Author Archives
Josh Lasser is a freelance entertainment reporter/critic. His work has appeared in print, online, and perhaps one day in book form.
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Movie Review: “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts”
Movies need not succeed on all fronts to be successful overall. Having enough laughs in a comedy might make up for a lack of interesting characters. Give us truly great chemistry between the leads and a romance can spin its… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Fast X”
There are two distinct reviews one could write of “Fast X,” the newest entry in the “Fast & Furious” franchise. Neither review would be untrue, but they still would seemingly be at odds with one another. The first of the… Read More ›
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Ant-Man, the Wasp, the Quantum Realm, and the Real World
Here we are on the verge on another MCU movie being unleashed. That makes this the perfect week to talk about the last one. Having hit theaters earlier this year, arrived on digital in April, and coming out on Blu-ray… Read More ›
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The Genius of a Bear Doing Cocaine
We like to think of Elizabeth Banks’ “Cocaine Bear” as the Dr. Seuss classic “And to Think that I saw it on Mulberry Street,” but on cocaine. That is, the movies takes this little kernel of truth and wraps an… Read More ›
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“Avatar: The Way of Water” Drowns Us
We do not want to take anything away from the accomplishment of “Avatar: The Way of Water.” The movie is absolutely astounding on a visual level. The effort that it took to make the movie is quite evident. The insane… Read More ›
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Refusing to bow to “Dragonslayer”
Just because you’re willing to throw a dragon into your movie, does not mean that we’re going to wholesale accept whatever else you include. You might even toss in a little magic, and while that’s also good, it doesn’t mean… Read More ›
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“Women Talking”: Compelling and Disturbing
There is so much that can be said about the movie “Women Talking.” Not only did it win an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay this past weekend, it also sent out mind spinning when we watched it on Blu-ray…. Read More ›
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Jonathan Majors, Moments, and “Devotion”
Jonathan Majors is an actor having a moment. He not only has two big movies in theaters at this second, he has one from last year arriving on Blu-ray. He continually delivers fascinating characters and is just so incredibly watchable…. Read More ›
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Movies on Movies – “The Fabelmans” & “Empire of Light”
Perhaps you can have too much of a good thing. Perhaps it is possible. Out this month on Blu-ray are both “The Fabelmans” and “Empire of Light.” The former is from Steven Spielberg and a semi-autobiographical work, while the latter… Read More ›
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The Truth or not the Truth, that is “Emily”‘s Question
A new movie written and directed by Frances O’Connor opens this week. Based on the life of Emily Brontë, the movie is titled, quite simply, “Emily.” What is nowhere near as simple is the notion of the truth as it… Read More ›
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The Past, the Future, Black Panther, and Mickey Mouse
Transitions are difficult, but we are transitioning all the time. We are always moving forward, it never stops. The question, really, is how we move forward while still honoring (when appropriate) the past. Today on thepodcast we’re looking a t… Read More ›
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“Strange World” and the Should-be Normal
It is unquestionably true that we cannot expect our children to always want to follow in our footsteps. Sure, we may want them to at some points, but at some point they are going to have to go off and… Read More ›
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The Deliciousness of “The Menu”
As we have previously discussed on the podcast, we care not for Awards Season. We care not for the endless, useless, punditry. We care about watching a movie and enjoying the experience and out today on Blu-ray is one of… Read More ›
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“Ticket to Paradise” & “The Banshees of Inisherin” & Clothing
What if one of the answers to why “Ticket to Paradise” and “The Banshees of Inisherin” succeed while “Amsterdam” does not lies in clothing? Could that be the case? In this last episode of 2022 we look at these two… Read More ›
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“Pulp Fiction” Succeeds Where “Amsterdam” Fails
Last week, as you may recall, we spent our time discussing just how much “Amsterdam” doesn’t work. It’s a drag to spend time on the negative though. It just makes one feel sad. We would rather be happy. Consequently, this… Read More ›
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“Amsterdam”: The Weighty, Darkly Dramatic, Zany Comedy
Last time on the podcast, we discussed how some films know exactly what they are and are content with that; these films don’t push to be bigger or better or more grandiose or more important. There is something wonderful to… Read More ›
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Staying Small with “Jerry and Marge go Large”
Movies like to advertise themselves as the biggest and best thing you’ve ever seen. They are the funniest or the scariest or the loudest or the one with the most special effects or… whatever. Sometimes that’s just too much though,… Read More ›
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Does “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.” Stray from the Path?
Sometimes there is a movie that is chock full of good ideas and led by great performances. There is a genius at the heart of such efforts. And yet, as we all know, making a movie requires more than that…. Read More ›
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“See How They Run” Back to Old Ideas
After seeing “The Mousetrap” in London this past summer with my children, my nephew, and their grandparents, there was no way I was going to miss “See How They Run.” The film, now available on digital, is not an adaptation… Read More ›
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Two Halves of “Barbarian” Make a Better Whole
Now out on digital is Zach Cregger’s “Barbarian.” A thriller, “Barbarian” is one of those movies which can easily be described as consisting of two distinct halves. When the switch from the first of these halves to the second takes… Read More ›
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