'A Team' latest movie based on TV show

“In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the A-Team.”

So began “The A Team,” which hit the airwaves in 1983 and made a star out of Mr. T.

Flash forward 27 years. Hollywood has once again dipped for inspiration into the well of old TV shows and decided the time is ripe for a new “A Team.”

Except for updating the war from Vietnam to Desert Storm, little has changed in the new “A Team.” Four Army buddies must escape to clear their names after being framed for a crime they didn’t commit.

Liam Neeson (pictured with rest of cast)  has taken George Peppard’s role as team leader, Bradley Cooper is the eye candy, Quinton Jackson replaces Mr. T as the bruising BA and Sharlto Copley is the crazy guy.

As TV shows go, “The A Team” was entertaining. It seemed as if there was a car chase and crash in every episode, or was that “The Dukes of Hazzard?” Hardly anyone ever died in “The A Team,” and the good guys always defeated the bad guys and undid some wrong.

Action shows were plentiful in the 1980s. Besides “The A Team” and “Dukes” you had “The Fall Guy,” “B.J. and the Bear,” “Knight Rider,” “MacGyver,” “Sheriff Lobo” and “Simon & Simon” to name only a few. All of them were mindless. Most of them were fun to watch.

There’s a lot of positive buzz about “The A Team,” so don’t be surprised if it posts strong opening numbers. It may even have legs as it competes with some lackluster competition.

Hollywood has mined TV Land for ideas for years.

Some movies based on TV shows have been pretty good. “The Fugitive” with Harrison Ford was exciting. “The Flintstones” with John Goodman was funny. “Maverick” with Mel Gibson was a true homage to the show and all TV westerns.

Others based on TV shows have fallen flat, including the recent “MacGruber.” Some of the other bombs are “My Favorite Martian,” “The Mod Squad,” “The Avengers” and “McHale’s Navy.”

If you’re in the mood for some good movies based on TV shows, try these six. All are available on video and DVD.

“Charlie’s Angels” (2000) – Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu and Drew Barrymore star as the three women plucked from crummy police jobs and turned into kick-ass private detectives by the unseen Charlie Townsend in this movie based on the show that made a star out of Farrah Fawcett. Other stars include Bill Murray, Sam Rockwell and Kelly Lynch. The late John Forsythe provided the voice of Charlie, just as he did in the show. There was a pretty good sequel.

“Mission Impossible” (1996) – Tom Cruise stars as a U.S. agent who is accused of being a turncoat and must uncover the real bad guy in this movies based on the show that made Peter Graves a star. Other stars include Jon Voight, Jean Reno, Ving Rhames and Vanessa Redgrave. There were two pretty good sequels and a fourth sequel is planned.

“Get Smart” (2008) – Steve Carrell stars as the inept but effective spy in this movie based on the show that made “Would you believe …” a household phrase. Other stars include Anne Hathaway as the vivacious Agent 99, Dwayne Johnson, Bill Murray, Terrence Stamp and Alan Arkin. A sequel is planned for 2012.

“The Addams Family” (1991) – Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston star as Morticia and Gomez Addams, the heads of a kooky family that has a disembodied hand as a servant and a Frankenstein-like butler in this show based on the 1960s comedy that was based on a comic strip that mostly appeared in The New Yorker magazine. Other stars include Christina Ricci and Christopher Lloyd. There was a so-so sequel.

“The Brady Bunch Movie” (1995) – Shelley Long and Gary Cole star as the father and mother of a combined brood of three boys and three girls in this film that basically takes the 1970s version of the family and drops them into 1990s Los Angeles. Other stars include Christine Taylor as Marcia and Florence Henderson, the star of the original show, as Grandma Brady. There was a pretty good sequel.

“Serenity” (2005) – Fans of Joss Whedon’s ill-fated series “Firefly” love this movie that attempts to wrap up the series after it was cancelled by Fox. Stars include Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, Adam Baldwin, Jewel Staite and Summer Glau.

