Josh Lasser
- Journalist and Movie Critic, Freelance
- Podcast Host, Lass is More with Josh Lasser
- None, Blogcritics.org,The TV and Film Guy's Reviews
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Freelance movie critic, host of @LassIsMore Podcast, and a nice guy. Do say 'hi' to him because he's too shy to initiate a conversation.
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Articles by Josh Lasser
Dracula, “Renfield,” and Timeless Villainy
By on • Out now on Blu-ray and digital is the bloody good, “Renfield.” A look at Dracula and his familiar in present day New Orleans, the film manages to create a sort of hybrid monster-superhero-crime-comedy thing and it works. Sadly though, “Renfield” is only a bloody good film, not a bloody great one. There are bits that work, bits that don’t, and some stuff to really sink your teeth into. Click below and listen as we detail it all. As always, don’t forget to subscribe.
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 wheels for a couple of hours. Blow something up really well and an action movie can otherwise trod well-worn ground. It is, of course, better to a have movie that does everything brilliantly, it’s just not essential for the overall experience.
The TV and Film Guy's Reviews
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 reviews would explain how the plot doesn’t make any sense. It would describe a series of story threads that are left dangling, perhaps for the sequel or perhaps simply forgotten. It would explain the inane physics on display in the movie.
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 in a couple of weeks, “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” keeps the Paul Rudd franchise and the MCU as a whole moving forward. But, that’s not what most people are going to want to discuss with this movie.
The Genius of a Bear Doing Cocaine
By on • 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 entire, foolish, incredible, wonderful story around it. It may be bloody. It may be violent. It may feature drugs. But, there is a genius to “Cocaine Bear” and that’s what we’re going to talk about today.
Refusing to bow to “Dragonslayer”
By on • 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 that we’re an automatic convert. Such is the situation with this week’s discussion. “Dragonslayer,” was released this month on 4K and, simply put, it does not work for us.
“Women Talking”: Compelling and Disturbing
By on • 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. The movie has so much to say not just about how we treat women, but how religion can be used and abused as well. It is compelling and highly watchable and yet horrible to see. It is upsetting on so many levels and we’re going to look at a few of them on this week’s podcast.
Jonathan Majors, Moments, and “Devotion”
By on • 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. It may be a moment, yes, but one that we hope becomes a long and varied and fascinating career. Today we’re going to take a look at “Devotion,” a movie starring Majors and Glen Powell which is the aforementioned new to Blu-ray work.
Movies on Movies – “The Fabelmans” & “Empire of Light”
By on • 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 is from Sam Mendes and features a main character similar to his mother although in a fictional tale. And… one is a work of pure genius and truly excellent, while the other is something of a let down. Or, gripping vs. grasping if you will. Which is which and why?
The Truth or not the Truth, that is “Emily”‘s Question
By on • 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 relates to this movie. No one would claim that the way things unfold in “Emily” is the way they unfolded in real life, it’s just the way things *could have* unfolded based upon the facts that we do know.
The Past, the Future, Black Panther, and Mickey Mouse
By on • 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 two new Blu-ray releases, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and “Mickey & Minnie 10 Classic Shorts – Vol. 1,” that show exactly that issue. Not only that, but both the MCU movie and the series of shorts are wonderful.
“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 figure out who they are. Disney’s animated feature “Strange World” takes a look at exactly that, but it also does something more… the movie presents to us a family that we all ought to accept without question and yet which some of us will do nothing but question. It is infuriating.
The Deliciousness of “The Menu”
By on • 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 our favorite watches of 2022 — “The Menu.” Directed by Mark Mylod and featuring a large cast including Ralph Fiennes, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Nicholas Hoult, this is a black comedy looking at one ultra-exclusive restaurant. It is bloody and funny and brilliant.
“Ticket to Paradise” & “The Banshees of Inisherin” & Clothing
By on • 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 wonderful comedies, why they work, and why that other movie fails. Beyond that, we also promise that it’s the last time we’ll discuss said other movie for an extended period. So, go ahead, take a listen and as always, don’t forget to subscribe.
“Pulp Fiction” Succeeds Where “Amsterdam” Fails
By on • 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 week we’re looking at a different movie that also found a 4K release on December 6th and this one is absolutely brilliant. It remains, nearly 30 years after its release, a cinematic masterpiece. It is a bit of genius from a filmmaker who would come to deliver so many.
