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SXSW - Plain Jane writes in on the new HAROLD & KUMAR, THE ORDER OF MYTHS, 21 and SUPER HIGH ME!!!
Hey folks, Harry here... Plain Jane (who is anything but plain) is chiming in for her second year of SXSW coverage and comes out swinging with 4 films reviewed below... Dig in...
Hey AICN! Here's some quick coverage of what I've seen so far at SXSW. Like others who have already been posted, I kicked off the fest with "Super High Me."
It really was the perfect start to the week, if only because I got to hear my mom's reaction on the phone when I told her that the first film I was seeing was a documentary about a guy who smokes weed 24/7. Doug Benson is a real "trooper" in the film, jokingly taking one for the team and all in the name of science. "Super High Me" does a great job of investigating the supposed negative effects of marijuana. Interestingly enough, the only negative Benson experiences from smoking weed for 30 days straight is gaining 8 pounds. Otherwise, he actually performs a few points better on an SAT test and even ups his sperm count.
The film uses Benson's stand-up to commentate on the experiment and on America's use of marijuana. This provides for a lot of great backstage antics from other comedians who pop up in the film, such as Greg Proops, Brian Posehn, Patton Oswald, Rob Huebel, Rob Riggle, and Sarah Silverman.
"Super High Me" also looks at the growing amount of dispensaries in California, the patients who frequent them, and the DEA agents who raid them with unsigned warrants. The film labels it a states' rights issue and uses the seriousness of the raids to nicely complement the hilarity of the super high Benson. In short, "Super High Me" reminded me why documentaries are my favorite part of SXSW.
"21"
I am in complete and utter shock that Robert Luketic, who directed this film, also gave the world "Monster in Law." No wonder he thanked the studio for believing in him before the screening. "21" is a wonderfully shot, written, and edited film. It's probably one of the better Vegas films in recent years simply because it's based in fact, making the film that much more extraordinary.
"21" is based on the true story of the MIT students who got counting cards down to an art and took their craft to Vegas. Jim Sturgess ("Across the Universe") plays Ben Campbell, the new kid on the team who just wants to make enough money to pay his way through Harvard Medical School. The film shows Ben not only learning to count cards, but gaining street smarts and life experience as well.
The film looks great, especially thanks to computer imagery putting a focus on individual cards on tables. Vegas never looked so inviting. The cast is also outstanding- Spacey and Fishburne deliver as the team's faculty advisor of sorts and a casino loss manager, respectively. I thought all of the members of the team, including Kate Bosworth and Sturgess, did a great job as well. So often, college characters are fit into individual stereotypes (Thanks, "Diary of the Dead") but the focus here is on the teamwork and camaraderie with individual quirks serving to flesh out the roles. Sturgess obviously has some trouble with an American accent, but it's not enough of a problem to distract from this otherwise supremely entertaining movie.
"The Order of Myths"
Margaret Brown directed this documentary about segregation in Mardi Gras celebrations in Mobile, Alabama. Brown, an Alabama native, tackles this subject (which obviously hit close to home for her) with a fearless curiosity. Brown follows the Mardi Gras kings and queens of the two Mardi Gras associations in town, the all-white MCA and the all-black MAMGA.
The film features some shocking sights: white parades refusing to throw beads to black parade-goers, white society's general ignoring of anyone of color at social functions, and the black Mardi Gras queen realizing that her ancestors were brought to America on the white queen's ancestors' slave ship. Though the film spotlights the 2007 celebration as being partially integrated (the white royalty pay a visit to the black coronation and vice versa), both groups have no problem telling the camera that they like things the way they are.
Brown's voice comes through loud and clear in this documentary, particularly her disdain for the practice of debutante balls in general. One white participant in the film, Brittain Youngblood, generally disapproves of being a debutante but points to her mother as making her do it. Youngblood makes an effort to befriend the black servers at the all-white functions and discusses her disgust with the segregation in the town.
Overall, "The Order of Myths" is one of the most interesting documentaries I've ever seen at SXSW, simply through the way the issue was presented (and without a "solution") and the obvious connection the filmmaker felt with the subjects.
"Harold and Kumar: Escape from Guantanamo Bay"
I have never seen an audience so jazzed about a movie than the one that saw "Harold and Kumar" tonight. The air was practically electric during the film- almost every joke scored as the laughs were sometimes so long and loud that the next joke flew by unnoticed. Directors and writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg have really one-upped themselves by making a worthy sequel to the original cult hit.