The cast of "Serenity." 

New Orleans is a favorite city for filmmakers

New Orleans has made a remarkable recovery since the city was almost wiped out by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

So, it's fitting that the Crescent City's Saints have made it to this year's Super Bowl against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday in Miami.

Saints fans are no doubt stocking up on gumbo, jambalaya, crawdads and red beans and rice for their parties. All of those fixin's will be washed down with Abita beer or a Dixie brand such as Blackened Voodoo.

New Orleans has been a favorite of filmmakers over the years. Films about New Orleans range from historical epics such as "The Buccaneer" about Jean Lafitte, Andrew Jackson and the War of 1812 to period pieces such as "Jezebel," which is set in pre-Civil War New Orleans, to the city's notorious side such as "Walk on the Wild Side," which is set in a 1930s bordello.

Movies have focused on the city's darker side in films such as "Hard Times" about Depression-era bare-knuckle fighters, "Tightrope" with Clint Eastwood as a cop hunting a serial killer who is murdering women linked to him, "Panic in the Streets" about a hunt for a criminal carrying the plague, and "No Mercy" about a Chicago cop who travels to New Orleans to find a missing woman.

No list is complete without mentioning movies that cater to the city's musical roots. "Mardi Gras" features Pat Boone and some other 1950s teen crooners heading to the city to ask a movie star to homecoming.

Mardi Gras and the city's voodoo influence is featured in many movies including "Hoodoo for Voodoo."

New Orleans is also featured in some silly movies such as "Abbott and Costello Go to Mars," which finds the hapless duo in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, and drek such as "Mardi Gras Massacre."

Here are six movies available on video or DVD that are sure to get members of the Who Dat Nation revved up before Sunday's big game.

"Hurricane Season" (2009) -- This one actually won't be available until Tuesday, but this is a great film about a basketball coach (Forest Whitaker) who brings together players from five high schools affected by Hurricane Katrina and gets them into the state playoffs a year after the hurricane has ravaged the city. Other stars include Taraji Henson, Bonnie Hunt, Isaiah Washington, Lil Wayne and Bow Wow.

"Pretty Baby" (1978) -- A young girl (Brooke Shield) is being raised by her prostitute mother (Susan Sarandon) in the city's notorious Storyville red-light district in the days before legalized prostitution is about to end in 1917. Other stars include Keith Carradine and Antonio Fargas.

"The Big Easy" (1986) -- The city is well represented in this film about a shady cop (Dennis Quaid) who is investigating murders of mob bosses and then finds himself under investigation for taking bribes by a pretty prosecutor (Ellen Barkin). Other stars include Ned Beatty and John Goodman.

"Angel Heart" (1987) -- Voodoo and such take center stage in this thriller about a private eye (Mickey Rourke) hired by a creepy character (Robert De Niro) to find a missing man following World War II. He finds the man and a lot more before it's all over. Also stars Lisa Bonet and Charlotte Rampling.

"A Streetcar Named Desire" (1951) -- A disturbed woman (Vivien Leigh) moves in with sister and her brutish husband (Marlon Brando) while she slowly loses touch with reality in this Elia Kazan masterpiece. Other stars include Kim Hunter and Karl Malden.

"Hotel" (1967) -- Rod Taylor manages a New Orleans hotel in this film based on Arthur Hailey's novel. Other stars include Melvyn Douglas as the owner who is mulling over an offer for the hotel, Karl Malden as a thief preying on guests and Michael Rennie as as nobleman with a dark secret.

