Day 44: June 13th, 2010

The A-Team



I Love It When A Film Comes Together!!

"Ten years ago, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire... The A-Team."

That voice over was used for the show every episode. This film is the story that precursors the show, sort to speak. They are double crossed while doing a job and are sent to prison. They break out and look to clear their names. If this sounds really familiar, but you've never seen the show, it might be because a film that is almost identical to it was released earlier this year, The Losers. With almost every review, you'll most likely get comparisons to this film. I'll try to get it out of the way quickly. The A-Team is a better film, you'll have more fun with it.

I never followed the show, so I can't comment on how reliable the film is to the characters, but to me they pulled off their roles nicely. Cooper has the playboy handsome role down pat. Neeson, I am starting to like more and more. I usually find him a tad boring, but with Taken and now The A-Team, it seems he has found a calling in action films. Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson plays the famous role of B.A., originally played by Mr. T. He throws out some catchphrases here and there and is used as some comedic relief. The star of the film is without a doubt Sharlto Copley. I give the producers credit for giving such a role to someone who's only had one screen credit from the year prior. Copley pulls it off, yet again. Two roles that are outstanding.

When I first saw the trailer, it had the scene in which a tank is falling through the air and Cooper gets to the gun and shoots a plane down. It was over the top and ridiculous. This film is full of moments like this, so I knew going in that I had to be in the right mindset. I tend to forgive films for being over the top if they are in on the joke themselves. Wanted would be a nice example of this. The A-Team is full of next to impossible stunts that would never work in this world of physics and gravity. We go to films to escape and be entertained, The A-Team does this.

Joe Carnahan does a good job at keeping the action intense and the pace of the film at a brisk pace. We only settle down for a minute here and there to catch our breath and advance that thing we like to call a plot. The film is predictable and by the numbers, but you can expect that. People seem to be hating on Carnahan, just like they did with Smokin' Aces. I liked both films. The A-Team isn't a critic film, it's a movie for action junkies who can appreciate unique ways of upping the ante.

Jessica Biel and Patrick Wilson show up in supporting roles. Biel is Sossa, ex-girlfriend of Cooper and on their heels wherever they go trying to catch them after breaking out of prison. She looks great and does the job that is needed. Which is to look good with Cooper. Wilson plays Lynch, a CIA guy who first gives the job to them. He helps them break out of prison and wants them to continue on with the mission. For some odd reason his role did remind me of Jason Patrick's role in The Losers. Patrick also had that weird vibe about him and both roles were a little similar, minus the lame jokes Patrick used.

Some shoddy CGI bits at the climax of the film might take you out of the experience for a moment or two, but The A-Team works as a summer movie popcorn flick. I don't know what the critics were expecting, but movie does what it is suppose to: Have good looking women, comedic bits to have the audience laughing, explosions, shootouts, car chases, foot chases and actors who look to be actually enjoying themselves. Both The A-Team and The Losers are good films, one is better than the other. So if you were choosing between the two, I'd pick The A-Team. If you've seen The Losers and thought the story was ridiculous and didn't like it, you might want to skip this one. The comparisons, again, are inevitable.

Oh yeah...I Pity The Fool.

7.5/10

Day 38: June 7th, 2010

The Rundown



A Fun Film Showcasing The Rock's Talents.

Loosely based on Midnight Run, Beck is sent to retrieve Travis from the Amazon. One last job before he can quite and open up his restaurant. Along the way things don't go according to plan and the two of them have to fight for their lives.

After his brief cameo in The Mummy Returns and the lead role in the forgettable The Scorpion King, it seemed that The Rundown would be his first true chance at taking over the action franchise from the likes of Arnold, who coincidentally has a cameo in this film. The Rundown does just that, shows The Rock in a lighthearted, action oriented funny film that showcases his talent as an actor. He's not another Hulk Hogan making movies because he can, but he actually has some talent. The guy is fun to watch on the screen and his film career since then has proved so.

The Rock get physical in this film, all the fights scenes are stylized to the point of exaggeration. This doesn't detract from the film, it sets up the viewer for the way the film will play out. The fight scene that uses this stylized violence the most is when The Rock takes on the rebels and Keno from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Can a simple kick really throw him in the air like that, just to be kicked again mid air? I don't think so. If you can get pass this style of action, then the Rundown will be entertaining.

Sean William Scott manages to break out of his Stifler role, something he tried to do earlier with Bulletproof Monk. Here he has a better co-star to play his comedy off of. Since then he seems to have been hit or miss with his films and continues to star in films with The Rock. Here, Scott isn't irritating, so that is a plus, with the exception of one scene in which he reuses his Evolution joke of making a bird call.

Rosario Dawson and Christohper Walken are the supporting players, both plays their roles with no real memorable parts. Rosario Dawson is almost completely forgettable in a role that is underwritten and Walken just seems to be doing his own thing, which he always does in films. We let him get away with it because his Christopher Freakin Walken.