“Amsterdam”: The Weighty, Darkly Dramatic, Zany Comedy
By on • 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 be said for that. Of course, having talked about that, we now need to talk about the other side — the movies that push too hard, that push too far, that try to be too much. Our example? “Amsterdam,” which is available now on digital and Blu-ray.
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, isn’t it? Yes, sometimes you just want a movie that will vaguely amuse for as long as it runs, a movie that won’t overstay its welcome and won’t tax you too heavily. Sometimes good enough is good enough.
Does “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.” Stray from the Path?
By on • 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. There are so many ways a movie might stray from the true path. Today on the podcast we examine one such film, “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.” Starring Regina Hall and Sterling K. Brown, the movie attempts to walk in the light, to deliver something divine here on Earth.
“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 of the Agatha Christie play but rather a comedic mystery about a fictional murder taking place at the theater near the start of the show’s historic run.
Two Halves of “Barbarian” Make a Better Whole
By on • 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 place, it is almost as though someone spliced in the wrong movie. Of course, one quickly realizes that such isn’t the case. Cregger manages to pull off the abrupt change with help from his cast, including Georgina Campbell, Justin Long, and Bill Skarsgård.
“Thor: Love and Thunder” and Weightlessness
By on • The fourth MCU “Thor” movie is out today on Blu-ray and DVD. That makes this the perfect moment to discuss not just this film, but the series and maybe a little bit of the MCU at large. We firmly believe that this is the second best Thor solo adventure that has been put out as a part of the universe, coming in well above the original “Thor” and well below “Thor: Ragnarok.” Just where does it succeed, where does it fail, and where would we like to see changes?
All Six “Star Trek” Movies are out in 4K and Josh Told You So
By on • It is not true that we cannot tell a lie. In fact, we will announce right now that Josh does indeed lie in this week’s podcast episode. Oh, no, he doesn’t lie about anything important–when he says that now is the right time to buy the “Star Trek” 4K motion picture set for the original crew, that is 100% true, you should buy it–he lies when he says that he doesn’t want to be an “I told you so” kind of guy. He absolutely wants that.
Hilarity and Disappointment with “Minions: The Rise of Gru”
While other individuals out there might be sick and tired of the Minions, what with their goggles and yellow skin and affection for denim, that is not the case here. No, here we still love the guys — we love the way they talk and the way the tend to bash each other over the head. Even so, our affection is not a blind one. We are fully cognizant of the fact that “Minions: The Rise of Gru” may have some great moments but that “great moments” and “great movie” are not synonymous.
The Disappointing Finale that is “Jurassic World: Dominion”
By on • There are weeks when we feel optimistic, maybe not about the outcome of a movie, but about the endeavor as a whole. These are the weeks where we do our best to look past faults, to ascribe nothing but the best of intentions to everyone involved. These are the weeks where our better angels win. We find ourselves unencumbered by such a rosy view of creation today. No, today we’re listening to a darker nature. Today, we’re listening to the devil whispering in our ear.
The Slowpokes of “Lightyear”
By on • One of the cardinal sins of storytelling (for me) is having characters who are allegedly smart act dumb. It becomes impossible to tell whether the filmmakers don’t think much of the audience or just don’t realize what they are creating and neither is a good look.
Movie Review: “Resurrection” (2022)
Perhaps the most important thing to note about writer-director Andrew Semans’s new film, “Resurrection,” is not that it is horrifying, but rather that it is grippingly horrifying. It may be described as a “psychological thriller,” and while those words are true, they fail to quite capture the thing. Front and center in the movie is Rebecca Hall as Margaret, a single woman raising a teenage daughter and succeeding in her career at the same time.
Finding “The Lost City”
By on • If you are familiar with “Romancing the Stone,” your view of “The Lost City” may be one thing. If you’re unaware of the Michael Douglas-Kathleen Turner movie, your opinion of this Sandra Bullock-Channing Tatum one may be wholly different. Does that difference in frame of reference affect a movie or just our perception of the movie? How does our enjoyment differ? How does our analysis differ? All these questions and more are asked (and maybe even answered) on this week’s podcast.
Playing Guinea Pig with “The Bob’s Burgers Movie”
By on • Regularly listeners to this podcast may well remember previous episodes in which we’ve wondered how it would hit someone to drop into a franchise somewhere in the middle; what happens when you watch something for which you have little background? Well, with the existence of “The Bob’s Burgers Movie,” which is out now on digital and Blu-ray, we got the opportunity to play guinea pig for our own ideas. Exactly how did that work out? What did we learn? Were we completely out of our depth?