Hollywood robots either kill you or make you laugh

Filmmakers have loved robots almost from the beginning of movie making. The early German sci-fi classic "Metropolis" featured robots back in 1927.
This summer, two of Hollywood's top robot franchises are back.
Already showing in theaters is "Terminator: Salvation," the fourth installment in the "Terminator" series that began 25 years ago with Arnold Schwarzenegger trying to bump off Linda Hamilton. This time Christian Bale is mankind's savior John Connor trying to destroy a robot army dedicated to wiping out humanity.
Up later this month is "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," the sequel to 2007's hit film about alien robots waging war on Earth. Shia LaBeouf is back as mankind's best hope and Megan Fox as his pretty but tough girlfriend. So, too, are the autobots (good alien robots) and decepticons (bad robots).
Movies about killer robots are not new in Hollywood. Cylons have been killing people since the 1970s television series "Battlestar Galactica." Eve is a beautiful killing machine in "Eve of Destruction" and Gene Simmons unleashes a swarm of killer robots in "Runaway."
Friendly robots have also been around for decades. "Tobor the Great" saves a young boy from bad guys, while a race of worker robots helps a group of friends save their apartment building in "batteries not included."
Some robots are sneaky, though. Bishop turns out to be a robot with his own agenda in the original "Alien" movie. And who knew that the henchmen were robots in "Halloween 3: Season of the Witch."
Many movie robots are in it for the laughs, such as the robot that escapes from the Army in "Short Circuit."
Some robots are just like people, such as Data in the "Star Trek: The Next Generation" series and films.
Some robots used to be people, such as the murderous creation Harvey Keitel turns into in "Saturn 3," and anyone unlucky enough to be assimilated by the Borg.
Occasionally, a robot will blow a fuse and then become dangerous. That's what happens with HAL in "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "I, Robot."
Here are six films available on video and DVD that feature robots down through the years.
"Kronos" (1957) -- A gigantic electricity-sucking robot lands in the ocean off Mexico and after knocking the crap out of the Mexican air force starts heading for Southern California in this vintage sci-fi thriller that scared me royally for most of my youth. Stars include Jeff Morrow, Barbara Lawrence and Morris Ankrum.
"Bicentennial Man" (1999) -- Robin Williams stars in this film based on Isaac Asimov's story about a robot's quest to become human, which takes about 200 years and brings him into contact with lots of people who would just as soon disassemble him. Other stars include Embeth Davidtz, Sam Neill and Oliver Platt.
"The Stepford Wives" (1975) -- Katharine Ross thinks something is odd about the town of Stepford, Conn., and soon finds out the secret the townspeople are keeping. Other stars include Paula Prentiss, Peter Masterson and Tina Louise.
"Westworld" (1973) -- Robots at a high-tech theme park suddenly malfunction and start killing off the staff and guests in this sci-fi thriller. One of the guests then finds himself being stalked by an animatronic gunslinger from the resort's Wild West park. Stars include Yul Brenner, Richard Benjamin and James Brolin.
"THX 1138" (1971) -- This film takes place a couple of hundred years after man has retreated underground to survive a nuclear disaster and has turned control of practically everything in the underground city over to robots. Stars include Robert Duvall, Donald Pleasence and Maggie Meomie.
"Artificial Intelligence: A.I." (2001) -- In the near future, a robotic boy (Haley Joel Osment) is adopted by a family and then abandoned. The boy then embarks on a quest to find the blue fairy that will turn him into a real boy in this film that was started by Stanley Kubrick and finished by Steven Spielberg. Other stars include Frances O'Connor, William Hurt and Jude Law.

The Dom is dead

Today's generation might not remember Dom DeLuise, but Baby Boomers definitely will know him from his days on Dean Martin's comedy show and as a frequent co-star of Burt Reynolds and a favorite actor for director Mel Brooks.
DeLuise died Monday after a long battle with cancer. He was 75.
DeLuise acted in dozens of movies starting in the early 1960s including a rare dramatic performance in "Fail-Safe," a Cold War thriller about an American bomber accidentally sent to bomb Moscow.
He also appeared in dozens of television shows including his long-running skit as an inept magician on Martin's comedy show in the 1960s.
DeLuise didn't always appear on screen. He voiced characters in several movies including Don Bluth's "An American Tail."
He was a noted chef and had been making regular appearances on cable cooking shows.
He also penned seven children's books.
His three sons, Peter, David and Michael, all followed him into show business.
Here are six movies available on video and DVD that are representative of his acting career.

