Tim joined Tom Barnard and the Morning Show crew on the “The KQ Morning Show” on KQRS-FM Thursday to review the HBO Max exclusive “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” and true-life espionage thriller “The Courier.” On Friday, Tim joined Paul Douglas on the “Paul and Jordana” show on WCCO-AM to review the films. Click to listen below. All of the segments are brought to you by Michael Bryant and Bradshaw & Bryant.
Merab Ninidze and Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Courier” (photo: Lionsgate)
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 Jay Philpott on “The Best of The KQ Morning Show” on KQRS-FM Thursday to review the new basketball drama “The Way Back.” Click to listen below. The segment is brought to you by Michael Bryant and Bradshaw & Bryant.
Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for “The KQ92 Morning Show” on KQRS-FM, “Paul and Jordana” on WCCO Radio, “It Matters with Kelly Cordes” on WJON-AM, KLZZ-FM, “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 “KARE 11 News at 11” (NBC).
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.
DC’s answer to Marvel’s Avengers, “Justice League,” is finally here, and the long- awaited big screen union of some of DC’s biggest superheroes — Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, the Flash and Cyborg — was worth the wait. It’s not perfect, but a definite improvement over 2016’s “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.”
Justice League picks up not long after the tragic ending of Batman v Superman in 2016 where (spoiler!) Superman dies in an explosive showdown with the monstrous Doomsday. A new, threat is looming this time, though with the villainous Steppenwolf, who is looking to gather three mother boxes, which contain an apocalyptic power to destroy the earth. And while the newly formed Justice League proves to be a worthy opponent for Steppenwolf, the group really needs to the power of Superman to defeat him, that is, if Superman (Henry Cavill) can somehow rise from the dead.
Like other DC films, Justice League has a grittier feel than its Marvel movie counterparts, yet, this time around the tone is far lighter, more fun and has many more laughs than “Batman v Superman” or its predecessor, “Man of Steel.”
And while the film takes a good hour for the group to come together, the Justice League, when fully formed is great, from Ben Affleck as Batman, Jason Momoa as Aquaman, and Ray Fisher as Cyborg, as well as Gal Gadot and Ezra Miller as the movie’s biggest standouts as Wonder Woman and The Flash, respectively. The visual effects are spectacular as expected, but hover dangerously close to overwhelming the story.
