A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas (2011)

Admirable film.

It is both painfully honest and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

When A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas was originally released four years ago, I was kind of disappointed with it. Being a huge fan of the first movie and having enjoyed the second one well enough, I had surprisingly high hopes for this one given that it was an R-rated Christmas comedy, something that is not particularly common. Upon first viewing, I was left with the feeling that the movie was just more of the same. Harold has to stand up for himself again. Harold and Kumar get chased again by guys who are after them. Harold and Kumar run into Neil Patrick Harris again. I laughed enough, but I didn't think the film was anywhere near as funny or fresh as the first two.Having now seen the movie a few more times since,I can't say that all the repetition bothers me anymore. Yes, some of the repetition is obvious and unnecessary, but not nearly to the degree of 90% of other sequels. Truly, the one real major story problem in the movie is that for a film with Harold & Kumar in the title, the duo spends a bit too much time apart in the first act. The focus on Harold and Kumar's new friends is a little frustrating at times, especially considering how the characters seem to be written with the purpose of being intentionally annoying. When Harold and Kumar do finally reunite, the film really picks up speed, and remains quite consistently entertaining throughout with lots of memorable moments. Some of the highlights of the highlights include Jake Johnson as Jesus, the claymation freak-out sequence, and any scene with Wafflebot, maybe one of the dumbest yet funniest things ever captured on film. There's such a great energy to the proceedings that even when a scene isn't laugh-out-loud hilarious, it's always pleasant/enjoyable to watch.One of the more interesting aspects of the Harold and Kumar trilogy is the different tones of each movie. Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, despite featuring a scene in which the title characters ride a cheetah, was somewhat grounded in the real world for most of its running time. Harold & Kumar Escape Guantanmo Bay was pretty much a full-blown cartoon, and over-the-top to a fault. A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas has perhaps the most interesting tone of the trilogy. The film takes Harold and Kumar's friendship seriously with real heart, yet there are fantastical elements, such the inclusion of Santa in the finale. Despite all the raunchiness and occasional comic gore, the film genuinely seems to capture the tone of an old holiday special, one that is definitely not for children. The tone of this movie alone makes it fairly unique as I can't think of any other comedy with a similar feeling.Obviously one of the main selling point was that it was originally presented in 3D. There are few comedies that are in 3D, and I must admit that the 3D was the best part of seeing the film in theaters. The filmmakers had a blast making fun of the gimmick of 3D while exploiting its very nature. Some of this is quite funny. The Bobby Lee scene alone always makes me laugh more than it probably should. Occasionally though, the 3D technique comes off as distracting at times when watched in standard format. This doesn't destroy any scenes entirely, but it does stick out like a sore thumb on a handful of occasions. The overall film itself at least has a distinct visual style even without the 3D aspect, which also helps gives the stoner sequel more atmosphere than the lowbrow material probably deserves.I highly doubt there will ever been another Harold & Kumar flick as John Cho and Kal Penn are both probably too old to play these characters, not that such a fact would stop me from wanting to see a fourth installment. Cho and Penn have made Harold & Kumar the best comedic duo of the modern era. As a final chapter for the characters, A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas is a satisfying conclusion, and is the most memorable Christmas comedy of the past decade. 7/10

