Television remade for the Big Screen: A Review of A-Team

Oh the things I do for my loyal readers!!!  Last Wednesday night, I got five hours of sleep studying for my last final in college (WooHoo!).  Thursday I took the test then headed out to Glen Ellyn to referee some girls basketball games.  Exhausted and bored out of my skull (this is the most interesting thing I’ve seen on women’s basketball) I hurried back and arrived at the theater at 11:45 to see The A-Team at the midnight premiere.  I grabbed a half gallon of Coke for some caffeine and got cozy for a movie that I hoped would at least keep me awake.

The A-Team did much more than that.  I must preface this entire review by saying that I have never watched the original TV show that the movie is based on.  That being said, I thought it was a very good movie.  The action is great and there is not a dull moment throughout.  One of the best aspects of the movie is that even when the team is doing the ridiculous (flying a tank) you don’t find yourself complaining about how unrealistic it is.  The movie does a great job of mixing humor with action and an adequate plot to create a movie that is very entertaining.

The greatest strength of the movie is the cast (with one exception).  To pull off a remake of this caliber would require actors who can re-create the characters that had become so loved.  Having long been a Liam Neeson fan, I was seeing the movie largely in part because I liked his acting.  I was not disappointed.  Neeson’s depiction of Hannibal reminded me a lot of the role he played in Taken except with less gratuitous violence and more intellect and wit.  B.A Barracus played by Quinton ‘Rampage” Jackson was also a pleasant surprise.  Being a UFC fighter, I wasn’t expecting a lot out of Rampage, but he actually is an OK actor.  He obviously had the hardest part as he tried to live up to a character that was Mr. T, but he holds his own amongst the other three great performances.  Bradley Cooper’s character, Face, was spot on.  The ever-womanizing, smooth talker was perfect for him and he has some great one-liners.  But at the end of the day, Sharlito Copley stole the show as Murdock.  Copley’s rendition of the cooky pilot is very funny and he pulls off the half-there half-crazy war vet perfectly.  The dynamic between the four is what propels most of the plot as the story is somewhat predictable.  Their performances make the movie.

The one downfall was anything in the movie regarding Jessica Biel.  I’ve gone on the record before as saying that I think she is over-rated, but in this movie she was, in a word, miserable.  Her character could have been played by anyone who had a part in their high school musical.  Her part in the plot was unnecessary and a feeble attempt at some sort of romance.  She only acted to allow for restroom breaks between the intense action and steady one-liners.  Seriously, if a scene opens with her, go grab some popcorn.

Like I said, this was a tough task.  I cannot speak for those who grew up watching the television series, but as for myself, I thought it was a very good film.  The action is great, the characters are tangible, and the plot doesn’t try to do to much.  This is the quintessential guy movie and I can’t see many women flocking to see it (although Bradley Cooper is in it).  But being a guy, I really enjoyed it.

4 out of 5 stars

Let me know what you think and be sure to check out the Twitter.  Write your Congressman and tell him that we need to be paid for this!  Shoot as an e-mail at clawandnussreviews@gmail.com.

Kickin’ it Old School (Round 1) When I Die, I’m going to (My Blue) Heaven

In response to some of Jamesies recent posts, I have decided to piggy back (or steal) James's idea and hop in the (not hot tub) time machine and review a classic for all of you. I am going to review a movie I am sure a lot of you are not familiar with. However, upon reading this, I hope you will instantly text or tweet me (I'm an advocate for Twitter) that you are wanting to borrow it and this can be arranged.

James has kind of been throwing out some movies that are more B.C. as far as the movie timeline goes. Mine is only 20 years old so by law it isn't even old enough to consume an alcoholic beverage. Nevertheless, it is a classic that falls into one of my favorite genres (80s comedy).

Today, I will be discussing My Blue Heaven per the request of the one and only Adam Snell (There's your shout out Snelly). I was first exposed to My Blue Heaven by my grandfather. I respect my grandpa's word as much as anyone in this world (you should to, he is a BAD ASS), so it would only be fitting for me to watch this movie. It is an underrated movie to say the least. It has two of the late 80s and early 90s most popular comedic actors: Rick Morranis (Who by the way should have his children taken away from him) and Steve Martin (Top five actors to me). In fact, thanks to this movie Steve Martin has cracked the list of my favorite actors (This list was made Pre-Pink Panther of course… WOW).

