Lass is More with Josh Lasser: Recent Episodes
Josh Lasser
Focusing on the media, "Lass is More" sits down with the individuals who make the movies and shows that people are, or will be, talking about. The things we watch are not created in a vacuum, but rather as responses to far larger thoughts and issues. From why someone took a role to what it means to them to where they’re going next, we put the pieces of the puzzle together. The "Lass is More" podcast gets to the core of the issue, offering perspective on both the people involved in a project, and the project itself.
Millions were captivated a few years ago when a group of Reddit users managed to push GameStop stock to incredible levels, making millions for themselves and taking billions from some hedge funds. As a movie, "Dumb Money" purports to give an inside look at what happened and who was involved. The reality of the work, however, is something rather different.
Gareth Edwards "The Creator" is now out on blu-ray and it's a swell movie, one with a great lead performance and some excellent visuals. It is truly smart in the way a lot of it is put together. It doesn't make a difference, we're still going to create AI that kills us all.
Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" is a brilliant movie. It is a movie that we love. It is a movie filled with excellence. It also has this one thing about it that we simply do not understand, and we've tried. We have really and truly tried. Take a listen and tell us if we're viewing it wrong.
With the third entry in Kenneth Branagh's Hercule Poirot series, "A Haunting in Venice," the director and star of the franchise has put out his best effort. Slimmed down, darker, and oh so moody, it is the work of someone who is clearly feeling more comfortable with the role(s). Let's discuss...
The newest entries for both the "Mission: Impossible" and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" franchises are both available on blu-ray and digital now. With one of these ongoing series we see a reinvention and desire to put new things out there. With the other... maybe not. Let's discuss where one succeeds and the other falters.
Happy Halloween to you! What better day than this is there to discuss Disney's 2023 live action "Haunted Mansion." None. There isn't a better one, so let's jump right in.
"Strays" is one of those movies where you're going to know well in advance if you're going to enjoy it. All you have to do is ask yourself one question: do you want to see dogs get high and tell sex jokes? If the answer is yes, "Strays" is the movie for you. If not... it's best you steer clear.
There is a great idea at the core of "Theater Camp," a clever notion that gets muddled with too many storylines and a lack of depth to the characters. It is a case where more is less and where the whole may have benefited from trimming one area in order to extend another. It is not bad, it just isn't what it so very clearly could be.
So many horror movies offer up people in crisis as the victims. No, not all horror movies, just many. On today's episodes we look at one movie from this year, "The Boogeyman," that does just that and cogitate the reasons why the trope works.
"Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," the fifth entry in the franchise, is now out on digital. The big question with this film, at least the one asked by audiences, seems to be "is it better than the last one?" That is the exact thing we're examining today and what we have to say about it all is... rather disappointing.
Do you ever watch something where half of it works so very well and the other half feels, a little, like they just weren't trying that hard? That's the way we feel about "Elemental," Pixar's latest which features a great world, wonderful characters, gorgeous animation, and the most lackluster romance we've seen in a while.
Not every podcast ends where you think it might when you begin. Today's episode is a case in point as we discuss the new version of "The Little Mermaid," where it goes right, where it goes wrong, and where it might teach us some things.
We will be honest with you, the "Fast and Furious" franchise does not operate in our world. The physics are wrong. The inability for so many people to die is wrong. There is just so much that could not happen.
Okay, that may be true, but so what?
On today's episode we celebrate "Fast X" for what it is -- insanely fun.
There is something wonderful in the notion that the new film "Kandahar" (2023) attempts to give us a more nuanced, multi-faceted, look at Afghanistan, the surrounding nations, and the world at large. It is admirable, particularly when we have such a strong tendency to flatten alternate perspectives on the big screen. What doesn't work as well here is the execution. Today we look at both.
With "Volume 3" now out on blu-ray and digital, our time with this version of the "Guardians of the Galaxy" is done. Where do folks end up? Well, we're not possibly going to tell you that, but we are going to offer up some of our thoughts on what works and what doesn't in James Gunn's final entry in the series.
Up this week on the podcast, "Book Club: The Next Chapter," which could also be titled "Book Club 2," but isn't. Heck, it could also be titled "Let's Take a Trip to Italy Rather than Making a Great Sequel." There would be truth in all those titles and we're going to explore that a little bit more this week.
James Cameron's "Avatar" is now available in 4K and that makes it the right time to look at the movie once more. But, upon doind so, we find out opinions wholly unchanged. Stellar in some respects, it is a complete disappointment in others. Let's talk.
A not-quite-untold story, "Chevalier" offers up beautiful sets and costumes and a truly charismatic lead performance. But, is that enough to win our hearts and minds or is there something, unfortuntately, missing from the overall tale?
Out now on Blu-ray and digital is the bloody good film, "Renfield." It is not, sadly, bloody great, just bloody good. And yet, it starts off in absolutley brilliant fashion. Where does it go right? Where does it go wrong? Just how deep will your teeth sink in? Listen and find out.
Out a couple weeks ago on digital and in a couple of weeks on Blu-ray is the third Ant-Man movie, "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania." It is good enough, surpassing the second film in the series but not as enjoyable as the first. But, what concerns us more this week is the way in which real people's lives are used as fodder for speculation on the direction of a film franchise, and that is what we're going to talk about.
