“Hangover” sequel is darker, more bold, and better than the original – Sean’s review

“I can’t believe this is happening again,” Ed Helms’ embattled bride-to-be Stu says after waking up alongside equally dazed Phil (Bradley Cooper) and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) in “TheHangover Part II.”

Apparently Stu didn’t get a look at the original’s box office receipts. The minute Todd Phillips’ raucous, bleary-eyed “Hangover” made north of $460 million worldwide, a return trip for this intoxicated trio became as inevitable as the headache that follows an evening of binge drinking.

Phillips’ “The Hangover Part II” (*** out of 4) serves as the identical twin of its successful predecessor – sometimes mirroring the original shot for shot – save for one beneficial twist. A shift in the action from Las Vegas’ artificially glitzy but never really dangerous adult playground to the seedy, depraved and downright deadly streets of Bangkok, Thailand results in a darker and far more demented adventure for “the three best friends that anyone could ever have.” I suppose that makes this “The Hangover’s” evil twin. Yet every time Phillips pushed his undoubtedly formulaic sequel down yet another squalid alley for the sake of a shocking joke, I grew to appreciate, respect and even love “The Hangover Part II” more than the original (which I never embraced as wholeheartedly as the general public).

Once again, our familiar leads find themselves in an awkward (and contrived) situation where, after a wild night, they wake up in a strange location and must work backwards through the rubble to piece together their buffoonish actions. This time, the missing person Stu, Alan and Phil are racing to find is Teddy (Mason Lee), younger brother of Stu’s beautiful fiancée (Jamie Chung) who shares a drink with the guys the night before Stu’s wedding but is nowhere to be found the following morning.

Teddy actually begins creating problems for our trio long before they arrive in Thailand for Stu’s nuptials. He’s not a member of Alan’s self-enforced wolf pack, naturally, and Galifianakis — more unhinged and socially awkward in this installment — turns Alan’s possessive, jealous attitude toward Teddy into a fountain of inspiration for fresh laughs. It’s also Teddy’s severed finger that Phil finds on the floor of the Bangkok apartment where the trio wakes up, alerting the audience to the fact that the rules are somewhat different and slightly more treacherous this time around.

Most will criticize Phillips’ sequel for adhering to the structure established in the first film. I’d argue it’s the smartest choice he could make. Cooper admitted in a recent interview that the “Hangover” characters weren’t beefy enough to stand on their own outside of the formula, and I’d tend to agree. Yes, there’s also the old adage about something not needing to be fixed if it isn’t broken, and clearly the first “Hangover” worked well for a lot of people. But by establishing a foundation of familiarity (almost to the point of spoof), Phillips creates enough wiggle room to build commendably disturbing new scenarios involving Asian transvestites, silent monks, corrupt tattoo artists. drug-smuggling monkeys, and the music of Billy Joel.

“The Hangover Part II” doesn’t reinvent the wheel. But it does drive its dependable vehicle down unexpected avenues and arrives at some twisted destinations that will surprise – and entertain – an audience hoping for another crazy adventure with these memorable antiheroes. For one more film, at least, there was enough juice left in the premise. But take note: If a third “Hangover” happens (and there’s no reason to believe it won’t), the game will have to change drastically to avoid giving everyone involved on both sides of the screen a massive headache.

Haley Reinhart debuting single on Wednesday’s “Idol”?

Haley Reinhart looked shocked when Ryan Seacrest revealed that Lauren Alaina was moving on to this week’s “American Idol” finale … but she didn’t look as sad as some might have expected.

We think we know why.

Reinhart’s parents are telling folks that their daughter’s circling a record deal and “has already recorded a single and plans to debut it on the season 10 finale this Wednesday,” THR notes.

“She likes the song she’s doing, and we hope you like it too,” Haley’s mother told fans who recently gathered to support Relay For Life. As for Reinhart’s runner-up finish, the Reinharts are proudly stating, “No. 3 is pretty darn good,” primarily because “you don’t have to be so tied to [19 Recordings and Interscope Records] that way.”

