Tim joined Brian Zepp, Tony Lee and Candice Wheeler on the “The KQ Morning Show” on KQRS-FM to review the new theatrical release “The Fabelmans.” Tim also reviewed the film and new streaming series “Wednesday” with Adam Carter on “Adam and Jordana” show on WCCO-AM, and Kelly Cordes on “It Matters with Kelly Cordes.” Click to listen to below. All of Tim’s segments are brought to you by Michael Bryant, and Bradshaw and Bryant.
ABOVE: Tim reviews “The Fabelmans” with Kelly Cordes on WJON-AM
Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for “The KQ92 Morning Show” with Tom Barnard on KQRS-FM, “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.”
The cinematic circle of life is now complete with the updated version of “The Lion King,” director Jon Favreau’s visually stunning live action rendering of the 1994 Disney animated classic. Faced with a no-win situation of either changing up the story and certainly facing fan ire or staying faithful to the 25-year-old original, director Jon Favreau took the path of least resistance and went with a virtual shot-by-shot remake of the film, which still felt energized by the photorealistic setting and characters, a winning voice cast and of course, stirring songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, as well as the iconic score by Hans Zimmer.
For the uninitiated few who’ve never seen the film on the big screen or video, “The Lion King” tells the story of Mufasa (voice of James Earl Jones – the only 1994 cast member to reprise his role), a majestic lion king who is blessed with the birth of his first cub, Simba (JD McCrary). The young lion immediately earns his birthright to become heir of the throne, which a fate Mufasa’s brother, Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor), refuses to accept. Staging the cruel death of Mufasa and leading Simba to believe he’s at fault for it, Scar rules the pride with a villainous pack of hyenas by his side, destroying the morale of Mufasa’s queen, Sarabi (Alfre Woodard) and her loved ones and decimating the environment around them.
AUDIO: Hear Tim review “The Lion King” with Tom Barnard on “The KQ Morning Show” on KQRS-FM. Segment brought to you by Mike Bryant and Bradshaw & Bryant.
Meanwhile, Simba, thought dead by Scar, escaped and grew into adulthood thanks to the comical meerkat and warthog duo of Timon (Billy Eichner) and Pumbaa (Seth Rogen), and once a full grown lion, Simba (Donald Glover) happens upon his childhood friend Nala (Beyonce Knowles-Carter) to learn of the devastation Scar has caused. Returning home to the pride to confess to accident that killed his father, Simba learns who was really responsible for Mufasa’s death, setting up a fight for the throne and a last-ditch effort to save his home.
Despite the fact that “The Lion King” is as much a remake as a remake gets, Favreau and his visual effects crew still have to be credited for creating a canvas that’s even more stunning than the director’s wondrous live-action adaptation of “The Jungle Book” in 2016. Granted, those familiar with the tale of “The Lion King” will likely hold the memories of the original film dear, and the story won’t seem nearly as fresh as when they first saw it; but that likely won’t be the case for younger viewers, and there’s no question that the new film will become a classic for a new generation.
As familiar as the new “Lion King” feels, the story does give Nala a bigger role (if you get Beyonce in your movie, you have to make it worth her while), including a new song, “Spirit,” which is destined for a Best Original Song Oscar nomination (John and Rice, who won an Oscar for “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” also penned a pair of new songs ). The film’s photorealistic effects also make some of the characters feel more daunting, particularly the hyenas, which are much more frightening than they were in animated form (the original film was rated G).
Favreau no doubt added more subtle moments to the film, which is nearly a half-hour longer than the original. Fans will no doubt be able to discover the differences between the new “Lion King” and the original with multiple viewings, which will no doubt happen when this film reaches video after what is guaranteed a very successful theatrical run. After 25 years, “The Lion King’s” roar is as loud as ever.
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.
Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen make for appealing candidates, romantic comedy-wise, in “Long Shot,” an oftentimes funny, sometimes heartfelt, sometimes preachy and sometimes gross-out tale set amid the wishy-washy world of United States politics.
Theron plays U.S. Secretary of State Charlotte Field, a rising political star who plans on announcing her candidacy for the 2020 presidential election after a whirlwind, worldwide tour touting her global environmental initiative. Working with image and message consultants to bolster her appeal, Charlotte realizes she could use help interjecting a bit of comedy into her speeches, so he hires on a whim controversial journalist Fred Flarsky (Rogen) with a penchant for flying off the cuff. Even though his behavior, temperament and rage against the government and corporate machines make Fred a risk, Charlotte trusts her instincts because as a teenage girl, she used to babysit Fred as an adolescent.
For as odd a couple as Charlotte and Fred seem, Theron and Rogen have a surprisingly good chemistry, both comedically and romantically in “Long Shot.” The big issue is that while Theron continues to prove to her talents in different genres, Rogen, while funny, seems to play the same role of the stoner bud once again.
For a film about politics, “Long Shot” manages to mostly steer clear of the scumbaggery that pollutes today’s political climate, creating an almost idyllic world where politicians almost act like civil human beings. That’s not to say director Jonathan Levine doesn’t make the GOP a punching bag time and again throughout the film – or at least the party’s cable news supporter, Fox News (thinly veiled here as The Wembley Network). On the flip side, however, “Long Shot” introduces a positive Republican character with Christian values who puts a far-left extremist in his place — who effectively argues that Democrats and Republicans simply need to learn how to compromise to manifest the ideal notion of politicians actually getting work done on behalf of the people that elected them.
With a semi-fresh approach to the way politics are presented (Charlotte is not a complete idealist – she knows the system is deeply flawed if not outright crooked, and full-realizes that she needs to play the game in order to see her vision through), the story on which the foundation of “Long Shot” rests – the romance – is hopelessly predictable. “Long Shot” is an enjoyable film to be sure, it’s just doesn’t rise to anything special in the sea of cookie-cutter plots that have populated the romantic comedy genre for decades.
Levine, Rogan and Theron (who also serve as producers on the film) certainly give it their best to separate itself from other romantic comedies, particularly with the interjection of reckless drug use and graphic sexual humor into the third act, a move that ultimately causes “Long Shot” to lose any shred of believability as the film wraps up.
True, the scenes in the third act are very funny, but for a film that focuses on the serious matter of the long-overdue election of female president, you would have thought the filmmakers would have found a much more dignified way of going about it instead of hinging the endgame on a crude sex gag. As such, “Long Shot” gives the term “dirty politics” a whole new meaning, even if that wasn’t the film’s intention.
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.
Tim Lammers reviews the Seth Rogen and Kristen Wiig R-rated comedy “Sausage Party,” and the Jeff Bridges, Chris Pine and Ben Foster crime thriller “Hell or High Water” on “The KQ Morning Show” with Tom Barnard and the crew. Hear the segment starting 14 minutes in.
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