What do you call someone who's crazy about drugs, sex and cursing ? You may call him pathetic or creepy. I may call him A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas ! This is exploitative movie, and worst than the worse exploitative movies ever. At least exploitative movies weren't made with millions, in 3D, or sold worldwide ! There is nothing serious to talk about. Because the writers of it did a story with thin plot, made a meaning about returning to your old pal, then immersed it in a movie chock-full of filth. All the kinds of filth.The list contains : A foul language, with the F word being said, in the most hellishly tedious ways, for every 10 seconds. Doing drugs; marijuana, weed, and coke. Sex with various activities. Tons of male and female nudity. Nasty stuff; like urine, feces and possible semen. Even violence with someone having a big bloody hole in his head. So it's not only filth; it's filth with extravagance. And the question here is; when and how does filth become entertaining ???????????Hollywood is a merchant; namely a huge establishment which if discovered that shooting air is profitable, then would hire Oscar winning directors to shoot it, and get to sell it internationally. So I'm sure that a considerable number of viewers, all over the world, has become in love with this hideousness. Therefore Hollywood used to produce it diligently, no matter how conservative persons like me would refuse that, calling it a mean way to make profits, or a vile excuse to make a movie ! Maybe it's aimed at every stoned Harold & Kumar out there, or the ones who secretly love being them, or the ones who want to forget their troubled complicated life (like the ones in the movie who were protesting "Down with Wall Street" !), or simply the spoiled teens to indulge their twisted lusts. However, the movie this way sounds and feels like a real drug. Heck. At times while watching it, it sounded and felt like I was having obnoxious drugs, among squalid people ! The 3D is annoying, and a new way to sell the Harold & Kumar joke for a third time. John Cho and Kal Penn do nothing but smocking weed, getting nude in clay animation, and saying the most awful words you may ever hear, for hundreds of times.. Didn't they get any board with saying F**k and Pe**s FOR ALL THE TIME?!, rather didn't they have any conscience to scream "What a cheap way to make a living that is !!!". Yet, I was deadly sick by Neil Patrick Harris. Does needing fame and money mean whoring yourself to this degree? In less than 10 minutes appearance, he got into all the kinds of filth, summing up the movie as a colored dunghill ! Now to despise this movie wrathfully, you have to mediate on how it frankly enjoys drugs. Look at the running gag of the kid who has drugs all the way, Neil Patrick Harris who begs, in nauseating and totally free scene, for the lovely coke, and a last message, by Kumar's lover to him, of "don't stop smocking weed" !!! This is like despicable propaganda for being a drug addict. Now this is not exploitative, disgusting, or else; this is a crime done under the name of art ! A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas is purely and heavily made trash. Selling it as a buddy comedy about the real friendship is like selling morphine as candy. It's as ugly, immoral and harmful as doing drugs. Or, in lighter words, like eating out of a garbage can. Well, Hollywood has turned lately into a brat teen who's crazy about drugs, sex and cursing. And I won't let him force me to love his pathetic and creepy pleasures.Some day, Hollywood will look back at itself in regret, asking "What have I done" ?!

If you loved the original you should take the night off get a little silly and watch this movie. Firsty the opening scene with Patton Oswalt as a mall Santa was hilarious. Danny Trejo is brilliant in his role as well. And of course NPH back wherever God takes him is a riot as well as the biggest sleaze in the seven seas.The plot is pretty lazy but i guess thats the general idea. The writer is Jon Hurwitz not to be confused with Mitchell Hurwitz who created Arreseted Development and is a genius sadly unlike Jon so don't expect too much there. I predicted the final moments of the film which made me laugh and explains a lot about the logistics of Christmas eve.You can see from the addition of major action sequences that the budget has been upped dramatically.This being said there are some shameful product placements but they make them fun and the 3D effects bring it all home and you can almost smell the wacky tobaccy wafting towards you.All in all a fantastic off beat Christmas/stone film and it seems there is already plans for a 4th. Im excited. You should feel these nipples. I give it a 7.1 out of 10 for a decent 3rd film especially as I feel the 2nd was average at best.

While the 'stoner comedy' may have fallen out of favour, Harold and Kumar have managed to keep it alive. Four years after their last movie, they're back with the third film in the series.'A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas' retains the elements which made the series so funny: lots of smoking, getting high, self-referential moments, unbelievable shenanigans, a waffle-making robot and a hilarious cameo from Neil Patrick Harris! They also poke fun at the Christmas movie conventions, Kal Penn's time in the White House and the use of 3D, with objects flying at the screen.The plot isn't anything too original: Harold and Kumar have lost touch and Harold (John Cho) is under the thumb of his scary father-in-law (Danny Trejo) and takes responsibility for decorating their beloved tree. When Kumar goes to return a package for Harold delivered to their old flat, chaos ensues and it's a race to replace the tree before Harold's wife Maria and her family return from midnight mass. Arguably the film's highlight is the NPH cameo: now a superstar thanks to 'How I Met Your Mother', he skews his real-life personality in a heightened version of himself (his relationship with David Burtka is revealed to be a sham to cover his womanising) and has a lot of fun with the role. If you're a fan of the previous films, then you'll know what to expect and you won't be disappointed.