At first blush, it may seem like a whole lot of silliness, but the truth is that there's a genius to Elizabeth Banks' "Cocaine Bear." It is funny and disgusting and barrels its way through its 90+ minute runtime like a bear high on... well, cocaine.
The new "Avatar" sequel is... a lot. A lot of pretty. A lot of time. A lot of CGI. A lot of effort on all parts. Well, all except for the story. The story is a significant disappointment. The story, which somehow tends to get a pass when the movie is discussed, sinks the whole endeavor. It isn't that the memory fails to be mesmerizing, it's completely astounding on a visual level, it's just doesn't work on a story one.
We may have a soft spot for epic fantasy and adventure films, but that doesn't mean that we're a complete pushover. This week, with the 1981 film "Dragonslayer" now available on 4K, we find an example of film in the genre that simply does not work for us. What it does do, however, is spark more interest in our continued conversation about power and religion.
This past weekend, "Women Talking" won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. The accolade is well deserved, as the movie is an incredibly powerful one. Dealing with upsetting material, "Women Talking" is distrubing not just for the real events it is based on, but for the truths it shows us about our world. Let's discuss.
Some actors find themselves, at some point in their career, having a moment. Right now, Jonathan Majors is having a moment, one that we hope continues for decades to come; that the moment becomes a long and varied and fascinating career. He not only has two movies in theaters as we release this episode, but one from last year has just arrived on Blu-ray, and that's the one we discuss today, "Devotion."
Currently out on Blu-ray is not one, but two different movies that hit theaters last year and deal with, in no small part, movies. Yes, now available are Steven Spielberg's "The Fabelmans" and Sam Mendes' "Empire of Light." While both movies are beautiful to look at, only one touches the soul. Which goes right and which goes wrong? Let's discuss.
Sometimes it is quite easy to pinpoint what is true and what is a lie. Sometimes it is far more complicated. And perhaps--just perhaps--sometimes it might not matter at all. This week's episode looks at the new film, "Emily," which focuses on the life on Emily Brontë as it may have been but probably wasn't but could have been anyway. Just where is the truth and does it matter if there's a lie?
How do we move from the past to the future? How do we take what has come before, show it reverence (when appropriate), and still manage to create something new and wonderful? This week we're discussing two new Blu-ray releases, "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" and "Mickey & Minnie 10 Classic Shorts - Volume 1," that, maybe, help guide us on that path.
There are undoubtedly things about the animated film "Strange World" that are, well, strange. However, you and I both know that there is a contigent of people out there who will watch the movie and get upset for bad reasons, that will view strangeness where there ought to be none. How do we think about these things? How do we judge? How do we move forward?
Forget the endless drudgery that is "awards season." Forget the hours that pople spend purposefully misunderstanding what is going on and why. Forget the mindless outpouring of "movie news" designed solely to get clicks and foment outrage. Do what we talk about this week -- sit down and watch the truly excellent feast that is "The Menu."
For this final podcast of 2022, we are going to discuss "Amsterdam," at least a little, one last time. That's because this last episode of the year is going to focus on two other comedies that do work -- "Ticket to Paradise," and "The Banshees of Inisherin." What can we learn from them about why they succeed where that other film fails? What if we decided that an answer was in the clothing... or at the very least is divulged by the clothing?
Last time we were on about how the pacing for Amsterdam is just awful, how it fails to allow the jokes to hit, how it has some sort of faux gravitas that makes it deadly dull. You want an example of how to do it right with a film that also came out on 4K last week? Look no further than Quentin Tarantino's "Pulp Fiction." This week we discuss how it goes right and the one place where it makes a misstep that bothers Josh to this day. Take a listen and enjoy!
It may have the best of intentions, but "Amsterdam" is a film which crumbles under its own weight. It is a movie that offers the sense that it desperately wishes to be Important and in pushing for that added weight, that added meaning, that added depth, it undercuts everything that works about the film. Oh, there are most certainly some great aspects to "Amdsterdam," chiefly the performances, but it simply cannot get out of its own way.
Not every movie has to be the biggest and the best, the funniest and most clever, the loudest and most spectacular. It is okay sometimes for a movie to just, you know, be a movie. That is preceisely what we encounter today with the Bryan Cranston and Annette Bening-starring "Jerry and Marge go Large." The now available on Blu-ray and digital comedy is... fine, and that's quite enough.
Some movies make us stop and wonder what exactly it is that we're seeing. This can be either a good thing or it can be a bad thing. With "Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul." we're definitely looking at either one or the other. Which? Why? What does/doesn't work about this satire? Only one way to find out -- open your hearts (and ears) to this podcast.
Out now on digital is the movie "See How They Run." Rather than being a filmic adaptation of Agatha's Christie long-running play, "The Mousetrap," it is a comedic mystery surrounding a fictional murder taking place near the start of that show's historic run. This leaves Josh with any numerable of imponderables to ponder and ponder he does.
Zach Cregger's "Barbarian" plays out as two distinct halves. You might actually think that someone spliced the movie together incorrectly for a minute when the switch takes place. Separately the halves are quite good. Together they're even better.
