Movie Buff

I've seen quite a few "summer blockbusters" recently. Two, to be precise: the "A-Team," last night for it's midnight release, and "Get Him to the Greek," just a little bit ago this evening. Work was slugging, and I blame either the being up super late last night, or the muggy and rainy and cold but mostly indecisive weather. At any rate, it was nice to sandwich this drag of a day between two very nice escapes.

I'll start with "A-Team."

I instantly wished I had seen something of the original television series. I can almost guarantee that the show and the film are far from similar, but between the UFC goon spitting Mr. T-ish "FOOLS!" etc that in many, many ways (like the theme song popping up here and there) that the movie did try its hardest to remind viewers that Bradley Cooper's smarminess is actually from something. I read the review over at The AV Club and it's a mostly negative C+. Maybe I'm low brow, although, I'm positive everyone that knows me will disagree, but, I enjoyed the "A-Team." A-Lot. It was a thrilling action ride that didn't make me think, didn't stick it's big budget nose into current affairs, or attack politics, it just had explosions and kick ass action sequences. Liam Neeson rocked, I mean the guy nailed it. Its good to see he was able to survive Qui Gon's flop and turn into a late game bad ass action hero (see Taken). The UFC guy did what BA Baracus was supposed to do, to quote, "I'm BA, and you're going to be unconscious." The no-name that played Murdoc was funny, and Cooper was, well, Brad Cooper.

Rotten Tomatoes gives this movie less than a 55% rating. I have ALWAYS hated Rotten Tomatoes; people say that the site does an unbiased survey of reviews and compiles, but it always seems that they aren't looking very hard for positive writing on most movies. Particularly the "A-Team." But you know what? Screw Rotten Tomatoes, there are more bugs and ads on the site then Myspace now. No, I do not want to watch the trailer for "True Blood" again RT. Weekend is as vampire as I get.

But on to bigger and, supposedly, funnier things. "Get Him to the Greek," the next Aptow/Seagal two hour laugh fest pits Jonah Hill's Aaron, an Aldous Snow & Infant Sorrow obsessive a little less obnoxious then "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," against a failing, drug addict lead singer on a three day journey from London to the Greek Theater in LA. Let me sum it up in one line: they get s**t-house drunk. A lot. And I mean, that's the entire movie. To have Aptow behind the reigns on this one, it should have been a lot better. "Greek" suffers the same fate as "Funny People:" could have should of been funny. There was so much talent in this one for it to have been so bad. "Greek" had a major identity crisis: part booze cruise frat boy mayhem, part heartstrings tugger, part fakeo rock doc, and none of them outshone the other, and the point is lost in this awful dross of confusion.

But, I enjoyed parts. I laughed, and I guess when you don't pay for the ticket, that's all that matters.

It is officially Alumni Weekend; work should be nuts tomorrow. On the plus side, I get to wear my new SCA Polo, and talk to old people about what Otterbein used to be. More details to come, but fun fact: the year Garst Hall was built, OSU used the same building style/construct for their chicken coops.

Cluck Cluck Cluck, I guess.