Ashton Kutcher is the “Hollywood TV Star of the Week”

: When news broke that Ashton Kutcher would be replacing Charlie Sheen on CBS’ “Two and a Half Men,” the news came from Kutcher himself, and he chose tobreak it on Twitter.

Smart move. The news was going to get out, but Kutcher chose to share it with his 6,775,980 followers. Wow. No wonder CBS wants the one-time star of “The ‘70s Show” on board their rudderless sitcom.

Kutcher Tweeted this photo with the caption “First cast argument 2.5 men.”

Kutcher has been a multi-faceted talent for years, starting in modeling before moving on to TV and, eventually, movies. He’ll return to television in one of the most high-profile sitcoms of the moment, taking over Sheen’s slot on “Men.”

But it’s Kutcher’s work off the screen that also keeps him in the spotlight. His Twitter feed isn’t the stuff of celebrity. It is humanitarian, seeking assistance for less-fortunate citizens around the globe. For his ability to entertain, as well as his desire to give back, we are proud to name Ashton Kutcher, the latest member of “Two and a Half Men,” as our “Hollywood TV Star of the Week.”

*3 reasons why Lauren Alaina just might win “American Idol”*

We’ve been predicting the finalists for nearly three months, and, as always, the future seems clear. Blue-eyed teen heartthrob Scotty McCreery from Garner, North Carolina seems like a cinch to win Season 10 of “American Idol”.

The reasons are plenty—more young southern males have won “American Idol” than any other demographic, and the number of southern male runners up is also high. Yet, history dictates that Lauren Alaina might just have a shot at winning the Season 10 title:

Reason #1: Though southern men represent the top winning demographic, southern women are a closesecond. Ruben Studdard, Taylor Hicks, David Cook, and Kris Allen comprise four of nine “American Idol” winners and are all from the south. Yet southern women Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino, and Carrie Underwood make up a close second; Lauren Alaina could even things up.

Reason #2: Two of the four female winners so far beat out southern male contenders in the finals. Kelly Clarkson beat fellow southerner Justin Guarini and Carrie Underwood beat Bo Bice. Neither Fantasia Barrino nor Jordin Sparks went up against a southern male in the final.

Reason #3: Underdogs sometimes do well. Scotty McCreery has sailed through the competition wholly unscathed, never having been named among the bottom two or three. Sympathy for “wild card” or underdog competitors has often seen a boost in support for contestants. If Lauren Alaina is seen as a distant second to Scotty McCreery, such an image may come to her rescue just in time.

Yet, for every reason Lauren Alaina just might be able to pull off a win, there is at least one other strike against her. For one, most “American Idol” voters are young girls whose teen hormones may dictate favor for a male contestant. And, to many, Lauren Alaina, who fared better than most, may not seem like an underdog at all.

Robert Pattinson: Hot Hollywood Celebrity Photo Gallery of the Day

Justin Bieber caught on video kissing Selena Gomez

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez may not be admitting to dating, but now a video is showing that something is definitely going on.

The two were reportedly caught while in Malaysia on camera exchanging a little kiss, states HollywoodLife. Bieber and Gomez definitely share a little kiss on the lips which implies they are more than just friends.

But for now, the two are reportedly sticking with not talking about their budding romance.

Do you think they will soon talk about their relationship?

*Did Justin Bieber recently deny Selena Gomez relationship?*

 It seems pretty definite that Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez are dating, but is the young singer denying anything is going on?

Bieber was recently interviewed by a New Zealand television program when he kind of addressed the rumors, states HollywoodLife. When asked about Gomez, Bieber stuck with the same comment: “She’s one of my best friends.”

He also added, “I think that’s an important thing in my life is dating around and having some sort of a personal life.”

*‘Housewives of NYC’ star denies Bethenny Frankel’s $120 million*

It was recently rumored that Bethenny Frankel sold her Skinnygirl cocktail line for about $120 million, but her former ‘Real Housewives of New York City’ castmate Ramona Singer isn’t buying it.

