Here’s another Cool Movie Toys review: Sideshow Collectibles Clint Eastwood The Man with No Name 12-inch figure from “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.” If you like what you see, subscribe to my channel HERE.
Tim Lammers is a feature interviewer for Looper.com. You can read some of his recent interviews with the likes of Nicolas Cage, James Marsden, Daniel Radcliffe, Evan Rachel Wood, Henry Selick, Ralph Macchio and Martin Kove HERE.
In addition, Tim reviews movies weekly for the “Adam and Jordana” with Adam Carter and Jordana Green 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 “Adam 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 Morning Show crew on the “The KQ Morning Show” on KQRS-FM Thursday to review the new theatrical/HBO Max release “Cry Macho” and theatrical release “Copshop.” Click to listen to below. All of the segments are brought to you by Michael Bryant and Bradshaw & Bryant.
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”.
If you go to director Clint Eastwood’s compelling new true-life drama “The 15:17 to Paris” to focus on the acting, you’re missing the point. Spencer Stone, Alek Skarlatos and Anthony Sadler are not professional actors, they’re re-enactors of the biggest story of their lives. They were brought aboard the film by Eastwood to give its audience the only true perspective of what went into the trio of lifelong friends’ daring move to take down an ISIS terrorist armed with rifles and 300 rounds of ammunition to kill as many innocent people as possible on a passenger train bound for Paris in August 2015. Even if Eastwood would have cast the best actors in the business to play Stone, Skarlatos and Sadler, “The 15:17 to Paris” wouldn’t have had nearly as much impact.
The focal point of “The 15:17 to Paris,” naturally, is how the trio thwarted the terrorist attack, as Stone selflessly charged toward the gunman with a weapon pointed at him, a move that would have certainly been the Air Force member’s last if not for the fact that the terrorist’s weapon malfunctioned. As Stone desperately tried to subdue the terrorist, Army National Guard Specialist Skarlatos and Sadler jumped in and attempted to beat the would-be killer into submission until Stone choked him out. Perhaps even more amazing, Stone, who was slashed and nearly had his left thumb cut off by the terrorist, ignored his wounds as he attended to a shooting victim with blood gushing from his neck.
Unfolding in the same natural way Eastwood’s harrowing true-life tale “Sully” did in 2016, Eastwood gives context to “The 15:17 to Paris,” first by examining how the three friends came to be as middle schoolers in Sacramento, California. Separated by different circumstance soon thereafter, their friendship endured, and the action picks up again as Stone joins the Air Force, Skarlatos enlists in the Army, and Sadler — never showing any interest in the military –sits it out but supports his best friends.
While “The 15:17 to Paris” is far from Eastwood’s best directorial effort, the film still shows how phenomenal of a filmmaker he truly is. Yes, the scene where the trio takes down the ISIS terrorist is masterfully done, but where Eastwood truly excels is finding a profound meaning in the trio’s back story. Stone, Skarlatos and Sadler were all bullied and were outcasts, and while they didn’t fit in at their school, they still found each other. If not for that fortuitous friendship and establishment of a solid foundation that guided them throughout their turbulent young lives, their destiny to save as many of 500 people on August 21, 2015, simply never would have been realized. For that reason alone, all those involved in “The 15:17 to Paris” deserves our full salute.
Lammometer: 8 (out of 10)
Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for The KQ92 Morning Show,” “KARE 11 News at 11” (NBC), “The Tom Barnard Podcast” and “The BS Show” with Bob Sansevere.
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.
Click book cover for info on how to buy!
Original Interviews, Reviews & More By Tim Lammers
