Tag Archives: Samuel L. Jackson

Movie review: ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ proves there’s life after Avengers

July 2, 2019 Tim Lammers Leave a comment

“Spider-Man: Far From Home” (PG-13)

Tom Holland is back in his second webslinger solo film in “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” a very entertaining follow-up to “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and first chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe post-“Avengers: End Game.” Fans will almost instantly feel that the new “Spider-Man” movie is considerably lighter feels more comic book than the momentous “Avengers: Endgame” and its predecessor “Avengers: Infinity War.”

While “Endgame” bid farewell to some pivotal team members including Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), those team members, “Far From Home” reminds us that while they are gone, they’re definitely not forgotten. “Far From Home” picks up, naturally, after the events of “Endgame,” where “the blip,” as everyone is deeming it, brought back the half of humanity that Thanos destroyed with a snap of the fingers at the end of “Avengers: Infinity War.” Among those returning after five years in cosmic limbo is Peter (Holland), who came back in time to help defeat Thanos, but saw Tony sacrifice himself to destroy the omnipotent enemy and his dark forces.

AUDIO: Listen to Tim’s review of “Spider-Man: Far From Home” with Paul Douglas and Jordana Green on “The Paul and Jordana Show” on WCCO-AM. Segment brought to you by Mike Bryant and Bradshaw & Bryant.

Still struggling with the loss of Tony in “Far From Home,” Spider-Man learns that there are still threats in the world that need superheroes like him to defend. Peter, for the time being, though, would rather ignore those threats and enjoy a simpler life, and take a class trip to Europe instead so he can tell MJ (Zendaya) how he really feels about her. He even wants to leave his Spider-Man suit behind, but Aunt May (the always wonderful Marisa Tomei) makes sure that doesn’t happen and Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), also feeling a huge hole left in his life by Tony, is just a phone call away.

Also reminding Peter that he has obligations is Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), who purposefully interferes in the teen superhero’s plan to take on the destructive villains the Elementals, which appear to take shape of the natural elements to wreak havoc in different parts of the world. Fury has already joined forces with Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal), a mysterious, crimson caped crusader from another dimension on Earth, who no doubt possesses strong capabilities, yet could use someone the caliber of Spider-Man to end the Elementals threats for good. While he reluctantly takes part with Mysterio in the battle against the Elementals’ Molten Man, Spider-Man realizes that he shouldn’t have been so lax in upholding the justice around the world the way he should have, especially since Tony willed him a powerful tech weapon that could spell disaster if it falls into the wrong hands.

If you’re steeped in the “Spider-Man” comic book lore, it shouldn’t surprise you that not everything is as it seems in “Spider-Man: Far From Home” – and to that end, the more familiar you are with the comic book franchise, the quicker you’ll catch on to which direction the film will go. On the flip side, if you’re a casual fan of the series not necessarily versed in the webslinger’s stable of characters, mostly what you see in “Far From Home” will seem status quo until some big reveals in the third act which catch you by surprise. Either way, serious and casual fans should be entertained just the same when all is said and done, it’s just that diehards have a slight advantage with their knowledge of the material going in.

“Spider-Man: Far From Home” is strong on all fronts, and while Holland is charming, Gyllenhaal is impressive as usual and Jackson is his usual, entertaining badass self, director Jon Watts can’t help but put the trio in the middle of explosive third act that’s loaded with all the CGI that the film can muster. That’s not to say the visuals aren’t incredible (they’re in fact, refreshingly trippy at some points as Spidey enters different dimensions), it just feels par for the course for a genre movie. There is a huge payoff, though, as a mid-credits scene already lays out Peter’s path for the next “Spider-Man” movie with a pair of huge surprises, to boot. After the credits, too, is another revealing scene that, while not as eventful as the mid-credits scene, gives us an inkling what other MCU characters are up to post-“Avengers: Endgame.”

Speaking of “Endgame,” while “Spider-Man: Far From Home” doesn’t come close to matching the greatness of its MCU predecessors (not that any solo MCU film could have – “Endgame” and “Infinity War” was a massive undertaking), it definitely has a life on its own and suggests that the franchise as a whole has healthy legs sans Downey moving forward. “Far From Home” reminds us that there’s still a home for Marvel superhero movies on the big screen, even though the direction of where exactly the franchise is going isn’t mapped out yet.

Lammometer: 8 (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.

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Film, Movie Reviews

Review: ‘Captain Marvel’ hit and miss MCU entry

March 7, 2019 Tim Lammers Leave a comment

“Captain Marvel” (PG-13)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe breaks new ground with “Captain Marvel,” the first of their 21 films to feature female superhero in the sole lead role. But while the film is a solid ride as expected – there’s no question the creatives at the studio have carefully executed the shared universe concept that adds up to one giant, sprawling story – “Captain Marvel” also feels like a missed opportunity. True, the special effects are spectacular if not better than ever, the story fills in some questions left blank in other MCU films and characters for the most part are engaging — yet the film’s lead, Brie Larson, feels like she’s miscast.

