Movies

When The Hangover was released in 2009, nobody was expecting much from the comedy starring three under-the-radar actors — which is exactly why the surprisingly hilarious and original film took the world by storm and killed it at the box office. Fast-forward four years, and we're upon the release of The Hangover Part III, which suffers from the opposite effect. The film is highly anticipated by fans hoping to re-create the magic of the original (and forget Part II), but aside from a few sporadic laughs, the film is another disappointing installment in a franchise that should have quit while it was ahead.

I have to give some credit to director Todd Phillips, who at least tried to go in a new direction with Part III. The "what happened last night?" formula showcased in the first two films is left behind this time, favoring a straight plotline centered on Alan (Zach Galifianakis) hitting rock bottom and the Wolfpack setting off on a road trip to get him to rehab. You don't need me to tell you that the plan goes terribly awry when Doug (Justin Bartha) is taken hostage and the guys are tasked with tracking down the elusive Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong). What you may not expect is that the story is so uneven that I actually found myself missing all the blacked-out-drunken drama. Without that element, it feels like one of the characters is missing from the movie.

To see what else I thought of The Hangover Part III, just read more

If you were hoping to see more of Jennifer Aniston's naughty side after her turn in Horrible Bosses, then the trailer for her new film, We're the Millers, is probably up your alley. Aniston stars as a stripper who agrees to go along on a mission with her drug-dealing neighbor (Jason Sudeikis), posing as said neighbor's wife. They also enlist a couple of random kids (one of which is played by Emma Roberts) to help them cross the border into Mexico.

The preview has a few laughs, and also feels a bit like a who's who of the comedy world, with appearances by Ed Helms, Kathryn Hahn, Ken Marino, and Nick Offerman. I support any project that breaks Aniston out of the typically cheesy romantic comedy formula, and let's face it: we all know she has a bikini bod that's worth flaunting, and there's plenty of that here. Plus, she and Sudeikis just might make a dysfunctional pair worth rooting for.

We're the Millers hits theaters Aug. 9, but check out the trailer when you read more

J.J. Abrams stopped by Conan this week to promote his new movie Star Trek Into Darkness. He also wanted to clear the air about a scene from the film that's creating controversy for briefly showing Alice Eve in her underwear. To settle the score, he brought a delete scene from the film that shows villain Benedict Cumberbatch shirtless in the shower. It's a quick look, but still pretty entertaining. Check it out:

James Franco's As I Lay Dying earned a standing ovation following its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, but while it shows promise for Franco's burgeoning directorial career, its stumbles highlight his newness to helming films.

William Faulkner's classic novel As I Lay Dying is a famously dense story about the destitute Bundren clan and their calamitous journey to lay their matriarch, Addie, to rest in Jefferson, MS. The trip unleashes a dismal chain of events that leaves them all somehow changed or scarred — sometimes physically.

It seems fitting that Franco, an actor-slash-author himself, would combine his love for film and literature in his feature-length directorial debut. And he does an impressive job unraveling the complex narrative, which in the book is told by 15 different characters and jumps vaguely backward and forward in time. Sure, there's no doubt that it's ambitious for a first-time filmmaker to take on one of the most acclaimed novels in American history, but at least Franco's devotion to, and admiration of, the source material is clear. He does well capturing its Southern Gothic sensibility, shooting in the mostly drab colors of the Great Depression and drawing appropriately beaten-down performances from his actors.

For the rest of my review, just read more.

Actor and all-around adorable person Joseph Gordon-Levitt is making his directorial debut with Don Jon (formerly titled Don Jon's Addiction), in which he stars as a guy with old-fashioned values — mostly. He prioritizes his family, his friends, his faith, but most of all his porn. When the normally womanizing Jon falls for hopeless romantic Barbara (Scarlett Johansson), he thinks he can juggle her and his secret addiction. Then she walks in on him in front of the computer, and he's not checking his email.

I know this doesn't sound like a traditionally romantic film, but the trailer is so damn charming! The movie seems quirky yet painfully honest, and how can you resist seeing Gordon-Levitt singing "Good Vibrations" to himself in the car? His cute personal message at the beginning about how important this film is to him doesn't hurt, either. The movie comes out on Oct. 18, and you can check out the trailer after the jump.

Vince Vaughn is about to have a whole lot of explaining to do. Actually, in the new teaser trailer for Delivery Man, it's the sperm donation clinic that is at fault for accidentally giving his, er, DNA to tons of women, resulting in 533 children. Yep, that's 533 children with one guy's genes. (I wonder if they're all as witty as Vaughn?) The movie doesn't come out for several months, but the quick teaser gives us a glimpse of Vaughn's reaction to finding out he's fathered all these kids and costar Chris Pratt as his lawyer.

I can't wait. I love Vaughn in almost everything (he's up next in The Internship with Owen Wilson), and this concept, though ludicrous, seems like a perfect fit for him. Plus, Pratt as a lawyer? Hilarious. I'm looking forward to the full trailer, in which we'll hopefully get to see Cobie Smulders as the love interest. The movie hits theaters Oct. 4, and you can watch the teaser trailer after the jump.