Tim Lammers explains why “1917” is his pick for the best film of 2019 in his review of the World War I epic with Tom Barnard on “The KQ Morning Show” on KQRS-FM. The segment is brought to you by Michael Bryant and Bradshaw & Bryant.
Read Tim’s entire Top 10 list for 2019 below:
No. 10: “Blinded by the Light” – A film that didn’t get the attention it deserves follows the unlikely path of a Pakistani teen who is inspired to pursue his love of writing via the music of Bruce Springsteen. Get ready to see Springsteen’s poetry in a whole new light.
No. 9: “Uncut Gems” – Adam Sandler gets serious for the best performance in his career as a fast-talking jeweler and gambling addict in New York City’s Diamond District who is feeling the heat from loan sharks as an uncut opal he hopes to cash in on goes missing. NBA star Kevin Garnett is impressive playing a heightened version of himself as a member of the Boston Celtics, and Idina Menzel shows she has the dramatic chops apart from the magical singing voice that elevates “Frozen II.”
No. 8: “Avengers: End Game”/”Star Wars: Episode IThe Rise of Skywalker” (tie) – Two epic stories, two emotional conclusions and the end of two eras. “Avengers” ends with a powerful, emotional punch that will leave you in a puddle, while “Skywalker” delivers a satisfying conclusion and assures that The Force will be with us … always.
No. 7: “Joker” – It’s not a comic book movie but instead a deep psychological thriller that will hang with you for days after you see it. Joaquin Phoenix is a shoo-in as this year’s Best Actor Oscar winner as the deranged title character, while writer-director Todd Phillips challenges the Batman story canon with a notably different take on Thomas Wayne (Brett Cullen), the father of the future Bat Man, Bruce Wayne.
No. 5: “The Peanut Butter Falcon” – This indie drama about an unlikely friendship between a man with Down syndrome (newcomer Zak Gottsagen) and a damaged troublemaker (Shia LaBeouf) on the lam is the year’s biggest surprise. Gottsagen is phenomenal in the lead and LaBeouf shows while he may have his share of off-screen troubles, he puts it all behind him on the big screen. Dakota Johnson, Thomas Haden Church and Bruce Dern are also impressive in key supporting roles, as the film delivers on all levels.
No. 4: “Toy Story 4” – Just when you thought Disney/Pixar’s marvel couldn’t produce anything to surpass the original film trilogy, Woody, Buzz and the gang come back with a smart, entertaining and sensible end to the world’s greatest toy story.
No. 3: “Ford v. Ferrari” – An incredible look at the Ford Motor Company’s resolve to beat Enzo Ferrari’s race cars at the 24 Hours of LeMans race in the mid-1960s. Matt Damon delivers as usual as race car designer Carroll Shelby and Christian Bale is brilliant as drive Ken Miles, but the true winner of this race car movie is director James Mangold, who straps you into the race cars right along with the drivers risking their lives on the track.
No. 2: “The Irishman” – It took forever to get here, but Martin Scorsese’s gangster opus “The Irishman” – a detailed look at the rise and fall of former Teamsters boss Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino), told from the point of view of hitman and Hoffa confidant Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran (Robert De Niro) – was worth the wait. The prospect of starting this 3 1/2-hour film is daunting, but you’ll also be glad you carved out the time to see it. It’s cinematic storytelling at its very best.
No. 1: “1917” – Director Sam Mendes’ stunning World War 1 epic that follows two British soldiers (Dean-Charles Chapman and George MacKay) on foot on a six-mile trek behind enemy lines trying to head off an ambush of 1,600 troops catapults the war film genre to a whole new level. What places the film among such modern war film greats such as “Saving Private Ryan” and “Hacksaw Ridge” is how Mendes and cinematographer Roger Deakins present the film as one long, continuous shot, literally making you a first-person witness to the horrors the soldiers encounter over the course of one day in April 1917.
Honorable mentions: “Rocketman,” “Bombshell,” “John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum,” “Richard Jewell,” “Yesterday,” “Missing Link,” “Dumbo,” “The Two Popes,” “Dolemite is My Name,” “Fighting with My Family.”
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).
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