Lass Is More With Josh Lasser

There 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?

Paramount 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."

There 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.

We 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.

There 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.

One 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.

Last 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.

Last 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.

With 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?

A 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.

Timed 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.

At 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.

"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.

Out 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.

Would 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...

The 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.

Recorded 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?

Out 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?

Does 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!

There are any number of things that might stand out to you about this week's podcast episode, one in which we discuss the movie "Our Friend."  However, we think it'll be Josh's distress at the movie being named "Our Friend" when there are very good reasons to have it named differently (as you will hear if you listen).