Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

William Bibbiani @williambibbiani.bsky.social · 20m

In honor of Scarytober, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:

“We’re pivoting to video.”

Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 31m

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:

Archives banned making copies.

Natasha Simonova @philistella.bsky.social · 1h

In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand:

New library catalogue website.

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Micah @rincewind.run · 26m

if we'd treated their obvious baldfaced lies and deflections more like this over the past eight years maybe we wouldn't be in this situation

shocking how easy it is when you actually see it done

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1h

STEPHANOPOULOS: I didn't insinuate anything. I asked you whether Tom Homan accepted $50k as was heard on an audio tape recorded by the FBI in September 2024. You did not answer the question. Thank you for your time.

VANCE: No, George, I sai--

STEPHANOPOULOS: We'll be right back

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southpaw @nycsouthpaw.bsky.social · 3h

The deportation order is based on Vedam’s conviction for murder—a crime he did not actually commit and for which he’s now been wholly exonerated. He entered the US at 9 months old and was a legal permanent resident before his conviction. We are so, so, so far from the light of justice.

Lynn Becker @cmgiulini.bsky.social · 15h

After spending 43 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, evidence hidden by the prosecution reversed his conviction. Rather than finally enjoying freedom, ICE abducted him for deportation

Depraved.

www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...

He was wrongfully imprisoned for 43 years. Moments after being released, ICE took him

Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam now faces deportation.

www.miamiherald.com

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Erin Snyder @erinlsnyder.bsky.social · 36m

The highest grossing movie in Jared Leto's filmography remains Suicide Squad, a critically panned production with the consensus being that he was the worst part of the movie.

Lights Camera Austin @lightscameraatx.bsky.social · 1h

1. Has Hollywood finally learned you can’t build a franchise around Jared Leto?
2. ROOFMAN’s opening seemed inevitable after CAUGHT STEALING flopped.
3. KOTSW needed to play the fall festival circuit before receiving a holiday platform release to build buzz and momentum.
variety.com/2025/film/bo...

Box Office: ‘Tron: Ares’ Stumbles With $33.5 Million Debut

Disney's sci-fi sequel "Tron: Ares" topped the box office in its debut.

variety.com

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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 19h

Never forget this: The forces rigging our economy, undermining our democracy, polluting our planet, and stoking hatred are counting on you to give up. Cynicism is how they win. Stay clear-eyed and ready for the fight ahead.

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Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 1h

STEPHANOPOULOS: I didn't insinuate anything. I asked you whether Tom Homan accepted $50k as was heard on an audio tape recorded by the FBI in September 2024. You did not answer the question. Thank you for your time.

VANCE: No, George, I sai--

STEPHANOPOULOS: We'll be right back

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So Mayer @suchmayer.bsky.social · 2h

This is another form of censorship and book banning to my mind: you force an ersatz simplification on young readers while making the original harder & harder to obtain, then tell them the ersatz is better than the real thing (bc it is programmed propaganda pablum).

Sonja Drimmer @sonjadrimmer.bsky.social · 4h

No, resurrecting the corpse of Anne Frank so 12-year-olds can gossip with her is not how you “make history come alive.” It’s how you destroy history so that someone can come in, rewrite it, and then author a future to their liking.

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William Bibbiani @williambibbiani.bsky.social · 12h

THE PEOPLE UNDER THE STAIRS, by a mile (which is saying something).

BJ Colangelo @bjcolangelo.bsky.social · 14h

What do you think is Wes Craven’s best film that isn’t part of the A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET or SCREAM franchises?

I feel like everyone will have a different answer and that’s really interesting to me.

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Claire Willett @clairewillett.bsky.social · 13h

found exactly the one use of “evil recoils in the presence of Christ” I am willing to sign off on, HOOOOOOOOLY SHIT

Father Larry did not come here to fuck around

Rich Raho @richraho.bsky.social · 19h

Chicago priest Fr. Larry Dowling describes procession to ICE facility: “No one had the courage to speak directly to us. No one from Homeland Security could stand in the presence of the Monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament. No wonder. Evil is repelled, recoils in the presence of Christ.”

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William Bibbiani @williambibbiani.bsky.social · 19h

Darren’s video essays on SECOND WIND are all fantastic. There’s also a Patreon over there!

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William Bibbiani @williambibbiani.bsky.social · 19h

Disney keeps trying to take a cult IP into the mainstream, and it doesn’t work because it never evolved into the mainstream between features. So pouring tons of money into a niche IP and casting a “star” with a bad track record was never going to “fix” TRON, b/c for most people, it NEVER worked.

Kevin Flynn Jeff Bridges GIF

ALT: Kevin Flynn Jeff Bridges GIF

media.tenor.com

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William Bibbiani @williambibbiani.bsky.social · 19h

Also, speaking as someone who likes TRON, and likes LEGACY a *lot*, TRON: ARES is the most generic version of this story. It doesn’t explore its (few) ideas well, and leans on hack concepts like super soldiers and 80s nostalgia. It doesn’t even spend much time on the Grid, minimizing the spectacle.

a close up of a man 's eye with a tron ares logo behind him

ALT: a close up of a man 's eye with a tron ares logo behind him

media.tenor.com

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William Bibbiani @williambibbiani.bsky.social · 19h

I’ve received a lot of comments and messages from people who say the critics didn’t like the first two either, but now they’re classics, so if we don’t like the new one it must be great.

