Michael Lovito
editor@thepostrider.com
What I Listened to (the) Last (Few) Weeks: Billie Eilish, Lorde, The Killers
The column returns after a few weeks on vacation, and once again it’s only New Stuff, namely albums by Billie Eilish, Lorde, The Killers, and more! Happier Than Ever – Billie Eilish The Billie Eilish who conquered the world two ...
Politics Express: Our 2024 Republican Primary Draft
Welcome to Politics Express, The Postrider‘s new all-encompassing politics podcast. Lars Emerson is joined by Michael Lovito and Chris Choban for the kick off of the show and their 2024 Republican primary draft. Follow along with the draft on the ...
Watching Mates: George W. Bush – Team America: World Police / The Dark Knight
The world changes dramatically over the course of George W. Bush’s presidency. One place it changes most visibly is Hollywood, as Lars and Michael unpack through 2004’s Team America: World Police in his first term and 2008’s The Dark Knight ...
We Know What Happened at Woodstock ’99. But Do We Know Why it Happened?
“Do I like ‘Break Stuff’ because it makes me want to break stuff, or do I like ‘Break Stuff’ because it articulates my pre-existing desire to break stuff?,’” asks Rob Harvilla in an episode of his podcast 60 Songs that ...
Watching Mates: Bill Clinton – Wag the Dog / The American President
As American presidencies approach the modern day, Lars and Michael dive into the world of scandal, neoliberalism, and partisanship in the Clinton era through the films Wag the Dog and The American President.
What I Listened to Last Week: Clairo, Fiddlehead, and WILLOW
No old stuff in this week’s column… well, nothing not from 2021 at least, some of these albums are a few weeks old. This week’s column also has a rather punkish flavor, including an album from an unlikely source that’s ...
What I Listened to Last Week: Vince Staples, The Goon Sax, and Yves Tumor
Welcome to What I Listened to Last Week, a column where I document the albums and (occasionally) singles that find their way into my ears every seven days or so. This week’s column is a little shorter, but it makes ...
Watching Mates: George H.W. Bush – They Live / Roger & Me
America gets a little grungier as President George H.W. Bush comes into office and Lars and Michael explore trends in cinema during his brief tenure, focusing on a zeitgeist of decline and the new American economic reality through the films ...
What I Listened to This Week: Tyler, the Creator; Lightning Bug; and Modest Mouse
Welcome to What I Listened to This Week, a column where I document the albums and (occasionally) singles that find their way into my ears every seven or so days. All of the “New Stuff” from this week is actually ...
What I Listened to Last Week: Faye Webster, Lucy Dacus, and the Best Debut LP of the Year
Welcome to What I Listened to Last Week, a column where I document the albums and (occasionally) singles that find their way into my ears every seven or so days. This past week was an embarrassment of riches for new ...
Watching Mates: Ronald Reagan – Back to the Future / Back to the Future Part II
Knock knock, McFly! Lars and Michael discuss their film picks for the Reagan era — how a decade of nostalgia viewed both the past and the future — through the lens of the films Back to the Future and Back ...
New York’s Primaries Didn’t Offer the Clean Conclusions You Were Hoping For
We have a tendency to think of elections as referendums — not just on the candidates running, but on the economy, other elected officials, and the prevailing political zeitgeist. The idea is that voters aren’t just selecting a leader or ...
What I’ve Been Listening to So Far in 2021
There’s been a lot of consternation about the disruptions the COVID-19 pandemic has caused for the film industry but spare a thought for the musicians as well. Venues shuttering across the country meant that artists couldn’t tour behind new albums, ...
Watching Mates: Jimmy Carter – Rocky / Star Wars
Lars and Michael discuss their film picks for the Carter era — a blend of optimism, underdogs, and perhaps naivety over the coming backlash Jimmy Carter would face through the lens of Rocky and Star Wars.
Chatroom: Tenet
After a grueling worldwide pandemic, many were left scratching their heads about the future of the film industry. When would people feel comfortable sitting in a movie theater again? Would movie theaters ever bounce back? One of the trial balloons ...
Watching Mates: Gerald Ford – Jaws / Chinatown
Lars and Michael discuss the films of the Ford administration, exploring government incompetence and corruption (or maybe it’s just about a shark) through the lens of Jaws and Chinatown. But in true Gerald Ford fashion, they spend most of the ...
Looking Back at Blue Valentine, a Great Movie That Will Absolutely Ruin Your Day
“I still haven’t seen Blue Valentine yet, because although everyone who’s seen it tells me it’s good, the trailer gave me really bad ukulele flashbacks. (Seriously, for the next month I’d break out in a cold sweat if I so ...
Watching Mates: Richard Nixon – Easy Rider / Blazing Saddles
Lars and Michael discuss the films of the Nixon administration, reflecting on hippie culture, racism, a developing “us versus them” mentality within the United States — and a whole bunch of dirty tricks — through the lens of the films ...
Watching Mates: Lyndon B. Johnson – Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner / Dr. Strangelove
Lars and Michael discuss the films of the Johnson administration, reflecting on dramatic domestic progress and a distrust of foreign policy apparatus through the lens of Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner and Dr. Strangelove.
Chatroom: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
The final episode of Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier aired on Disney+ this past Friday. It tells the story of, well: the Falcon, Sam Wilson – and the Winter Soldier, Bucky Barnes – in the wake up the ...
Watching Mates: John F. Kennedy – The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance / Lolita
Lars and Michael discuss the films of the Kennedy era, discussing themes of heroism and elitism in American society through the lens of The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and Lolita.
Watching Mates: Dwight Eisenhower – The Blob / Shane
Lars and Michael discuss the films of the Eisenhower era, comparing the infamous The Blob and the more-critically-acclaimed Shane. The narratives on being driven from one’s home, McCarthyism, and generational strife give context to Eisenhower’s above-the-fray approach in his presidency.