"The A-Team" - REVIEW

When Col. Hannibal Smith (Liam Neeson) tells BA Baracus (Quinton "Rampage" Jackson) "Overkill is underrated," he's basically summing up the entirety of Joe Carnahan's The A-Team. While this update of the 80s TV-show certainly isn't on the same level as summer fare like Iron Man or Pirates of the Caribbean, it's an engaging and surprisingly funny summer actioner that certainly didn't deserve to flop like it did. Though the setting has been updated to the Iraq War, the premise is still the same: four differently skilled man are wrongly accused and must work to clear their names to the US military. After a slightly protracted prologue when the four men become acquainted, the film gradually becomes more and more fun. It remains fully committed to the fact that it is ridiculous, save for one or two moments when it tries to be something more (using to Gandhi to justify killing?). When a character (Jessica Biel's Lt. Sosa) acknowledges that the A-Team is "going to try and fly a tank" with a perfect sense irony, you know that nothing is meant to be too serious. The cast for the most part, seem game too. Though he occasionally lends the role too much gravitas, Liam Neeson makes for a suitable Col. Smith, while Jackson has some funny moments of outrage as the tough-guy brawler with a phobia of flying. Bradley Cooper also does a decent job with his character, and his status as a womanizer isn't overplayed. There's also Patrick Wilson, usually relegated to rather bland characters, having a blast as Lynch, a CIA agent with mysterious motives. But the real MVP of the whole picture, and by quite some margin, is Sharlto Copely (who made his acting debut in the excellent District 9) as Howlin' Mad Murdock. Not only does he get the best lines (a scene involving a Braveheart parody is hysterical), but he delivers them so perfectly, never letting on if the character is truly mad or just an eccentric having fun with people. It's a shame that the plot couldn't have been slightly better constructed (the first half feels too much like the first episode of a new TV-series). There's also the arc of Jackson's Baracus, who undergoes a phoned in philosophical experience that makes him not want to kill anyone, that's beyond unnecessary. Still, in an otherwise underwhelming summer (don't let us down, Toy Story 3. Same goes for you, Inception) it's refreshing to find a movie that, while mindless and loud, fully embraces its mindlessness to such a level of self-consciousness that it can be wholly enjoyable rather than irritating; it's a movie that the likes of Michael Bay and the Transformers 3 crew could stand to learn a lesson from.

Grade: B-/C+

2nd trailer for "The A-Team"

I definitely like this one better than the first, but the scene with the tank falling through the sky (is that supposed to be the BIG VFX set piece?) looks really cartoonish. Also, why has Liam Neeson given up on doing really strong serious work as of late? Sure, Taken was enjoyable but it was mindless and action-driven. When is he going to do another character-driven drama again (and no, sexual thrillers that rip off Fatal Attraction by Atom Egoyan don't count)?

2010 2nd Quarter Preview: April, May, June

With only three full days left in March, it's once again time to look ahead to find more excuses to visit the theater over the next three months. 2010 is off to a decent start so far (well, I've only seen four movies so...), but thankfully, we're about to leave the dreaded first quarter behind and move into late spring and early summer! Cue the string of back-to-back big budget box office hopefuls, and the occasional summer indie (maybe even one that goes all the way to the top) hoping to successfully offer an alternative to the loudness of big studio fare. These eleven films aren't the only reasons to go the theater over the next three months (I'm sure some will undergo release date changes, not to mention that summer indies have painfully slow expansions and can appear out of nowhere), but they're the most notable.

11. The A-Team [June 11 - Wide] dir. Joe Carnahan

Who's in it?: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlto Copely, Jessica Biel, Patrick Wilson

What's the story?: An adaptation of the 80s TV action series.

Why:

• It looks loud and fun.
• Sharlto Copely, who had a terrific breakout in District 9 is getting work. Yay!
• Cigar-chomping Liam Neeson.

Why Not:

• Uninspired trailer.
• TV adaptations don't have the best history.
• Why does Bradley Cooper always look so smug?

10. Jonah Hex [June 18 - Wide] dir. Jimmy Hayward

What's the story?: A bounty hunter tries to stop a voodoo practitioner from unleashing the undead to liberate the Old South.