Larson stars as Vers, a member of the alien Kree race and its military arm Starforce, which, led by Yon-Rogg (Jude Law) is in an intergalactic battle with the shapeshifting Skrulls. Pursuing a power core that the Skrulls possess that will turn the tide in their favor in the fight for power, Vers crashes to Earth (more specifically through the roof of a Blockbuster video store – it’s 1995, after all), and soon enough the humanoid with alien blood and powers starts to sense that somehow she has a past on the planet as a former Air Force fighter pilot Carol Danvers. It’s also there where Vers encounters a younger version of S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Nick Fury (a de-aged Samuel L. Jackson); a fateful meeting that will eventually lead to the formation of the Avengers Initiative.

Not surprisingly, the always-engaging Jackson is one of the highlights of “Captain Marvel,” in a role that he plays more fast and loose than his calm and cool badass Fury from the more recent MCU films. Also a standout is Ben Mendelsohn as Talos, the green, reptilian-like skinned leader of the Skrulls (who occasionally shapeshifts in to human form) who has far more dimensions than his bad guy image would suggest. Yes, he’s rough around the edges (quite literally), but Talos is also quite funny.

Annette Bening is also convincing as Larson’s mentor and Supreme Intelligence in the intergalactic realm, while Clark Gregg (killed off in “The Avengers” only to be resurrected for ABC’s “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”) turns up in a smaller role and also gets the de-aging treat as fan-favorite Agent Phil Coulson and faithful colleague of Fury. Law, who’s been better (he was great in the critically-maligned “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”), serves in more of a functional role but still has presence. “Crazy Rich Asians” star Gemma Chan is great as Starforce sniper Minn-Erva, but is given very little time to shine; while Carol’s Earth best friend and colleague Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch) doesn’t get much more until the final act.

While the foundation of “Captain Marvel” is more than solid, it’s the heart of the film – the title character – that’s its weakest link: and that’s a big problem considering the MCU seems to be pinning a lot of hopes on the character as it moves into its next phase of films with the upcoming “The Avengers: End Game.”

There’s no question that Larson can act – she was well-deserving of her Best Actress Oscar for “Room” – it just feels like she was cast on the virtue of being an Oscar winner and shoehorned into the role with co-directors Anna Boden’s and Ryan Fleck’s hopes she could make something of it. But unlike the likes of Robert Downey Jr. , who defined his role in “Iron Man,” as did Chris Hemsworth in “Thor” and Chris Evans in “Captain America” (or on the DC side of the superhero equation, Gal Gadot in “Wonder Woman”), Larson doesn’t even come close to making the role her own.

Instead, things are a hit and miss. Larson no doubt meets the physical demands of “Captain Marvel” (her encounter with a shape-shifting old woman on a commuter train is classic), yet she seems to slog through her dialogue with very little energy or enthusiasm, and instead opts to make Carol Danvers a snarky character with little emotion and forces her lines in the hopes of squeezing some laughs out of the audience.

Ultimately, while other members of the MCU seem like they were born to play their respective roles, it feels like any number of actors could have filled the shoes of Danvers/Captain Marvel with much of an inspired presence than Larson tries to put forth. Playing a character with a name that would suggest otherwise, a marvel Brie Larson is not.

Lammometer: 6 (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.

Film, Movie Reviews

Movie review: M. Night Shyamalan impressively puts all pieces together with ‘Glass’

January 16, 2019 Tim Lammers Leave a comment

Writer-director M. Night Shyamalan scores an impressive hat-trick with “Glass,” the long-awaited sequel to his 2000 mystery drama “Unbreakable” that was bridged by his hit 2016 horror thriller “Split.”

VIDEO: See Tim’s review of “Glass” and “Stan & Ollie” with Adrienne Broaddus on KARE-TV.

Released in 2000, “Unbreakable” essentially examines an obsessive comic book art dealer’s (Samuel L. Jackson) idea that superheroes — like Bruce Willis’ David Dunn — walk among us and will go to any means necessary to confirm his beliefs; while 2016’s “Split,” as it turns out, reveals there are supervillains — like James McAvoy’s Kevin Crumb, who suffers from dissociative identity disorder — too, like the Beast – one of Kevin’s 24 personalities.

“Glass,” a name assumed by Jackson’s character in “Unbroken” because of his brittle bone disease, takes place, appropriately, 19 years after the events of the first film, where David realizes that he must confront his fellow meta-human who wreaking havoc across Philadelphia. Getting in his way, though, is a Dr. Ellie Staple (Sarah Paulson), who finds a way to institutionalize David, Kevin and Glass in a bid to convince each of them that their perceived powers are just figments of their imaginations.

AUDIO: Hear Tim’s review of “Glass” with Tom Barnard on “The KQ Morning Show.”

The interesting thing about “Unbreakable” is that is really was ahead of its time with its dark superhero narrative — considering it came out after DC had its run and faded in 1990s, and just as Marvel’s X-Men and Spider-Man showed there was interest in the moviegoing public that the Marvel Cinematic Universe could finally materialize with Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and the Avengers.

