After American Pie and American Pie 2, you know what to expect coming in the third time around. Most importantly, that means plenty of laughing out loud, but also cringing and blushing during several embarrassing moments.

I hate humor that relies on humiliating the characters. That's not funny.

But the reason the formula works in this series is not just because of crazy comedy, but the films contain some very sweet moments that are believable and touching.

The main folks are back, led by Jim (Jason Biggs) and pals Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) and Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas), although he's really just a cheap throwaway character now.

Seann William Scott steals the show again as the abrasive pal Stifler, who is rude and crude and too much amusement to keep away from the action. Especially fun was the Stifmeister in a gay bar dance-off against the "lovable gay man" of the flick, Bear, played by the big stuffed animal, Eric Allan Kramer.

Later, though, it's probably worse to see Stifler acting normal and Eddie Haskel-ish than his normal boorish self. Finch and Stifler's rivalry continues, to no one's surprise since Finch has slept with Stifler's mom and brags to the entire town.

Eugene Levy is given more respect as Jim's dad, who never winces despite all of his son's crazy dramatic and humiliating acts. With his help, Jim comes out of every situation stronger than going in.

There's no bouncy nekkid Shannon Elizabeth, no Tara Reid (Kevin's girlfriend in the first), and Mena Suvari and Chris Klein are no-shows as well. None are missed.

What we do get is much more bride-to-be Alyson Hannigan (yay), and introduce eye candy January Jones as her younger sister, Cadence. (Oh yes, Michelle has a little sister. Now Stifler must destroy her, too!)

Using both sisters in plentiful supply on screen is for the better, although it seems Hannigan was given less to do than newcomer Jones, which was disappointing. No complaints, though, to the addition of Fred Willard as their father.

Willard is laugh-out-loud funny in everything he's in, and it's nice to see he and Levy as the parents, continuing their partnership in movies like Best in Show and A Mighty Wind.

I just can't recommend the movie, though. It's more sincere than the first two, but it's also more reliant on embarrassing humor and is lewd beyond my comfort zone. Too much "eff this" and "eff that," and some naughty sex talk. This is not a movie I'll be taking my Sunday School mates to see, but it's not like I wasn't warned by the first two Pie flicks.