Peter Berg did well with this one, he manages to balance both comedy and action very well and the sequences are entertaining to watch. It helps that he has two stars that played well off each other and could pull off the physical stunts required from the roles. The Rundown isn't something to jump up and down about or rush out to see either. It's a film that you can sit down and watch randomly one day and not be upset about it afterwards.

7.5/10

Day 30: May 30th, 2010

Speed



Pop Quiz Hot Shot!!!

In light of recent events, I decided to watch a film in Dennis Hopper's honour. I decided on Speed, because it has one of his more entertaining roles, he plays an over the top villain somewhere in between the likes of Frank Booth from Blue Velvet and the bald guy with an eye patch from Waterworld.

"I saw this movie about a bus that had to speed around a city, keeping its speed over fifty, and if its speed dropped, it would explode! I think it was called 'The Bus That Couldn't Slow Down'." - Homer Simpson

That pretty much sums up this film, but to go a bit more in depth...

A disgruntled ex cop takes his issues out on other people with the creative use of bombs. Keanu Reeves saves the day by stopping an elevator bombing scare. This pisses Dennis Hopper off so much that he devises a new plan of putting a bomb on a bus. If the bus goes below 50, the bomb will go off. Can Keanu save the day?

And will we ever see a movie like this again? There is something about this film that makes it special. The action blockbuster that ignited the careers of both Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves. The film does not require a strong leading man, just someone who is able to pull off these stunts. Reeves is able to make it look legit and even though people complain about his acting, he is in no way irritating. Bullock spends most of the film behind the wheel of the bus, so of course she falls in love with the guy. Wait, what? Ah, who cares, right? This kind of stuff always happened in the 90's. Girl falls in love with the good looking guy who saves the day. But those relationships never last (evidence in the lame sequel)

Dennis Hopper is one bad ass guy. He plays crazy so well, his role here is not Blue Velvet Frank Booth crazy, but cray nonetheless. The film is even more enjoyable due to the supporting cast of characters that are on the bus with the two stars. Jeff Daniels plays the buddy cop part, but due to the events in the opening of the film, has to stay at home for the exciting parts on the bus.

With the exception of the bus jumping the gap in the highway scene, which makes me roll my eyes every single time, the film is entertaining and will keep your interest. For a film to take place on a bus for 80% of the film, they did a really good job of not letting that annoy the audience. The film is the perfect formula for action junkies. It has a lot of those adrenaline rush scenes. For me it kind of looses it's steam when the film goes to the subway, but that doesn't ruin the overall excitement and feel of the film.

Speed is one of the best action films of the 90's. There, I said it. I can probably sit down and watch it and never really feel bored. Kudos for making the film watchable many times and still have that rush. A lot of action films on repeat viewings loose that.

R.I.P Dennis Hopper

8/10

Day 27: May 27th, 2010

From Paris With Love



A Fun Way To Spend 90 Minutes.

A young spy who wants to get bigger and better jobs is partnered with an American hot head with a foul mouth and a love for violence. The mission is to stop some terrorists.

To say I was expecting crap would be an understatement. Travolta's goofy look, a tired clichéd pairing of straight man and crazy partner, senseless action that would try to cram a plot and story in at some point. Yet, after the credits rolled, I sat there with a smile on my face. As far as spy films go, this one takes a more action heavy side. There are some cool and interesting gadgets, but I didn't get any James Bond moment.

Travolta surprised me here too. His character was funny, bad ass at times and knew how to kick some ass. The only downside would be that I just couldn't imagine Travolta doing half of these things. He's a great character and fits perfectly with this film, but it seems a tad miscast for the action sequences. Travolta nails every other part of the role. Jonathan Rhys Meyers is the straight man to Travolta's crazy hero. This is nothing new and the film doesn't try to step around this issue. Instead it is upfront about it. It tells you exactly what you are in for when you are introduced to these characters. All it asks is for you, as a viewer, to enjoy the action and thrills this film wants to give you.

The action is non-stop. Of course we are privy to those scenes in between where we need to move the plot along, but the film has shootouts, car chases, foot chases, rocket launchers, etc. It's handled well and I was actually able to see the action on the screen. I was never lost in the film, I knew where I was the whole time and what was being depicted. Again, that one shortfall is that we know Travolta isn't doing these action sequences, it's clearly a stuntman.

With every spy film you know there will be some twist that someone is not who they seem to be. I was able to pick this one out right from the beginning. Again, the plot devices used in From Paris With Love are far from original, we have all seen this film before. So why bother watching it? For the chemistry between the two leads and the action sequences in a beautiful city. The city, we unfortunately, did not see enough of.

I went in with low expectations and came out happy with the end result. I would suggest you do the same.

7/10