The combination of a group of talented actors adds up to nothing in “Triple Frontier,” Netflix’s latest foray into theatrical/streaming territory. Now playing in limited release in theaters across the country, the streaming service waited a week after its big screen debut to launch it on its venerable streaming platform, which is appropriately where it belongs. There’s nothing about the film that feels cinematic, even though it employs such notable actors as Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Garrett Hedlund and Pedro Pascal.
“Triple Frontier” aspires to be an action heist movie, where a group of struggling ex-Special Forces operatives concoct a plan to travel to zone known as “The Triple Frontier” in South America (a tri-area border located at the junction of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay) to kill a drug kingpin and boost the $75 million in cash that he’s sitting on in a hidden jungle compound. The operation yields a much bigger stash than they ever imagined, though, and when greed kicks in and the take rises to $250 million, the stakes are raised considerably, and the group of buddies’ plan disintegrates fast.
For as much talent that’s involved in “Triple Frontier” in front of and behind the camera (“All is Lost” helmer J.C. Chandor directed, and the film is co-written and executive produced by “The Hurt Locker” screenwriter Mark Boal), it is surprisingly second rate throughout its duration. The plot is dull and predictable, and the acting, particularly by Affleck, is horrible.
Aside from a couple funny one-liners, the film is just a procedural bore that feels like it’s been told 100 times before. It’s probably a good thing Netflix is releasing the film theatrically on a limited basis, because despite the marquee talent attached, it’s essentially a dud and would have ticked off moviegoers who would have doled out their hard-earned money to see what amounts to a squandered opportunity. At least in streaming mode, they can click away to their next choice without feeling cheated out of nothing more than time.
Lammometer: 4 (out of 10)
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.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe breaks new ground with “Captain Marvel,” the first of their 21 films to feature female superhero in the sole lead role. But while the film is a solid ride as expected – there’s no question the creatives at the studio have carefully executed the shared universe concept that adds up to one giant, sprawling story – “Captain Marvel” also feels like a missed opportunity. True, the special effects are spectacular if not better than ever, the story fills in some questions left blank in other MCU films and characters for the most part are engaging — yet the film’s lead, Brie Larson, feels like she’s miscast.
Larson stars as Vers, a member of the alien Kree race and its military arm Starforce, which, led by Yon-Rogg (Jude Law) is in an intergalactic battle with the shapeshifting Skrulls. Pursuing a power core that the Skrulls possess that will turn the tide in their favor in the fight for power, Vers crashes to Earth (more specifically through the roof of a Blockbuster video store – it’s 1995, after all), and soon enough the humanoid with alien blood and powers starts to sense that somehow she has a past on the planet as a former Air Force fighter pilot Carol Danvers. It’s also there where Vers encounters a younger version of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Nick Fury (a de-aged Samuel L. Jackson); a fateful meeting that will eventually lead to the formation of the Avengers Initiative.
Not surprisingly, the always-engaging Jackson is one of the highlights of “Captain Marvel,” in a role that he plays more fast and loose than his calm and cool badass Fury from the more recent MCU films. Also a standout is Ben Mendelsohn as Talos, the green, reptilian-like skinned leader of the Skrulls (who occasionally shapeshifts in to human form) who has far more dimensions than his bad guy image would suggest. Yes, he’s rough around the edges (quite literally), but Talos is also quite funny.
Annette Bening is also convincing as Larson’s mentor and Supreme Intelligence in the intergalactic realm, while Clark Gregg (killed off in “The Avengers” only to be resurrected for ABC’s “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) turns up in a smaller role and also gets the de-aging treat as fan-favorite Agent Phil Coulson and faithful colleague of Fury. Law, who’s been better (he was great in the critically-maligned “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”), serves in more of a functional role but still has presence. “Crazy Rich Asians” star Gemma Chan is great as Starforce sniper Minn-Erva, but is given very little time to shine; while Carol’s Earth best friend and colleague Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch) doesn’t get much more until the final act.
While the foundation of “Captain Marvel” is more than solid, it’s the heart of the film – the title character – that’s its weakest link: and that’s a big problem considering the MCU seems to be pinning a lot of hopes on the character as it moves into its next phase of films with the upcoming “The Avengers: End Game.”
There’s no question that Larson can act – she was well-deserving of her Best Actress Oscar for “Room” – it just feels like she was cast on the virtue of being an Oscar winner and shoehorned into the role with co-directors Anna Boden’s and Ryan Fleck’s hopes she could make something of it. But unlike the likes of Robert Downey Jr. , who defined his role in “Iron Man,” as did Chris Hemsworth in “Thor” and Chris Evans in “Captain America” (or on the DC side of the superhero equation, Gal Gadot in “Wonder Woman”), Larson doesn’t even come close to making the role her own.
Instead, things are a hit and miss. Larson no doubt meets the physical demands of “Captain Marvel” (her encounter with a shape-shifting old woman on a commuter train is classic), yet she seems to slog through her dialogue with very little energy or enthusiasm, and instead opts to make Carol Danvers a snarky character with little emotion and forces her lines in the hopes of squeezing some laughs out of the audience.
Ultimately, while other members of the MCU seem like they were born to play their respective roles, it feels like any number of actors could have filled the shoes of Danvers/Captain Marvel with much of an inspired presence than Larson tries to put forth. Playing a character with a name that would suggest otherwise, a marvel Brie Larson is not.
Lammometer: 6 (out of 10)
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.
Whether you’re a wrestling fan or not, you’ll want to dive into the ring for the new comedy drama “Fighting with My Family,” a wonderfully engaging true-life tale about how famed female wrestler Paige got her start in the WWE.
