The cruelty is the point. Oh, and the racism.

Some thoughts on good Oscar contenders for a very bad time.

To the people shocked that “Wicked: For Good” got shut out of the Oscar nominations: Did you see the movie?

To all my non-movie geek friends who’ve been complaining to me about how boring that “Train Dreams” movie is and are now astounded that it’s up for four Oscars, I will only say that there are few films served worse by watching at home.

I know there are MANY more important things going on in the world right now, but let us take a tiny bit of cheer over the fact that Delroy Lindo and Wunmi Mosaku just got nominated for Oscars.

First observation: This is the most compettive Oscar nomination slate in *years*. A lot of extremely good movies up against each other and no losers.

There's no daylight between the Gestapo and ICE. None. Murdering kidnapping, raping, child molestation, trafficking, beating innocent people. If you have a Rep who isn't calling to abolish immediately then they work for the Gestapo. Anyone who tells you that you're overreacting is one of them too

democrats REALLY gotta stop neville chamberlaining this shit

copy and paste the bunny and then put something else in his hand (\_/) (°-°) />💣< Anarchist bunny

Mischief Toy Store in St. Paul has until Wednesday to turn over employment records to the Department of Homeland Security as part of a surprise audit launched Friday, just hours after one of the shop's owners criticized ICE agents during a television interview. bit.ly/4r5AFol

Lil' comic about hope and longing 💗

So it qualifies as incitement, no? since one can easily imagine Tr*mp taking him at his word.

wife: what did i ask you to do? me: buy the name-brand repellent wife: and what did you do? me: i bought the cheap stuff wife: you bought the cheap stuff me: it was half the- wife: and what do we have now? me: *sigh* we have elephants wife: we have elephants

I believe the word you're looking for is "citizens."

It’s working.

this is what it has come to for Mexican restaurants in the Twin Cities

According to Brian Stelter, 60 Minutes is finally airing the "Inside CECOT" story that Bari Weiss shelved. She made Sharyn Alfonsi fly to DC to get an interview with Tom Homan and Kristi Noem for the segment, but both refused. So it'll run tonight -- with no promotion and against the NFL playoffs.

Average Sunday show interview: OFFICIAL: we are going to dip enemies of the state into acid vats HOST: how will you pay for it? OFFICIAL: tariffs HOST: critics say tariffs don't generate acid vat money OFFICIAL: tariffs have generated more money than has ever existed HOST: thank u for ur time

I don’t think people quite understand that the occupation by ICE in the Twin Cities has more or less erased non-white people from public life. They cannot safely exist in any space accessible to the public and moving between private places leaves folks vulnerable to kidnapping by armed masked goons.

Hey, starting Feb 24, I'm teaching a 10-week course in the history of movie stardom at the online film school @cinejourneys.bsky.social. It'll be fun! More details at www.tyburrswatchlist.com/take-a-class-with-professor-ty and cinejourneys.com/movie-stars-stardom-modern-fame-details-and-registration

Californians are NOT going to vote for Gavin Newsom. They're telling you now, with YEARS to go before the election. Fair warning. Please support better candidates, there will be many to choose from.

“ICE agents, get out now because historically, this ends with you hanging from a lamppost and your body paraded through the streets.” - the …we rate dogs guy

THIS. I do not want to see the Sad ICE Man movie in two years. No.

The Trump era in a nutshell: Ordinary citizens are holding ICE accountable, while large law firms are doing nothing. Small businesses are speaking out, while large corporations remain silent. Independent media show moral urgency, while legacy media reports "both sides."

Today at 34 & Park in Minneapolis, a woman tried to drive down the street where a protest had broken out in front of a home ICE was raiding, saying she had a doctor apt to get to. ICE agents busted out her windows, cut off her seatbelt, and pulled her out before arresting her.

Just astounding that the homepage of my hometown paper (and former employer) has absolutely nothing about what's been happening in Minneapolis for the last 72 hours. Brutal round-ups, mass citizen resistance - civil war, basically. Oh, right, the Patriots won a football game.

Yes

Paul Verhoeven undefeated in creating a movie that flies right over the heads of the people it’s making fun of

🎯

John Cage, submitting the sheet music for "4'33"" to his publisher: What do you think? Publisher: No notes.

The panic is palpable.

New Watch List post (well, actually, it went up on Friday, but I'm dealing with back problems and watching the civil war shift into Phase 2, so excuse the delay). Some movie recs in here along with everything else.

Together at last

Amwaj has been offering good summaries of what is happening in Iran and perspectives from many sides of the debates inside and outside Iran. Better than most English language sources

The irony that Iran may end 2026 more free than America.

“Amnesty International said in a statement…that it had documented at least 28 protesters killed in the recent days of protest, including children. Three other groups that document and track human rights…put the toll higher, at more than 40.” Gift link

According to my sources, the FBI was initially open to a concurrent investigation with the MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (the state agency that would do this investigation). Trumpy U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen heard about this and intervened, barring the FBI from cooperating with local police.

If you watch one thing today, make sure it's this NYT video analysis of the ICE murder of Renee Good. Nothing DHS says is true. The DHS officer is NOT hit by her car, the shooter walks away unharmed. Also: Neither he or other agents rush to help the victim. www.nytimes.com/video/us/100...

It’s pretty damn obvious that the civil war has already started and that we’re not armed for it.

Here's the ICE agent "defending himself" by shooting into the driver's side window of a car that's pulling *away* from him. Put this photo on the front page of every newspaper in America.

Current mood

amazing how the entire machine can pivot within 24 hours. no need to slowly upsell the argument; just issue new marching orders

JFC 🤦‍♂️

And last but least: Best Non-Fiction Film is Julia Loktev's monumental "My Undesirable Friends - Part 1." "The Perfect Neighbor" and Raoul Peck's "Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5" are 2nd and 3rd. That's it for another year! Thanks to all my critical colleagues for their perspicacity. @nsfc.bsky.social #nsfc

Oops, apparently they voted on Best Picture while I was out walking the dog: "One Battle After Another" romps to first place on the second round, with runners-up "Sinners" and "The Secret Agent" bunched closely together. @nsfc.bsky.social #nsfc

The National Society of Film Critics reconvenes after a break and votes to name Paul Thomas Anderson Best Director for "One Battle After Another." Runners-up: Jafar Panahi ("It Was Just an Accident" and Richard Linklater (for both "Blue Moon" AND "Nouvelle Vague"). #nsfc @nsfc.bsky.social

Best Screenplay voting goes to the mats, and after several rounds, Jafar Panahi's dark, ingenious script for "It Was Just an Accident" wins out, with "Blue Moon" (Robert Kaplow) and "The Secret Agent" (Kleber Mendonça Filho) as runners-up. #NSFC @nsfc.bsky.social

Best Supporting Actor by general National Critics acclaim is Benicio del Toro ("One Battle After Another"), with Delroy Lindo ("Sinners") and Stellan Skarsgard ("Sentimental Value") 2nd and 3rd. Much debate over whether the "del" in "del Toro" is capitalized. #NSFC @nsfc.bsky.social

The Nat'l Society of Film Critics names Ethan Hawke the Best Actor of 2025 for his performance as Lorenz Hart in "Blue Moon." Runners-up: Wagner Moura ("The Secret Agent" and Michael B. Jordan ("Sinners"). #NSFC @nsfc.bsky.social

Best Cinematography goes to Autumn Durald Arkapaw for the Delta hellscapes of "Sinners," with Adolpho Veloso ("Train Dreams") and Michael Bauman ("One Battle After Another") in 2nd and 3rd place respectively. #NSFC @nsfc.bsky.social On. to Best Actor.