'THE HANGOVER 3' AND 'FAST AND FURIOUS 6'

'THE HANGOVER 3' (R) (2 STARS)

Written by Craig Mazin and Todd Phillips
Directed by Todd Phillips
Actors: Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Jutin Bartha, John Goodman, Ken Jeong, Heather Graham.

'FAST AND FURIOUS 6' (PG-13) (3 STARS)

Written by Chris Morgan based on characters created by Gary Scott Thompson
Directed by Justin Lin
Actors: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Gina Carano, Tyrese Gibson, Luke Evans, Jordanna Brewster, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges.

The business of sequels can be tricky but actually it is simple, do what you know how to do best and do it well. "The Hangover" creators stunningly forgot this while the creators of "Fast and Furious" have actually made their movies better after making a few terrible ones. "The Hangover 2" pretty much copied the formula of their original even though they failed in being funny. "The Hangover 3" doesn't even copy the formula, it becomes a bad drug dealer, action movie. Where is Will Smith and Martin Lawrence? "Fast and Furious 6" along with Part 5 are the best movies in the series rebounding from a dismal fourth movie. I admire that, it is a high octane and goofy but action packed and fun movie full of great fights and car crashes. I think the "Hangover" creators said this series is hopeless. Let's just be lazy and make a careless ending to get this series over with because our last two movies suck.

Let's start wih the arrogant Todd Phillips, director of "Hangover 3". The movie did not make me laugh at all except for a few chuckles all involving Zach Galfianakis. Ed Helm's straight man act has turned stale and Bradley Cooper is just cashing in a paycheck. Ken Jeong's Chow was funny in the original because the character came in small doses. Now his character is on too much and the writers write the character like they are homophobic, lots of unfunny and mean gay jokes here. The boys only go to Vegas after 45 minutes and get involved with a drug kingpin and then a lot of chases and shootouts ensue, all sloppy and boring. The "Wolfpack" don't even get drunk and chaos doesn't even break out like the first two movies until after the end credits. This is a lazy movie and only Galfianakis and our love of the characters save it from embarrasment.

"Fast and Furious 6" is definitely not lazy, in fact it is way over the top. This is goofy fun like it is trying to be a James Bond movie and I love it's nerve. It is way better at being an entertaining sequel than this year's horrible "Die Hard" sequel and makes the "Transfomers", "G.I. Joe" and "Pirates" sequels look like dumb and badly executed bores. The cars look awesome, the women are hot and beautiful, the action is well directed and easy to follow unlike the aforementioned sequels. I love a movie that isn't afraid to be goofy and make fun of itself and also gives us not one but two well choreographed fight scenes between two hot, beautiful women like Michelle Rodriguez and Gina Carano.

"Fast and Furious 6" is not trying to be a serious action movie and actually makes fun of itself and does the job of bringing us what we want and bringing it with great craft, skill and energy. It doesn't insult it's audience like "Hangover 3" does. I love all the action because it is clear and focused. Director Justin Lin has directed the last three movies and he has even gotten better with each film. How often do you see sequels that are actually much better than the movies that have come before it? This movie has the action goods and delivers so well plus I love the humor especially by Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris. They are funnier than anybody in "The Hangover 3". "Fast and Furious 6" is how you do a sequel right, it isn't that hard Hollywood,you have the big budgets and all the time.