Zach Cregger's "Barbarian" plays out as two distinct halves. You might actually think that someone spliced the movie together incorrectly for a minute when the switch takes place. Separately the halves are quite good. Together they're even better.
"Thor: Love and Thunder" is now out on DVD and Blu-ray and that makes this the perfect time to talk about the fourth entry in the "Thor" saga... or, as we put it, the second best "Thor" movie in the MCU. Thinking of it that way, it is both admirable and a disappointment and it's something we need to look at a little more closely.
Listen, no one wants to be the guy out there saying, "I told you so," but it happens. Well, honestly, maybe Josh doesn't mind being that guy so much. He gets in at least one good one this week as all six original crew "Star Trek" movies have now been released in a 4K boxed set, much like he said would happen last September after the first four got their own boxed set.
Other people out there might be tired of the Minions, with their silly speech and tendency to bash each other on the heads, but not Josh. No, Josh still thoroughly enjoys the little yellow guys. Of course, that's not the same as saying everything is perfect in terms of their second headling feature, "Minions: The Rise of Gru." Let's discuss.
Some movies don't work. They feel both ill-conceived and ill-executed. After a great start to the franchise and then even a promising opening of this particular trilogy within it, watching the (currently) final film, "Jurassic World: Dominion," feels like a chore. Ascribing motivation is tough, but we have plenty of thoughts about what went on here.
Pixar's "Lightyear" is now out on streaming and will arrive on DVD and Blu-ray in September. As the canon goes, this is meant to be the movie Andy saw that caused him to want a Buzz Lightyear doll in "Toy Story."
Andy must have been very undemanding because the characters in "Lightyear" are pretty dim bulbs.
Starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum, the new film "The Lost City" is rather reminiscent of "Jewel of the Nile," but maybe that's only because we've seen "Jewel of the Nile." Maybe there are a half-dozen (or more) other movies which it echoes... maybe there are a half-dozen (or more) books which it echoes. What do we find when we go in to watch "The Lost City?" Let's discuss.
For a long time we've wondered about how exactly it might hit someone if they dropped into an existing franchise in the middle. Although this has regularly been our rumination with the MCU, the existence of this movie, which is based on the long-running FOX sitcom, gave Josh the opportunity to play guinea pig for our own ideas.
Some things are obligations, but that doesn't mean that they have to feel that way. For instance, Josh may have Covid currently, but that doesn't remove his need to talk to you about the new "Downton Abbey" movie. So, despite a halting voice, he has given it his all this week. On the other hand, he's not convinced that the minds behind "A New Era" did the same when putting this second film together.
With "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" out on digital now and Blu-ray at the end of the month, we have finally hit the moment where we must talk about the film. As with all things MCU, however, it doesn't exist by itself. No, it exists in conversation with a myriad of other projects. How then are we to understand this movie and the series and the larger universe?
After sinking an incredible number of hours into the game "Elden Ring," Josh's adventure with the title has come to a close. As much as he loved the game--and he did--he is sad for it to be done. Where does that leave him? Why does he not wish to just play it again? What is next on his plate?
Out this week on Blu-ray is Michael Bay's "Ambulance." It is almost the perfect distillation of what we consider to be a Michael Bay film -- it is one big action chase sequence. At the same time though, we are considered about the future of the car chase film... or are we?
There are a group of individuals out there who will tell you that "Grease 2" is the better of the films in the "Grease" series. Those people may be very nice and are certainly entitled to their opinion. They are also, we believe, not correct. Let's discuss.
Brian De Palma's absolutely crackerjack movie "The Untouchables" is now out on 4K. That makes today the perfect day to take a glance at it, talk about what makes it great, and examine it in relation to some of the other ideas we've been looking at recently.
Out now on 4K UHD is the classic revisionist western "The Man who Shot Liberty Valance" and the reception for the film didn't go over in Josh's house as he may have hoped. Let's discuss just why members of his family were wrong.
Although Josh may have written fewer reviews of late, the number of films he has watched hasn't dropped and his enjoyment may have increased. Just what does that mean? Where does he go from here? What sort of multiverse of madness is he in?
The brilliant "Turning Red" is now available on Blu-ray and streaming and that makes this the perfect opportunity to talk about one of the absolute dummest controversies to come up in a long time.
Guess what? You don't like the content of a PG movie? Well, in the case of this one, not only are you wrong, but you're not actually obligated to watch.
Our initial reactions to things aren't always right. You can't necessarily control said reaction, but you can pause and adjust your thinking. This week, Josh does just that as he contemplates the new "West Side Story."
Starring Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson, the stakes in "Marry Me" never prove terribly high, even if Lopez's character lives in the spotlight and the whole thing is about love, but there's an affability to the tale that works.
Kenneth Branagh's second Hercule Poirot movie, "Death on the Nile," is now out on Blu-ray and streaming and that makes this the perfect moment to discuss just how wonderful the films are.
Josh has some very complicated feelings surroudning Robert Redford's "Ordinary People." Brewing for decades, they are things he has grappled with more than once. With the new Blu-ray release, he has sat down to watch the film again and, while he's not sure it's better, he has decided that maybe the problems don't lie where he initially thought.
