THE BRUTALIST: titanic. massive in size and scope with performances, cinematography, score, etc matching that breathtaking magnitude. career-best from adrien brody, felicity jones, and guy pearce.
brady corbet is one of one. this might be the year’s best film.
#TIFF2024
words: i wrote about the great
@katienolan
, who left ESPN last week. she's a hero of mine for obvious reasons, but her bravery is what makes her a bona fide inspiration. i'm so thankful for it. if you're so inclined, feel free to check out why here:
THE ZONE OF INTEREST: bone-chilling. a technical masterclass in what to show vs. not show, what sound to include and at what volume, and a completely separate exercise in tonality. it’s steeped in evil, to be sure, but it’s so carefully told. a challenging, vital masterpiece.
completely blown away by QUEER. a daring, challenging work of artistry from luca guadagnino and everyone behind the camera, with two sensational lead performances in front of it. less the tale of a passionate affair than a rich drama about yearning in agony. a stunner.
#TIFF24
POOR THINGS: better than you’ve heard. funnier, too. but it’s also chock-full of ideas about independence, creation/re-creation, and self-discovery. mark ruffalo is probably better than ever, but emma stone is operating in uncharted territory.
yorgos!!!! cinema!!!!
the depiction of a man who loses his mind as he takes steps toward what he believes is a greater sense of control, all with a jet-black comic tone. outstanding timing and brilliantly crafted. best (and most) work of sebastian stan’s career. BIG thumbs up.
#NDNF
THE LIFE OF CHUCK: mike flanagan’s most moving - and i have to imagine most personal - film to date. a lovely ode to life’s many beauties, even when death is staring us down. its second-act dance number is worth the price of admission alone.
#TIFF24
been looking at the knicks defense a good bit for part of a piece running tomorrow on
@TheKnicksWall
, and I've become smitten with rj barrett's very visible defensive growth. he takes on any assignment, knows when/how to rotate and stay square. best of all: he can be SO patient.
i’ve seen at least one person texting at every screening so far, and saw this today, too. s/o to the volunteers and security folks for pointing a flashlight at them and trying to stop it, but when people are this inconsiderate and oblivious, they can only do so much.
Film festival audiences have gotten much more brazen about using their phones but until tonight, I’d never seen someone PLACE A CALL during the climax of a movie
some news: i’m joining
@celticsblog
as a staff writer. i’m absolutely thrilled to be working alongside some of the best minds out there. first assignment comes tonight!!
i’ve been doing this out of excitement for the last few days.
CONCLAVE rules. a ticking-clock papal/political popcorn thriller with no alarm set to turn it off... it just keeps cooking with gas for two hours. there's deception. there's intrigue. there's a pope that vapes. ralph fiennes never leaves the screen. so fun. popes!!!
#TIFF2024
al horford was the most important player on the floor in game 1. and without him, boston would be entering game 2 without homecourt and in a 1-0 hole.
on his inedible impact and his best game since returning to boston, for
@celticsblog
:
if you're not following
@celticsblog
, get to it. you'll be hearing a lot from us over the course of the next few days and weeks and then some, and after game 1, there's just ~so~ ~much~ ~good~ ~stuff~ worth checking out on the site (which is nothing new).
thread:
say “he’s only 19” all you want. just make sure you mention that he’s a superstar, too.
on the biggest night of jayson tatum’s career, for
@celticsblog
:
LA CHIMERA: wildly funny and heavily stylized, but not to its detriment. in fact, it’s exhilarating to see a film so in touch with its own texture. that neon is keen to empower filmmakers whose style seeps through every frame is so special. a film as rare as the artifacts within.
ANATOMY OF A FALL: as brilliant and riveting as advertised. energetic, alive, intense. written, directed, and acted with a verve that is far too unique in film nowadays. simply outstanding from beginning to end.
THE PIANO LESSON: malcolm washington has the goods. a moving, cinematic august wilson adaptation that feels like it was made with the big screen in mind. danielle deadwyler is excellent, and ray fisher delivers a surprising performance rich with depth and vulnerability.
#TIFF24
more on THE BRUTALIST:
• isaach de bankolé is fantastic as gordon. a lived-in, emotive performance that occasionally outshines some of the bigger performances around him due to its subtlety.
