hilarious. I'm pretty immature, but this was a bit over the top even for me.

Posted on November 4, 2010

Anjanette Scaife says...

I was a little hesitant to see this movie, it seemed like one of the all too recent movies where all of the good parts are featured in the trailer, and that's all you've got.So not the case.Not only was it a packed theatre at the midnight showing, but there was not any interval longer than three minutes that had a quiet audience.Nobody could stop laughing!

From Zach Galifiakanis, we had a stellar show.His ability to play the creepy weirdo is out of this world.His wolf pack speech was amazing.

The cameo from Mike Tyson was hilarious!

Don't miss the end credits where a lot of the missing information is revealed.

Posted on November 5, 2010

Machelle Laurie says...

I finally got to see this film and the Blu gave a nice first viewing, and even doing the rated/unrated back to back it still kept me laughing.



The Blu clarity and sound quality are solid and there were no failings even with the volume of night sequences. The desert shots were done adequately so there was no light saturation or blur - overall the presentation in both versions makes them a good investment for being one of the few comedies you might buy on Blu. The unrated runs eight minutes longer and contained nothing that would warrant the usual attraction for being titled as such. By the time they get to the roof to start the night there were four brief sequences added in, including some extra dialogue in the opening house scene, a little more with that abusive girlfriend and a fun spot in the hotel room. The main difference between the two would be a funny one minute scene as they take the tiger back to Tyson's house (elevator addition). Otherwise, there are no R rated additions like some would look for.



The supplements are a mixed bag, and after investing the hour it takes to get through them all (except the commentary) none of them stand out as a must see.



Standard Special Features (2 Disc DVD and BD)

* The missing pictures. 100 added photos from the camera, a few funny ones but they felt like the pics you would screen out before you share with your buddies (10 shots from the same angle, where you get rid of the other 9 and save the best one - they keep the other 9 here).

* Map of Destruction. Has 15 spots they filmed on a selectable icon map that takes you to a brief clip regarding making-of info. The Tyson one was the most interesting for me as the others are all either too short or not interesting.

* Madness of Ken Jeong. This guy doesn't work for me other than brief shots in a film so his "improv" here wasn't funny.

* Action Mash-Up. A brief Stooges style mix, forgettable.

* Three Best Friends Song. Funny in a movie, not funny as a long version when they can't sing.

* The Dan Band. The clean version of the Fame song.

* Gag Reel. Now this was funny, only goes a few minutes but they were having fun.



BD Exclusive: (BD Live)



* Cursing Mash-Up. My player took a few seconds to download/stream it and it only lasted a few seconds, most customers get a chuckle out of it when I screen it in the store, but just ok as a supplement.

* Iron Mike Online Teaser. A decent rendition of him singing the In The Air Tonight. That played well and customers thought it a much better trailer than the standard ones we have seen 100 times.



Theatrical BD Version:



* PiP Commentary with Phillips and the three main guys. I usually love commentaries but this one stunk. I was expecting a great deal of humor, funny stories and cool info, but instead they were just sitting there looking bored, especially Cooper, I honestly think he was there to watch the film. Galifianakis sat there until minute 16 before he really said anything. Every once in awhile Todd would say something interesting about the film making, but don't watch this if you want the laughs.



A fun movie with plenty of laughs on a good Blu that for some of the low prices I have seen here and elsewhere it will feel like a good investment.

Posted on November 6, 2010

Rima Hattaway says...

I was skeptic about seeing this film because I was worried it was going to be too cheesy and very corny for a comedy but man was I wrong. I found "The Hangover" to be very original and without of a doubt one of the best and funniest movies I've seen in a long while. "The Hangover" stars Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, & Zach Galifianakis (who I think absolutley stole the show with his very humorous acting throughout the whole movie).



While visiting in Vegas for a bachlor party, three groomsmen (Cooper, Helms, Galifianakis) accidently loses their other friend and groom (Justin Bartha) after a night of out of control, mindless, care free, all night long partying. The morning they wake up from the night before (having no clue what on Earth happened), they discover their friend Doug (Bartha) is missing. Therefore, Phil (Cooper), Stu (Helms), & Alan (Galifianakis) enters a race against time to find Doug in time for the wedding. During their search for Doug, the guys, little by little, discover all the things that happened the night they lost their friend that includes finding a baby, stealing a cop car, Stu marrying a stripper, stealing a tiger from Mike Tyson, being drugged, and having a little bit of a mix up with a small, naked, Asian guy. All of these parts are projected in a very humorous and hilarious way that will make you laugh every time.



Once the guys finally sort out all the mess they encountered the night they lost Doug, they soon remember what they did with him and they do indeed find Doug and are able to make it in time for the wedding in the end.



Overall, "The Hangover" is a great comedy and is definitely a must see in my book. This movie is hilarious from start to finish and will make you bust out laughing all the way through. This is a great watch and I highly recommend this movie to the comedy fanatics.

Posted on November 8, 2010

Romona Widhalm says...

Ok.I had fairly low expectations.I hadn't seen much in the way of trailers and frankly the thought of a movie with some random baby showing up in a hotel room kinda creeped me out.Then I saw The Hangover and once I started laughing, I basically never stopped longer than a minute or three before something else made me laugh out loud.I laughed more and more until the credits hit and I ended up having to wipe my eyes I was laughing so hard.We had a great audience which always helps, but I can't remember seeing a funnier movie in a long time (really if ever).See it with friends and don't miss the credits.

Posted on November 9, 2010