“Downton Abbey: A New Era” but Maybe not so Much
Currently out on Blu-ray and digital is the second “Downton Abbey” movie, “Downton Abbey: A New Era.” Of course, if you watch the movie, you’ll be hard-pressed to find out what’s so new about it. Here’s the deal… we love this cast and we love these characters, but that doesn’t mean we necessarily love the story that’s being told this time out. There is something that feels more obligatory than engrossing about the endeavor. Of course, that doesn’t mean that we want the franchise to end.
“Doctor Strange” and the Multiversal Tapestry
By on • With every new entry in the MCU, the questions about how to understand and interact with the franchise grow. Are we now at the point where the barrier to entry is too high? Or, maybe because the MCU is everywhere all the time, the barrier is lowered further than it ever has been.
Mending the “Elden Ring” and our Hearts
By on • I sunk an incredible number of hours into the game “Elden Ring,” so many that I hesitate to actually offer up the number. It is, unquestionably, one of the best games I’ve ever played and I am now quite sad that my time with it is done. I want to want to play it again. I want to want to start it all from the beginning. But I don’t want to. I wish I did, but I don’t. Where exactly does that leave me and what’s next? Welcome to this week’s podcast episode.
Chasing an “Ambulance”
By on • Michael Bay’s latest film, “Ambulance,” may be the Michael Bay-iest yet. It is this perfect distillation of what you expect (and want) from such an endeavor — chases and explosions and shootouts and yelling. We can’t help but wonder though if the next 50 or 100 years (or less!) will see the car chase film slip by the wayside as we consider what the motor vheicle has done to our planet. Could the chase film go away and if it did, how would we feel about it?
With Apologies, we do not Enjoy “Grease 2”
A very wise TV show theme song once taught us that people don’t move to the beat of just one drum, that what might be right for you, may not be right for some. There is certainly no denying that sentiment, but does that mean we have to accept that some people find “Grease 2” a film that is superior to the original? That is, at least partially, what is on our mind on this week’s podcast.
Grasping at “The Untouchables”
By on • We have on this podcast found ourselves talking in recent weeks about engaging with films, the difficulties sometimes inherent therein, and the need to not be a passive viewer. Well, one of this week’s new 4K releases is the perfect film to continue that discussion. Yes, “The Untouchables” is out now and it is a film that is so very easy to watch and so very easy with which to engage. It grabs you at the outset and doesn’t let go. Just how does that all work and what does it mean?
Movie Review: “Top Gun: Maverick”
The “Star Wars” movies do not exist within the world of “Top Gun.” That might be an odd thing to have stick with someone walking out of the long-delayed “Top Gun: Maverick,” a sequel to the 1986 film, but it was certainly at the front of my mind leaving the theater.
Legends and Facts and “The Man who Shot Liberty Valance”
By on • I love the movie “The Man who Shot Liberty Valance.” I thought my family would as well, but the reception for the movie wasn’t quite what I hoped it would be and with it being released today on 4K UHD, that makes this the perfect time to talk about just why certain people in my family are wrong. Yes, today we delve into legends and facts and a truly great revisionist western. We even say that despite what others think, it’s not a particularly long film.
On Writing Less and Enjoying More
By on • Although there have been fewer reviews written here of late, that ought not imply in any way that there has been less watching taking place. Curiously, I’ve also had the sense that I’ve been enjoying watching movies more and that has led to some serious contemplation. This week’s podcast contemplates… well, contemplation. It explores the need to think about movies even if that thinking doesn’t necessarily lead to some sort of written statement.
Turning red over “Turning Red”
By on • There is always the new outrage, the latest threat, the thing people are getting upset about now. This week, with the streaming and blu-ray release of “Turning Red,” we’re looking at one of the dumber things that folks got upset about in 2022 — the notion that a movie about adolescence dares discuss, even obliquely, some of the changes associated with adolescence. So strap in because this week’s episode features ranting and raving about other people ranting and raving. Ironic?
Timelessness and “West Side Story
By on • You can’t necessarily control your initial reaction to something — there’s a level of programming/instinct in there you can’t always instantaneously short circuit. What you can do, however, is reassess after that knee-jerk response. On this week’s podcast, we talk about my initial reaction to hearing that a new “West Side Story” was coming, why it was a terrible reaction, and how my thinking evolved.
