On assignment for Looper.com, Tim talked with “Dune” star David Dastmalchian about playing Piter de Vries in the film, along with his huge response to his role of Polka-Dot Man in “The Suicide Squad,” and more. Click below to read the interview pieces on Looper!
Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for “The KQ92 Morning Show” with Tom Barnard on KQRS-FM, “Paul and Jordana” with Paul Douglas and Jordana Green on WCCO Radio, “It Matters with Kelly Cordes” on WJON-AM, KLZZ-FM, “Let’s Talk Movies with Tim Lammers” with Tim Matthews on KRWC-AM, “The Tom Barnard Podcast” and “The BS Show” with Bob Sansevere, and reviews streaming programming on WCCO Radio’s “Paul and Jordana” as well. On TV, Tim has made hundreds of guest appearances on NBC affiliate KARE on the news program “KARE 11 News at 11”.
Tim joined Tom Barnard and the crew for the “The KQ Morning Show” on KQRS-FM Thursday to review the Western adventure “News of the World” and the sci-fi mystery “Wander.” Then on Friday, Tim reviewed the films with Paul Douglas and Jordana Green on the “Paul and Jordana” show on WCCO-AM. Click to listen below. The segments are brought to you by Michael Bryant and Bradshaw & Bryant.
AUDIO: Tim Lammers reviews “News of the World” and “Wander” with Kelly Cordes on WJON-AM. Click above to listen.
Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for “The KQ92 Morning Show” with Tom Barnard on KQRS-FM, “Paul and Jordana” with Paul Douglas and Jordana Green on WCCO Radio, “It Matters with Kelly Cordes” on WJON-AM, KLZZ-FM, “Let’s Talk Movies with Tim Lammers” with Tim Matthews on KRWC-AM, “The Tom Barnard Podcast” and “The BS Show” with Bob Sansevere, and reviews streaming programming on WCCO Radio’s “Paul and Jordana” as well. On TV, Tim has made hundreds of guest appearances on NBC affiliate KARE on the news program “KARE 11 News at 11”.
The magic of J.K. Rowling is back with “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” the first of five planned spinoff films rooted in the author’s “Harry Potter” universe. Forgoing the traditional sequel or prequel route to satiate the legions of fans wanting more from Rowling’s blockbuster book-turned-film series, “Fantastic Beasts” ingeniously taps into Rowling’s witchcraft and wizardry mythology as it examines the adventures documented in one of Harry’s textbooks featured in “Harry Potter and Sorcerer’s Stone.”
The end result is “Fantastic Beasts” feels like a Potter film with no mention of Potter (“Fantastic Beasts” takes place 70 years before the story of “The Boy Who Lived”), and instead concentrates on former Hogwart’s student Newt Scamander (the always great Eddie Redmayne) and his adventures to capture fantastical beasts all over the world.
Listen to Tim’s reviews of “Fantastic Beasts” and “Bleed for This” on “The KQ Mornings Show” with Tom Barnard.
But in an odd twist of fate, a bumbling factory worker (Dan Fogler) accidentally unleashes some of Newt’s creatures during a stopover in New York City – and the exposure creates a panic among a secret society of witches and wizards that fears the persecution of their human counterparts.
While the cast — including Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Ezra Miller and Colin Farrell — is terrific, “Fantastic Beasts” comes off a bit too heavy on the special effects. They’re great effects, no doubt, but unless you’re familiar with the source material (Rowling published the 128-page “Fantastic Beasts” in 2001), you may struggle to keep up with all the wizard-speak amid all of the crash-boom-bang. As for everybody else, they’re in for, well, a magical good time.
Lammometer: 7.5 (out of 10)
“Bleed for This” (R)
Fans of hard-hitting, true-life drama will want to climb into the ring with “Bleed for This,” the incredible true story of champion boxer Vinnie Pazienza and his struggles to get back into the ring after a head-on car collision nearly left him completely paralyzed.
Led by Miles Teller as Vinnie, the cast is stellar all around, including brilliant supporting turns by Aaron Eckhart and Ted Levine, who are barely recognizable as Vinnie’s trainer Kevin Rooney and promoter Lou Duva, respectively.
Even though the film falls into the trappings of the boxing genre (there are only so many ways you can replicate a boxer training for a comeback), “Bleed for This” is an amazing study of character and determination in the face of adversity. For the lack of better words, it delivers a solid knock-out punch.
Clint Eastwood masterfully tells the story of the “Miracle on the Hudson” and it’s surprising aftermath in “Sully,” a compelling drama that chronicles the events surrounding Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger’s daring and unprecedented landing of an A320 airbus on the Hudson River in New York City on Jan. 15, 2009.
“Sully,” naturally, documents in detail the events of U.S. Airways Flight 1549 on that fateful day in 2009, when shortly after takeoff Sully (Tom Hanks) and First Officer Jeff Skiles (Aaron Eckhart) a bird strike renders both engines in their jet useless. With no engine thrust to commandeer the plane back to its point of origin at LaGuardia Airport or make an emergency landing at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, Sully makes the quick determination that landing on the Hudson River is the best if not only option.
People, of course, got to know Sully through his many appearances in the media following the miracle landing, which saved all 155 passengers and crew on board. Lost in whirlwind of press, however, was the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into the incident that threatened to end the careers of Sully and his first officer on the flight.
Though hailed as heroes by the general public, the NTSB’s reaction is quite different, as its computer analyses and flight simulations suggested that Sully and Skiles could flown the plane back at La Guardia Airport or at the very least, could have landed at Teterboro. Even more damning, the NTSB claimed that at least part of the left engine on the plane was functional and would given the A320 with enough thrust to land at either airport.
Hanks, whose career has been defined by good guy roles, is perfectly suited to play the hero in “Sully,” as he nails the quite demeanor and humility of the famed pilot who maintains a respect for the NTSB despite its intense scrutiny of the events surround the splash landing.
Listen to Tim’s review of “Sully” with Tom Barnard, Michele Tafoya and the KQ92 Morning Show crew at 13:30 in.
Eckhart is also terrific as Skiles, giving a face and voice to the pilot who, despite being relegated to the background as Sully captured most of the media’s attention, played a pivotal role in the landing of the plane on the Hudson. Laura Linney also gives a memorable performance in a supporting role as Sully’s wife and voice of reason as the pilot begins to question his actions in the face of adversity.
Eastwood, however, is the true star of “Sully.” He recreates the crippled Flight 1549 with gripping suspense (amazing, considering we all know the outcome), and his subtle direction defines the inspirational tone of the film, which ultimately gives it its emotional lift. Also chronicling the work of the first responders (many people from the real event recreated their roles for the film), “Sully” displays the work of everyday people at their finest. Be sure to stick around for the end credits of the film, as Eastwood includes emotional footage that punctuates the 90 minutes that precedes it.
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Original Interviews, Reviews & More By Tim Lammers
