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.
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Episodes
Meanderings #138: "Mission: Impossible - Fallout" and "Scrooged"
December 04, 2018 13:00 - 5 minutes - 6.04 MBThe sixth "Mission: Impossible" movie is now on Blu-ray and "Scrooged" has a 30th anniversary release. While the latter undoubtedly has a connection to "A Christmas Carol," is it just possible that the former does as well? Josh certainly thinks so and, what's more, he'll tell you how all of it relates to being the best American you can be. Because clearly Dickens knew a thing or two about that.
Episode 39: "To Kid or not to Kid" Director Maxine Trump
November 20, 2018 13:00 - 19 minutes - 21.8 MBDirector Maxine Trump's new documentary, "To Kid or not to Kid," has just premiered at DOC NYC, and this week Trump comes on the podcast to discuss the movie and its emotional toll. The piece focuses on the decision people make about whether or not to have children, and all the societal and other implications that go along with it. It is a difficult, personal, choice and not always an easy documentary to watch. We discuss it all here.
Meanderings #137: "Midaq Alley," "BlacKkKlansman," & Presidential Racism
November 13, 2018 13:00 - 5 minutes - 6.3 MBTwo movies are now out on Blu-ray, "Midaq Alley" & "BlacKkKlansman," which got Josh thinking about our nation and its problems. The fact that last week was a big election didn't help matters and so, now, he's put together some thoughts on watching movies and how keeping people out doesn't make this country anything remotely approaching great.
Meanderings #136: "Christopher Robin" & "Incredibles 2"
November 06, 2018 13:00 - 5 minutes - 6.83 MBWhat if when Christopher Robin grew up, he was a dull, depressing man whose story was told in dull, depressing fashion? If that's your sort of thing, this week we highly recommend "Christopher Robin." If you'd rather fun and amusement mixed in with family stuff, we suggest "Incredibles 2" instead.
Meanderings #135: "Mamma Mia! Here we go Again"
October 30, 2018 12:00 - 4 minutes - 5.36 MBJosh: Did we really need a sequel to "Mamma Mia!?" You: Why not ask if we needed the original movie in the first place. Josh: I love that idea! Done! Listen to this week's podcast episode where we discuss both the need for a sequel as well as a need for the original and my inability to get "Waterloo" out of my head. Mamma mia, here we go again.
Meanderings #134: "Weed the People" Can't Remember It's Argument
October 23, 2018 12:00 - 7 minutes - 8.11 MBArriving in theaters this week is a documentary called, "Weed the People." Essentially it builds an argument that marijuana may be an effective treatment against cancer. It does this by offering up a tiny amount of science and a whole lot of anecdotes. Unfortunately, at the start of the movie it also explains that anecdotes are not evidence, thereby undercutting its entire argument. But, that's not the only problem with the film, listen as we discuss.
Meanderings #133: "The Catcher was a Spy" and Pretty Good Too
October 02, 2018 12:00 - 4 minutes - 5.59 MBPeople lament the lack of movies that aren't reboots or sequels or new films in a larger franchise, but here's the thing -- original stuff still exists, you might just actually have to look for it. Out this week on DVD is "The Catcher was a Spy," and it's new and good and just requires a little more effort than hitting the local multiplex.
Meanderings #132: "Solo: A Star Wars Story" Isn't Really Solo
September 25, 2018 12:00 - 6 minutes - 7.26 MBThe newest "Star Wars" movie, "Solo: A Star Wars Story" is out now on Blu-ray and as much as it's supposed to be a part of this separate, stand-alone, series, it really isn't. It is all too connected to everything we've seen before. What is worse, however, is that it chooses to make these connections even when they aren't an important part of the tale.
Meanderings #131: All the Jack Ryans Under the Sun
September 18, 2018 12:00 - 6 minutes - 6.98 MBWith the release of the new Amazon Prime Jack Ryan series, we're getting a 4K UHD boxed set of the five big screen takes on the character. This wouldn't be the Lass is More Podcast if we didn't take some time to watch them all and lament about what could have been but never was.
Meanderings #130: "Tucker: The Man and his Dream" vs Reality
September 11, 2018 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.15 MBThe Francis Ford Coppola film "Tucker: The Man and his Dream" features a wonderful, dizzying, performance by Jeff Bridges and the film speeds along at a blistering pace. It is wonderful, but does that pace and dizziness exist in order to hid some of its larger flaws?
