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Jonathan Lack

@jonathanlack.bsky.social

260 followers 320 following 2.5K posts

I'm critic, scholar, and podcaster Jonathan R. Lack, PhD. Follow my writing at https://www.jonathanlack.com. Links to podcasts and other socials at http://linktr.ee/jonathanrlack

www.jonathanlack.com.

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Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · Sep 13

My review of KIMETSU NO YAIBA: INFINITY CASTLE is live at Fade to Lack. If you're one of the uninitiated wondering about this 'DEMON SLAYER' thing breaking box-office records, I explain that, and why this film starts the final phase of the story with such aplomb

www.jonathanlack.com/p/review-dem...

Review: "Demon Slayer" Returns to Theaters with "Infinity Castle Part I: Akaza Returns"

As always, ufotable works miracles

www.jonathanlack.com

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Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 25m

TONIGHT! Japanimation Station is back with another installment of our Kyoto Vacation, as we review the latest masterpiece from Kyoto Animation - CITY: THE ANIMATION, based on the manga by Nichijou author Arawi Keiichi.

Premiering at 7pm CT. Don't miss it!

youtu.be/gT33arJQg3A?...

CITY: THE ANIMATION Review & Discussion - Another KyoAni Masterpiece | Japanimation Station S4E33

YouTube video by Japanimation Station

youtu.be

Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 11h

I know this is old news at this point, and I know 'allowing college students to cheat' is like 99% of the actual use case/valuation of Chat GPT as a product, but still. This is my profession. It feels so dehumanizing to know there's a popular product designed to undermine my entire line of work.

Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 11h

The fact Chat GPT literally allows users to just say "write my essay, here's the prompt," and it doesn't respond "hey, that's dishonest, could I instead point you towards some writing resources/guides/etc," makes me want to wring someone's neck. It's so profoundly insulting the feature even exists.

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Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 22h

Bottom line is that if we had more craven, purely self interested GOP electeds who are capable of reading the headwinds and adjusting out of personal ambition (i.e. were interested in getting future votes), we’d be in a better place. The feedback loop is almost entirely broken.

Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 22h

And maybe they’re right. Maybe we live in hell and Trump lives/rules to 100, with groveling the only path to career advancement. But if they’re wrong, well, nobody else in America gets the same kind of political inoculation against awful policies/actions as Trump. Is that a bet you want to take?

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Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 22h

It’s actually one of the most bizarre dynamics of Trump 2.0: how seemingly no one in the GOP is even attempting to imagine a future after Trump. Most have just accepted he’s dictator for life, and subjugated their career prospects entirely to his reign of terror.

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Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 22h

MTG is an awful, craven person, but she’s apparently much more politically savvy than most in her party, since she’s basically the only one preparing for a career after Trump by offering some pushback on his most unpopular actions. That’s the kind of check personal ambition is supposed to provide.

Ron Filipkowski @ronfilipkowski.bsky.social · 1d

Crazy week.

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Reposted by Jonathan Lack

Mehdi Hasan @mehdirhasan.bsky.social · 22h

The hostage release is a reminder of how bad the Dems are at politics. Not only did Biden refuse to force this deal on Netanyahu & thereby help Harris win, but most people aren’t even aware that Biden got way more Israeli hostages (over 100) released with his 2023 ceasefire than Trump did with his.

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Reposted by Jonathan Lack

Marisa Kabas @marisakabas.bsky.social · 1d

A miracle they’re still alive. Elated for their families. Can’t help but think of all the hostages who would have also come home two years ago had Netanyahu chosen his own people over his thirst for war.

The Associated Press @apnews.com · 1d

Hamas has released all 20 remaining living hostages.

The Israeli military says it has taken custody of them and will transport them onward to Israel. Follow AP's live updates.

Live updates: Israel says Hamas hands over first 7 hostages to Red Cross as part of Gaza ceasefire

The key exchange follows a breakthrough ceasefire after two years of war. U.S. President Donald Trump was also arriving in the region along with other leaders to discuss the U.S.-proposed deal and postwar plans.

bit.ly

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Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 1d

Combined with Nintendo's very successful Switch 2 strategy - where they kept internally delaying things until they had both the games and the inventory ready to go - you'd think everyone would have learned a lesson about waiting. I guess not.

Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 1d

I think it's generally agreed by now that the PS5 and XSX came out too early - not just because of COVID and supply shortages, which is a hindsight thing, but b/c the game pipeline just wasn't ready by 2020. 5 years later, there are still Sony studios that haven't done PS5 games (like Naughty Dog).