• this is sort of how joe alwyn (excellent, btw) shows up:
a genuine dream come true: i’m covering my first
@TheNYFF
.
the first film festival i ever attended, and my favorite time of year every year. can’t believe i get to cover it in this capacity. only crying a little bit.
from TIFF to NYFF, what a fall this is going to be.
some personal news: i've temporarily moved to connecticut.
oh, right, why: i'm joining
@NBCSports
as a researcher during the olympics. i simply cannot wait to learn an inordinate amount of information about race walking and 3x3 basketball.
pumped is an understatement.
florence pugh and andrew garfield are both ✨stellar✨ in WE LIVE IN TIME, which is precisely what it needs to elevate beyond overly-sappy melodrama and instead be something that feels profound, even when it isn’t. surprisingly funny, wholly moving. the crowd ate it up.
#TIFF2024
a nugget of news: i'm going to be writing for
@screenrant
's news team, focusing on movies and television. i feel very fortunate to have been given the opportunity by the folks at such a phenomenal site, and i'm quite excited to contribute!
for
@celticsblog
, i wrote about marcus smart's recent emergence as a playmaker. he's not a long-term solution at the point, but he's more than capable of filling the hole for the time being.
i work at a nursing home. “circles” by post malone played on the dining room playlist today.
immediately, i noticed a dynamic shift. marie regained the ability to walk and dance, florence began freestyling, and jim opened a refrigerated bud light just by looking at it. powerful.
some fun news: i’m joining
@SBNationNBA
this season.
i’ll be writing daily scores posts a few days per week, recapping the games from the night before and offering some takeaways, observations, what have you.
on the elite staying elite on opening night:
THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG is astonishing and harrowing in equal measure. mohammad rasoulof has made a brutal work of activism that is exquisitely performed and made urgently. hard not to walk away with a pit in your stomach, but it wouldn’t be as brilliant otherwise.
#NYFF62
HONEY BOY: shia, noah, and lucas, man. it’s a trifecta of massive, beautiful, captivating performances. and shia’s writing is crushing. impressed at how personal he decided to get. itll be on amazon, but see it in a theater.
i know that rebel ridge isnt the shoot em up that some of the trailers have made it look like, but wild to hear ppl call it slow when this happens like 20 mins in. Spoilers
a nugget of news:
super excited to join
@sbnation
’s
@BuffRumblings
as a contributing writer. i love writing; i love the bills; i’m incredibly thankful for this opportunity.
i started by writing about cole beasley’s back. enjoy:
my latest for
@celticsblog
: on jayson tatum’s continued evolution, which has now stretched beyond being an all-nba player and into the territory of fearless, all-league leader.
excited about this: i'm joining
@TheKnicksWall
as a features writer. really appreciate the team having me aboard, despite my take on candy corn (it's good).
my first piece: on julius randle's inevitable extension, the various forms it can take, and more.
beyond thrilled to be heading to my first TIFF this year.
i’ll be covering for
@GeekVibesNation
, but there are plenty of movies to see and write about, so if you are an editor/know of anyone in need of coverage, don’t hesitate to reach out!
payton pritchard played the perfect game against the kings last night. it’s just the latest example of how he’s earning ime udoka’s trust, as well as that of his teammates.
on that and more for
@celticsblog
:
for
@celticsblog
, i wrote about jaylen brown's poignancy, particularly as it relates to his recent comments about daunte wright and the events in minnesota. he's beyond his years with his play. even more so with his mind. read here:
i don’t care what you’ve heard: THE END is phenomenal. joshua oppenheimer stages a profound musical in the aftermath of the apocalypse, one that is damning portrait of blind compliance. george mackay steals it.
my
@GeekVibesNation
review from
#TIFF24
:
a thoughtful, expertly-crafted journey through the mind of the most selfish, insecure man in anatolia, ABOUT DRY GRASSES is par for the course from nuri bilge ceylan. which is to say: it’s brilliant. a 200 minute behemoth of a film, it’s not one you watch, but experience. bravo.
for
@TheKnicksWall
, i talked with the great
@Herring_NBA
about his phenomenal new book, BLOOD IN THE GARDEN. it hits shelves on jan. 18. you should grab a copy ASAP. but go ahead and give our chat a read, too:
THE WILD ROBOT: one of the year's best films, full stop. a massive achievement in animation, composition – that ✨score✨ – and a story that does, indeed, make you want to hug your mom. endlessly moving. excellent voice work from the entire ensemble. just... stunning.
