All posts by Tim Lammers

Movie review: Rude, crude ‘The Happytime Murders’ makes its case

August 26, 2018 Tim Lammers Leave a comment

“The Happytime Murders” (R)

Think a “Muppet” movie, where humans and puppets co-exist, except the movie is an F-bomb-laced, rude and crude murder mystery and you get “The Happytime Murders,” the latest R-rated comedy starring Melissa McCarthy.

“The Happytime Murders” takes its name from a “The Happytime Gang,” a once a popular puppet TV show. Years after the show ended its run, most of the puppet stars are down in and out in Los Angeles, and even worse, somebody looking for vengeance is killing the cast members one by one in a puff of smoke, felt and feathers. Looking to solve the mystery as to why, a human investigator (McCarthy) teams up with her former detective partner (“Muppets” puppeteer/voice actor Bill Barretta) — who is a puppet, to get to the bottom of what is dubbed the Happytime Murders.

AUDIO: Hear Tim’s review of “The Happytime Murders” with Tom Barnard on “The KQ Morning Show.”

A send-up of buddy cop comedies and gumshoe murder mysteries, “The Happytime Murders” is very raunchy, and while only half the lines work, when they do, it’s very funny. Plus, as a spoof movie, the story is very well constructed. It’s politically incorrect, like “Team America: World Police” and “Sausage Party,” where a genre and characters normally associated with kid entertainment are peppered it with filthy language and rude and crude physical humor.

McCarthy’s good as usual in “The Happytime Murders” but she’s been funnier, maybe because it seems her F-bomb-slinging detective feels too close to her role opposite Sandra Bullock in director Paul Feig’s uproarious comedy “The Heat.” The movie also stars Elizabeth Banks, Maya Rudolph, Joel McHale and Leslie David Baker (Stanley on “The Office”) who all deliver as expected, but the movie really belongs the puppets and the people behind them, who show us how it was all done during the end credits.

Perhaps the most amusing aspect of “The Happytime Murders” is that it’s directed by Brian Henson, the son of the late Muppets creator Jim Henson who serves to this day as chairman of the The Jim Henson Company. Clearly has a sense of humor when it comes with messing with the clean image of the Muppets; in fact, the film’s production company, called Henson Alternative, suggests there’s more of this type of “Happytime” humor to come.

Lammometer: 6.5 (out of 10)

AUDIO: Hear Tim’s review of “The Happytime Murders” with Jordana Green and Paul Douglas on WCCO-AM Radio (segment begins 6:30 in).

Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for The KQ92 Morning Show,” “KARE 11 News at 11” (NBC), WCCO Radio, WJON-AM, KLZZ-FM, “The Tom Barnard Podcast” and “The BS Show” with Bob Sansevere.

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Film, Movie Reviews

Movie review: Despite promise, ‘Mile 22’ runs short of expectations

August 16, 2018 Tim Lammers Leave a comment

“Mile 22” (R)

Despite its tried-and-true actor-director tandem of Mark Wahlberg and Peter Berg, “Mile 22” runs short of expectations following the team’s impressive previous efforts including “Lone Survivor,” “Deepwater Horizon” and “Patriots Day.” That’s not to say “Mile 22” is a bad film, just one that loses its way with an overdose of hyperkinetic action scenes that results in sensory overload.

Wahlberg stars as James Silva, a brilliant CIA operative whose complete lack of social skills allows him to complete his assignments with searing precision that’s uninhibited by emotion. Silva is exactly the man the CIA needs in charge of an off-the-books mission in Southeast Asia where his team needs to transport Li Noor (Iko Uwais) – a highly-valuable government asset who holds the key to saving the lives of millions – 22 miles to the pickup point where he can be safely escorted out of the country.

AUDIO: Hear Tim’s review of “Mile 22” with Tom Barnard on “The KQ Morning Show.”

However, since the information Noor has is so sensitive, the country he betrayed to get it wants him dead, turning his 22-mile route to safety into a war zone. Making matters worse, the plane that will extract Noor can only be on the ground for a 10-minute window to get the asset out of the country.

Ultimately, “Mile 22” is just another entry in the race against the clock action genre, with lots of non-stop if not relentless action, ultra-violent deaths of the good and bad guys, and a plotline held together with slender threads. Wahlberg is good as usual, but the character he plays, a brilliant operative with no social skills, will test your patience.

The film also stars Lauren Cohan, who shows tremendous promise outside of her role as Maggie in “The Walking Dead,” John Malkovich, who delivers as usual as the overseer of the mission, and former MMA star Ronda Rousey, who surprisingly doesn’t have any martial arts scenes. Instead, Uwais (of “The Raid” films) gets a spotlight to strut his martial arts prowess with several scenes that aren’t for the squeamish.

In an odd bit of timing, “Mile 22” comes out almost a year to the day after the 2017 hit comedy “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” which features a similar premise of a highly-valuable government asset (Samuel L. Jackson) being escorted across an urban war zone by a former CIA operative (Ryan Reynolds). Because the stakes are much higher, and the tone is heavier, “Mile 22” isn’t exactly a repeat of that film, but the groundwork is definitely the same. The big difference, of course, is that “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” also starring Elodie Yung, is a lot more entertaining and ultimately, hilarious, and would be a good substitute for those looking for a good chase thriller this weekend.

Lammometer: 6 (out of 10)

Film, Movie Reviews

Movie review: ‘The Meg’ is outrageous but entertaining shark tale

August 10, 2018 Tim Lammers Leave a comment

“The Meg” (PG-13)

Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water, “The Meg” has surfaced, a whale of a shark movie tale that’s outrageously entertaining from start to finish. Is it over-the-top ridiculous? Absolutely – it is a giant shark movie after all. The good thing is, star Jason Statham and director Jon Turtletaub know it, and because the film doesn’t take itself too seriously, “The Meg” makes, for the lack of better words, a huge splash.

