2010
is going to be a great year for movies. I’m confident of this. Since
we’re in this ride together I figured we’d get ready for the year in a
fun and exciting new way. First, over the course of the next fifteen
weekdays we’re going to highlight one mainstream film a day. Some of
them are slam dunks, some of them have a cloud of trouble floating
above them, but all represent a great way to spend a Friday night at
the movie theater even if it results in you ripping its ass thereafter.

One
of the things this site is built on is a love of movies. Some folks
think we’ve let some of that go by the wayside. I disagree, but
regardless, I want 2010 to be a year where this site restores some of
that wonder. Though the glass can never truly be half-full in a
business so driven by rehashes and hollow entertainment, we’re going to
have fun with it and prepare you guys with as many tools as possible to
make the moviegoing experience worth it. Especially as the internet
gets more and more bogged down with people who have no right serving as
an authority of film blabbering all over blogs and Twitter and beyond.

There’s a reason you come here.

Day Twelve

The A-Team
Directed by Joe Carnahan
Starring Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Rampage Jackson, Sharlto Copley, Jessica Biel, Patrick Wilson
Written by  Michael Brandt, Stephen J. Cannell, Derek Haa, Skip Woods

The Gist
Smokin’ Joe takes on Cannell.

Oh you want more? The dumb 80’s action show gets a facelift, a tummy tuck, and an upper colonic. Liam Neeson defies logic and totally pulls off a Peppard-alike as the leader of an eclectic and colorful group of mercs who have been left for dead and take the battle to those who done them wrong.

Yep, pretty much the same as The Losers.

Judging from the trailers, this one’s going to be so over the top that Stallone turns his hat around, which is good. Have you started to notice that the cynicism that overtook most of our favorite genres post-911 is starting to lift? It’s OK to be goofy again.

Will it work?

Participants to Watch
Sharlto Copley is getting a little bit of negative buzz about his difficulties in adapting to being an actor in movies that don’t feature adorable baby aliens saying “I fix it.”. While there’s nothing about District 9 that tells me I either need or want the guy to become a Hollywood player, he was magnetic in that film. Here’s hoping he’s able to pull this off and be more than a curiosity. Either way, most casual moviegoers won’t have a clue. BUT WE’LL KNOW.

Patrick Wilson is too good to be the villain or whatever else he is here but if he has to manage the commerce and artistic work on his filmography, I hope roles like this at least afford him the chance to be seen and appreciated.

The Losers changed release dates so as not to get upstaged by its bigger and louder soulmate. Does that mean it’s trying to grab cash before the big dog shows up or because it’s confident and wants to make this film seem like the wannabe? I spent some time on set and was impressed with the cast and possibilities. The movie looks fun. Either way, there may only be room for one of these films.

The Buzz
Not much, and there’s still a doubt in my mind that people give a damn about this movie. The television show was a gimmick in the 80’s and nothing’s changed. The trailer’s pretty fun and Carnahan’s great. This one may have to coast on marketing savvy if it stands a chance to be more than this year’s Mod Squad.

Best Case
We
get to see what Joe Carnahan can do with a big budget and the lovely Liam.

Worst Case
Can you imagine longing for George Peppard?

CHUD’s Prognosis
I think this has the potential to do well but there are so many ways this can go South. Smoking Aces isn’t a great film but it showcased a filmmaker with balls and brawn who is perfectly tailored for this world. I don’t think it’s going to hit, sadly.

Useful links
Official Site
A tasty assortment of trailers
Holy fuck, there is A-Team fanfic

Not Such a Useful Link

Discuss this column here.

Next: A delightful sequel.