#TIFF24
fennessey’s 123 picks are a murderer’s row. amanda, i’d argue, has the most complete, top-to-bottom team. chris... a CR heat check if there ever was one.
with that said... it’s sean. THE SOCIAL NETWORK is quite good.
thrilled (THRILLED) to be covering this year’s
#tribeca
film festival. i’ll be writing for a whole slew of outlets and posting everything here, so be sure to follow along.
editors, if you need coverage, don’t hesitate to email/DM me. i’m available!
see you at the movies.
ANORA is sean baker’s magnum opus. it takes all of his familiar themes — sexuality, class, chaos — and mashes them together to form a brilliant, hilarious, scintillating tragedy anchored by a shattering, star-making turn from mikey madison. it’s practically perfect.
#TIFF2024
HERETIC: hugh grant’s deranged run continues in scott beck and bryan woods’ entertaining takedown of religious pretenses. scary, often funny, and brimming with references to board games and famous misquotes. chloe east and sophie thatcher make great final girls. fun!
#TIFF24
@Survivor_Reddit
it’s tough, because Second Chance was the best returnee season since HvV, no doubt, but DvG was the best theme of the post-20s and the best new player season since Cagayan. so tough, but i’d give DvG the edge. that cast, man.
EDEN: gonna be a shame when netflix buys this, as it plays so well in a theater. a fun psychological thriller about survival that sees ron howard access his dark side. law and de armas share mvp honors, but sweeney, kirby, and brühl are all great in their own ways.
#TIFF2024
for
@celticsblog
, i wrote about aaron nesmith, who is ascending before our eyes and providing hope for the celtics in a season that feels like it's slipping away. check it out:
intermission for THE BRUTALIST. two things:
1) it is warranted. comes at the perfect time. the pacing is exhilarating, and to come to a pause when it does offers a moment for processing.
2) it’s nice to have a built-in opportunity for the audience to reckon with its brilliance.
for
@celticsblog
, i wrote a steph curry survival guide. you can't contain him. but at the very least, you can find ways to deter him from scoring 80 (which he will do if you give him the chance). you can read it here:
being in class the day before thanksgiving break is like being in class the day of prom when your parents wouldn't let you skip. nine people tops show up, and everyone is bitter that they have to be there.
so far this year, i’ve only seen a few films that i’d truly consider “great.” THE BRUTALIST transcends great. exceptional isn’t a strong enough word.
it’s my favorite film of the year. i think it’s a masterpiece.
my
@GeekVibesNation
review from
#TIFF24
:
After 2 weeks of multiple health screens and asking everyone to quarantine, I surprised my closest inner circle with a trip to a private island where we could pretend things were normal just for a brief moment in time.
for
@celticsblog
, i wrote about what jaylen brown told
@MarcJSpears
about representation in the NBA, activism, platforms, and so much more. feel free to read my story (), but marc's is the one that's really special ()
for
@celticsblog
, i wrote about tremont waters, who i want to succeed but fear is becoming more and more obsolete with every passing season on the bench,
i stayed up until 2:30 ET watching Kobe's last game and cried throughout the fourth quarter. i cried because sports can make you do that. and i cried because it was the first time i had experienced watching one of my favorite players walk away from the game. and im crying now.
i wrote about aaron nesmith's phenomenal game last night, and absolutely did not overreact at all when I called him a future hall-of-famer.
you can read those words on
@celticsblog
by clicking the following:
the nfl is the best example of all talk, no action. that man was borderline seizing on the field. and the league is retweeting thoughts and prayers. c’mon.
been thinking about NO OTHER LAND for 24 hours now. it should be required viewing for anyone with a pulse. vital filmmaking that shines a flood light on the despicable violence being carried out directly in our purview. one of the most important films ever made.
#NYFF62