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Reviews
Rocket Power (1998)
The California Life
It helps to have grown up in Southern California. A lot of the reviews are right in saying that this is not an overly powerful show but being a kid in this region is different than anywhere else in the country, especially along the coast, and Rocket Power comes close to capturing it. Rocket Power is very nostalgic for those of us who miss surfing the summer days away and grabbing a fish taco or two. My favorite character by far was Tito Makani in all his Hawaiian wisdom. Every group of kids needs someone to bestow knowledge of life on them and Tito was that guy and he was directly involved in the best moment of the show. I remember how hard it was learning to surf and Sam just couldn't get it. Tito comes along a gives him a gigantic board that was best suited for Sam's frame. He wouldn't have gotten a grasp of surfing that quickly after but nonetheless, Tito came through again.
The Hangover (2009)
Tremendous feat worth remembering
Here's the thing about this film. Yes it is vulgar and offensive, we know that and it's no surprise, however, it is also a comedic masterpiece and a very well made movie from the acting to the score (the music fit the scenes beautifully and the songs don't have to be obscure and artful creations to do that). Each character is vivid and unique, especially Carlos (how about that acting job), with the exception of maybe Mr. Chow, who I still liked. Zach Galifianakis, somehow, continues to do a tremendous job bouncing between television, the big screen and stand up. The comedy flows freely and is very rarely forced, plus it poked some fun at other movies like 21, when Alan went on his card counting rampage, without being ridiculously over the top like the epic movies of the world. What impressed me about this film compared to other half-hearted comedies is how the humor comes about. For instance, a mediocre comedy may have Stu losing his tooth in some freak drunken accident that has you chuckling and saying that was okay, but in The Hangover, Stu's friend bet him he wasn't a good enough dentist to pull out his own tooth, which he may have done to prove he was a real doctor, which was an issue throughout (maybe that's looking to deep into it though), he was... well you know. It was small punch lines like that that helped move the story along. As for the story itself, it's been done. Four friends, sort of, go to Vegas for a bachelors party and craziness ensues. Although, the path the film took was so innovative that you won't care.