“Marry Me” may not be Deep, but it Succeeds
By Josh Lasser on April 12, 2022 • There is a certain inescapable affability to the Jennifer Lopez-Owen Wilson film, “Marry Me.” The whole thing is a tale of two people who lead very different lives falling in love, and though love is undeniably important, the stakes in the film never feel huge. While some films might not be able to work in such a fashion, here that never really feels like a problem. Instead, we just watch and enjoy. That’s not so terrible is it?
Movie Review: “Sonic the Hedgehog 2”
By Josh Lasser on April 6, 2022 • In my review of the first “Sonic the Hedgehog” movie, I suggested that the film had managed an incredible task – it had exactly the same amount of good and bad within it and therefore somehow hit a neutral state. The sequel, which is arriving at theaters this week, is not quite as successful, but it is also not a total disappointment. If the first one is neutral, this one tilts slightly negative.
The Beauty of Branagh’s High Gloss Hercule Poirot
By Josh Lasser on April 5, 2022 • It may have been delayed by Covid, but Kenneth Branagh’s second Hercule Poirot film, “Death on the Nile,” was in theaters earlier this year and is out today on Blu-ray and streaming. That makes this this the perfect moment to swoon over Branagh’s movies and hope for more. Yes, these two whodunits feel as though they were built with Josh in mind, which isn’t to say that they are perfect, just that there seems to have been an attempt to tick all his boxes.
“Ordinary People” and Three-Dimensional Characters
By Josh Lasser on March 29, 2022 • I read or heard or was told a while back something that struck me. Essentially it’s that we see ourselves in shades of gray that we fail to recognize in others. We understand better than anyone else (even if not fully) the myriad of thoughts and feelings and fleeting ideas and history that has gone into making us who we are.
The Beautiful Dream that is “Nightmare Alley”
By Josh Lasser on March 22, 2022 • I do not love everything that Guillermo del Toro touches. I’ll admit that. There is something in the way so many of his tales unfold that does not work for me. What I will tell though is this, he is one of the greatest currently working at handling visuals. This man’s movies look completely incredible. It’s in the shots and sets and costumes and lighting and everything else. It’s just fantastic.
Movie Review: “John and the Hole”
By Josh Lasser on March 15, 2022 • Is there a reason for it? Even if we don’t know why someone in a movie acts in a specific manner, or takes a specific action, does the character have a reason for taking the action? If the answer is “no,” the movie teeters on the brink of disaster. If the answer is “yes,” well, it still might teeter but the cause would be a different one.
“The King’s Man” and How I’m the Problem
By Josh Lasser on March 8, 2022 • The third entry in the “Kingsman” franchise, “The King’s Man,” is now out on Blu-ray and digital. To say that I’m disappointed by it is both true and yet somehow misses the mark. Yes, what we have here is another example of a franchise that I want to be great but which seems to not want that for itself.
“Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City” and Never Just Being Happy
By Josh Lasser on March 1, 2022 • Gone is the Paul W.S. Anderson version of “Resident Evil,” or at the very least, it’s been relegated to the shadows as the Johannes Roberts directed “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City” has now reinvigorated the franchise. Out now on Blu-ray and digital, “Welcome to Raccoon City” is a movie which, by and large, I enjoyed, but one where I still find myself upset about various things.
“Summer of Soul” and Winters of Discomfort
By Josh Lasser on February 22, 2022 • The Oscar nominated documentary from Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, “Summer of Soul,” is currently available on digital and DVD. It is a film which looks at the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival and the world in which the concert series took place. But, it does so much more than that, doesn’t it?
The TV and Film Guy's Reviews
By Josh Lasser on February 18, 2022 • You have almost undoubtedly heard the saying, “Chocolate and peanut butter — two great tastes that go great together.” Reese’s wasn’t wrong, the peanut butter cup is delicious, but there’s something important there in that idea at the saying’s core that goes unstated: while these two things are delicious separately and together, you cannot simply take two things that are delicious separately, combine them, and wind up with something as good or better.
“Wayne’s Word” Parties on 30 Years Later
By Josh Lasser on February 15, 2022 • “Wayne’s World,” that “Saturday Night Live” sketch turned feature film series is celebrating an anniversary this year. Yes, the first of the two movies featuring Wayne Campbell and Garth Algar is now 30 years old. Naturally, there’s a new Blu-ray release to celebrate the fact and, equally naturally, that means we’re going to talk about it.
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