The film begins immediately after the first one ends and jumps right back into pot-related shenanigans. On their way to Amsterdam, our heroes (John Cho and Kal Penn) are caught with a bong on the airplane. Security assumes it's a bomb and that Harold and Kumar are terrorists. Rob Corddry plays an ignorant Homeland Security officer that sends the boys off to Guantanamo Bay. The duo quickly escape and get back to America, where they travel the country trying to figure out a way to clear their name. In the meantime, both Harold and Kumar reflect on loves lost, racism in America, the nature of friendship and other crucial issues. And, of course, they meet up with Neil Patrick Harris.
Surprisingly enough, the premise of Harold and Kumar getting into situations where they expect one thing or person and get something completely different hasn't gotten old. The sequel finds new ways to deliver variations on the punchline and make it relevant to today's societal issues. But don't let the political intelligence of the film turn off anyone looking for a raunchy, gross-out comedy- the movie earns its R rating, featuring a number of sights that got some very... disgusted yet amused vocal reactions from the audience.
The "Harold and Kumar" sequel is definitely worth seeing, especially if you can view it with an audience as responsive as last night's. And, above all, be sure to stay until after the credits.
I'll be back with more once I see more films worth talking about!
Until then,
Plain Jane
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yes now i can die a happy man
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Welcome back, Jane!
I'll go see Harold and Kumar, but that's about it from here. At least I know exactly what I'm getting - big , dumb, stupid shit. But (hopefully) funny big, dumb, stupid shit!
Marley Biopic!
http://tinyurl.com/3apz6p -
Sorry, 30 days isn't enough time to determine the real effects...every pot smoker I know has been left with no short term memory. I've yet to see the benefits.
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I suppose there are benefits from being addicted to alcohol and smoking cigs?
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I know it. You know it. She knows it.
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My wife has Post Polio Syndrome - look it up retards. She has to take a bag full of chemicals each day to get through it, but the only drug that really helps her is pot. It makes her relax, the pain subsides for a while, and she can see thru the fog again. But it's illegal in our state, and they don't have clubs here, so she has to get it through, uh, suppliers. Man, drug control in the States is so fucked up.
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It won the Teddy at the Berlin Festival but was totally ignored by the press.
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The last couple reviewers said it was terrible.
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and I have pretty much every day for the last 10 years. I am about to get my PhD and already have several publications in peer reviewed journals. Remember what Kumar told Harold: "Since when has getting high ever prevented you from doing your work?"
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From "A Child's Garden of Grass: The Official Handbook for Marijuana Users":
The Dangers of using grass are:
1. Getting busted. -
might be interesting but looks like nothing else worth seeing dvd rentals. More movies about how ignorant we dumb and rascist all white Americans are and how clever hollywood is. Kind played out no??? Isn't a black guy with Hussein as a middle name winning in tiny little bible belt states?? I'm from Chicago and not a real religous guy but I am tired of hollywood ripping these people to sheds all the time because they have different views. These are the mostly hardworking people who have sons and daughters overseas right now fighting in sand. Alot of them go to church and alot of them are more concerned with raising their kids right than personal self indulgance. Hollywood can't understand that becuse they are so overly self indulgant. They call these people racsist or intolerant and snicker at the dumb hopeless types forced to join the military and try to lump them together as all that is evil in the world. It's all dumb America's fault, but we're differnt see look Europe we make movies about how corrupt and stupid most American's are. We make Anti-military films and if no one goes to see them it's dumb America's fault. To even joke about Guantanimo Bay where many of the world's most heinous viscous shitheads are jailed. People that would gladly slit the throat of every jew for their own perverted form of Islam. How sad. Fuck Harold and Kumar, Cheech and Chong did it way better anyway.
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This is a phrase many people use to indicate that a person or group of people are decent, but simply going to church does not make one moral or good, and some church goers are the most evil people out there, but they go simply to absolve themselves of their guilt and to feel self-righteous and use religion as a means to condemn others. Same thing goes for the quote "Alot of them have kids fighting in the sand". And I'm sure you mean Iraq and not in their backyard sandboxes, and again, fighting a war does not make a person a hero or decent. Going overseas to kill people is sad, and sad for their parents, but it says nothing about their decency one way or another.