Florence Pugh stars as Saraya, an 18-year-old girl who along with her older brother, Zak (Jack Lowden) and their British working class parents, Ricky (Nick Frost) and Julia (Lena Heady), have been obsessed with professional wrestling their entire lives. Saraya and Zak are so polished in the sport, in fact, that a tape of their wrestling attracts the attention of a coach (Vince Vaughn) with the NXT, which trains potential wrestlers for a shot at the WWE.
But when only Saraya (who changes her name to Paige professionally) is signed by the NXT and jets off to training in Florida while Zak is left behind in the UK, the strained bond with her brother hampers the talented wrestler as she tries to prove herself worthy of the WWE.
Written and directed by Stephen Merchant and produced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson – who is magnetic as he plays himself in supporting role – “Fighting with Your Family” has it all, from laughter to heartbreak to lots of wrestling action, and to top it off, an emotionally-charged ending that my very well find you cheering and tearing up at the same time.
Punctuated by footage of the real-life Paige and her family during end credits, “Fighting with My Family” is full of heart and easily one of the best films so far in 2019.
Lammometer: 9 (out of 10)
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.
After controversies including failed attempts at a Best Popular Film pitch and finding a host, to relegating four categories commercials in a desperate strive by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to bring in the Oscars telecast under three hours, the already-embattled 91st annual Academy Awards celebration is almost here.
Like previous years, all the build up to the big night Sunday should yield few surprises, as critic and industry awards have once again established trends and given prognosticators fairly clear pictures of who and what films will be awarded with Oscars. And like previous years, the picks of the eventual winners by Academy members is sure to stir debate among movie fans and industry personnel, who will either gloat over who wins the top prizes or leave them declaring, “They were robbed!”
VIDEO: Watch Tim’s Oscar picks with Diana Pierce above on her web series “What’s Next? With Diana Pierce.”
AUDIO: Listen to Tim’s Oscar picks and a review of “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” with Paul Douglas and Jordana Green on WCCO-AM.
Here are my picks in the top categories for the 91st annual Academy Awards based on those trends, followed by who I think should win each prize.
Best Supporting Actor
Will win: Mahershala Ali, “Green Book”
Should win: Sam Elliott, “A Star is Born”
The clincher: Ali’s wins at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, the Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globes gives the actor as much momentum as he needs to win the top prize.
Best Supporting Actress
Will win: Regina King, “If Beale Street Could Talk”
Should win: Amy Adams, “Vice”
The clincher: King’s wins at the Critics’ Choice Awards and the Golden Globes give her the leg up over her competitors, but Emily Blunt won the SAG Award in the category for “A Quiet Place” and wasn’t nominated. Because of that, Adams has a chance to sneak in a win with her sixth overall Oscar nomination.
Best Actor
Will win: Rami Malek, “Bohemian Rhapsody”
Shouldwin: Malek
The clincher: Malek won Best Actor at the SAG Awards and Golden Globes (drama), but Christian Bale (“Vice”) took the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actor in both the actor and comedy actor categories. Since he won an Oscar already for “The Fighter,” it’s unlikely the Academy will award him again so soon, unlike Ali.
Best Actress
Will win: Glenn Close, “The Wife”
Should win: Close
The clincher: Awards from SAG, the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice (a tie with Lady Gaga), nothing will stop Close from winning, A) Because she’s a force of nature in the film, and B) This is her seventh nomination with no previous wins. It would be cruel to deny her the statuette this time. Don’t cry for Gaga, though; she’s a shoo-in as one of the writers of “Shallow” from “A Star is Born,” which is a shoo-in for Best Original Song.
AUDIO: Listen to Tim’s Oscar picks and a review of “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” with Tom Barnard on “The KQ Morning Show.”
Best Director
Will win: Alfonso Cuaron, “Roma”
Should win: Spike Lee, “BlacKkKlansman”
The clincher: Cuaron won the Directors Guild of America Award, perhaps the most accurate indicator of who will go on to win the Best Director Oscar. Since Lee has already been awarded with an honorary Oscar for his body of work, though, voters won’t feel sentimental here, even though “BlacKkKlansman” is a brilliant film.
Best Picture
Will win: “Roma”
Should win: “Green Book” or “A Star is Born” or “Bohemian Rhapsody” or “BlackKklansman” or “Black Panther” or “Vice”
The clincher: None, other than the fact that Cuaron is a cinch for taking home Oscars for Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing and (possibly) Best Original Screenplay (and the Best Picture Oscar signals the sum total of its winning parts). For some mystifying reason, Hollywood is obsessed with this cinematic equivalent of watching paint dry, making “Roma” one of the most overrated films of the year along with “The Favourite” (both of which, by the way, are nominated for a leading 10 nominations).
“Green Book,” “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “BlacKkKlansman,” “Black Panther,” “Vice” and early favorite “A Star is Born” are far more deserving, because, well, they’re all engaging and compelling (isn’t that what movies are supposed to be about?). “Roma,” on the flip side, feels too self-important. Another thing working against “Roma” is that despite efforts to showcase in theaters is a Netflix production that’s been streaming for weeks, and there could be a voting backlash from film purists.
If any film stands a chance of upsetting “Roma” it would be “Green Book,” based on the film’s win at the Producers Guild Awards. Don’t count out on it, though, thanks to disputes about “Green Book’s” historical accuracy (something people gave a pass to with “The Favourite”) and director Peter Farrelly’s bizarre penchant for allegedly flashing his colleagues on his previous films.
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.
