La Navidad de Harold y Kumar

The original Harold & Kumar movie was great. The second was Ok, but not great. This one is worse. Not bad, just not as good as its predecessors. Mostly quite silly, though it does have its moments.

I have an affection for raunchy comedies and I love 3D so this marriage in "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas" definitely filled voids in places where most movies have been lacking as of late.

First and foremost, the movie was entertaining throughout with no dull moments. All the characters were great and Neil Patrick Harris was hysterical. Although some might think this film could be considered lowbrow, it really isn't because it was well written and the situations (as absurd as they are) work to even satisfy an intelligent viewer with a good time.

The 3D experience was better in this movie than most I've seen in years. It was consistent throughout, no eyestrain, very clean, and had some nice out-of-screen effects that paired well with the comedy.

As morally and politically incorrect this movie is; it ultimately does have a good message with a lot of heart and actually put me into the Holiday spirit! I know; I can't even believe I just stated that but sadly it's true. I'm definitely jaded, but then again aren't we all by now? Definitely a must see in 3D.

Once again, Harold and Kumar bring it with more completely original ideas that made me laugh like a maniac several times throughout the movie. These guys once again prove that anything can be funnier if you add weed and nudity. And the fact that Kal Penn can still make these movies and maintain a respectable reputation at the White House is hilarious enough as it is.

As good as this one was, however, it didn't really live up to the expectations that were set by "Guantanamo Bay". Maybe it's because when I saw that one, it was in a packed theatre at 10 pm with a bunch of stoners laughing their guts out at every single joke. As unappealing as that sounds (I wasn't stoned during this movie), it's those types of things that make movies THAT much better if you ask me. Laughing my butt off with 30 or more people, including a few random 14 year olds who needed to pretend they were with me in order to get in (true story) just wasn't the same.

Something that really bugged me was how NPH was barely used in this one. Although his picture actually made it poster this time, he wasn't really in it as much as I hoped. Come to think of it, many of the old jokes from "White Castle" and "Guantanamo Bay" weren't used at all.

And whether or not it was the theatre I went to, the 3D was disgraceful. I almost suggest seeing the 2D version: your eyes won't hurt, you'll save a few bucks, and you really won't miss anything.

But even though it may not have lived up to the previous ones, Harold and Kumar prove once again that as far as epic stoner comedies go, they can't be beat. This one left me sore from laughing, and with an itch to see more (even though, once again, I wasn't stoned). I strongly suggest you get a big group to go to this one; the more laughs around you, the funnier this movie will be.

And of course, there's nothing like getting into the Christmas spirit a little early. Especially if you celebrate Christmas like these guys.

I think part of the reason the first movie worked so well is because going to White Castle is, relatively, a very simple, ordinary trip. But when it's Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) it becomes a very wild adventure. I didn't enjoy the second one as much because escaping from Guantanamo Bay wouldn't be an easy task for anybody. For this third movie, Harold and Kumar are back to turn a routine errand into a hair-raising, hazardous experience. Harold has to decorate a Christmas tree.

But when Kumar comes over and accidentally burns down the tree, they then have to find a new one, steal it from a drug-lord gangster thug, try to not rape his daughter, crash a musical production of The Nutcracker, and limit the number of people they shoot and drug (to only Santa Claus and a baby).

The 3D is of course a gimmick. They know that; we know that. It involves joints coming out of the screen and eggs, blood, and guts. It is as juvenile and pointless as you can get. But that is the point.

The jokes are of course offensive. But, again, that's the point. It makes it okay when the out-and-proud Neil Patrick Harris makes gay jokes, or when Cho and Penn make racial jokes.

I enjoyed the journey that they take in "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas". Every time the baby found a new drug to imbibe, or Kumar smoked another joint, I laughed. It's the type of humour that has made the franchise so successful.

To put it simply, Harold and Kumar was incredibly funny. The movie is set six years after they escape from G bay (you must ignore the fact they haven't aged). For me to say this was just another Harold and Kumar movie would be unfair. I loved the first one. Simple premise with many jokes and characters along the way. Half of what made it funny was the fact Roldy and Kumar were going through this hell just to have some fast food. Escape from G bay had funny moments but them escaping a maximum security prison holding war criminals to reach America and regain their innocence? It was a little much. Don't get me wrong I still liked it but it felt like that magic was gone with the simplicity of the first. So when I saw the third was about to come out and it was a "christmas special" I felt hopeful for a good one but not confident.

The third instalment had that simplicity again. Yes, there was new characters and the 3D was new but they all worked so perfectly. Yes certain things were dumb and even weird like the fake baby Jesus winking at me or a coked up baby running around on the ceiling but its that kind of movie! They were going through hell once again to simply find a Christmas tree. The new characters were very funny and the old jokes and characters were seen and told in a new way (unlike Hangover 2). Another new character was the use of 3D in this instalment. It was incredible, and not just the smoke and coke flying at me but characters acknowledging it and poking fun. Bottom line is its OK to be apprehensive because the second one was just alright and a comedy like this in 3D could be thought of as being corny and trying to hard but they pulled it off perfectly. Harold and Kumar is dumb fun and for what it is this is a great comedy. Just make sure you catch it in 3D! Read my other reviews at rollginreviews.blogspot.com