John. P. Hanlon

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Articles by John. P. Hanlon

REVIEW: 'A-Team' Lacks A-Game

Admittedly I have never seen a television episode of the “The A-Team.” So I went into the theater not knowing the plot of the show or the film. Unfortunately, I left disappointed with an unexciting and uninspired “A-Team” that failed

Will We Ever See the Likes of 'Lost' and '24' Again?

Several weeks ago, two critically-acclaimed and extremely inventive television series aired their final episodes. With the new summer television season upon us and fall premieres just a few months away, we can only hope that these upcoming shows deliver in

REVIEW: 'Killers' — Worst Movie of the Year?

It is a little early for declaring what the worst movies of 2010 are, but after seeing “MacGruber” and “Killers” within weeks of each other, it seems like this is going to be a rough year for film viewers. “Killers”

REVIEW: 'Sex' and the Silly Sequel

Although I didn’t watch the television show, “Sex and the City,” I did see the original movie. It was obviously intended for a female audience but it was also fun and spirited. Unfortunately, the sequel is a disappointment as the

Jack Bauer & '24' Go Out On Final High Note

[WARNING: Major Series Finale Spoilers] Before the series finale of “24” began, Kiefer Sutherland (a.k.a Jack Bauer) appeared on the Fox network and thanked the show’s audience for their support of the long-running program. After eight seasons (eight days in

Note to WaPo: Tony Stark Is No Jack Abramoff

One of the most enjoyable parts of both “Iron Man” and “Iron Man 2” is the hero at the core of the two films. Played by a charismatic Robert Downey Jr., Tony Stark (aka Iron Man) is both egotistical and

REVIEW: 'Robin Hood' Lacks Sense of Adventure

When many people think about “Robin Hood,” they probably conjure up images of a rebel causing trouble for the sake of his fellow man in the forest. They probably imagine a strong and charismatic leader standing up against a cold

Movies We Like: 'Iron Man' (2008)

In light of the recently released “Iron Man” sequel, I recently re-watched the first “Iron Man” movie starring Robert Downey Jr., Jeff Bridges and Gwyneth Paltrow. Although many superhero movies are goofy and clichéd, “Iron Man” stands out as a

REVIEW: New 'Nightmare' Not Worth Your Time

A little over a year ago, horror icon Jason Voorhees returned to the big screen in a remake of “Friday the 13th.” This year, Freddy Krueger gets his revenge with his own new film, “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” Unfortunately,

REVIEW: 'Parenthood' Is a Terrific New Show

During a recent episode of the new NBC show “Parenthood,” the patriarch of the family was jokingly reminiscing with his wife about a family trip they had taken years earlier when one of their children got sick and vomited on

REVIEW: 'The Losers' Is Much Better Than Its Title Implies

It’s hard to go into a movie called “The Losers” with high expectations. The title is silly and likely turned some viewers off (who wants to go see a movie called “The Losers,” anyway?). Fortunately, the title does not do

REVIEW: 'You Don't Know Jack,' and Neither Does HBO

Several days ago, I had the opportunity to attend an advance screening of the HBO film “You Don’t Know Jack” about the life of Dr. Jack Kevorkian. The television movie has a strong cast including Academy Award winners Al Pacino

REVIEW: 'American Idol' Continues to Entertain, Inspire

Even though the show is currently in its ninth season and its panel of judges has changed throughout the years, “American Idol” remains one of the most popular programs on television today. Its combination of young talent, smart judges and

REVIEW: Miley Cyrus Stars in Sweet, Sentimental, Flawed 'Last Song'

It’s easy to be cynical about the movies adapted from Nicholas Sparks’ stories. Earlier this year there was “Dear John” (which I reviewed here), a sentimental, adolescent, old-fashioned romance. And so is “The Last Song,” but this is a stronger

REVIEW: 'Letters to God' Is a Package Worth Opening

When I recently interviewed David Nixon, the director of “Letters to God,” he told me he wanted to make movies with a message. His newest film certainly has a message, a message about hope and faith that will appeal to

