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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Author Tim O’Brien Discusses “The War and Peace of Tim O’Brien”
In high school we read Tim O’Brien’s “The Things They Carried.” The book has stayed with me from that time to this. Now, the author is at the center of a new documentary, “The War and Peace of Tim O’Brien.”… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Cherry” (2021)
The new film from directors Anthony and Joe Russo, begins with the title character, Cherry, relating his story to someone. This is done via voiceover and we don’t see where Cherry is or to whom he’s speaking. Although other movies… Read More ›
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Movie Review: Crisis (2021)
There are excellent, in-depth, incredible cinematic takes on the drug war. When one watches writer/director/producer Nicholas Jarecki’s “Crisis” it is easy to see exactly how it attempts to fit in the pantheon. Unfortunately, even if one ignores the rest of… Read More ›
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On the “John Hughes 5-Movie Collection,” but Mostly Steve Martin
There is a new John Hughes Blu-ray collection out today which includes five titles, two of which have never been released to Blu-ray before. Except for “She’s Having a Baby,” all the movies are great, but as you’ll hear, we… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “I Care a Lot”
Generally speaking, movies give us someone(s) to root for. Whether that’s two people getting together or folks saving the world or cops catching a killer or any number of other scenarios, when we sit down to watch a movie we… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Nomadland”
Is it a happy movie or a sad one? That might feel like a pretty silly question, but it was the one that kept swirling around in my head as I watched Chloé Zhao’s latest film, “Nomadland.” Written and directed… Read More ›
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“Lady Sings the Blues” but does she Speak the Truth?
Facts are only one part of a story. Feelings are crucial as well. A set of facts only help so much, there has to be something there, some sense of emotional depth, to complement those facts. But what about the… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Fear of Rain”
“Rear Window” is a great movie. Books have literally been written about its brilliance. One of the other interesting (and not always accurate) metrics of its greatness are the number of films which borrow some of the ideas of the… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar”
Comedy can be subjective. What one person finds funny, another will not. I have no doubt that it is possible to go out and read many reviews which describe “Barb & Star go to Vista Del Mar” as a “comedic… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “The World to Come”
It is perhaps too obvious a statement to say that the way in which a story unfolds is crucial. Still, obvious or not, it remains true. I am thinking here, specifically, of a tale’s point of view. Whether it offers… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Land” (2021)
We all know that dialogue is crucial in movies. The right words, said in the right way can make all the difference. What is often overlooked in such a discussion, however, is that the right bit of silence can matter… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Cowboys” (2021)
One of the terrible truths about being human and the world being imperfect is that just because you’re doing the best you can, just because you think you’re doing the right thing, just because you’re trying your hardest, it doesn’t… Read More ›
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Not all Trips are Created Equal: “The Little Prince” and “Elizabethtown”
Out today on Blu-ray are Cameron Crowe’s “Elizabethtown” and Mark Osborne’s take on “The Little Prince.” Both movies are–as is the case with so many films–about people learning about themselves and growing. They are about the journey, literal and metaphorical…. Read More ›
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Movie Review: “The Mauritanian”
We, as a nation, would choose to believe that we are, for lack of a better term, the chosen people. It is a notion that exists in much of our pomp and circumstance, much of the way we talk about… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Bliss” (2021)
***I’m sure I’m going to spoil something for someone here. Don’t read if you want to go in without knowing anything at all.*** I am not quite sure how to start this review… On the one hand, I enjoyed writer-director… Read More ›
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Director Eliza Schroeder on “Love Sarah” and Filming Food
As you will hear, I thoroughly enjoyed Eliza Schroeder’s film, “Love Sarah.” The movie is about three women who finds themselves opening a bakery to honor a lost loved one. Schroeder tells us how the idea came about, how long… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “The Little Things”
When we meet John “Deke” Deacon in writer-director John Lee Hancock’s “The Little Things,” he is working as a patrol deputy in part of California’s Central Valley. We soon learn that he took that job after leaving Los Angeles, where… Read More ›
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Movie Review: “Supernova” (2021)
The power of a movie doesn’t necessarily have to be in its offering a new idea. That can be a part of it, certainly, but execution is also crucial. The best ideas amount to nothing if they’re carried out badly… Read More ›
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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 ›
