Michael Lovito
editor@thepostrider.com
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.
Chatroom: Which States Should Democrats and Republicans “Concede”?
The 2020 election opened several new electoral pathways for Democrats and expanded on Republican wins in 2016 and 2018. It also reinforced existing trends for formerly perennial swing states. How should the parties prioritize those states in the next few ...
Watching Mates: Harry Truman – The Third Man / The Hitch-Hiker
In the first episode of Watching Mates, Lars and Michael team up to discuss the films of the Truman era, comparing film noirs The Third Man and The Hitch-Hiker. The international intrigue and sense of being lost in a new ...
When They Go Low, We Shift into High Gear: Why Nicole Cooper Founded the Dirty Liberals Jeep Club of America
After years of driving what she describes as “the mom mobile,” Nicole Cooper finally fulfilled a lifelong dream in June when she ordered a Jeep Wrangler. Not only was Cooper excited to own a vehicle that was a better fit ...
2021 Grammys Preview: Just When You Thought It Couldn’t Get Worse…
What’s the weirdest movie you can think of being nominated for Best Picture? I don’t mean weird as in David Lynch weird, I mean weird as in “why on Earth would the Academy nominate this movie” for Best Picture ...
Chatroom: WandaVision and the Future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe
This past Friday marked the series finale of WandaVision, the first television entry of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to debut on Disney+, and the first in a number of TV shows on that platform that will feature characters from the ...
Introducing Watching Mates
Your favorite podcasting 20-something-year-old former DC boys are back on the air with their upcoming project, Watching Mates. Coming out later this March, each episode they’ll delve into postwar presidents, starting with Harry Truman, through the lens of the films of ...
Overrated, Underrated, and Properly Rated: The Hold Steady
On February 19th, The Hold Steady released their eighth studio album, Open Door Policy. This may not be a big deal to you. But I can assure you that there are some people for whom this is a VERY big ...