We are not going to lie and say that we loved everything about Guillermo del Toro's update to "Nightmare Alley." What we are confident in telling you, however, is that del Toro's films, this one included, are beautiful. Simply beautiful. As for what didn't work for us here? Take a listen and see.
The third movie in the "Kingsman" franchise is now out on Blu-ray and digital. It's a prequel, and one that almost seems to be content keeping things afloat until a fourth film can be made. That kind of makes us--ME--the problem, doesn't it?
You know those episodes where Josh gets a little excited and talks too fast? The one's where he's uber-engaged and gets angry about something and rather than yelling speeds up?
Well, that's what happens today with "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City," a movie which he likes but still manages to get angry about anyway. Take a listen.
The Oscar nominated "Summer of Soul" is now available on DVD and digital. We happened to watch it the morning of the Oscar nominations and found it to be amazing and powerful. It is a look at a music festival that took place in 1969, but it's more than that. It's so much more and it ought to be seen.
Going from "Saturday Night Live" sketch to feature film is not easy and yet, in 1992 Mike Myers' "Wayne's World" showed (again) that it certainly is possible. With a new Blu-ray out to celebrate the movie's 30th anniversary we take a look back at the Wayne and Garth and see if all those pop culture references still work today.
Here's the thing... nuance exists, shades of grey exist. It is true that one's film diet shouldn't simply consist of Marvel movies, but it is also true that there are Marvel movies that have a lot to say. More than that, Marvel movies come in all shapes and sizes and even genres. One only need look at "Eternals" to see as much.
Imagine taking a bright and colorful animated film, one filled with incredible songs, and making it about something as deeply profound as what it means to put yourself out there, to reveal who you truly are and what scares you. That is exactly what the filmmakers have done with Disney's "Encanto" and it's marvelous.
This month, the excellent "Juice" was released on 4K. The new disk celebrates the film's 30th anniversary and even if Josh hadn't seen it before, he has now. But, unlike with so many other films, watching the movie didn't immediately spark an idea for this podcast episode... why is that?
Here at this podcast we firmly believe that we are witnessing a massive shift in the way movies are watched, a shift away from theaters and into homes. There will undoubtedly be growing pains and struggles as this shift continues but we need to still find and watch (wherever that might be) movies, like Ridley Scott's "The Last Duel," which deserve our attention.
The horror movie "Antlers" is fine, but what has Josh thinking this week is the question of what happens to the characters in horror movies after the film ends? Take a listen as we contemplate the future.
Some movies tell the story they want. They start when they want. They stop when they want. Other movies start telling the story that they want to tell and then kind of meander off into something else entirely. On this week's podcast we're looking at one case of the former and one of the latter.
"The Wolf of Wall Street" is now out on 4K UHD. It's a great movie, we can all admit this. The thing of it is though, the man it focuses on, Jordan Belfort, is shown to not be a good human being. The movie has no obligation to make him good, nor to yell that he's not good, but it is up to us to recognize the truth. It makes Josh sad that too many of us don't.
A couple of episodes back, we discussed the greatness that is Tom Cruise. With that (sort of) done, the time has come to set our sights (kind of) on Warren Beatty. Two movies written by/directed by/and starring the multi-hyphenate just got new blu-ray releases, "Reds" and "Heaven Can Wait." Let's take a look at both.
There is so much to enjoy in "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings." Simu Liu and Awkwafina are great together and there's one really excellent fight. But, a perfect movie it is not and a lot of its problems are rooted in issues the MCU has been facing for years, from bland villains to overly CG climactic battles. This week, we discuss.
Cameron Crowe's "Vanilla Sky" doesn't necessarily need Tom Cruise front and center, the actor is great in it, but the movie would undoubtedly be something special even without Tom Cruise. But, rather than focusing on that, today we look at just how great Tom Cruise is and how great Tom Cruise has been for 40 years. How could he not be? He's Tom Cruise and when there's a Tom Cruise in your movie, it's a Tom Cruise movie.
There is a lot of stuff happening in Nia DaCosta's "Candyman." The movie takes on a whole bunch of weighty ideas and attempts to explore them via the slasher film. But it's just possible that by trying to fit into that subgenre, and need to not go over 90 minutes, that it loses too much along the way.
Some biopics simply do not do a good job of offering up insight into the person at their center. "The Eyes of Tammy Faye" is an excellent example of such a film. It is a movie that doesn't work for multiple reasons. But, rather than giving away all our insights here in the description, listen to the episode and hear what we have to say.
Halloween may have been last week, but we're squeezing in one last horror movie discussion, even if it is a tad late. "Scream" arrived in theaters 25 years ago and a new "Scream" will be in theaters next year. The new one isn't a remake but rather the fourth sequel. Let us discuss not just terrible naming conventions but the movie that started it all.
It may have taken him decades to work up the courage, but Josh has finally sat down to watch the first eight "Friday the 13th" movies. Why did it take so long? What does he think about them? Why do so many folks in these movies just happen to have machetes? We answer some of these questions and more on this week's episode.
Horror movie "The Night House" proves to be a powerful one not because of its story, which starts off well and then never quite succeeds, but rather because of the performance of the actress at its center, Rebecca Hall. This week, we celebrate what Hall brings to an otherwise mediocre haunted house film, one that requires her to spend a whole lot of time on screen alone, and is perhaps best in those moments.