Who's in it?: Josh Brolin, Michael Fassbender, Megan Fox, Michael Shannon, John Malkovich

Why:

• Strong cast.
• Good source material with a cool mix of magic and the Old West.

Why Not:

• No trailer. No new posters. No buzz. Nada.

09. Date Night [April 9 - Wide] dir. Shawn Levy

What's the story?: A case of mistaken identities traps a married couple in a gangster-filled night of insanity.

Who's in it?: Steve Carrell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, Mila Kunis, Kristen Wiig, Taraji P. Henson

Why:

• Carrell and Fey are a great comic duo, and star on two of the best comedies currently on TV.
• The action-comedy genre is tricky, but when done right it can be a blast.
• Great supporting cast.
• Solid trailer.

Why Not:

• Funny people doesn't mean a funny movie.
• Could be a classic case of "everything funny was in the trailer".
• No early word.

08. I Love You, Phillip Morris [May 7 - LA only] dirs. Glenn Ficarra and John Requa

What's the story?: A con man falls in love with a fellow in mate, and tries to maintain a relationship as he continuously escapes/is trapped in prison.

Who's in it?: Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor, Leslie Mann, Rodrigo Santoro

Why:

• A true and unique story that reportedly handles the homosexual subject manner extremely well.
• Strong praise for the performances (especially McGregor).

Why Not:

• It's been delayed for ages.
• The reviews have generally been good, but not great.
• It's difficult to tell how much of Jim Carrey's schtick is intact for the performance.

07. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time [May 28 - Wide] dir. Mike Newell

What's the story?: Prince Dastan must return a time-controlling dagger to its home to prevent an evil wizard from using its powers to take over the world.

Who's in it?: Jake Gyllenhaal, Ben Kingsley, Gemma Artreton, Alfred Molina

Why:

• The 2003 video game (of the same name) was a stellar example of how video games can tell a simple-yet-engaging story, mixed with amazing action and environments.
• The game's creator, Jordan Mechner, was commissioned to come up with the story.
• Director Mike Newell is no stranger to big budget fantasy fare; he directed 2005's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
• Jerry Bruckheimer has likened the tone to Pirates of the Caribbean.
• The trailer doesn't make the film look cheap.

Why Not:

• Was Gyllenhaal the best choice for the prince?
• The story is quite different from that of the video game, which has a knockout of a finale. If it ain't broke...
• The special effects look fine, but that's it.
• Pirates of the Caribbean (well, the first one) was a special pop culture phenomenon with a brilliant lead character. Just having two comically bickering leads doesn't mean that you'll achieve the same charm of that franchise.

06. Clash of the Titans [April 2 - Wide] dir. Louis Leterrier

What's the story?: Perseus, the son of Zeus, must stop the gods from unleashing total chaos (and the kraken) on increasingly anti-theist mankind.

Who's in it?: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Artreton, Alexa Davalos, Mads Mikkelson

Why:

• Rockin' trailer (that song better be on the soundtrack)
• How can you resist seeing Liam Neeson bellow "RELEASE THE KRAKEN!" on the big screen?
• Special effects have come a looooong way since the original, lending the film a slick, super-charged vibe. The action looks kinetic without being confusing.
• Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes on screen together again. Schindler and Goeth don't have sh*t on Zeus and Hades.
• The studio actually gave the film more money to add extra monsters/gods.

Why Not:

• Could extra monsters/gods create clutter?
• Louis Leterrier's The Incredible Hulk had effective action, but was utterly brain dead in between fights.
• Could struggle with tone issues. Will they try and be gritty and epic, or maintain some of the camp of the original?
• A rushed conversion to 3D has left those at previews unimpressed (the film was delayed a week because of this conversion).
• Sam Worthington needs to carry the movie, and, like Keira Knightley, he can be very good or very bland.

05. Robin Hood [May 14 - Wide] dir. Ridley Scott

What's the story?: An archer in the army of Richard the Lionhearted fights against the Normans and becomes the legendary Robin Hood.

