While I admit that I enjoyed this film two days in a row this week, there were some flaws that made it just slightly unbelievable.

I’m breaking with tradition here, as I’ve tried in the past to keep up with myself by keeping posting order consistent with viewing order, but I feel compelled to write something about this film, having spent unprecedented consecutive days in its company. Well, it’s not completely unprecedented, I suppose. When I was in junior high, I spent an entire summer watching Labyrinth each and every day. Additionally, I’m pretty sure I watched Aliens at least once daily for a couple weeks at some point during my shimmery and brilliant youth. And suddenly I’m realizing that 1986 was a good year for the development of my obsessive compulsiveness. At any rate, Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay is in some fairly prestigious company. Still, I think it may be a first for a theatrical release. But enough about me.

Yeah, right. Cracka‘s most recent appearance here in the vaunted halls of MediaSlave are proof that, if I keep whining and pleading without any thought of cease, someone will pay attention, momentarily. And, as has oft been the case lately, it was she who provided me not only with her usual good company, but also bore witness to my having seen H&K2 (that first time). This is more valuable than you might think, as I have begun to question whether things have actually happened when nobody is with me. I have an entire trip to Japan that I can only account for with weird photos of toys. You can call me Schrodinger’s Bear. Or you can continue forgetting to call me altogether and carry on living your life, too. It seems to be of little consequence either way.

I think it’s obvious that I liked the movie. I mean, I can’t possibly be that bored or desperate to get away from my apartment and the soul-crushing weight of emptiness and web development that awaits me there, can I? Nope. I just like a good Asian-American romp every four years or so, and this one was even better than the first. I say that even acknowledging that immediately after seeing the original adventure, in an attempt to capture a similar magic, I unsuccessfully tried to befriend each and every remotely Indian stranger with whom I crossed paths, initially enchanted but later simply undaunted by their curiously spicy fragrance. Alas, my search ended unfulfilled. But I can say that, for all its ridiculousness, the movie seemed to have some kind of impact on the mainstream audience (and me, too) regarding perceptions of Asian-American identity. Truth be told, I used to have a treasured confidant with whom I enjoyed entertaining such tangents, but without whom such inklings of mine remain scattered and undeveloped, so I guess I’ll abandon my attempt to legitimize the film.

Instead, lets talk about how it’s totally fake-y. Er and I were having trouble with the name of the movie, feeling slightly mislead (although I won’t say why, exactly). We offered alternatives, such as Harold & Kumar Ride a Boat, Harold & Kumar Pet a Deer, Harold & Kumar Visit a Whorehouse or Harold & Kumar Don’t Ride a Cheetah. But on further reflection (and an inappropriately discerning review of the original film) I think Harold & Kumar Wander into a Wormhole would be a better title. The sequel picks up immediately after the first movie (immeasurably more successfully than Hostel: Part II recently attempted), but somehow Harold has a black MacBook, and the world seems to have been regrettably purged of extreme skate punks. Me? Well, if given the choice, I would have clung to 2004 like grim, unrelenting death.

This entry was posted by eugene on Friday, May 2nd, 2008 at 2:43 pm and is filed under american, movies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.