Out now on digital as well as Blu-ray, Ryan Reynolds' "Free Guy" is one of those movies that actually delivers on the fun of its premise. We sit there and watch as this video game NPC becomes something more than just a background character. Most importantly though, it pleased Josh's son, who has been anxiously anticipating the film for two years.
"Hardball" and "Breakdown" both recently hit Blu-ray shelves, and one of the two films works and the other doesn't. One simply tells its tale and moves on, the other kind of meanders this way and that, never really telling any one story and not telling any portion very successfully. Let's discuss.
The newest entry in "The Purge" franchise, "The Forever Purge," is now out on blu-ray, and you're kidding yourself if you think it's not the scariest one yet. The series has always held up a mirror before us so we can see our reality, and the view is getting worse and worse.
There are two ways to view Disney's "Jungle Cruise" movie. The first of these is to dismiss the whole thing is as a cheap IP cash-in. The second is to actually examine what makes the DisneyWorld ride so very good (Disneyland's version as well) and then see what parts of that translate to the film. Why don't we do the latter?
Paramount has just released the first four "Star Trek" movies in a single box on 4K UHD. At its best, "Trek" is aspirational, striving to push us into being better people and doing more for our world (and beyond). Maybe that means they should have done better with this set and released all six movies based on TOS in this set. Maybe not. Instead of focusing on that, let's talk "Trek."
There are a number of possible lessons that one could glean from watching "Nashville" and "A Place in the Sun," but the one that keeps hitting us over and over again is just how wrong we can go with the American Dream. Maybe there's a point at which we should rest on our laurels. Maybe there's a point at which we should accept that we have enough.
We are all better when we have people who love and respect and accept us for who we are, when we are able to be open and honest and unafraid about our thoughts and feelings. Although they are very different films, both the family friendly "Luca," and the decidedly not "Profile," offer up looks at the various ways thing can turn out depending on what path we go down and with whom.
There is some stuff to enjoy in the new movie, "The Stairs," and some stuff that works less well. They mystery about what is going on? That's great. The mystery of why these folks do what they do? That's less good.
One of the myriad of streaming services of which you may or may not be aware is AppleTV+. Yes, Apple has a video streaming service. They have various shows and movies including the currently airing and completely wonderful, "Ted Lasso." So, this week, we take a minute or two to sing the praises of this joyous series.
Last week, "The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run" was released on Blu-ray. It is the third movie in the franchise and the television show from which the movies spring began in 1999. It is then a long-running series. Although Josh isn't entirely unfamiliar with SpongeBob and his antics, he has never been a devotee. So, this week, he dives under the ocean, checks out Mr. SquarePants, and some thoughts bubble up to the surface.
Last month, Eddie Huang's "Boogie" came out on Blu-ray. This week, Cameron Crowe's "Almost Famous" is out on 4K. The movies may deal with different main characters, but they have a backbone of commonality -- these are films about teenagers figuring out what it means to become an adult. On this week's podcast, we look a little bit more on what, precisely, that means.
With apologies, you're not going to find any ranting or raving in this week's episode. No, what you're going to find is Josh sitting quite calmly on the fence as he attempts to answer the question of whether Emma Stone's "Cruella" is worth it as its own thing, or if it's own worthwhile when connected to "101 Dalmatians." And, if it's the latter, is it worth it at all?
A couple weeks ago we laid out a plan to discuss the open-world RPG game "Biomutant" over the course of two, non-consecutive, episodes. Well, last week we talked about Indiana Jones and that means that it's time to deliver on our promise. Take a listen as we delve into the good, the bad, and the ugly of this title.
Timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the release of "Raiders of the Lost Ark," the Indiana Jones movies are now out on 4K. All four of them. We would say, "don't get us started on that last movie," except that the last movie is not only exactly what we talk about a lot this week, but also about to not be the last movie. Listen and we promise we won't offer our explanation of why "Temple of Doom" is the best.
At the end of May, THQ Nordic published the open world RPG, "Biomutant." That means that we have spent weeks playing the game and are ready to start talking about it. This then is the first of two planned installments where we discuss the title, what it is, what works, what doesn't, and just why our planet is in danger.
"Super 8" is now out on 4K and even if Josh didn't love it when it was in theaters, seeing it this time, he did. This week's episode takes a look at exactly what Abrams gets right with the film and his other movies. Unquestionably, the director has a style to which he returns and maybe the brilliance of his work is that it echoes some of the reasons this podcast exists.
Out this week on 4K UHD is the classic movie, "My Fair Lady." Winner of eight Academy Awards, the movie is still something special. You know what sticks with a lot of people, myself included, about it though? That ending. Today we take a look at that closing and wonder what it could have been like with someone else in the role.
Would you like to play a game?
This week, we're going to look at movies in a new way: as webs. Surely you've had this happen to you -- you watch one movie and it convinces you to watch something else and then something else and on and on down the line. It's all tied back into the first movie, sometimes in more ways than one, but it can get pretty far afield. Let's discuss...
