The White House looking at an "'ANTI-ICE' bullets" news cycle on one hand and a "UN escalator malfunction" news cycle on the other and deciding to go all in on the escalator malfunction news cycle suggests even they detect a flimsiness in the "'ANTI-ICE' bullets" narrative.

There is SO MUCH going on in this movie about our current politics, racial dynamics, and what resistance looks like. But it's all wrapped up in an funny and propulsive action thriller with a sweet father-daughter relationship at its center. It's weird, angry, sweet and fun, and it 100% works.

Big screening on a big screen tonight.

Happy Rapture Day everyone. This seemed appropriate to re-share today. open.substack.com/pub/chrisici...

Somebody at Disney googled "How to unring a bell"

Jimmy Fallon realizing he’s gonna be #3 in Late Night for the rest of the year

Christian persecution in America is best defined by this image: No actual struggle, wearing clothes that cost more than my entire wardrobe, polished cross instead of rugged, and surrounded by crowds of fellow hypocrites cheering on bigotry who believe they're the victims.

*sad Borat voice* My rights

It would be funny, to me, if NBC just fired Jimmy Fallon and made Kimmel the new host of The Tonight Show

I'm far from the first to say this -- particularly this week -- but I'm happy to join the chorus of recognizing how Redford helped change the face of movies through Sundance. collider.com/robert-redfo...

A Big Bold Beautiful Bill

Judge:

it would be a pretty good week for Rolling Stone to have a TV critic

This is the moment we need everyone with a microphone, keyboard, podcast, blog, social media platform, YouTube page, guitar, whatever to take to their platforms, speak out loudly against his lies and tactics, and refuse to stop.

We do NOT sing the Bunny Song! foxbaltimore.com/news/nation-...

@alyankovic.bsky.social needs to write a big anti-Trump song. Because if Trump tried to shut down Weird Al, everyone on both sides would revolt. It would unite us all.

When asked for comment, White House Spokesman Lionel Hutz said, "Oh, they got this all screwed up." www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

What we are witnessing is an outright abuse of power. This administration is attacking critics and using fear as a weapon to silence anyone who would speak out. Media corporations — from television networks to newspapers — are capitulating to these threats.

This is the lead story in the New York Times. If you're in the business of communicating, whether through journalism, commentary, or art, this is the five-alarm fire. People are going to remember who spoke up and who stayed conveniently silent or postured about "neutrality."

Oh man, oh man. I've been wanting @criterionchannl.bsky.social to do a John Woo collection forever. And MAY!!!! A slept-on classic.

it is really important for news outlets to be clear (unlike the nyt here) that Kimmel was suspended not because of some grassroots backlash but because ABC caved to threats from the head of the FCC

Would have been more on brand to just start with the head.

A producer told me once she has to warn young crewmembers to avoid being alone with Aykroyd. "Not because he's a creep, he's a gentleman. But if you let him strike up a conversation the next thing we know all the PAs will be huddled in his dressing room learning how humans evolved from dolphins."

Very much looking forward to the re-normalization of not being a bloodthirsty asshole

me explaining the Peanuts cast

Just doing my part in the group chat.

I gave up after one season and I'd just assumed the world did the same.

With Redford's passing and the existential threats posed to journalism, seemed like a good time to share this again. #filmsky open.substack.com/pub/chrisici...

A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY is not the worst film of the year, but given how much I loved AFTER YANG, it might be the biggest disappointment. #filmsky chrisicisms.substack.com/p/big-bold-b...

Battle doomscrolling by posting 5 small pleasures in life: 1. Cups of coffee on our sunporch on Saturday mornings 2. Sunday naps 3. Shutting your laptop on Friday afternoon 4. Walking back into the real world after a great movie 5. Dogs

If you need proof that Redford was still giving extraordinary performances in his later years, I have three words for you: ALL IS LOST. #RIPRobertRedford indyweek.com/culture/scre...

Redford and Hoffman in ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN were so tremendous, and they built drama simply out of watching two men do the work, and do it well. I can't imagine any reporters from that paper now that would be worth watching in a movie.

My @rollingstone.com payment details needed to be updated because I got a new card. Found about this yesterday and made a mental note to do it today. Then, found about about @sepinwall.bsky.social and now that problem is taken care of. His criticism was the only reason I subscribed.

I really don't think it's overstating things to say that Alan taught a generation of Internet users to watch TV differently. He's one of the best examples of how important media criticism is - not as a recommendation engine, but as a means to bring the viewer into conversation with the art itself.

Robert Redford playing a gentle incarnation of death, coming for a frightened old woman in The Twilight Zone episode "Nothing in the Dark" (1962). An extraordinary performance then, terribly bittersweet today

my favorite robert redford story is that mike nichols considered him for dustin hoffman's part in THE GRADUATE. during their conversation nichols asked redford something like, "have you ever struck out with a girl?" and redford's response was basically, "i don't understand the question"

I interviewed Robert Redford once, for Truth in 2015. After the interview he called me back over: “I noticed you have a notebook.” “I do.” “I also noticed you never looked at it.” “If I’m looking at my notes for the next question I’m not listening to what you’re saying.” “Good answer.”

Steven Soderbergh, Kevin Smith, Quentin Tarantino, Catherine Hardwicke, Wes Anderson, Richard Linklater, Ava DuVernay, the Coen Brothers, Ryan Coogler and countless others owe their careers to Sundance debuts. The face of modern cinema would be completely different without Robert Redford.

Icon is not a strong enough word.

Alan is the best TV writer out there. His recaps are insightful, his writing engaging, his books with @mattzollerseitz.bsky.social about THE SOPRANOS and the best TV shows ever are essential. I have to carefully consider whose work I pay for. Alan's newsletter is a no-brainer.

A thought I keep returning to — and that’s underscored by today’s news — is that a legacy publication or a deep-pocketed investor could hire an astonishing array of talent right now and make the best newspaper in America overnight.

Sepinwall is the only reason I have a RS subscription. He is hands-down the best television critic working (best ever?) and it's mind-boggling to think a publication so focused on media and culture would think they could afford to lose him.

Me walking my son home from school and hearing him say to his friend “MrBeast is not a good person”

Most days, I'd really like to be Nate Bargatze, who I think is a genuinely funny and talented person who seems like a good guy. But looking at the reviews for the Emmys, I'd kind of hate to be him today.

The Pitt is really well done, but she's right -- an eight episode season would not have been able to hit as deeply with that many different characters. And the heaviest action episodes only work when you have the baseline chaos of an ER established over half a season. More long seasons please!

Let's all go to the movies, let's all go to the movies...latest for Collider. collider.com/2025-theater...

Before it starts, Criterion putting out Tim Burton's first feature film is completely on brand. PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE is totally worthy of Criterion.

Some thoughts on recent news. chrisicisms.substack.com/p/charlie-ki...

This is exactly what I want from an interview with an artist--a probing, thoughtful questioner and a completely game subject. David Marchese's Q&A makes me want to revisit all of Cameron Crowe's film work. (It's Sunday--I'm taking a day off from fury.) www.nytimes.com/2025/09/13/m...