Episode 38: Owen Egerton Writer/Director of "Blood Fest"
August 22, 2018 12:00 - 16 minutes - 18.7 MBJust what does it take to put out a horror movie in this day and age? We are living in a world, director Owen Egerton tells us, where nine-year-old kids know the rules of Freddy before they've ever seen "A Nightmare on Elm Street" or any of its sequels. Egerton has gone with a meta take on horror for his latest, "Blood Fest," and sits down to chat with us about the state of horror, his favorite movies in the genre, and what constitutes a horror film in the first place.
Meanderings #129: "Book Club" adds 50 Shades of Unnecessary
August 14, 2018 12:00 - 5 minutes - 5.96 MBThe movie "Book Club" offers up a great cast of leading women, explores things we don't always see in movies, and then hampers the whole thing by tossing in a little bit of "50 Shades of Grey." The unnecessary addition seems like a silly gimmick to get folks into seats rather than being truly germane to the story.
Meanderings #128: "Avengers: Infinity War" -- Does Thanos Destroy Hollywood?
August 07, 2018 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.69 MB"Avengers: Infinity War" is out on Blu-ray next week, and that means it's time for us to sit down and talk about the MCU once more. Has this monolithic connected universe changed Hollywood, and if so, has it done it for the better or for the worse? Oh, and is "Infinity War" any good?
Meanderings #127: The New "Overboard" and the Nothingburger
July 31, 2018 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.07 MBA likable cast and an enjoyable soundtrack isn't enough to make 2018's "Overboard" a good movie. On the other hand, there's really nothing there to make it a bad movie either. It just kind of blah. It is the sort of movie that makes Josh utilize one of his new least favorite words/phrases: nothingburger (or nothing burger or nothing-burger, if you prefer).
Meanderings #126: Shhh... It's "A Quiet Place"
July 10, 2018 12:00 - 5 minutes - 5.79 MBIf Josh created a list of his favorite films for the first half of 2018, "A Quiet Place" would definitely make the cut. A smart, stripped down horror tale of a family trying to survive a monster apocalypse, the John Krasinski directed movie shows the importance not just of visuals in storytelling but of sound design as well.
Meanderings #125: The Wondrousness of "Mission: Impossible"
July 03, 2018 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.75 MBFor 22 years, Tom Cruise has been playing Ethan Hunt and as we gear up for the latest installment in the "Mission: Impossible" franchise to be released later this month, it is time to take a look back at the first five movies. Plus we toss in a little Jack Reacher as well, because the first of those movies, along with "M:I" are now all out on 4K UHD.
Meanderings #124: The Disappointment of "Acrimony"
June 26, 2018 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.35 MBTyler Perry's "Acrimony," the latest from the prolific writer-director, is now out on Blu-ray. If you've seen the ads for the film, you're going to go into it expecting a certain kind of story. What you're going to get, however, is something entirely different. Are there any takeaways there? You bet there are!
Meanderings #123: "The Death of Stalin" in the 21st Century
June 19, 2018 12:00 - 6 minutes - 6.92 MBArmando Iannucci's "The Death of Stalin" doesn't only have things to say about the death of Stalin, but modern day political struggles as well. While an exceptionally funny film, it isn't too kind to either Stalin or what is happening today, and that's for a good reason. Listen as we break it down for you.
Meanderings #122: Gnoming it up with "Sherlock Gnomes"
June 15, 2018 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.24 MB"Sherlock Gnomes," the sequel to "Gnomeo & Juliet" is out this week on Blu-ray and while Josh doesn't love it as much as he loves the first entry in the franchise, he does hope that it helps shows the way forward and that more gnome movies are on the horizon. Listen as he explains.
Meanderings #121: "Trading Places" & "Coming to America"
June 12, 2018 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.41 MBThis week sees new blu-ray releases of "Trading Places" and "Coming to America" as the movies are celebrating their 35th and 30th anniversaries, respectively. They are, undoubtedly, comedy classics, but is all well within them? There may be sadness just beyond the horizon...