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It's "a lot".
Pet peeve dealt with.
Oh and to HaroldandKumarforPresident, let me see if I got this straight- you smoke pot every day and you're going for your PHD AND you obviously love Harold and Kumar AND you're hanging out at Aint It Cool. Hmmm, I buy that....I really do. -
Is that it's directed by the writers. I loved the first one, but why would the studio allow the writers to direct it? Wasn't the original a pretty big hit on DVD? Surely there is going to be an audience for this film.
STUDIO EXECUTIVE: Hey, lets give this film to a couple of writers who have never directed anything. Thats a sure-fire way to make a quality film.
I'll still go, but my expectations are not very high. -
Yeah, Harold and Kumar 2 is god-awful. I'm a fan of how crazy, off-the-wall ridiculous the first one is, but this one's a sad cash-grab. Don't waste your money. The only funny part is NPH doing mushrooms and seeing a unicorn.
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...That its pretty much part of the english lexicon now. The pot smoking issue seems quite contentious with you yanks. Both sides equally ignorant and straight up full of shit. No damage at all? I'd smoked pretty much constantly for 8 years of my life. Its probally on par with drinking for 4 years of your life. Sure, in moderation its about as harmful for you as watching the news, but chronic use is going to fuck your lungs up. Its not terribly good for your work performance if you go to work high, as I did frequantly, but its not as poorly as going into work drunk. On the other side, why the fuck do you people give a shit if someone smokes weed or not? I don't see how its anyone elses business. They want to develop lung cancer, let em. Besides, if it was legal, you would see alot more healthy options, like vaporizers or baking.
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Because most of you did not see the first one in theaters. For those of you that liked the first one, have faith. Obviously you did not think "White Castle" would be funny (or you're just racists) and it was hysterical. So instead of catching a good comedy in theaters, you waited to see it for free, and "surprise, surprise" you loved it. So why not now show a little support. Lets face it, comedy is best as a shared experience. Crack your wallets, and go see it in theaters with other people. You cheap bastards!
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Since it seems obvious to everyone but you the reason I give a shit if someone smokes pot or not is that that someone could very well be driving or operating a vehicle of some sort or any other number of examples I could give. Understand now or do you need it all spelled out for you?
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Is this like Woodstock?
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I went in to harold and kumar with very low expectations and absolutely loved it.laughed my ass off.i'm glad 2 hear the sequel wont be a let down.smoke'm if u got em
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So a stoner is going 400 miles an hour and thinks he's in hyperspace, that means you go around him. A driver could have been up all night and would be more dangerous. A driver could be fighting an escaped cobra in his pants and serve and hit you. Do you really cower in fear that much? Sorry but the only reason pot is illegal is because Henry J Anslinger wanted to control mexicans in the 30's. The reason it STAYS illegal is because the medical, paper, and countless other industries would lose a shitton of money. And really, my roomate has cancer and the ONLY thing that gets the poor bastard through the day is smoking weed. You'll never convince me weed is bad after I see this guy who can't even talk or move without pain bleeding from his mouth until he smokes weed and can actually be like a person again who can laugh without crying in pain. Fuck your self rightousness.
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and remembered what he did?
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Wasn't this originally released as Harold and Kumar go to Europe? It was released then pulled now back out and renamed.
And weren't those MIT students Asian? You know the card counters in vegas.
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The fact of the matter is that Marijuana does not impair in the way you think it does. In fact, most people can pass a drunk driving roadside test while stoned. Also, a drug being legal or illegal is not in any way relevant to a person operating a vehicle while using it. That is a tangential argument at best.
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...Your going to need to spell it out. People could be drinking, masturbating, being a fucking idiot (the number one cause of crashes) or sleeping in the car driving alongside you. People could be stoned NOW, even though its an illegal substance. It wont make a difference wether its legal or not. It may take some cops off of the useless duties involved in drug related criminal investigations and put them on the road, where they can look out for affected or incomptent drivers, however. Bonus note, I'd find it next to impossible to crash stoned, since on the rare occasions I do drive smashed, I'm retardedly extra careful. Skywalker, thanks for adding to my confusion. Why would someone have blackouts when high?
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The first movie to effectively address "white" stereotypes. Very funny stuff. Got to love it.
As far as the Bush statement; I have no clue what that's suppose to mean. Are you making a statement and just asking a question?
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