Oddly enough, Shyaman’s inventive superhero movie reemerges at a time where there’s been a proliferation of them, yet amazingly, “Glass” still sets itself apart thanks to filmmaker’s penchant for plot twists and real-world narrative, which is enhanced by the terrific performances of McAvoy, Willis and Jackson. (Plus, in a class move, the writer-director brings back nearly every member of “Unbreakable’s” cast, save Robin Wright, whose character’s absence is explained in the story.)

Fans of “Unbreakable” and “Split” are going to love “Glass,” as Shyamalan’s sweeping, twisty and ambitious narrative finally comes together in grand fashion after two decades. The film will no doubt be confusing, though, to those who’ve never seen “Unbreakable” and/or “Split,” and Shyamalan is putting a lot of trust in his audience as such by not including any sort of prologue. Naturally, there are flashbacks to the previous films in “Glass,” which aids the story at key points in the film. If at all possible, everyone, whether they’ve seen “Unbreakable” and “Split” or not will greatly benefit by revisiting the films before seeing “Glass.”

Ultimately, all roads lead to the smashing ending of “Glass,” where you realize that despite third chapter’s tidy conclusion, Shyamalan is not done telling his comic book tale just yet.

Lammometer: 7.5 (out of 10)

Film, Movie Reviews

Movie review: ‘Incredibles 2’ incredibly lives up to brilliant original

June 14, 2018 Tim Lammers Leave a comment

See Tim’s review of “Incredibles 2” with Adrienne Broaddus on KARE 11.

“Incredibles 2” (PG)

Writer-director Brad Bird pulls off the amazing feat of making a sequel equal if not superior to the original film with Disney-Pixar’s “Incredibles 2,” an outrageously entertaining follow-up to the brilliant, blockbuster original from 2004. A funny, fast-paced, family-friendly film that’s full of heart, “Incredibles 2” has all the magic that made the original such a joy, and benefits from 14 years of burgeoning technology to make it an engaging theatrical presentation that can’t be missed.

Picking up with the events that ended the first “Incredibles” movie 14 years ago, the gifted Parr family — the strongman Bob (voice of Craig T. Nelson), stretchy Helen (Holly Hunter), invisible Violet (Sarah Vowell) and lightning fast Dash (Huck Milner) — along with Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) find themselves in showdown with the supervillain Underminer (John Ratzenberger), but when all is said and done, half the city is left in ruins.

Hear Tim’s review of “Incredibles 2” with Tom Barnard on “The KQ Morning Show” (segment begins 3 minutes in).

Relieved of their undercover duties in the National Supers Agency (NSA) the outlawed superheroes find themselves no longer protected by the government and are facing hard times when they are approached by a billionaire industrialist, Winston Deaver (Bob Odenkirk) and his inventor sister, Evelyn (Catherine Keener), with an interesting proposition. If they undertake a series of covert missions to show the good that supers can do with their powers, it will change the public’s perception and result in the lifting of the decades ban on superheroes. The plan seems to work wonders at first, until Evelyn has a revelation that there’s a stranger lurking behind the scenes with much more sinister intentions.

While “Incredibles 2” can’t elude a semi-predictable storyline, Bird quickly makes up for the film’s shortcomings by defying the formula that generally plagues superhero movies. Aptly timed to shine in the long-overdue age of female empowerment, “Incredibles 2” highlights Evelyn, aka Elastigirl, as the superhero chosen by the Deavers to carry out the dangerous missions, while Bob, aka Mr. Incredible, is put in charge of the kids and their 1-year-old baby brother Jack-Jack (Eli Fucile), who he discovers has multiple gifts.

LISTEN: Tim reviews “The Incredibles 2 with Jordana Green on WCCO-AM (Segment begins 9 minutes in). CLICK to listen!

Already exasperated by taking on all of Evelyn’s chores — which he clearly took for granted — Bob is put to the test as a parent. Suddenly, he has to deal with pressures of helping Dash with his homework and getting the kids ready for school, and worst of all, Bob has to confront the unpredictable teenage angst of Violet. As a result, fans will discover that like the first film, “Incredibles 2” focuses just as much on the importance of family as it does the Parr’s duties as superheroes, and it does so with an incredible amount of heart.

As entertaining as all the characters are in in “Incredibles 2,” it’s Jack-Jack who steals the show in every scene that he’s in, and thankfully for the audience, he’s in an ample amount of them. His actions as a bumbling baby are entertaining as is, but when you add 17 superpowers that he can’t quite control on top of that, the result is high comedy. Also hilarious is the return of the Parr’s superhero costumer Edna Mode (Bird), who, when joined by Jack-Jack, ends up in one of the film’s most hilarious scenes. All told, “Incredibles 2” is not only one of the best superhero movies of the year, it’s one of the best movies of 2018, period. Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait another 14 years for another incredible movie experience.

Lammometer: 9 (out of 10)

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Tag Archives: Samuel L. Jackson

Movie review: ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ proves there’s life after Avengers

Review: ‘Captain Marvel’ hit and miss MCU entry

Movie review: M. Night Shyamalan impressively puts all pieces together with ‘Glass’

Movie review: ‘Incredibles 2’ incredibly lives up to brilliant original

Original Interviews, Reviews & More By Tim Lammers