Without giving away the plot too much, Steve Martin is a former mobster who has been taken in by the Witness Protection Program (You down with WPP? Yeah, you know me.) and it is Rick Moranis's job to make sure Martin is kept safe. You can imagine they get themselves in a lot of sticky situations, but they are funny and work well together in this movie. Joan Cusack (BARF. I'd get more of a rise out of John Cusak with a wig on) also plays a main part in this movie. I think she is very manly (both looks and mannerisms). Heck, in this movie she looks a foot taller (might actually be too) than her lover, Rick Moranis. She does ok, but as they say in Step Brothers, there's just something about her face and if she doesn't change it, I'm going to have to change it for her. I just can't stand her for some reason and that is not just in this movie; that goes for any movie she's ever been in like School of Rock, Martian Child, etc.
My favorite scene in this movie is when Martin and Moranis go out dancing. The single greatest dance move, the meringue, (Aside from the shoulder lean, two-step, harlem shake, c-walk, soulja boy, Helen Keller, etc.) is in this scene and you should watch it here. Anytime that I am caught ripping a dance floor to shreds (It's true, I took dance lessons when I was four) at a wedding, I can be spotted doing this move on numerous occasions.

Although the plot of this movie isn't necessarily the best (Sorry James, no comedies are) it is still a funny movie and that is what has been intended. Therefore, it does a good job in fitting into the 80s/90s comedy genre which I for one am a fan of. This is a genre where you could be an enjoyable comedy without saying the f word 50 times or flash private parts or had to have Jonah Hill (He's skinny) in it. In this genre, you could be a parent (wow, I'm growing up before my eyes) and feel comfortable watching a movie with your children.

I always enjoy watching a movie that I have never heard about going in. I am even more pleased when I find myself enjoying a movie like this.

Overall, I give it 3.5/5 CLAWS and it is in the Clawson Collection. So, get a hold of me if you would like to inquire as to how you can get your hands on it. It will be free of course (Although, I am a sucker for anything with Reese's in it and its Blizzard season. Hint, Hint).
Hope you enjoyed the review. If not, then that's my bad. However, James and I want your feedback! So, please get a hold of us @ clawandnussreviews@gmail.com and as always. Tell your friends. We have amassed twelve cents to date off our reviews (Blast off… Here we go blog!).

Also, only 19 Followers on Twitter to date, that is sad….

And I'm out,

-#0 The CLAW

Disney's Middle Eastern Orphan Boy Take Two

When I saw the first trailer for Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time I was conflicted. I was intrigued by the pairing of producing great Jerry Bruckheimer (C.S.I., Pirates of the Caribbean, National Treasure etc.) and the Disney corporation. , but the idea of Jake Gyllenhaal playing in a plot designed originally for a video game worried me. To date, I had not seen a Gyllenhaal movie that I had liked and because of cinematic endeavors such as Htiman, Max Payne, and Doom, I am leery about video game based plots. Yet, most likely because of an unhindered brand loyalty I found myself Trying to convince others to see Prince of Persia (POP) with me in theaters.

POP opens in a Middle-Eastern marketplace and thoughts of Aladdin come to mind faster than you can say “street rat.” The young Dastan (Gyllenhaal) is an orphan boy chosen by the King himself to be a prince. Had there been a vest-donned monkey déjà vu would have been an understatement.

The movie is true to Bruckheimer’s traditional style and majors in spectacle. The vast desert landscapes, stunning ancient castles, and over the top CGI effects are create a sort of visual overload, a typical Bruckheimer tool. Unfortunately, at times rather than being awe-inspiring, the effects can be distracting and even unbelievable.

The storyline actually pleasantly surprised me. The plot has depth that is not expected of a video game based film, and its central conflict is multi-dimensional. While certain parts of the plot are forced upon the viewer by character explanation, for the most part it progresses along quite smoothly.

There is no doubt who Disney is targeting with this film. As Tinker Bell movies grow in popularity and announcements have been made regarding the WDW Fantasyland expansion, many are criticizing Disney for alienating the elementary to middle school boy demographic. This PG-13 movie has plenty of action without the gore of similar films and its hero is one that young boys will undoubtedly pretend to be. I found myself disliking some of the shallow humor, but must be reminded that ten years ago, I probably would have found the jokes rather funny.

When the sands of time settle, the movie is entertaining. The ancient cultures may not be historically accurate, but they fit well into the story. Gyllenhaal was ok, but didn’t seem like the right fit for the role. Gemma Arterton plays the female role well, and this could be her breakout film as her only other movie of note was a small role as Strawberry Fields in the lackluster Quantum of Solace. Both were clearly cast for their looks rather than acting persona. I don’t see Disney basing a ride off of this one soon, but if you are a parent of young boys or are just a Disney loyalist this is one you should see. Disney proves it can tell a story well even if it is from a video game. I just hope that they don’t get to ambitious and try Call of Duty.

Hope you like the review. Don't forget to send requests and comments to clawandnussreviews@gmail.com. And please follow us on Twitter, if not, Joey may consider doing something drastic. Thanks for reading us, and don't forget we love referrals (wow that was cheesy, I apologize).

-Nuss