Who's in it?: Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Mark Strong, Danny Huston, Max Von Sydow, William Hurt

Why:

• A fresh, gritty take on the Robin Hood story with a knock out cast.
• Crowe and Scott are a reliable combination.
• Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett, together at last.
• Ridley Scott films always have lush period details, making you feel like you're in X time period.
• The action is reportedly very gritty, with very few special effects shots (most of which are just for a fleet of ships).
• Brian Helgeland, the writer behind that masterpiece LA Confidential, wrote the screenplay, trying to give it a more historical angle.

Why Not:

• The off chance that it ends up being dull.
• Crowe and Blanchett may not have the right chemistry.
• The actor who plays King John seems a little over the top ("I declare him an out-LAAAAAAAAAW!!")

04. Kick Ass [April 16 - Wide] dir. Matthew Vaughn

What's the story?: Dave Lizewski, an ordinary student, decides to become a super hero, and inspires a wave of masked vigilantes, angering a local mob syndicate.

Who's in it?: Aaron Johnson, Nicholas Cage, Mark Strong, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Moretz

Why:

• Fantastic reception from the SXSW Film Festival. Some reviews hailed it as the best super hero flick behind The Dark Knight (albeit completely different in tone).
• The mix of visceral action and laugh out loud comedy also has a surprising share of emotional weight.
• The performances have earned across the board praise, especially young Moretz as the purple-haired, foul-mouthed Hit Girl.
• Finally a chance to see Nicholas Cage give a knowingly silly performance.
• Mintz-Plasse is inching closer to breaking out of his McLovin' mould.

Why Not:

• Matthew Vaughn's last film, Stardust, was generally well received, but was really a clunky, poorly structured film. Let's hope it doesn't carry over here.

03. I am Love [June 18 - Limited] dir. Luca Guadagnino

What's the story?: At the turn of the millennium, a prominent Milanese family is shaken by romantic passions and infidelity.

Who's in it?: Tilda Swinton, various and sundry Italians

Why:

• Have you seen the trailer? If you haven't, it calls to mind A Single Man, which teased beautifully without giving away its minimal plot at all.
• Early reviews have been extremely positive, especially for Swinton, who was criminally snubbed for Oscar consideration last year for her work in Julia.
• The music is by opera composer John Adams, who is composing his first ever film score (sadly, the music in the trailer is from previous work).
• Even if it's bad, it will sure as hell be gorgeous.

Why Not:

• Is it just empty prettiness?

02. Toy Story 3 [June 18 - Wide] dir. Lee Unkrich

What's the story?: When Andy departs for college, the toys are donated to a day-care, and must cope with the change.

Who's in it?: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, John Ratzenberger, Joan Cusack, Michael Keaton, Bonnie Hunt

Why:

• The original Pixar masterpiece comes full circle.
• According to early word, if WALL-E or UP!, made you cry, you'll be bawling over the last (brilliant) 20 minutes of this one.
• Written by Michael Arndt of Little Miss Sunshine fame.

Why Not:

• The one in a million chance that it's either just "good", or even "bad". Yeah, probably not.

01. Iron Man 2 [May 7 - Wide] dir. Jon Favreau

What's the story?: Tony Stark must deal with his newfound super hero status, demands from the government to hand over the Iron Man suit, and new threats from a business rival and a deranged Russian villain with a vendetta named Whiplash.

Who's in it?: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Scarlett Johannson, Samuel L. Jackson

Why:

• The first was a surprise thrill ride, and this one looks bigger and better.
• Mickey Rourke looks f-ing insane.
• With the Tony Stark universe established, the film can jump right into the good stuff without all of the set up from before.
• Fun new cast members.

Why Not:

• I still wish Emily Blunt had gotten the Black Widow role over Johannson.
• It could be judged too harshly next to its predecessor.

"The A-Team" teaser arrives

Of course, Bradley Cooper takes his shirt off (it's in his contract...no seriously, I'm pretty sure it is), I'm just excited to see District 9's Sharlto Copely trade in his (native) South African accent...for a Western one. That, and a cigar-chomping Liam Neeson? I'm sold, even if this does look like a less brightly colored GI Joe sequel.