“The Meg” is short for the Megladon, a prehistoric shark that’s 75 feet long that inhabits the bottom of the ocean. The film follows a deep-sea expedition that encounters the Meg, which following a rescue mission by Jonas Taylor (Statham) finds a way to swim to the ocean’s surface to devour everything living thing in sight with it sights set on a popular beach.

Listen to Tim’s review of “The Meg” and more on the “Paul and Jordana Show” on WCCO-AM Radio. Segment begins 6:30 minutes in.

With playful homages to Steven Spielberg’s classic “Jaws” woven throughout, “The Meg” is driven by intensity and occasional gore, which for queasy members of the audience is limited by the film’s PG-13 rating. And while the film has scary scenes, no doubt, it hardly could be considered a horror film, and in fact, it has a surprisingly light tone despite an escalating body count. “The Meg” can chalk its lighter tone up to its fine dose of humor – some of it is intentional and some of it because of its self-aware ridiculous action scenes – which Statham is obviously familiar with because of his prior “Fast and Furious” movies.

While the monster shark is clearly the star of “The Meg,” the film has a great supporting cast, from Rainn Wilson (who mostly plays it straight) as a billionaire who funds the expedition to Robert Taylor (the star of “Longmire”) as the expedition’s doctor who has a contentious past with Jonas; and the always dependable Cliff Curtis as one of the expedition’s crew to Ruby Rose as a computer techie. The Chinese co-production also features the stunning Bingbing Li as one of the expedition’s scientists and Winston Chau has the leader of the crew.

A movie that’s bound to be roasted by highbrow moviegoers and critics, the best way to enjoy “The Meg” is to simply sit back and enjoy the summer movie popcorn action since the film is not brain surgery, and it knows it. Inadvertently, “The Meg” is the sort of crowd-pleasing movie the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences apparently had in mind before it jumped the shark this week and announced its new “Best Popular Film” Oscars category … a move that’s already come back to (shark) bite the AMPAS governing body in the arse.

Lammometer: 8 (out of 10)

Film, Movie Reviews

Movie review: New Pooh story ‘Christopher Robin’ filled with humor, heart

August 2, 2018 Tim Lammers Leave a comment

“Christopher Robin” (PG)

The bear of very little brain indeed shows his big heart in “Christopher Robin,” a magical family tale about Winnie the Pooh and his grown-up human friend Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor). As Disney’s latest original live-action adaptation from its stable of animated classics, “Christopher Robin” works on every level with its perfect blend of humor and heart.

“Christopher Robin” begins in the familiar setting of the Hundred Acre Wood, where the young Christopher (Orton O’Brien) says goodbye to his friends Winnie the Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga and Roo, possibly forever when he leaves for boarding school. While Christopher has a hard time at first adjusting to his new setting and absence of old friends, his memory eventually fades as he gets married to Evelyn (Hayley Atwell) and goes off to serve in World War II. When Christopher finally returns home, he is greeted by Evelyn and his toddler daughter, Madeline, who was born when he was serving in the military, and he’s having a hard time bonding with her and readjusting to time with Evelyn because of the overbearing pressures of his job at a luggage company, which faces huge cutbacks.

AUDIO: Hear Tim’s review of “Christopher Robin” with Tom Barnard on “The KQ Morning Show.” Segment begins 2 minutes in.

Meanwhile, 30 years have passed in the Hundred Acre Wood, and Pooh awakens one day and he can’t find his friends. In hopes Christopher will help him, Pooh leaves the Hundred Acre Wood for London, where he surprises his old friend. The problem is, Christopher is on a tight deadline to come up with a plan to save his co-workers’ jobs, he overcomes his reluctance to help and discovers that, thanks to stuffed friend, he’s missing out the innocent joys of life that he once had as a child.

Interview: Hayley Atwell talks ‘Christopher Robin’

A family-friendly film with a PG rating, “Christopher Robin” works both for children familiar and new to the adventures of Winnie the Pooh with its simple yet engaging storyline, and adults, not only for the nostalgia factor, but the carefully layered-in messages of priorities and the importance of family.

Set the 1940s, “Christopher Robin” perfectly captures the nostalgic era with its look and feel, which of course enhanced by the magical tone of the film realized by director Marc Forster. A courtyard park bench setting is particularly poignant, since it marks the reunion of Christopher and Pooh, and harkens the emotional ending to his 2004 classic “Finding Neverland,” which chronicled the creation of “Peter Pan” by playwright J.M. Barrie (Johnny Depp).

The great thing is, that magical atmosphere is present throughout “Christopher Robin,” which is made complete by the voicework of long-time Pooh voice actor Jim Cummings (he voices Tigger as well), and the whimsical baritone of Brad Garrett as Eeyore, among others. Their presence helps to match the tone of the Winnie the Pooh animated films and features, which, despite their stuffed animal looks, feel like real characters with real emotions. All told, “Christopher Robin” is one of the best films of the summer, if not of 2018 to date.

Lammometer: 9.5 (out of 10)

Listen to Tim’s review of “Christopher Robin” and “Goodbye Christopher Robin” on the “Paul and Jordana Show” on WCCO-AM Radio. Segement begins 9 minutes in.

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All posts by Tim Lammers

Movie review: Rude, crude ‘The Happytime Murders’ makes its case

Movie review: Despite promise, ‘Mile 22’ runs short of expectations

Movie review: ‘The Meg’ is outrageous but entertaining shark tale

Movie review: New Pooh story ‘Christopher Robin’ filled with humor, heart

Original Interviews, Reviews & More By Tim Lammers