The Hangover Phenomenon Continues

[mhansen]

Burbank, CA, January 6, 2010 - Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures' smash hit The Hangover has added another milestone to its record-breaking 2009 run. Since its release on Blu-ray and DVD on December 15th 2009 the film has become the #1 comedy of all time on the DVD charts with combined consumer and rental sales topping 8.6 million units with 1.5 million units coming from Blu-ray purchases. Strong sales are expected to continue bringing the six-month estimate to 9.5 million units.

The Hangover was the box office surprise hit of 2009, earning more than $467 million worldwide during its theatrical run, making it the highest-grossing R-rated comedy of all time. Currently the film is nominated by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for a Golden Globe in the category Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical. It also received a Critics’ Choice Award nomination for Best Comedy, and was named one of the Top Ten films of the year by AFI.

[Boba Fett]

This and "Avatar" prove the general public's taste is spiraling downward more and more each year

[Eric Profancik]

That's a bit harsh, Boba. I mean "Hangover" is funny but not the funniest movie of all time. "Avatar" is decent but not a great or new story, but those effects are new and worth a visit to the theater to see. Granted most of us go to be entertained, and I can think of many a movie worse than these two to be so popular. "Twilight" anyone?

[Bill Treadway]

Granted most of us go to be entertained, and I can think of many a movie worse than these two to be so popular. "Twilight" anyone?

The Ugly Truth

[the5thghostbuster]

This and "Avatar" prove the general public's taste is spiraling downward more and more each year

The problem with this thinking is tht it runs on some sort of assumption that somehow there was a golden period where people only ever saw "good" films. Sorry, but even in the creative burst of the 1960s to mid 70s, large scale blockbusters, dumb comedies and formula films were driving the box office just as much as they do now. Same with the classic Hollywood period.

Great films will rise to the top and survive, one way or another. I have yet to see THE HANGOVER or AVATAR, but if they are bad films, then I am sure time will push them to the way side.

[Boba Fett]

That's a bit harsh, Boba. I mean "Hangover" is funny but not the funniest movie of all time. "Avatar" is decent but not a great or new story, but those effects are new and worth a visit to the theater to see. Granted most of us go to be entertained, and I can think of many a movie worse than these two to be so popular. "Twilight" anyone?

I'll defend "Twilight" before I'll defend "Avatar." "Twilight" may be a C+/B- level film, but for it's intended demographic it's far better than most of the morally bankrupt drivel that's marketed.

Like you said though, "Hangover" is merely a funny movie. I'll say it has a few moments, but the sales figures are telling me people are treating it like it's the funniest movie ever made.

"Avatar" is equally baffling; like the guys said on the latest episode of the Filibuster, it is definitely worth seeing in the theater in 3D, but a lot of those tickets sold are from the 2D version. I can guarantee you if I had seen the movie in 2D, I'd have been very pissed at the end result. The 3D effects really are it's only redeeming quality.

[Dan Mancini]

Like you said though, "Hangover" is merely a funny movie. I'll say it has a few moments, but the sales figures are telling me people are treating it like it's the funniest movie ever made.

I was pleasantly surprised by The Hangover. Based on the ads, it looked like a standard gross-out comedy in the 40-Year-Old Virgin / Superbad vein (both of which I thought were hilarious, by the way). I found it a lot more subtle and, yes, funny. It's like Superbad for dudes who have managed to claw their way out of adolescence and make something of a go at actual adulthood.

I don't see the need to own it on DVD or Blu, though.

[Boba Fett]

Like you said though, "Hangover" is merely a funny movie. I'll say it has a few moments, but the sales figures are telling me people are treating it like it's the funniest movie ever made.

I was pleasantly surprised by The Hangover. Based on the ads, it looked like a standard gross-out comedy in the 40-Year-Old Virgin / Superbad vein (both of which I thought were hilarious, by the way). I found it a lot more subtle and, yes, funny. It's like Superbad for dudes who have managed to claw their way out of adolescence and make something of a go at actual adulthood.

I don't see the need to own it on DVD or Blu, though.

Maybe it's just me then, as I despise the Apatow films you mentioned. I honestly can't stomach anything on the big screen Apatow has written and/or directed with the notable exception of "Pineapple Express."

[Steve T Power]

Like you said though, "Hangover" is merely a funny movie. I'll say it has a few moments, but the sales figures are telling me people are treating it like it's the funniest movie ever made.

I was pleasantly surprised by The Hangover. Based on the ads, it looked like a standard gross-out comedy in the 40-Year-Old Virgin / Superbad vein (both of which I thought were hilarious, by the way). I found it a lot more subtle and, yes, funny. It's like Superbad for dudes who have managed to claw their way out of adolescence and make something of a go at actual adulthood.

I don't see the need to own it on DVD or Blu, though.

Maybe it's just me then, as I despise the Apatow films you mentioned. I honestly can't stomach anything on the big screen Apatow has written and/or directed with the notable exception of "Pineapple Express."

I think it just might be. Then again, i wasn't the biggest fan either. But then, Comedy just isn't the same for me without Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.

[Dan Mancini]

But then, Comedy just isn't the same for me without Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.

There's nothing frickin' funny about Nick Angel, buck-o. He's all business, all the time.

[Steve T Power]

But then, Comedy just isn't the same for me without Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.

There's nothing frickin' funny about Nick Angel, buck-o. He's all business, all the time.

Your problem Dan is you don't know when to switch off. *scurries with giant stuffed monkey*

[Dan Mancini]

But then, Comedy just isn't the same for me without Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.

There's nothing frickin' funny about Nick Angel, buck-o. He's all business, all the time.

Your problem Dan is you don't know when to switch off. *scurries with giant stuffed monkey*

All right. Pipe down, biggun'.

[ckulik]

Like you said though, "Hangover" is merely a funny movie. I'll say it has a few moments, but the sales figures are telling me people are treating it like it's the funniest movie ever made.

I was pleasantly surprised by The Hangover. Based on the ads, it looked like a standard gross-out comedy in the 40-Year-Old Virgin / Superbad vein (both of which I thought were hilarious, by the way). I found it a lot more subtle and, yes, funny. It's like Superbad for dudes who have managed to claw their way out of adolescence and make something of a go at actual adulthood.

I don't see the need to own it on DVD or Blu, though.

Maybe it's just me then, as I despise the Apatow films you mentioned. I honestly can't stomach anything on the big screen Apatow has written and/or directed with the notable exception of "Pineapple Express."

Not even Forgetting Sarah Marshall? I agree 40 Year Old Virgin and most of the other Apatow are other flicks are overrated to a certain extent, mostly because he hires shitty editors. But Forgetting Sarah Marshall was something I really took to, as it wasn't concerned with always grossing out the audience and telling a love story in a contrived manner. Like Richard Roeper, I think it has distant echoes of Blake Edward's 10, but packaged in such a clever and ingratiating way.