A-Team

The A-Team is the story about the four members of the alpha team attempting to get their clean jail records, freedom, and ranking of positions in the military restored to them as well as prove their innocence. The story begins with Hannibal (Liam Neeson) in the middle of the desert to save his friend Face (Bradley Cooper), him hitching a ride with BA Baracaus (“Quition” Jackson). “They are the best and specialize in the ridiculous” Along the way they, with Murdock, are on a mission to return falsely printed money and are framed for the bombing of such illegally printed money. Throughout the film there are all sorts of betrayals from the CIA operatives and black operatives which give the intention to trust no one. In the end the craziest of them has a plan with one problem for BA, he doesn’t want to kill. How will the Alpha team be able to get their freedom, restore their names, and prove their innocence? This film is rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Studio of America.

The A-Team is another summer action packed comedy in which deals with little character development, plot which intended to be unpredictable but evidentially fails, and with excellent action scenes. The acting of all the characters was well below average, even to Mr. Neeson who has chosen a series of action movies as of late that have flopped. Also there is a scene which two quotes from Mondates Gandhi one referring to the good of violence and one referring to the good of peace. What the movie left out is the time period of both those quotes. The one referring to the good of violence was only to the people of India during WWI so that they may gain their independence as a country from Britain for fighting with them during WWI. The one referring to peace was the use of non-violence which was after WWI and has more relevance of Gandhi today. The movie had moments of slight comedy which barely saves this film from completely being a downhill movie. C-

Get Him to the Greek

Aaron Green is a young, obese, hard worker for the music label Pinnacle Records. Life is just a tad bit abnormal with his boss, Sergio (Sean “P Diddy” Combs), pressuring him for new ideas, and his girlfriend, Daphne Binks (Elizabeth Moss), working odd hospital hours. Aaron Green has an excellent idea, to have a ten year anniversary concert for his favorite musician the party-do-go-er Aldous Snow (Russell Brand).

Aldous Snow with a once great Rock career is dashed down by a one horrific racist album restarting the apartied for South Africa, as well being the third worst thing to hit Africa just trailing war and famine, even beating out disease and poverty. The album is called “African Child”. The album is so down trending for not only his career but as well his wife Jackie (Rose Byrne). When their divorce happens life is only worse for Aldous and better for Jackie. What was the only reason not separating them sooner? Jackie having a son, and Aldous being a great father.

Anyway, Aaron is assigned by Sergio to get Aldous Snow from London to the Greek theatre in 72 hours, as well as making a few detours along the way. Some of their detours include the Today Show, Las Vegas, Aaron’s apartment, and plenty of parties. Along the way to the Greek, Aaron soon finds a rock stars life is one of the most insecure of any. Trying to be in Aaron’s position is even worse because Aldous puts Aaron through the worse making him drink, take drugs, and have intercourse just to make Mr. Snow move closer to the Greek, which only complicates his situation with Daphne. How will Aaron contain this rock star from ruining his life, his career, and his relationship? This outrageous comedy’s characters are based off the characters created from Jason Segal’s Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Get Him to the Greek is a bit crude and talks about the insecurity and life of a rock star. “You let people use you and soon you will be all used up”-Nicolas Stroller. The film even had great songs such as “going up” and “the clap”. Get Him to the Greek touched precisely on the problems of rock stars. They are lonely people who are sad, expected to do everything right and are seen as a higher power than average people. Which actor was the winner in this film? Jonah Hill did a fine job in Get Him to the Greek, but has put on a bit too much weight for the role. Russell Brand did a very good job of being insecure, sex obsessed, having free-loading parents, as well as being an unbelievable drug and party addict. The winner is P-Diddy. Having taking acting classes, “mind fucking”, and playing a just as funny as Tom Crusie’s role in Tropic Thunder as a big wig he is the winner. Also he showed how exactly record producers deal with their rock stars “we are going to out party these partiers, until they don’t want to party” and “give him two of these he won’t feel anything he will be fine and he looks great” in response “you can’t just keep enabling him and giving him drugs.” P-Diddy won this week in a shockingly great performance. B-

Holy Rollers

Sam Gold (Jesse Eisenberg) is a young up and coming Hasidic Jew whose father, Mendel Gold (Mark Ivanir), expects him to take over his fabric business, become a Rabi, and arranges Sam to be married with Zeldny (Stella Kietal). Living in the cold Bronx and in a house with little to no heating for a decent cup of tea Sam wants money to give his family a better life. His neighbor, Yosef Zimmerman (Justin Bartha) does exactly that by giving Sam a job to sell ecstasy. Sam’s friend, Leon, advises him to stop before Sam loses everything dear to him. Sam proving himself to his boss, Jackie (Danny A. Abeckaser) quickly moves up in rank. Soon Yosef to make even more money does side drug deals which do not go over well with Jackie, and soon the destruction of Sam comes by “getting high off his own supply” and falling for Jackie’s girlfriend, Rachael (Ari Graynor). What Leon predicted came true, no longer would Sam be a Rabi, marry Zeldny, and is even an outcast among the Jewish community and his family. Sam must make the choice between loyalty to family or financial security in life.