Singer believes that the figure is a bit exaggerated, states PopEater. “I was thinking before that figure came out she got about $30 million total,” Singer commented, adding that the money would then be split with others involved in the product.

It has been reported that the line was sold to Beam Global, but the figures have not been confirmed.

How much do you think Bethenny Frankel made?

5 Controversial Banned TV Episodes

“When You Wish Upon A Weinstein”

In light of the recent storms that have killed hundreds throughout the South, Fox has decided not to air its hurricane-themed cross over episodes of “Family Guy,” “American Dad” and “The “Cleveland Show.” Granted, these shows were conceived months in advance, and the writers were obviously not intending to make light of the current situation. Even so, Fox felt running the episodes now would be in poor taste. However, to the network’s credit, the episodes will air next season, weather permitting.

Through out the years, there have been numerous episodes of popular shows that, for one reason or another, have been yanked from the air. Here are five examples.

The Puerto Rican Day – “Seinfeld” (May 7, 1998)

This last regular episode of “Seinfeld” was surrounded in controversy, thanks to a comical scene in which Kramer accidentally burns the Puerto Rican flag. Even though the episode was clearly not intending to mock Puerto Ricans in any way, some civil rights groups were outraged, or at least pretended to be in order to get on TV. The episode was banned from syndication for years, and some broadcasters, including TBS, still refuse to show it. Somehow, they feel crap like “Are We There Yet” is less insulting.

The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson – “The Simpsons” (Sept. 21, 1997)

In this notable episode of “The Simpson’s,” Homer must travel to New York City to retrieve his car. When it aired in 1997, no one thought anything of the fact that the car was left at the World Trade Center. But four years later, after a bunch of assholes flew planes into the famous landmark, Fox pulled it from syndication. In recent years, someone must have figured out that keeping the episode off the air served absolutely no purpose, and it has been gradually reworked into reruns.

When You Wish Upon a Weinstein – “Family Guy” (Nov. 9, 2003)

This episode of “Family Guy” should have aired in 2000. Unfortunately, Fox decided the content would be too offensive. The plot involved Peter converting to Judaism in order to become more financially successful, and contains the classic “Family Guy” song, “I need a Jew.” The episode was included on the 3rd season DVD set, and eventually aired on Cartoon Network three years later. Eventually, Fox broke down and aired the episode as well.

Bill Hick’s Stand-up – “The Late Show With David Letterman (October 1, 1993)

This entry doesn’t involve an entire episode, but rather a segment of the show. Even so, close to 20 years later, people are still talking about it. Bill Hicks, who is considered a legend in the world of stand-up comedy, performed on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” only to have his entire set edited out. One joke in particular (“if Jesus came back he might not want to see so many crosses”) scared both Letterman and the network enough to pull the plug. In January of 2009, Letterman had Hick’s mom on the show, and apologized for the way the situation was handled. Hick’s himself could not be there to accept, since he died of cancer in 1994)

Home – “The X Files” (Oct. 11, 1996)

This famous episode of “The X Files” featured dead babies, incest, deformities and murder. What’s not to like? Oh, right: the dead babies, incest, deformities and murder. Although the show was well received by critics and fans alike, it was banned from reruns by the network.

Gif Recap: ‘Community’ – Born Again

Community: Born Again

TV recaps can be the worst. After all, reading about a show defeats the entire purpose. If I wanted to “think,” I wouldn’t be watching television to begin with. But if I miss an episode, and I don’t have time to find it online, recaps are the only option. And there’s nothing sadder than being forced to read a thousand-word summary just to find out who was voted off “Top Chef.” If only someone offered the mindlessness of television without all the over-analysis of your average recap. Now someone does!

Behold; Screen Junkies is proud to present the Gif Recap! It’s the next best thing to watching! Today’s installment: “Community” – Born Again.