REVIEW: 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' Comes Out Strong

The “Wimpy Kid” is wimpy no more. Two weekends ago, in its opening weekend,the new film based on the book “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” beat Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler’s new movie “The Bounty Hunter” and Jude Law’s new

REVIEW: 'Atomic Jihad' An Important Look at Iran & Obama

Over the past several years, many major movie stars have appeared in films about the war in Iraq. Even though many of those movies, including the recent “Green Zone,” failed dismally at the box office, movies like that film arguably

REVIEW: 'The Crazies' Disappoints With Cheap Scares

There is a scene in the movie “The Crazies” where a couple of men investigate to see if there was a plane crash in the area. Instead of going for easy thrills (i.e. people popping out of dark places to

REVIEW: 'Brooklyn's Finest' Is a Fine Film

On paper, aspects of “Brooklyn’s Finest” may sound like parts of a familiar cop film. The film focuses on the lives of three cops, one of whom is only a few days from his retirement. We have seen generic characters

WaPo Critic Turns Book Review Into Anti-Palin Tirade

Critics seem to use every opportunity they can to attack former Governor Sarah Palin and her family. Even though she is no longer in elected office, some seem unable to control their disdain for Ms. Palin, even when their criticisms

REVIEW: 'Survivor' More than Surviving In Its 20th Season

In the 20th season premiere,”Survivor”nice guy Colby Donaldson is literally dragged through the sand by a member of the opposing team. Colby’s face is covered in sand as his opponent drags his body to help his own team win the

REVIEW: 'Life Unexpected' Is a Sweet Surprise

The new CW program “Life Unexpected” is not what you would expect from a channel that brings you the updated version of “Melrose Place.” “Unexpected” does not have the corny teenage drama of “One Tree Hill” or the manipulations and

REVIEW: 'Crazy Heart' Is a Winner

Last week there were a few nice surprises when the Oscar nominations were announced. The media mainly focused on the surprise Best Picture nomination of “The Blind Side,” but there was another surprise in the best supporting actress category: Maggie

Review: Off 'The Deep End'

You may not know who Matt Long is but you might have seen the young actor in recent advertisements for his new ABC television show “The Deep End.” Long has appeared in a couple of major motion pictures including “Ghost

Reinvented Characters Give '24' New Life

One would think that after seven years on the air, audiences would know who Jack Bauer is. Yet, as the new season of “24” began last week, we saw Bauer in a different light. He was not fighting terrorism; he

Box Office 2009: The Year Stories Didn't Matter

The two highest-grossing movies in the United States from 2009 were “Avatar” and “Transformers 2.” The special effects and the anticipation before both films helped propel these films to earn hundreds of millions of dollars. Much of the media coverage

The Good and Bad of Last Night's Golden Globe Awards

Last night, the 67th Golden Globes Awards were given out by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). According to the HFPA mission statement, one of the goals of the organization is to “recognize outstanding achievements by conferring annual Awards of

Sandra Bullock: The Best of Both Award Worlds

On Sunday, March 7th, 2010, the best picture winner at the Academy Awards will be announced. Although there are ten nominees in that category this year (up from the usual five), they will likely not include the following: “Twilight,” “The

Golden Globe Noms Shine Light On Worthy Programs

The Golden Globe nominations were released last week. As usual, many of the television categories were dominated with long-running programs. However, a few new shows received welcome nominations, a boost that could lend more credibility to these freshmen programs. “Glee”

Memo to Bravo: Don't Let Crashers Invade Our Living Rooms

In a year when a “balloon boy” became a media sensation, it is bizarre that some networks are thinking about giving more credibility to reality show contestant wannabes. The Salahis, the other high-profile “celebrity” couple that seemed more interested in

Review: Sarah Palin's 'Going Rogue'

On the “Tonight Show” recently, William Shatner dramatically read from the former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin’s new book. The scene made national news not because of Shatner’s comedic timing but because after he read from her book, Ms. Palin