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: “Saint Maud”
editor’s note: the below was originally written last year, as the film had been set for US release at that time. It is coming out, instead, this Friday and we are publishing the review to coincide with this new release… Read More ›
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Danny Kaye’s “The Court Jester” and Mel Gibson’s “Fatman”
As a youth, Josh avoided Danny Kaye movies. It felt like there was always one that was on TV or about to be on TV and he skipped them. As he now realizes, that was a terribly grievous error. “The… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “The White Tiger” (2021)
At one point in writer-director Ramin Bahrani’s “The White Tiger,” which is out on Netflix today, the main character makes an oblique reference to “Slumdog Millionaire.” The point of it is to contrast one film with the other. This movie,… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Penguin Bloom”
Any number of films exist seemingly with the goal of making the audience cry. Whether the tears come from upset or joy or one leading to the other or vice versa, all too often we get stories that seem to… Read More ›
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One “Empty Man,” One Daft Movie
There is, we suspect, something brilliant buried somewhere within “The Empty Man.” Based on a graphic novel, the movie stars James Badge Dale and focuses itself on… well, even telling you that might be a bit spoilery. Of course, that… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Outside the Wire”
There is unquestionably an argument to be made that we don’t need another movie telling us that building sentient robots—especially robots to fight wars—is a bad idea. We have seen the notion play out multiple times, and so often with… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “The Marksman” (2021)
There are a large number of things which I don’t understand about the new Liam Neeson movie, “The Marksman.” I have questions about the number of roads that lead from Arizona to Chicago, the time traveling it would take to… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Some Kind of Heaven”
In the leadup to Joe Biden’s November victory in the Presidential Election, I saw more than one article about arguments at The Villages, a massive retirement community in Florida. Trump, infamously, < a href=”https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/28/us/politics/trump-white-power-video-racism.html”>retweeted one racist moment their (naturally, he… Read More ›
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Not on “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” nor “The Midnight Sky”
The goal for this week’s podcast had been to look at two Netflix movies we missed in 2020 — “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and “The Midnight Sky.” Of course, after that plan had been put into motion, things happened last… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “One Night in Miami…”
At the end of last year, much was made of whether or not the TV series “The Crown” should put a disclaimer before episodes which, essentially, explain that the series is not a documentary. Yes, the show may feature real… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Skyfire”
Human beings have blind spots and movies are a result of the work of human beings, so it’s probably not terribly surprising that they have blind spots as well. We should expect them, but perhaps not forgive them. They are… Read More ›
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“Grizzly II” and (Re)Completing a Project
“Grizzly II” was shot in the early ’80s. Or, part of it was shot then. A producer left the movie, the money ran out, and decades later a different producer of the film, Suzanne Csikos Nagy, returned to the project… Read More ›
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“Love and Monsters” and Covid
Arriving on Blu-ray and 4K UHD next week is the movie “Love and Monsters.” It came out theatrically (if that means anything in 2020) this October and if you’re like me, you missed it. You just missed it. Well, if… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Wonder Woman 1984”
The 1980s, we are often told, was a decade of excess, a decade of nonstop movement centered around a push for more; for bigger, which is always better. That ethos seems to be the guiding principle of Patty Jenkins’ new… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “News of the World”
There are movies which sometimes cause me to struggle. For one reason or another, there’s a bit of them that just feels off. I’m talking about movies where I am incredibly, insanely, hugely engrossed in what’s going on; where I… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Promising Young Woman”
There are a number of amazing things about writer/director Emerald Fennell’s “Promising Young Woman.” Starring Carey Mulligan—whose performance is undoubtedly amazing thing number one—this is the story of a woman whose life was derailed in medical school following a rape…. Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Greenland” (2020)
One of the many horrible lessons of 2020 is that all too often we choose to look out for ourselves even if it means hurting others; that we do not care when we see—or inflict—pain on someone else. Yes, there… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Monster Hunter” (2020)
Not every movie works, we all know that. Generally speaking, people go into making a film with the best of intentions and for various reasons it doesn’t pan out. Because of my faith that individuals who make movies want to… Read More ›
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“Collateral,” Conversations, Cruise, Foxx, & Nerves
Michael Mann’s “Collateral” got a new 4K UHD edition last week and we’re discussing it here and now. It is a great film that everyone should take the opportunity to see… at least, you should if you like great films…. Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Wild Mountain Thyme”
Some romances are meant to be. Whatever gets in their way, whatever surrounds them, it doesn’t matter – they are meant to be. With “Wild Mountain Thyme,” writer-director John Patrick Shanley gives us one such tale and it is heartwarming… Read More ›
