Alan's Blog

This updated feature-film take on the hit 1980s television show follows a group of Iraq War veterans on the run from U.S. military forces while they try to clear their names after being framed for a crime they didn't commit. Along the way, Col. Hannibal Smith, Capt. H.M. "Howling Mad" Murdock , Sgt. Bosco "B.A." Baracus and Lt. Templeton "Faceman" Peck help out various people they encounter. Joe Carnahan directs this high-octane actioner.

I will say this movie is a worthy remake (or reboot) of its 1980’s TV series predecessor. Both had preposterous situations but also just a lot of fun. I was reminded of the Transformer movies during this as there were lots of explosions, enemy fire, and falling debris. We have characters constantly escaping certain death and never once did I fear for any of our heroes.

There are no gray characters. We just have good guys taking on the bad guys. The friendship in the TV series seemed more genuine.

My only problem is the Jessica Biel character. Although she cannot act and her only purpose is to be eye candy, it doesn’t work here. This formula works really well with Megan Fox in the Transformer movies but not here. Here’s why, a girl just doesn’t belong with The A-Team. It didn’t work for Melinda Culea and Marla Heasley in the TV series, it doesn’t work for Jessica Biel.

I want to say to the women readers I feel the same way about Sex in the City. A guy would not belong at the same table with Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda. Yes I did watch the TV series, no to your second question and it would have been Cynthia Nixon.

Watching this movie will not make you any smarter but it was fun. It was a good escape. I am giving this one 3 stars and putting it in the category of “guilty pleasures” in my movie folder. Other movies in this category are Road House, Lethal Weapon and Independence Day.

Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
Cell: (203) 500-3834
E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws

Tags: Col. · Hannibal · Smith · H.M. · Howling · Mad · Murdock

Ambitious young record company intern Aaron Green (Jonah Hill) will let nothing get in the way of his planned rise to the top in the music business -- not even the unruly rock star (Russell Brand) he must escort to Los Angeles for the start of his anniversary concert. Doing whatever it takes to get the rocker from Point A to Point B, Aaron encounters all manners of mishaps in this comedy directed by Nicholas Stoller and produced by Judd Apatow.

I did not realize that this was a sequel of sorts to Forgetting Sarah Marshall as Russell Brand reprises his Aldous Snow character. Kristen Bell does have a cameo as Sarah Marshall. Jonah Hill was also in that movie but plays a different character here. I don’t know what it is but Russell Brand and Jonah Hill have great onscreen chemistry. They could be a great comedy team and hope to see them in more movies together.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall is the better movie. It was funnier and there were some scenes I found quite touching. I gave that movie 4 stars and do recommend it. Click here for the Netflix link for Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

I did like this movie but would have liked it better if it wasn’t Aldous Snow again. He was great in the first movie as someone so self absorbed you couldn’t help but laugh. In this second one he is more human and caring which didn’t work for me. I like the comedy aspects of this movie, wasn’t too crazy about the drama.

I am giving this one 3 stars. If you are going to see this, see Forgetting Sarah Marshall first. The best part of both films is seeing Russell Brand and Jonah Hill together.

Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
Cell: (203) 500-3834
E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws

Tags: Aldous · Snow · Russell · Brand · Jonah · Hill

Personal politics aside, legendary adult film star Linda Lovelace (as herself) is a candidate the entire country can support for the newly formed Upright Party in this hybrid of sex romp satire and documentary farce. Tracking a fictional cross-country campaign that will leave you in stitches, this commentary on apathetic American voters features fantastic celebrity cameos, including Micky Dolenz, Scatman Crothers and more.

I knew going in that this movie was going to be bad and cheesy. I thought the absurdity of it would make me laugh. I was wrong. This movie had lots of Polish, Asian, Italian, Black and Gay jokes but none of them were funny. There was also lots of “coming” and “going down” references but none of them worked. Spare yourself the 95 minutes and avoid this one.

I almost wasn’t going to write a review of this one out of embarrassment but when I logged into my Netflix Account I saw the only 6 reviews were people who liked it. I have to warn people not to waste their time.

I am not posting a trailer for this one as well as including a Netflix link to it. It was that bad. I am given this one zero stars (Can I use a negative number?).

The only thing I liked about this was seeing an old rotary phone, a Soylent Green reference and being reminded of a George Harrison video with the over the top zany characters. Since I like videos, I am sharing that George Harrison video below.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws

Tags: Linda · Lovelace · Upright · Party · Micky · Dolenz

Screenwriter Tony Gilroy delivers a finely tuned directorial debut with this dramatic thriller about burned-out corporate lawyer Michael Clayton (George Clooney), a man who's built his career on cleaning up other people's messes. When a guilt-ridden colleague (Tom Wilkinson) threatens the settlement of a multimillion-dollar case, Clayton faces his biggest challenge yet. Tilda Swinton nabbed an Oscar for her turn as a conflicted general counsel.

I thought watching most of this I was going to write a nasty review. There are way too many comparisons with other movies like Network, The Firm that I thought I wasn’t going to like it but the end really played out well. I felt something and I liked how Michael Clayton relied on his family when the chips were really down. This alone has gotten me in an emotional state. To quote Linda Richman from an SNL sketch, "I'm feeling verklempt, talk amongst yourselves."

I am going to say skip the first 85 minutes of this. It is a two hour movie and the last 35 minutes were the only ones worth watching. I was thoroughly entertained at the end. I am giving this one 3.2 stars.

Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
Cell: (203) 500-3834
E-mail: the@filmmoviecritic.com

Tags: Tony · Gilroy · Michael · Clayton · George · Clooney

Set in the decadent 1980s in Los Angeles, a Hollywood executive (Billy Bob Thornton) plays his ex-wife (Kim Basinger) and his mistress (Winona Ryder) while his son, Graham (Jon Foster), finds himself among a group of brats, including Christie (Amber Heard), who are all caught up in the thick of drugs and sex. Mickey Rourke and Brad Renfro also star in director Gregor Jordan's intricately plotted film based on Bret Easton Ellis's book.

I have a fondness for the 80s and Kim Basinger so I had to see this movie despite the fact I could not find anyone saying anything positive about it. Even Netflix questioned my decision to get this one. There are lots of gratuitous nudity and drug use in this and definitely not for a prudish person. I am giving it one star. This is not a good movie however I did enjoy not like it and laughing at the dialogue.

Click here for the Netflix link in case you would like to add it to your queue.

All the best,

Alan
Alan Zibluk
The Film Movie Critic
E-mail: alan@internetguy.ws

Tags: Billy · Bob · Thornton · Kim · Basinger · Winona · Ryder