Holy Rollers is a strong story line for a number of reasons. A point made throughout the movie “Be calm, don’t act suspicious, always have a story, and most importantly act Jewish.” The police would not expect Hasidic Jews to be doing illegal activity. While the plot is well done the pacing is slow at parts, however is intended and found in many movies involving the Jewish religion such as A Serious Man. The roles acting level was on average but did not need a challenge and the drug business obviously fell because throughout the film the dealers were haggling. In organized business there are preset prices and there is little tension. The true events of the movie only added to how well done the film is. B-

Robin Hood

Robin Hood, the hooded crusader (Russell Crowe), is fighting for the English during the crusades. However, when the King dies during battle Robin Hood is returning the crown to John, the next successor for the throne (Oscar Issac). During this time the king is facing several complications such as affairs, a country in debit, and headed toward a civil war. Robin Hood, after returning the crown goes to return a sword of a soldier who died in an ambush. He comes to the town explaining this event to the soldier’s father, Sir Walter Loxley, who is blind (Max von Sydow). Afraid of losing his land to the tax collectors Sir Walter Loxley asks Robin Longstride to marry his daughter, Lady Marian (Cate Blanchett) so that he may keep his land and home. Throughout the weeks that pass by a relationship starts to occur between Robin and Marian, but with Sir Godfrey (Mark Strong) burning down villages and having Robin Hood as target. With England at an almost civil war, there are a few memorable quotes such as “Rise and rise again until lambs become lions. What does this mean? It means never give up” and “A king who demands loyalty but fails to show his people the same.” This classic tale of Robin Hood fails to meet the historical accuracy as well as the message of the tale.

This version of Robin Hood is similar to that of Gladiator (another Ridley Scott film) only a few notches down. While having some excellent camera shots, action scenes, and good performances from William Hurt (who plays William Marshall), Mark Strong, and Cate Blanchett these do not hold a well orchestrated movie together. This version had very few symbols, rarely touched on him giving to poor and taking from the greedy, as well as just accuracy to history. Robin Hood actually kidnapped King John put a bow and arrow to his head and made him sign a series of laws. As well there was little relevance between the story of Robin Hood and the relationship between him and his father. While making some good performances, great (typically Ridley Scott) action scenes, and Mark Strong always playing the villain made this film unfortunately as well somewhat of a bore. C+

'Iron Man 2'

Tony Stark, AKA: Iron Man (Robert Downey JR.) is back and he is bigger, badder and louder than ever. The United States Government wants Tony Stark to turn over the Iron Man for being seen as a possible national security threat, even though Iron Man has brought world peace. Stark Industries, formerly working with the United States Government on nuclear weapons, is holding their very own “Starks Expo”, which is an expo for those who have ideas on improvement/development of machines. A presenter and rival of Starks Industries, Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), CEO of Hammer Industries. What sets Mr. Hammer apart from Mr. Starks is having the incompetence to make an adequate weapon, or Iron Man for that matter, and working with the United States Government on weapons manufacturing. One can only imagine the credibility of the United States Government by having weapons technology that is not even competent enough to aim correctly.

Meanwhile in Russian, Ivan Vanko, AKA: Whiplash (Mickey Rourke) has the information of Iron Man which Ivan's father had originally created, however, Howard Stark, Tony's dad (John Slattery), had plagiarised the blueprints for Iron Man's artificial heart, thus Father Vanko was disgraced from the scientific community. Dr. Vanko as well knows about the affects of having an artificial heart; "ironically what is keeping Tony alive is also killing him." Whiplash goes to a race, in Italy, Tony participates in. Vanko at the race uses the technology he possesses, and shows Iron Man is vulnerable by nearly murdering Tony on the racetrack. “If you make God bleed people will cease to believe he is God”, which was Whiplash's intention of revenge for his belated father. Who would want to see Tony at his lowest level more than Whiplash? Justin Hammer viewing the race decides to team up with Whiplash in order to make his own Iron Man but bigger, badder, and better than Tony's. One thing both Mr. Hammer and Dr. Vanko wish to have, revenge.

Tony as well has to deal with the displeasure of his father who is six feet under, fear of telling his girlfriend, Pepper Pots, the new CEO of Starks Industries, (Gwyneth Paltrow), he is perishing, and questioning the loyalty of his best friend, James “Rhodney” Rhodes, AKA War Machine (Don Cheadle), who is working for the United States, as an member of the air force. Could anything else go wrong? Yes, his relationship is unstable with Pepper and is only causing further confusion with the hire of Natalie, Pepper's assistant, AKA: Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). Iron Man 2 throughout the film has made very aware Scarlett Johansson is indeed very attractive making, but not the only reason of Mr. Stark's unstable relationship. Robert Downey Jr. is playing himself being selfish, self absorbed and saying "I" too often, in every sentence, non stop, no offense Mr. Downey Jr. All of Iron Man's antagonists include Justin Hammer, Whiplash, the United States Government, as well as his own controversies. Tony's friends...they become clear at the end of the film.

Iron Man 2 had all the action scenes, witty lines, and self-conflicting decisions a movie is expected to have. There was good dialogue, good plot, political pressure, comedic lines, and common done before themes throughout film. In the end who is the winner for best portrayed role? Yes Scarlett Johansson was made very aware she is attractive, however took little to realize she is beautiful. Downey JR. did play the self absorbed Tony Stark accurately however he was not acting. The winner goes to Mickey Rourke. Mickey was the perfect, creepy villain every movie looks for. Not only was he tough, smart, and greasy down to the bone but his Russian accent was perfect. This is when an audience member is able to the the movie has few issues when Mickey Rourke, the former boxer, is the best part of the film. Another factor making Iron Man 2 a lower level than the first is Robert Downey Jr. was just coming back from rehab and Don Cheadle replaced Terrence Howard, who could not participate in the film for wanting a rather large sum of money. There are also moments of inconsistency, is rather long, and is less exhilarating than the first. B-