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Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 1d

Read the fucking room guys. I don't care if 7 years is the typical console cycle. You cannot be jacking prices on current-gen hardware while prepping for new consoles just 2 years away. Which is to say nothing of the glacially slow pace of releases this generation.

VGC @videogameschronicle.com · 1d

Both PS6 and the next Xbox are planned for a 2027 release, according to separate reports.

www.videogameschronicle.com/news/ps6-and...

PS6 and next Xbox console are both aiming for 2027 release, separate reports claim | VGC

Both companies are reportedly planning to release their next-gen consoles within two years…

www.videogameschronicle.com

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Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 1d

Demonstrating every point John Oliver made in last night's piece in a single fell swoop. I'd say Bari Weiss is a joke, except this shit really isn't funny.

Brandon Friedman @brandonfriedman.bsky.social · 1d

Promoting the editor-in-chief's personal side project. Zero named sources in a story that promotes the editor-in-chief's personal political position. Misspelling the subject's name. It took one day for CBS News to become a conservative blog.

www.cbsnews.com/video/some-n...

CBS News: Some NYPD officers worry about Mandani becoming NYC mayor the Free Press reports.

Reposted by Jonathan Lack

John Drake @johndrake.bsky.social · 1d

Diane Keaton has a weird legacy according to this alert.

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Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 1d

John Oliver just did a Mortal Kombat fatality on Bari Weiss/CBS/Paramount on Last Week Tonight, and if Paramount does wind up buying WB, it's probably the end of the show. I imagine Oliver and his staff would all think it was worth it, and I agree. An *essential* episode.

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Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 1d

It was Night 81 (tho that also counts the Chaos challenges, which I’d done most of).

Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 1d

YES absolutely like the Matrix - I kept saying that to my friends also playing it. It was like Chronos/Typhon were moving in slo-mo by the end.

And yeah, I think the main issue is Melonie needed to do something more active to realize her goal was fundamentally askew.

Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 1d

(And of course “end” is in quotes, because the endgame appears to be, as in the first HADES, very substantial. As it should be. Lots left I want to do)

Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 1d

Rolled credits on HADES II. The execution of it feels a tad rushed, but it’s the exact right conclusion thematically, I think. And what an absolute rush it is to reach that point. One of the most rewarding gameplay loops I’ve ever experienced. By the end I’d never felt so *good* at a game.

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Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 1d

I mean it IS a series about people who die and come back to life…

Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 1d

INFINITY CASTLE keeps smashing records - now the #1 foreign-language film in US history - but my favorite stupid detail here is it’s now outgrossed PASSION OF THE CHRIST on the all-time R-rated rankings. Tanjiro is more powerful than Jesus.

Anime News Network @animenewsnetwork.com · 1d

Demon Slayer smashes a quarter-century-old record!

1st Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Film Breaks 25-Year Record as #1 Non-English International Film in U.S.

Finale trilogy's 1st film also tops How to Train Your Dragon as 2025's #5 film globally

www.animenewsnetwork.com

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Reposted by Jonathan Lack

Lady Emily ☄️ @ladyemily.nebula.tv · 1d

It’s so funny how every time Jared Leto does his method acting in a film, the director and crew have to go out of their way to be like “woah it was so intense, he was so in character, it added so much depth” and then you watch the film and he’s giving the most lazy, no-thought performance possible

"I do address him as Ares when we're filming and everybody goes, we get a little bit up. He's the general walking onto set, which is fine," Ares director Joachim Ronning recently told Screenrant. "And it's not
uncommon for actors to do it like that.
And it works for him. And I think you can feel it in any movie he makes. He's completely into the character."

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Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 2d

We will have a special episode of JAPANIMATION STATION’S KYOTO VACATION for you this week reviewing CITY. And another at the end of the month for the MISS KOBAYASHI movie. We cannot stop recording Season 4 episodes, even as we make Season 6.

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Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 2d

Even accounting for NICHIJOU, CITY is the most formally and structurally experimental thing they’ve done since HARUHI, almost 20 years ago now. Episode 5 is the most conceptual episode they’ve made this side of “Endless Eight.” Episode 13 is delirious its relentlessness of invention. And so on.

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Jonathan Lack @jonathanlack.bsky.social · 2d

It isn’t just profoundly cool to see that KyoAni is still capable of this kind of work after the arson attack (though that’s certainly uplifting). It’s that this is very much a return to the experimental, even avant-garde spirit that animated their 2000s work.

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