Director Gus Van Sant is back with his first feature film in seven years. The mostly uncomplicated true crime potboiler features a performance by Al Pacino in which he sounds "like an ambien’d-up Foghorn Leghorn."

10 stories to start the Morning in Portland, including an East Portland resident says he was ambushed by men in tactical gear who drew guns on him and tried to pry him from his vehicle. Plus, a City Councilor sends an apology to the Mercury, and major environmental news for Mt Hood National Forest.

For the @portlandmercury.com, I reviewed Gus Van Sant's first film in 7 years, featuring a performance by Al Pacino that one could call somnambulant were he to ever actually stand up

Councilor Ryan says he has to be "a voice for those who are voiceless" on this city council, which is a wild rhetorical position given the Owendoff news that just came out and validated everything we already more or less knew about him

My new TV has learned too much about me too quickly

ICE needs to be taken apart, brick by brick, and we need to salt the earth.

I don’t believe in gun violence but I do believe this pig should be gutted on live television.

•ICE Officer shoots and kills legal observer in Minneapolis •Portland city council president vote deadlocked •New US food pyramid has steak at the top It's Good Morning, News!

I’m joining Rep. @robinkelly.house.gov to introduce articles of impeachment against Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and will use every lever available to end the terror ICE has unleashed on our communities. Stay loud.

Béla Tarr, 1955-2026 🤍

A few hundred people are gathered in downtown portland to protest the Trump administration’s attack on Venezuela. A broad coalition of groups is present. Maybe 350 people here so far.

I don’t have anything to add to the horror, beyond that people seem to be surprised that he did this and will definitely face no accountability, as if this didn’t happen 23 years ago and one of the guys to blame died old, rich, and happy very recently.

I'm getting mixed messages about what is okay to do to presidents

Resurrection is now playing at Living Room Theaters, 341 SW 10th, and Cinemark Century Eastport Plaza 16, 4040 SE 82nd in Portland.

Not bad; I will do better next year

I reviewed Bi Gan's RESURRECTION for the Mercury... Portland, you have very few chances to see this in theaters this weekend. My recommendation? You should.

New at the WERNER HERZBLOG: on Herzog's latest book, The Future of Truth, and what he believes that future will hold, as well as a recap of my 20 favorite movies of the year. Nearly 3,000 words for the new year, folks:

in a healthy society, “you have to meet people where they are” wouldnt include the app with the built in AI child pornography generator

Last 4 watched

I'm resolved to not be so sanctimonious in 2026 but I'm also officially at the "what the fuck are you still doing on twitter" stage with writers I respect now. If you made a big stink about leaving Spotify but still post at a place whose business is this stuff, I don't even know

RESURRECTION has a very limited run in Portland, starting today, at Living Room and at the Cinemark Century Theater on 82nd. Catch it if you can; I wrote about its sensual wonders for the @portlandmercury.com, forgot to mention that its final scene, a 30-minute one-shot, takes place on New Years

On the off chance you're New Year's Day-ing at the movies, consider this great recommendation / review from @sinacolad.bsky.social of Bi Gan’s 'Resurrection.' Portlanders be warned; it's a pretty limited engagement for this sci-fi existential banger.

Announcing our award winners for 2025! Full list here (including runners-up): portlandcritics.com/awards/2025-2/

TEN EXPERIMENTAL FILMS THAT DEFINED 2025. In the past I've done longer lists. And there are other films from this year that are quite worthy. However I think this was an "off" year. For the most part, consensus coalesced around a few select films, and I found myself in agreement. Alphabetically:

NO OTHER CHOICE, one of my favorite movies of the year, starts New Years Day at @hollywoodtheatre.org and @cinema21-portland.bsky.social Find a solid blurb about why it's great topping my Top 10, published at the @portlandmercury.com

Deeply grateful that my debut for the AV Club was in support of such a huge piece of work, alongside industry pros like Jacob and Brandon. A lot of fun to read through, too.

The ballots are in, and these are the Portland Critics Association's 2025 award nominations. "Sinners" and "One Battle After Another" were top vote-getters with 16 and 14, respectively. Winners announced Dec. 31. portlandcritics.com/awards/2025-2/

Best part of the Marty Supreme press tour is Gwyneth Paltrow generally unable to deal with Timmy Chalamet’s oppressive weirdness

Excited for most people to finally see BLUE HERON, which I liked so much I ranked it on my list of fav movies this year (exact release date still unknown):

It’s not Christmas until I’m in floods of tears over Beat Takeshi

merry xmas from Alfredo in the Yoda cowl he wore for about 30 seconds

Merry Christmas to rich people!

this post has everyone at christmas eve dinner crashing out. everyone is yelling / has bluesky open / is finding opponents to donate to. literally has ruined christmas lmao

I would knock a million doors, fundraise, cartwheel down the middle of my street for a candidate who promised to tax the rich and fully fund schools. I am not even sure I can muster energy to fill in the bubble on my ballot for whatever this is.

while hoan is talking about making hard choices and killing sacred cows, local political leaders are ranting in public board meetings about his organization’s impenetrable opposition to facts and logic youtu.be/5UwEepFnoYI?...

Honor and a privilege to publish my top 10 with the Mercury. Support local film criticism and read!

One of the best comics from this year. Deniz Camp is killing it with the Ultimates too.

For morning readers, the list of my favorite 10 movies of 2025 went up at the @portlandmercury.com. Big year for despair and grief!

I am comfortable with one critic panning Marty Supreme and another putting it on his Top 10 Movies of 2025 list. The purpose of art is to discuss art. Even more good news: @sinacolad.bsky.social's two favorite movies this year haven't even come out yet.

Blessed to countdown my 10 favorite movies of 2025 for the @portlandmercury.com, one currently in theaters, one which premieres in Portland on Christmas, one on New Years, and one sometime next year www.portlandmercury.com/movies-and-t...

The first of two critics groups I’m in just released their Top 10 list. I wrote about BLUE HERON…

If you work in local journalism and would like to come to this screening for free, hit us up. And thank you for your service. 🫡

Cool job alert! The Portland Mercury is currently hiring for a managing editor to support our kick-ass editorial team. Are you a super organized person with newsroom experience and a love for helping reporters do their best work? Then this could be the job for YOU! (Or your very talented friend!)

Initially included a “fuck you, David Sedaris” here but I took it out because the truth is he still maintains a special place in my heart, even though he sucks now. Thx @christenmccurdy.bsky.social for the recap of the Sedaris New Yorker piece on Portland. www.portlandmercury.com/good-morning...

Favorite 20 films that were new to me in 2025 that weren’t eligible to be 2025 films