Meanderings #120: Changing History "Terminator: Genisys" & "Forrest Gump"
June 07, 2018 12:00 - 7 minutes - 8.19 MBNext week both "Terminator: Genisys" and "Forrest Gump" arrive on 4K UHD. Both these films play with history, the former with its own timeline and the latter wit the history of the United States. Whether or not it works in either (or both) cases, it does lead to some interesting questions about right and wrong.
Episode 37: Kathryn Beaumont & Mindy Johnson on "Peter Pan"
June 05, 2018 12:00 - 16 minutes - 19 MBFor Josh's money, "Peter Pan" is one of the best classic Disney animated films and so he couldn't be more excited today as on the podcast he talks to Kathryn Beaumont, the voice of Wendy Darling. She is joined by Mindy Johnson, an author and historian who literally wrote the book on Tinker Bell. What was filming like? How do these two women see the legacy of the movie? We delve into those questions and more.
Meanderings #119: "Red Sparrow" and the Updating of the Spy Story
May 29, 2018 12:00 - 6 minutes - 6.98 MBSpy stories, be they told on the big screen, the small, or in books, have intrigued people for decades. One of the masters of the genre is John Le Carre, and "Red Sparrow," which is currently out on Blu-ray and based on book by Jason Matthews, definitely has the feel of a Le Carre Cold War tale. The question, then, is how well does the updating of such a story work. Listen as we explore the issue.
Meanderings #118: "Annihilation" Destroys my Senses
May 22, 2018 12:30 - 5 minutes - 6.3 MBOn this week's podcast, Josh focuses on "Annihilation," the latest sci-fi epic from "Ex Machina" director Alex Garland. Josh may not know everything that's going on in the movie, he may not have all the answers, but he loves it anyway. Listen to him explain his adoration of the film.
Meanderings #117: "Black Panther" - Better than "Braveheart" & "Gladiator?"
May 15, 2018 12:00 - 6 minutes - 7.88 MBJosh speaks quickly today during the podcast and that's because he has not one, not two, but three movies to discuss. And, despite all that fast-talking, he still goes a little longer than usual. But forget that, "Black Panther" is out on Blu-ray this week and both "Gladiator" and "Braveheart" are on 4K UHD. It is therefore time to explore the similarities and differences between the films. And, there are indeed things worth comparing. Is "Black Panther" the best of the lot? It jus...
Meanderings #116: "Saving Private Ryan" - Beauty in Horror
May 08, 2018 12:00 - 5 minutes - 5.81 MBAre some lives intrinsically more valuable than others? That is one of the big questions at the heart of Steven Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan," which is home video shelves this week in a 20th anniversary edition. The movie is big and beautiful and small and awful. It is an incredible creation and worthy of all the accolades it has ever received and more.
Episode 36: Dan Gregor & Doug Mand - "Most Likely to Murder"
May 02, 2018 12:00 - 17 minutes - 20.1 MBFeaturing a character going back to his hometown and meeting up with his high school friends, Dan Gregor & Doug Mand's "Most Likely to Murder" is steeped in nostalgia. The two men, who wrote the movie (Gregor also directs & Mand appears in the film), are on the podcast this week to talk about the old days. What from the past must be left behind? What can be kept? What reminds them of their high school years?
Episode 35: Ashley Bell of "Love & Bananas"
May 01, 2018 12:22 - 20 minutes - 23.7 MBAshley Bell has directed a new documentary called "Love & Bananas: An Elephant Story." The film documents her traveling on an elephant rescue. But, it goes deeper as well, telling us about the plight of the Asian Elephant in general. Today, we have her on the podcast to tell us what she learned, why it's important to her, and what everyone out there can do to save this species.
Meanderings #115: "Grease" is the Word
April 24, 2018 12:00 - 4 minutes - 5.56 MB"Grease" may be 40 years old, but the movie musical is still iconic and enjoyable. That doesn't mean, however, that our fearless leader likes everything about it. In this week's episode, Josh runs down some of what works and what doesn't and, in the end, decides that "Grease" is still pretty slick.
Meanderings #114: Running Again
April 17, 2018 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.81 MBRather than focusing on a movie or movies or a director or a writer or a star today, we're going to be tackling one of Josh's least favorite subjects -- running. He claims it's one of his least favorite subjects anyway, but he does it a whole lot? Why exactly? Maybe he can tell us.