The past week has seen both "Speed" and "Shrek" arrive on 4K UHD. These are both great movies. They were great when they first came out in theaters and they're still great today. Here's the thing about them though -- they both follow paths created by others; they're not great because they're doing something that has never been done before, they're great because they do it so well.
Recorded before the Academy Awards ceremony this year, this week we're celebrating Best Picture winner, "Nomadland." Out on Blu-ray this week, the film both celebrates a lifestyle and condemns the institutions that force it upon some. It has to make you wonder -- why do we allow so few to keep so much for themselves and keep so many so close to the poverty line?
Out on Netflix, "Bad Trip," like "Borat," is a movie where actors go around and do things to provoke a response from people they run into. It has some exceptionally funny moments in it, but Josh can't help but watch this sort of movie and wonder about all the moments where the pranks didn't go as planned. Is he the only one?
Does Josh speak a little quickly here? If so, it's only because he has a ton of thoughts about the complicated nature of the way so many movies are coming out these days, including "Raya and the Last Dragon." The movie is great, but should you pay $30 to get it on Diseny+ Premiere Access or the same to get it on iTunes? Prime Video? Blu-ray? There are so many options!
There are any number of things that might stand out to you about this week's podcast episode, one in which we discuss the movie "Our Friend." However, we think it'll be Josh's distress at the movie being named "Our Friend" when there are very good reasons to have it named differently (as you will hear if you listen).
Tom Hanks is incredibly wonderful as the former Captain fighting for the Confederacy, Jefferson Kyle Kidd, in "News of the World." Hanks makes this man (in what is an incredibly well made movie), a defender of all that is good and true and right. He may be a man with demons, but he's a proud former soldier and we watch as he fights for one child.
How exactly does this movie not deal with the fact that Kidd went to war for the right to have slaves and is proud that he was a Captain in an army which had that as their purpose?
Out next week on Blu-ray is "The Greatest Show on Earth." It is a movie that brings us back to the days of big top circuses. It makes us yearn for the popcorn and the sawdust, the clowns and the trapeze.
It is also selling something that never was. We need to be able to see that.
Okay, so streaming services like HBO Max and Netflix aren't quite the video store of old. Browsing through titles is tough, exclusivity makes thing worse, and they're constantly throwing their new movies at you in favor of catalog items. But, that doesn't mean there isn't good stuff to be found... if you look for it.
Maya Zinshtein has directed, and Abraham Troen has produced, a new documentary called "'Til Kingdom Come." On today's podcast they both join Josh to talk about the movie and this incredible alliance that has formed between one Israel-based philanthropic organization and Christian Evangelicals in the United States. The two groups may seem far apart, but maybe it is money that makes the world go round.
Up today on the podcast we have literary legend Tim O'Brien. For his 2019 book, "Dad's Maybe Book," O'Brien allowed a camera into his house to follow him. Directed by Aaron Matthews, the documentary resulting from this, "The War and Peace of Tim O'Brien" is now out on VOD and the man himself joins us to talk about it.
Out this week on blu-ray is a new John Hughes five movie collection. Aptly titled, "John Hughes 5-Movie Collection," the included titles are: "Ferris Bueller's Day Off;" "She's Having a Baby;" "Pretty in Pink;" "Some Kind of Wonderful;" and "Planes, Trains and Automobiles."
We're talking about all of them a little this week, but mostly Steve Martin because "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" is the best of the included titles.
There is something to be said for getting the facts of a story right. There is something entirely different to be said for getting the feelings of a story right. Where exactly does "Lady Sings the Blues" end up? Does it hit one of the marks? Does it hit both? And, has the sense of it changed since its initial release?
It is all too easy, especially with the pandemic, to forget to look up and see the world around you. We have put life on hold in order to have that life continue.
"Elizabethtown" and 2015's "The Little Prince" are now out on Blu-ray and Josh has some distinct thoughts about the journeys in those films and how they relate to our current world. Well, he thinks the thoughts are distinct. You be the judge.
Up today on the podcast we have Eliza Schroeder, whose new film "Love Sarah" is currently available on VOD. The wide-ranging discussion goes into how the idea for the bakery came about, what it's like to try to film food, how long the characters have lived in her head, and whether or not the bakery in the story would survive COVID-19.
Growing up, it felt like Danny Kaye movies were constantly being aired. Josh avoided them and it was an error he corrects this week as he watches "The Court Jester." On the other hand, he watched plenty of Mel Gibson and makes the mistake of seeing the actor's latest, "Fatman."
There is, one suspects, something clever buried somewhere within the filmic adaptation of "The Empty Man" graphic novel. The movie has a great look and James Badge Dale is a good actor and there's a lot to chew on in it. But, maybe because of its length or its desire to twist things around or its not wanting to explain anything in any way that makes any sense, it all ends up feeling... well... empty.
Our intent for this episode was to talk about "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom" and "The Midnight Sky." Instead, Donald Trump, backed by the Republican Party, decided to continue to fan the flames of idiocy and hatred and the Capitol Building was taken over by terrorists. So, we're talking about that instead.
For what it's worth, both movies are really good.
"Grizzly II" was initially shot in the early 1980s. Or, some of it was shot until the money ran out (a producer left the project). In 2018, one of the producers, Suzanne Csikos Nagy, returned to the movie and finished it. That film is out on VOD this week. We admire the effort that must have taken and wonder what it means about returning/reediting projects in general.