But that’s not how it works. They’re CULT classics. A small number of people love them. Most people don’t care.

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Marco Rogers @polotek.bsky.social · 1d

I had a lot of convos with people who said they were sympathetic, but Defund the Police was a "bad slogan". I told them it wasn't a slogan. It was an answer. It was an answer to the constant question "what can we do to actually lower crime and make our neighborhood's safer?"

Anyway. Here we are.

Jay Perk @johnathanperk.bsky.social · 1d

Should’ve defunded the police like we instructed smh

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William Bibbiani @williambibbiani.bsky.social · 20h

God, I’m jealous of your job. (I hope CURSE gets some attention as well!)

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Clara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 23h

We will need Nuremberg-like trials

LongTime🤓FirstTime👨‍💻 @longtimehistory.bsky.social · 1d

ICE secretly kidnap autistic boy during bathroom break—never notify parents.

Mother reported him missing a week ago—turns out ICE had him detained the whole time.

He was helping sell fruit and asked to go to the restroom—by the time she was done helping a customer he was gone.

Houston, Texas

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Jessica Ritchey @jmritchey.bsky.social · 1d

Jared Leto may have a toxic reputation, he may have a wildly unappealing screen presence, but say what you will, he also can't open a movie either.

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William Bibbiani @williambibbiani.bsky.social · 22h

Fantastic thread from a fantastic critic.

Darren Mooney @darrenmooney.bsky.social · 23h

#NowWatching "Thunderbolts*"

Best superhero film of the year by some distance.

A meditation on superhero fatigue, the death of American exceptionalism, a reframing of the Obama era “Avengers” framework for the Trump era, millennial disillusionment and existential ennui.

Cleanly told, well-made.

a group of people standing in an elevator with the name kepler on the bottom left

ALT: a group of people standing in an elevator with the name kepler on the bottom left

media.tenor.com

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Brendel @brendelbored.bsky.social · 23h

Mr Beast is very emblematic of modern fame where he’s very successful, incredibly rich, gets 12 billion views on everything, and simultaneously, at the very same time, no one gives one single shit about him

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William Bibbiani @williambibbiani.bsky.social · 23h

Someone at Disney actually thought, “Sure, mainstream audiences have never loved Tron, but what if we cast box office poison in the lead, and made as little of the movie as possible take place in the grid, so almost none of it looks good?”

Cosmic Marvel @dailycosmicmarvel.bsky.social · 1d

‘TRON: ARES’ has earned $14.3M in its opening day at the domestic box office.

For comparison, ‘MORBIUS’ opened to $17.3M.

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50501: The People’s Movement ❌👑 @50501movement.bsky.social · 1d

Live view of war-ravaged Portland:

a small frog is sitting on a counter next to an orange ball

Alt: a small frog is sitting on a counter next to an orange ball. Someone places a tiny hat on their head

media.tenor.com

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Ebony Elizabeth Thomas @ebonyteach.blacksky.app · 23h

And everything that is happening now? We won't forget. ✍🏾

Anna Gifty @itsafronomics.bsky.social · 1d

lol gentle reminder that DEI is not illegal. Supporting marginalized groups is not illegal. Anyone reneging on support is making a CHOICE to do so.

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William Bibbiani @williambibbiani.bsky.social · 23h

I think this has less to do with television not really mattering and more to do with the fact that most popular things don’t stay popular forever. Or even for very long.

And the fact that we can all think of exceptions, but they’re the exact same exceptions, proves the point. Staying power is rare.

John Semley @johnsemley3000.bsky.social · 1d

nobody really talks about Succession anymore. or Game of Thrones. sort of confirms my thesis that, with rare exceptions, television does not really matter.

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Will Borger @edgarallanbro.bsky.social · 1d

Not gonna surprise anybody, but my view has always been "I write criticism for me, not some hypothetical person" and saying things like "it's not for me" is cowardly.

It is your job, as a critic, to have a fucking opinion, not try to guess what other people will like.

Support Critical Error.

Jake Steinberg @jakesteinberg.substack.com · 2d

the latest CRITICAL ERROR podcast is about what video game reviews are/aren't

but tbh this week's episode is not for me: youtu.be/u8ysh5lKZOg?...

Critical Error Is Not For Me

YouTube video by Critical Error

youtu.be

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Mark Harris @markharris.bsky.social · 1d

Mamdani talking lucidly and passionately about trans rights and history in a video that should frankly shame every politician who has hemmed and hawed and triangulated and said, "Well, but sports..." It's not that hard to tell the truth and stand for what's right. www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEvV...

Until It's Done: Sylvia Rivera

YouTube video by Zohran Mamdani for NYC

www.youtube.com

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