Meanderings #113: "Molly's Game," "Phantom Thread," & "Up in Smoke"
April 10, 2018 12:00 - 5 minutes - 6.35 MBThere are some weeks that the blu-ray releases are just outstanding, and this is one of them with "Molly's Game," "Phantom Thread" and "Up in Smoke" all arriving on store shelves. So, in this week's podcast we exam their differences, similarities, and just how great they are. The emphasis may be on "Molly's Game" and "Phantom Thread" but that's only because "Up in Smoke" finds itself cloudy in some sort of haze.
Episode 34: Sarita Khurana & Smriti Mundhra of "A Suitable Girl"
April 03, 2018 12:00 - 17 minutes - 20.6 MBDirectors Sarita Khurana and Smriti Mundhra spent years putting together their documentary, "A Suitable Girl." The film looks at three different Indian women and their roads to, and sometimes in, marriage. We talk to the directors about shifting cultural norms, the difficulties in filming for so long, and what it means to sit there and film as someone goes through some pretty important personal moments.
Meanderings #112: An Upside to "Downsizing?"
March 20, 2018 12:00 - 4 minutes - 5.56 MBAlexander Payne's "Downsizing" is (at least) two movies in one. The first of these films is definitely worth watching, but it can also lead to a profound sense of disappointment -- why is the rest of the movie something entirely different? And yet, despite that disappointment, there is still a very important lesson to learn...
Episode 33: Rachel Israel of "Keep the Change"
March 13, 2018 12:00 - 13 minutes - 15.8 MBRachel Israel's new film, "Keep the Change," is a story of people with autism and features a number of cast members who have autism. On this week's podcast, we delve into how her process for making the movie shifted from the way movies are traditionally made and whether she plans to continue pursuing films in this fashion. Additionally, we acknowledge the best of all "Thor" movies, "Thor: Ragnarok," which is currently out on Blu-ray.
Episode 32: Richard Levine of "Submission"
March 06, 2018 13:00 - 19 minutes - 22.2 MBWhen Richard Levine bought the rights to Francine Prose's "Blue Angel," there was no #MeToo movement. There was no moment when he wrote the screenplay. There was no movement when he filmed the movie. By the time the film's release rolled around, however, there was a movement. So, this movie about a college professor, played by Stanley Tucci, making a bad decision with a student, played by Addison Timlin, has changed. Or, at least, the way we see it has changed. Levine talks to us ab...
Meanderings #111: Angelina Jolie's Lara Croft Arrives in 4K
February 27, 2018 13:00 - 5 minutes - 6.47 MBThe arrival of a reborn Lara Croft on the big screen offers a great opportunity for a new release of the first two "Tomb Raider" films on the little. So, as of this week, both of the Angelina Jolie takes on the character are available on 4K UHD. Are they worth your time and effort? We're going to take a look.
Meanderings #110: Can You Watch "Daddy's Home Two" if it isn't Christmas?
February 20, 2018 13:00 - 5 minutes - 6.18 MB"Daddy's Home Two" may be a Christmas movie, but it's out on Blu-ray this week. So, Josh sat down to watch it (again) and to figure out if you can indeed watch a holiday movie if it isn't the holiday in question. Spoiler alert: you can.
Meanderings #109: Streaming is Great, but it's not Blu-ray
February 13, 2018 13:00 - 5 minutes - 6.38 MBIn Josh's world, snow days are made for one thing: movies. But, should you stream them on Amazon or Netflix or Hulu or goodness knows where OR should you break out an actual DVD or Blu-ray? The truth is this: either way is good, there is no wrong option (except VHS, that's a terrible choice).
Meanderings #108: "Winchester" and the Mystery House
February 06, 2018 13:00 - 4 minutes - 5.22 MBFor several years, Josh lived right near the Winchester Mystery House. Although he wanted to, he never got the chance to visit the place. It left inside our host a gap, a feeling of emptiness. That sense of longing, of missing something, has only increased with the release of the new haunted house movie, "Winchester."
Meanderings #107: What if you had "24 Hours to Live?"
January 30, 2018 13:00 - 4 minutes - 5.7 MBIn Ethan Hawke's latest, "24 Hours to Live," the actor is an anti-hero with... yes, that's right, 24 hours to live. Full of silly plot points and mediocre action, it is not the right way to spend your last 24 hours on the planet. One does wonder, however, what exactly the right way to spend those last few hours might be. This week, we ask that exact question.