"The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" (1982) -- DeLuise is a TV preacher who wants to close Dolly Parton's Chicken Ranch, a brothel protected by the local sheriff (Burt Reynolds) in this musical comedy. Also on hand are many of Burt's other co-stars including Charles Durning and Jim Nabors.

"Secret of NIMH" (1982) -- DeLuise voices Jeremy, one of the animals in this Don Bluth animated film about a fieldmouse's effort to save her ailing child.

"Fail-Safe" (1964) -- DeLuise has a supporting role as an American airman who is ordered to tell the Soviets how to shoot down an American bomber that is accidentally sent on a mission to drop an H-bomb on Moscow. It's a radically different turn for the comedian.

"Silent Movie" (1976) -- DeLuise co-stars with Mel Brooks in this comedy about a director's quest to produce the first major silent film since the 1930s. There's only one word spoken in the movie.

"Fatso" (1980) -- DeLuise stars in this Anne Bancroft (Mrs. Mel Brooks) comedy about a man whose effort to lose weight finally takes off after he meets the girl of his dreams (Candice Azzara).

"Hot Stuff" (1979) -- DeLuise stars and directs this comedy about three cops (himself, Suzanne Pleshette and Jerry Reed) who start a fencing operation and then keep it going without official sanction from their higher-ups.

You can find out more about DeLuise and a complete filmography at his Web site http://www.domdeluise.com/

Mommas from hell

Mother's Day is fast approaching and lots of guys are moaning over the fact they are going to have to do something nice for mom.

In Hollywood, moms are usually treated as special women who are sweet and kind and loving, and did I say sweet?

You know the kind of movie moms I mean. Myrna Loy raising 12 children and keeping a handle on her husband in "Cheaper by the Dozen." Or more recently, Bonnie Hunt doing the trick in the remake and its sequel.

But sometimes, filmmakers turn the tables and create movie moms who are as nasty as Klingons and a little off upstairs.

Anjelica Huston, who played a nice Irish mom in "Agnes Browne," is a cold, manipulative con artist whose son (John Cusack) is a cold, manipulative con artist in "The Grifters." The ending is chilling.

In 1993, Holly Hunter stars as a murdering mom in "The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom."

Here are six movies available on video and DVD that are sure to make you worship your own mom on Sunday.

"Throw Momma from the Train" (1987) -- Danny DeVito concocts a plan to murder Billy Crystal's shrewish ex-wife if Crystal will return the favor and dispose of DeVito's overbearing and acid-tongued mom (Anne Ramsey, who was also a nasty mom in "Goonies.")

"Mommie Dearest" (1981) -- Christina Crawford (Diana Scarwid) painted her adopted mother Joan Crawford (Faye Dunaway) as an abusive harpy in her memoirs that were the basis for this biopic. Wire hangers, anybody?

"Public Enemies" (1996) -- Theresa Russell stars as an overly possessive Ma Barker in this glorified look at her bank-robbing brood that terrorized the Midwest in the 1930s. Other stars include Eric Roberts and Alyssa Milano. This is one of those films that is so bad, it's good.

"Mother's Boys" (1994) -- Jamie Lee Curtis stars as a troubled mom who returns after walking out on her husband (Peter Gallagher) and sons three years earlier. They want nothing to do with her, but she won't take "no" for an answer.

"Serial Mom" (1994) -- Kathleen Turner is all sugar and spice until you mess with her family. That's when she pulls out the butcher knife and becomes Serial Mom in this John Waters black comedy. It has most of Waters' usual stars including Ricki Lake, Traci Lords and Patricia Hearst.

"Ever After" (1998) -- Anjelica Huston (again) is the evil stepmother of Drew Barrymore in this above-average adaptation of "Cinderella."