On assignment for Looper.com, Tim talked with “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” stars Sally Field, Adrien Brody, Jason Clarke, Quincy Isaiah, Solomon Hughes, Michael Chiklis and more! Click to read the interviews below!
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, “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 Paul Douglas Tuesday to review the original Amazon Prime series “The Boys Presents: Diabolical” and HBO Max Series “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty” on the “Paul and Jordana” show on WCCO-AM. 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” 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, “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 first movie misfire of 2019 is here with “Serenity,” an embarrassingly bad sci-fi tinged mystery that completely squanders the talents of a top-notch ensemble cast including Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jason Clarke, Djimon Hounsou and Diane Lane.
The set-up seems simple enough. McConaughey plays Baker Dill, an Iraq War veteran struggling to make ends meet as a tuna fisherman off the coastal waters of Florida. His fortunes appear to change, however, when his ex-wife, Karen (Hathaway) turns up on his boat one day with a proposal to kill her new husband, Frank (Jason Clarke), a sadistic drunkard with criminal connections. Even though he’s offered $10 million to do the deed, Baker is hesitant to carry out the task until he finds out the vicious contempt Frank holds for his son with Karen.
AUDIO: Listen to Tim’s review of “Serenity” with Tom Barnard on “The KQ Morning Show.” The segment begins at 3-minute mark.
The strange thing about “Serenity” is that it begins as a potboiler mystery tale, but then takes a hard-left turn into an alternate reality that includes wayward characters who make little sense, as well as revealing scene where McConaughey taking a skinny dip for apparently no other reason than show audiences to show off his bare backside.
Once it becomes clear the direction in which “Serenity” is headed, the film feels like no more than an inept attempt to capture the mysterious vibe of a “Black Mirror” episode – specifically the show’s acclaimed “U.S.S. Callister” tale – but the end result doesn’t even come remotely close. The tone is bizarre, the writing is bad and the acting by Hathaway and McConaughey is especially hideous (in sharp contrast to their polished performances opposite each other in Christopher Nolan’s“Interstellar”).
In the end, “Serenity” is the perfect example of how actors – even Oscar winners – can’t act their ways out of bad scripts. Instead, McConaughey and Hathaway have earned the distinction of being the first two “worst acting” front-runners vying for next year’s Razzies.
Lammometer: 2.5 (out of 10)
AUDIO: Tim reviews “Serenity” with Paul Douglas on “Paul & Jordana” on WCCO-AM. The segment begins at the 11-minute mark.
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.
Ryan Gosling plays legendary astronaut Neil Armstrong in “First Man,” a detailed chronicle of not only the first man to set foot on the moon, but a look at the highs and lows of the NASA space program and the tragedies Armstrong endured during the space race with the Soviets in the 1960s.
Appropriately timed with the 60th birthday of NASA Oct. 1, “First Man” gives a fascinating look at the early years of NASA leading up to the Apollo 11 moon mission, including the tragedies to befall many of his colleagues as the organization worked toward its goal of beating the Russians to the moon.
Technically, “First Man” is incredible as is recreates pivotal moments in the NASA’s history, yet, the acting feels a bit flat at times, especially by Gosling. It could be Gosling was playing it low-key because that’s the way Armstrong was in real-life (he was largely known as a “reluctant hero”), and certainly the personal tragedy that haunted him throughout his career at NASA no doubt drove him even deeper into his shell. At the same time, it’s that family tragedy that gave him the resolve to stay on course and go through the dangerous training missions and the eventual mission to the moon, so, it’s hard to criticize an Gosling’s portrayal of Armstrong, even when you expect something more out of the actor.
On the flip side, Corey Stoll gives a lively performance as Buzz Aldrin, while Claire Foy delivers as expected as Armstrong’s wife, Janet, who grapples the best she can with the astronaut’s stoic demeanor. Jason Clarke — one of the most underrated actors in the business — is great as usual as Ed White, one of the pivotal figures in NASA along with Gus Grissom (Shea Whigham) and Roger Caffee (Cory Michael Smith) who are involved in a tragic accident as the agency tries to get its bearings. All told, “First Man” is a brutally realistic look at an agency that has endured massive setbacks on its way to exploring the space above us.
Lammometer: 7 (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.