With Professor Duncan back on the sauce, anthropology class is a whole lot easier for everyone involved, much to the dismay of Annie. After voicing her concern that Duncan’s “everyone gets an A” grading scale isn’t fair to those who actually study, the professor instructs the other students to throw paper balls at her head until she sits down. They are happy to oblige.

When Professor Duncan threatens to give Shirley an A minus for not drinking with the rest of the class, she reminds him that she is pregnant. Chang, the child’s suspected father, tells her not to worry, since Chang babies “love the sauce,” referring to both alcohol and duck.

Shortly there after, Shirley goes into labor. To make matters worse, the Dean stops by with a reporter from “Dean Magazine.” Attempts to call an ambulance prove futile, as a race riot (or as the Dean calls it, a “race kerfuffle”) has broken out at the international food festival in the parking lot. Britta attempts to step in and save the day, but the sight of Shirley’s nether region proves too grotesque.

While the birth is underway, Abed and Troy have bigger fish to fry. Pierce has offered the duo a thousand dollars for the rights to use their special handshake. The two break down and accept, but feel used after Pierce forces them to shake after a reference to the long-dead actress “Betty Grable!” Now that they have sold out the handshake, they find it is no longer special, much to Pierce’s delight.

Meanwhile, the dean tries to help Shirley deliver her child. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a clue as to what he is doing. Abed turns out to be an expert on the matter of child birth, but Shirley is uncomfortable with a man examining her vagina.

As such, Britta is forced to overcome her fears and step up to the plate. Chang also helps out, calming Shirley down with tales of “baby Chang” child births involving labor camps, pickle barrels and a treadmill at a Bally’s Total Fitness.

Just before the baby is born, Andre (Shirley’s husband) arrives along with some EMTs. But Britta waves them off, and delivers the child on her own. Chang is disappointed to find that the child is not his. He can tell because it lacks a tail, something all baby Changs are born with. However, he bows out gracefully, and Shirley rewards him for his help by naming her new son Ben. Troy and Abed also find that their handshake is still special if used at a special moment.

In the end, even the Dean finds happiness. Despite the chaos and the “race kerfuffle,” the reporter agrees to write a glowing story about him for “Dean Magazine,” the prospect of which causes the Dean to jump for joy. Unfortunately, the magazine folds after only two issues, and is widely panned as the worst magazine idea ever.

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*How Krasinski Said Goodbye To Carell On ‘The Office’*

We’ve known Michael Scott was leaving Dunder Mifflin for awhile, so we’ve had time to mentally prepare ourselves. The cast of “The Office” has known even longer, but they weren’t prepared to get emotional on Steve Carell’s last day. While promoting the romantic comedy Something Borrowed, John Krasinski shared his own tearful farewell.

(Click Here To See Video Of Will Ferrell’s Debut On “The Office.”)

“I definitely cried on the last day,” Krasinski said. “Wasn’t expecting it and then the last scene of the day was our goodbye of characters. We hadn’t said goodbye and so that was an incredibly existential black hole. It was like way too much happening. So there were definitely tears.”

The show has wrapped for the season but it was several weeks ago that Carell wrapped. Krasinski describes his feelings graphically. “Brutal, in no uncertain terms which I only say because it wasn’t so clear when it was happening. I think I was under the impression of my logical brain saying, ‘This is just what happens. People move on and they have contracts that expire and there’s nothing personal’. Then you realize that a huge part of your show, a huge part of your everyday life, a huge part of the energy around you every day is gone. It’s just sad to lose a friend like that. It was tough but it’s all fantastic and our energy level on set is tremendous and we all feel incredibly excited about what’s to come. Everybody was talking about a spinoff 2 ½, three years ago. This is the show sans Steve. It’s ‘The Office 2.’”

When Will Ferrell appeared last week as the new boss, Jim and Pam’s storyline had them showing off their baby a little too much for his tastes. They won’t beat that joke any further. Instead they’ll find all new ways to annoy their new boss.

“No, I think that played out in the episode, or at least was highlighted in that episode and we definitely find other relationship avenues to take.”

“The Office” airs Thursday nights at 9 on NBC.