Lass is More with Josh Lasser
262 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 months ago - ★★★★★ - 11 ratingsFocusing 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.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Meanderings #268: Grasping at "The Untouchables"
May 31, 2022 15:22 - 5 minutes - 5.72 MBBrian 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.
Meanderings #267: Legends and Facts and "The Man who Shot Liberty Valance"
May 17, 2022 12:00 - 6 minutes - 7.34 MBOut 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.
Meanderings #266: On Writing Less and Enjoying More
May 10, 2022 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.41 MBAlthough 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?
Meanderings #265: Turning red over "Turning Red"
May 03, 2022 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.78 MBThe 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.
Meanderings #264: Timelessness and "West Side Story"
April 26, 2022 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.77 MBOur 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."
Meanderings #263: "Marry Me" Succeeds with low Stakes Affair
April 12, 2022 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.21 MBStarring 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.
Meanderings #262: Branagh's High Gloss Hercule
April 05, 2022 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.52 MBKenneth 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.
Meanderings #261: "Ordinary People" and Two-Dimensional Characters
March 29, 2022 12:00 - 6 minutes - 7.67 MBJosh 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.
Meanderings #260: The Beautiful Dream of "Nightmare Alley"
March 22, 2022 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.74 MBWe 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.
Meanderings #259: "The King's Man" and how I'm the Problem
March 08, 2022 13:00 - 6 minutes - 7.27 MBThe 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?
Meanderings #258: "Resident Evil" and Shaking One's Fist at the Sky
March 01, 2022 13:00 - 6 minutes - 7.32 MBYou 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.
Meanderings #257: "Summer of Soul" and Winters of Discomfort
February 22, 2022 13:00 - 6 minutes - 7.62 MBThe 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.
Meanderings #256: "Wayne's World" Parties On
February 15, 2022 13:00 - 5 minutes - 6.26 MBGoing 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.
Meanderings #255: The Indie Drama that is Marvel's "Eternals"
February 08, 2022 13:00 - 5 minutes - 5.91 MBHere'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.
Meanderings #254: The Profound Truth of "Encanto"
February 01, 2022 13:00 - 4 minutes - 5.67 MBImagine 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.
Meanderings #253: "Juice" and Knowing what You're Talking About
January 25, 2022 13:00 - 6 minutes - 7.28 MBThis 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?
Meanderings #252: The Importance of Searching out "The Last Duel"
January 18, 2022 13:00 - 5 minutes - 6.73 MBHere 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.
Meanderings #251: Sure, "Antlers," but what's the Sequel
January 04, 2022 13:00 - 5 minutes - 6.4 MBThe 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.
Meanderings #250: "The French Dispatch" and "Ron's Gone Wrong"
December 28, 2021 13:00 - 5 minutes - 6.74 MBSome 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.
Meanderings #249: Howling at "The Wolf of Wall Street"
December 21, 2021 13:00 - 5 minutes - 6.26 MB"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.
Meanderings #248: What About Beatty
December 07, 2021 13:00 - 5 minutes - 6.71 MBA 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.
Meanderings #247: "Shang-Chi" and the Legend of Fourth Phase
November 30, 2021 13:00 - 5 minutes - 6.35 MBThere 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.
Meanderings #246: "Vanilla Sky," the Tom Cruise one Where...
November 23, 2021 13:00 - 6 minutes - 6.94 MBCameron 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.
Meanderings #245: The new "Candyman" - Trapped by Genre?
November 16, 2021 13:00 - 6 minutes - 7.23 MBThere 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.
Meanderings #244: Avoiding "The Eyes of Tammy Faye"
November 09, 2021 13:00 - 5 minutes - 6.23 MBSome 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.
Meanderings #243: Time to "Scream"
November 02, 2021 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.62 MBHalloween 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.
Meanderings #242: Josh vs. Jason
October 26, 2021 12:00 - 6 minutes - 7.73 MBIt 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.
Meanderings #241: "The Night House" and a Powerful Performance
October 19, 2021 12:00 - 5 minutes - 5.83 MBHorror 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.
Meanderings #240: "Free Guy" Proves Worth the Wait
October 12, 2021 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.4 MBOut 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.
Meanderings #239: "Breakdown" and "Hardball" and Telling Your Tale
October 05, 2021 12:00 - 6 minutes - 6.98 MB"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.
Meanderings #238: "The Forever Purge" is the Most Terrifying one yet
September 28, 2021 12:00 - 6 minutes - 7.53 MBThe 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.
Meanderings #237: Yucking it up with "Jungle Cruise"
September 21, 2021 12:00 - 6 minutes - 6.92 MBThere 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?
Meanderings #236: "Star Trek" and the Quest to be Better
September 14, 2021 12:00 - 6 minutes - 7.63 MBParamount 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."
Meanderings #235: "Nashville," "A Place in the Sun," and Greed
September 07, 2021 12:00 - 6 minutes - 7.08 MBThere 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.
Meanderings #234: Living Your Truth with "Luca" and "Profile"
August 17, 2021 12:00 - 6 minutes - 7.22 MBWe 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.
Meanderings #233: "The Stairs" and a Descent into Silliness
August 10, 2021 12:00 - 7 minutes - 8 MBThere 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.
Meanderings #232: Lasso is More
August 03, 2021 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.38 MBOne 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.
Meanderings #231: "SpongeBob SquarePants" and Starting from the Middle
July 20, 2021 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.64 MBLast 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.
Meanderings #230: "Boogie," "Almost Famous," and Coming of Age
July 13, 2021 12:00 - 7 minutes - 9.13 MBLast 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.
Meanderings #229: "Cruella" and Origin Stories
July 06, 2021 12:00 - 6 minutes - 7.95 MBWith 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?
Meanderings #228: A Return to "Biomutant"
June 29, 2021 12:00 - 6 minutes - 6.97 MBA 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.
Meanderings #227: Henry Jones Jr. in 4K
June 22, 2021 12:00 - 6 minutes - 7.96 MBTimed 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.
Meanderings #226: Getting to Know "Biomutant"
June 08, 2021 12:00 - 7 minutes - 8.64 MBAt 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.
Meanderings #225: "Super 8" and what J.J. Abrams Knows
June 01, 2021 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.41 MB"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.
Meanderings #224: "My Fair Lady" and Making the Good, Great
May 25, 2021 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.43 MBOut 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.
Meanderings #223: Creating Webs of Movies
May 18, 2021 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.67 MBWould 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...
Meanderings #222: "Speed," "Shrek," and Doing Old Right
May 11, 2021 12:00 - 6 minutes - 7.53 MBThe 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.
Meanderings #221: "Nomadland" and our Nation's Tax Structure
April 27, 2021 12:00 - 7 minutes - 8.56 MBRecorded 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?
Meanderings #220: Wanting the Truth of "Bad Trip"
April 20, 2021 12:00 - 6 minutes - 7.21 MBOut 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?
Meanderings #219: "Raya" and the Multitude of Streaming Options
April 13, 2021 12:00 - 6 minutes - 7.08 MBDoes 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!