Meanderings #106: "The Post" and the Trump White House
January 23, 2018 13:00 - 6 minutes - 7.12 MBAs humans, we have the ability to hold multiple, sometimes conflicting, thoughts in our heads at the same time. Is it possible, however, to root for the new Steven Spielberg movie, "The Post," and to respect the Trump administration? After all, "The Post" is entirely about the freedom, and importance, of the press and the administration actively tries to destroy the First Amendment.
Meanderings #105: "Maze Runner" and Building Worlds at the Expense of Plot
January 16, 2018 13:00 - 6 minutes - 7.06 MBThe third "Maze Runner" movie is coming out in less than two weeks, and Liam Neeson's latest actioner opened last week. What does the former franchise and later stand-alone have in common? They establish great ideas/worlds, but don't fully manage to carry that out into a full feature. Well, maybe the first "Maze Runner" worked, but not the second. Listen as Josh explains it all...
Meanderings #104: "Killing Gunther" and Killing Time
December 26, 2017 13:00 - 4 minutes - 4.99 MBYou may never have heard of "Killing Gunther," but you certain know some of the actors in it -- Taran Killam (who also writes and directs it), Cobie Smulders, and Arnold Schwarzenegger to name but a few. It's something of a low-budget zany action-comedy about inept assassins trying to kill a good assassin. You might never suspect it at first blush, but it kind of works.
Meanderings #103: "mother!," "Blood Money," and "Stronger"
December 19, 2017 13:00 - 6 minutes - 7.12 MBIs this our last episode for 2017? Yes, quite probably it is, and rather than doing a traditional round-up of the year we're going to look at three movies and examine how we (and by that we mean Josh) relate to the characters in them. After all, the way we see/relate to the characters is a huge part of so many movies and in two of these three instances, it's just a little tough.
Episode #31: Brad Abrahams of "Love and Saucers"
December 12, 2017 13:00 - 17 minutes - 20 MBDavid Huggins firmly believes in his many alien encounters and in his new documentary, director Brad Abrahams treats Huggins' beliefs with nothing but respect. Today, Abrahams comes on the podcast to discuss his look at Huggins and how the piece came together.
Meanderings #102: "Despicable Me 3" Goes Bad
December 05, 2017 13:00 - 5 minutes - 6.1 MBToday's podcast focuses heavily on Josh's son and said son's waning enthusiasm for the "Despicable Me" franchise. "Despicable Me 3," technically the fourth film in the franchise, is out on Blu-ray today, but does that even matter to a six-year-old who once loved the Minions more than life itself?
Meanderings #101: "Rememory" is no "Inside Out"
November 28, 2017 13:00 - 5 minutes - 5.87 MBOut this week on Blu-ray is "Rememory," which features Peter Dinklage. The film deals with a machine that can pull memories from people's heads and allow them to be viewed on an external screen. It isn't a particularly good movie, but it does work as a springboard for the larger discussion of how memories make us who we are.
Episode #30: Noël Wells of "Mr. Roosevelt"
November 21, 2017 13:00 - 16 minutes - 19.2 MBWriter/director/star Noël Wells ("Master of None," "SNL") drops by the podcast today to talk to us about her new movie, "Mr. Roosevelt." The wide-ranging chat touches on everything from the origin of the characters to takeaway messages for the audience to Wells' favorite responses from those watching.
Meanderings #100: "Cars 3" is no "The Glass Castle"
November 07, 2017 13:00 - 5 minutes - 6.38 MBOne of the questions that regularly occupies Josh's mind is that of how we become who we are. That is, what is there in that vast hodgepodge of our history that blends together to create each of us individually and our worldview. What better way to explore that question than with two movies hitting blu-ray this week -- "Cars 3" and "The Glass Castle."
Episode #29: Maggie Betts of "Novitiate"
October 31, 2017 12:00 - 20 minutes - 23.9 MBMaggie Betts joins the podcast this week to talk about her film, "Novitiate," which is currently out in select theaters. The film focuses on nuns, and those studying to be nuns, as the Vatican II talks take place. Betts, the writer and director of the film, was at Sundance this year with "Novitiate," where she won the Director Breakthrough Award, and it later screened at TIFF as well. Here she tells us what went into crafting the story and how much changed when she was on set.