I think what the OP's report highlights is the single factor that keeps AA's premium service from ranking higher than it otherwise does - inconsistency in the delivery of service (or non-delivery, in this case).
The hard product is what it is - better than some, well behind the market leaders (personally, I find the seat very good, don't care about the AVOD and don't use the Bose (I carry my own, better, of each)).
Catering, as long as it's basically good and served hot, is fine with me - I don't expect an Escoffier experience in the air.
But the service can range anywhere from stellar to uncaring/uninvolved, with most flights somewhere in between. And this has nothing to do with the age of the staff - the very best TATL flight I have ever flown was served with a group of senior cabin staff who clearly enjoyed their jobs and took pride in delivering world-class service. The OP, unfortunately, had a crew from the opposite end of the service spectrum. International travel in 2010 is full of these kinds of inconsistencies - whether one less-than-excellent experience will forever turn the OP against AA forever, only he/she can decide.