Out on Blu-ray and 4K next week is the Dylan O'Brien starring "Love and Monsters." The movie takes place post-apocalypse with mutated monsters now at the top of the food chain. While that isn't quite where we are, the movie does have some things it can teach us about getting by with Covid still ravaging the land.
Michael Mann's "Collateral" is now out on 4K UHD, and it is a movie worth owning. It's worth it for the Tom Cruise-Jamie Foxx conversations alone. It is a stylish, wonderful, affair. Plus, Jamie Foxx gets to hear from Jada Pinkett Smith about what it's like to have a case of the nerves, and we love that.
Today we're accusing Shakespeare of being wrong -- names matter. Director Francis Ford Coppola may get towards this in the introduction that accompanies the Blu-ray release of a rejiggered version of "The Godfather Part III," now titled, "The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone," but we're going to look a little bit more at movie titles changes, content changes, and what it all means.
"New Mutants" finally managed to make it to theaters this year and now it's out on Blu-ray and streaming. Has the wait been worth it?
Decidedly not.
Launching this November with the PlayStation 5 is "WRC 9: The Official Game." A simulation racing game, "WRC 9" can be brutally difficult while being incredibly gorgeous and, when you succeed, terribly satisfying. We delve into the ins and outs of it all on this week's podcast.
Up today on the podcast we have Scott Barber, one of the directors of "The Orange Years: The Nickelodeon Story," which tells of the channel's rise to stardom in the 1980s and 1990s. The documentary manages not just great nostalgic moments, but delves into the process as well and Barber breaks it all down here.
It may not mean much to you, but the "Ben 10" franchise has been around for well over a decade. So, when the opportunity arrived for Josh to get a DVD of the new "Ben 10 vs. the Universe: The Movie," he jumped at the opportunity. He hadn't seen any of the shows before, but the time had finally come. Why now? What did he think? Will it lead to him watching "The Batchelor?" Listen and find out!
"Batman: Death in the Family" is a new animated DC adventure which takes a little bit from the "Death in the Family" comic storyline and a little bit from the "Batman: Under the Red Hood" movie and a little bit from "Choose Your Own Adventure" titles in order to craft something that... well, to craft something that you have to craft yourself.
Is it worth all the effort?
That's what we're talking about today.
Recently, Josh read "The Haunting of Hill House." Whether he did this because some preternatural force deep within (or perhaps without!) caused him to remember that the Blu-ray of the 1999 adaptation, entitled "The Haunting" was on the way or not, it proved a serendipitous decision. Fate, as they say, has a sense of humor. Hear all about it on today's podcast.
Up this week on the podcast we have writer-director Haroula Rose. She wrote the screenplay (adapting the novel) and directed the new movie, "Once Upon a River." It takes place in the 1970s and follows a Native American teenager in Michigan and she goes searching for her estranged mother. It is also Rose's first feature as a director.
If you haven't seen the Adult Swim series, "Rick and Morty," there are plenty of ways to describe it. Off-kilter, scatalogical, disturbing, smart, and deeply funny are all equally true options. The fourth season of the show is now out on Blu-ray and we're going to talk about just what we most enjoy about it.
We can't be angry at the world all the time, which isn't to say that there aren't great reasons to be angry, just that every once in a while we need to release the building pressure, calm down, and recenter ourselves for the next outrage. Paramount Presents has just issued a new Blu-ray of "Roman Holiday," and that may be exactly what the doctored ordered.
On today's podcast we discuss the new documentary, which can currently be found on the Discovery Channel, "Apocalypse '45." Erik Nelson, the director, is here to tell us about getting the footage, restoring the footage, interviewing service members, and the all-important role of the director.
A new movie opening in theaters shouldn't be a very big deal, especially when what we're talking about is just a generic movie opening. However, everything in 2020 is a big deal and that's because, just like the title of the movie we're going to talk about today, one of the two major political parties is "Unhinged."
There are some films which exist as streaming originals that one can't imagine ever having been released to a theater. This week, we're looking at one of them, "An American Pickle," and contemplating just what makes it non-theatrical, what makes it brilliant, and where those two might overlap.
There are so very many things to like about the Amazon series "Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan," but that doesn't mean that it is perfect. In this week's episode, we take a look at one of season two's big failings and consider how it might be fixed in season three.
"Easy Does It" is a new film which features a couple of (bad) robbers trying to make their way across the country to what they hope is a fortune out in California.
On the podcast, director Will Addison tells us about the price of making the low budget film, why he set it in the 1970s, and just what Linda Hamilton brought to the table before and during filming.
We do it too irregularly -- stop, assess, and correct. It is, however, one of our greatest strengths. We can all stop what we're doing for a minute, assess whether it was the right course of action, and then correct as needed. Today's podcast looks at HBO's "The Outsider" and the classic comedy, "Airplane!" to provide examples.
Turning 25 years old this summer is "Clueless" a (then) modern update to "Emma." It is a movie turned up to 11 but with good cause and great results. On the other side of things is "Trolls: World Tour," a movie turned to 11 presumably because claiming it was turned to 31 would just be silly.
