Home Theater: Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season

The funniest stoner comedy no one saw

By Bob Grimm

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

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No 2004 film gave me more frustration than this one. Preparing for an interview with Kal Penn, who plays Kumar, I got to see the film early and I laughed my ass off. I talked to Penn the Monday after the film opened rather unsuccessfully and we both expressed our sincere wishes that the movie would find a home on DVD.

I then proceeded to tell all of my so-called friends, who rarely respect my opinion, that this was one of the year's funniest films, and that it brought renewed grace to the stoner comedy. They'd reply with something along the lines of "That looks stupid!" and go see some piece of crap like The Village instead. Drove me nuts!

The film also polarized much of the nation because White Castle is an East Coast thing. Had it been called Harold & Kumar Go to Krispy Kreme, it probably would've kicked Vegas box office ass.

Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Penn) get really stoned and need the perfect post-smoking food. After witnessing a tantalizing commercial, they set out on a quest for bellybombers that is not without its struggles. A raccoon attacks Harold and spits blood in his face, they have a scary encounter with a boil-covered Jesus freak and Doogie Howser's Neil Patrick Harris shanghais their car. Kumar marries a big bag of weed and the two ride a stoned cheetah through the forests of New Jersey.

The film is as strange as it sounds. It's also intelligent, original and often very funny. The proposed sequel, Harold & Kumar Go to Amsterdam, will not happen unless this funny bastard finds a happy, prosperous home on DVD. Please...purchase now!

Special features: The standout feature would probably be The Art of the Fart, an introspective documentary on the gathering of sound effects for the film's "Diarrhea Twins" scene, where two beautiful Ivy League college students play bathroom Battle-shits. The commentaries are a bit dull (Cho doesn't have very much to say), but the menus are funny.

"The Simpsons," the way it was meant to be watched

The Simpsons: The Complete Fifth Season

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Perhaps you don't think the purchase of this DVD is necessary because "The Simpsons" runs constantly in syndication. Don't think that. Seeing the show in pristine form and without commercials is, simply put, the way the show should be ingested. "The Simpsons" passed its 100th episode marker during this season, and the show was just starting to hit its stride. Highlights from the season include "Bart Gets an Elephant," where Bart houses a particularly cantankerous pachyderm in his backyard, and a take-off on Cape Fear where Sideshow Bob seeks revenge on Bart, his eternal nemesis. I honestly don't think I've seen an episode of this show that I didn't enjoy, and these discs represent some of the best TV DVDs on the market.

Those familiar with the show are aware of the usual traditions: great guest star cameos (James Brown, George Harrison and Michelle Pfeiffer show up in this season) and the annual Halloween episode. I'm also glad to report that season five marks the first appearance of Cletus the Slack Jawed Yokel.

"The Simpsons" is in its 16th year, and it shows no signs of stopping. In fact, the long-rumored feature film is in the works, so expect more from Homer and family in the future. Now, if Groening brought back "Futurama," the TV world would be an even happier place.

Special features: Creator Matt Groening and friends provide commentaries on every episode which are active, enthused, and informative. One of the better features would be the storyboard to actual scene comparisons (it's remarkable how the finished product looks so much like the original conceptions).