One works. One doesn't. Let's discuss.
The 1990 "classic" (because it's 30 years old) film "Ghost" is arriving in a new Blu-ray release next week. So, this week we're looking at the movie, what it means to pretend that someone isn't there who is, and whether there's a "joke" that goes too far in the film (it does).
Back in the 1970s, Peter Medak directed Peter Sellers in "Ghost in the Noonday Sun." The movie never got a theatrical release, arriving years later on videotape and then DVD. Now though, Medak has put together a documentary on his experiences shooting "Ghost" and he's here to tell us all about it.
In 1980's "Urban Cowboy" we see John Travolta as a deplorable human being even if they don't use that word. In fact, the movie doesn't really seem to recognize him as such, but he is and the movie is the worse for not knowing it. "The Hunt" does use the word deplorable, but in a totally different context. Like "Urban Cowboy," the movie is brutal, but in completely different fashion. Let's discuss
It is amazing to get to sit down and experience a series of films one right after the other. The highs remain just as high, but the lows are diminished (or maybe raised... or maybe made more shallow). New connections appear, the scope of the work is more obvious, and the breadth of the affair is revealed. This week on the podcast, we are enthralled by the first three phases of the MCU.
What we have here is one great movie and one movie that makes you feel great. It's not that "Escape from L.A." is bad in any way, it's just that it's not Michael Cimino's completely gripping "The Deer Hunter." That said, given the choice, Josh would rather watch Snake Plissken do his thing.
Josh regularly tries not to let little things bother him. And yet, there they are, the little things. They slowly chip away at his sanity. Bit by bit. Piece by piece. They gnaw at him. Sometimes, despite his best efforts, they must be discussed.
This week we tackle that all important question: how do we possibly see the breath of the invisible man in "The Invisible Man?"
This week's podcast takes a look at four different movies: "Flashdance," "Days of Thunder," "War of the Worlds" (the Spielberg/Cruise one), and "Downhill." Sure, that's three older films and one newer one or two Tom Cruise films and two not or some other weird bunching, but they kind of all work together. Sort of. Maybe.
Why don't you listen and decide for yourself?
"The Call of the Wild" is the story of Buck learning to survive in the harsh Alaskan environment. Watching the movie is the story of people attempting to accept this Scooby Doo-like version of Buck interacting with Harrison Ford. It doesn't work.
Jesus Quintana is a minor character in "The Big Lebwoski," but he's front and center now in the new John Turturro written & directed (and starring) film, "The Jesus Rolls," which is out on Blu-ray today. So, for this week's podcast, we're going to examine the movie and just what it takes to make a successful spinoff.
This week on the podcast we look at "The Rhythm Section," "King Creole," "Fatal Attraction," and "To Catch a Thief." All are sporting new Blu-ray editions and all offer up a few words on their cases about what to expect before we ever dig in. Just what are those words and what should they tell us?
Once again we find it impossible to escape the real world by diving into a little bit of fiction. The comedy "Like a Boss" is out on Blu-ray today and it just may offer a connection to the fools who suggest that shutting a business is worse than the death of thousands.
Filmed entirely in The Philippines, WGN's new show, "Almost Paradise" features actor Christian Kane. Star of shows such as "Leverage" and "The Librarians," Kane stops by the podcast today to tell us stories of days past as well as what we should expect from this new show.
The final chapter (allegedly) in The Skywalker Saga, "Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker" is now out on Blu-ray. Let's take a minute and discuss how this franchise that has produced so much mediocrity has managed to make people so angry.
Is it the great moments getting buried (and there are great moments) or is it something else?
Both "The Wizard" and "1917" are out today on Blu-ray and one of these movies is all about placing the audience there with the main characters as they struggle. The other most definitely features a character struggling but is more concerned with how to sell video games than what the struggle means and how it should be approached.
Let's discuss.
In "Spoiler Alert!: The Badass Book fo Movie Plots: Why We All Love Hollywood Cliches" Chris Vander Kaay and his fellow authors breakdown 38 different movie genres, telling us the essential elements to each and every one in comedic form. How did the book come about and what movies does Vander Kaay like most? Listen as we discuss it all.
The 1923 and 1956 versions of "The Ten Commandments," both made by Cecil B. DeMille, are out now in a single Blu-ray set. That gives us the perfect opportunity to discuss a filmmaker getting the opportunity to rework the same source material. So, as that's something we often suggest, let's take a look at how that worked out here.
As the Mark Ruffalo-starring "Dark Waters" is all too happy to tell us, companies don't care about us, they care about the bottom line. Not only that, they care about the bottom line to the point where they will allow people to die to protect it.
No, it's not science fiction, it's disturbing fact and we're talking about it today.
The original "Frozen" is spectacular. So, how can "Frozen II" be such a disappointment as it's nearly the exact same?
And there, right there within the question, lies the answer: because it's nearly the exact same.
Let's take a look at what might have been, what shouldn't have been, and see if we can't freeze future mistakes in their track.
Some of the best movies out there are ones that completely throw our perception of what is taking place out the window. This week we're looking at two movies that do that beautifully, "Shutter Island" and Parasite," and one film that takes low brow teenage monster/alien pregnancy comedies to new heights, "Snatchers."