Alan Zilberman
@alanzilberman.bsky.social
Film critic at Washington City Paper.
DC guy who wants statehood yesterday.
DC guy who wants statehood yesterday.
Thank you! To be fair, I am rooting for it about as much as I root for everything I am about to see. Being film a critic requires eternal optimism or deep self-loathing, and I prefer the former mostly.
February 9, 2026 at 11:54 PM
Thank you! To be fair, I am rooting for it about as much as I root for everything I am about to see. Being film a critic requires eternal optimism or deep self-loathing, and I prefer the former mostly.
I’ve heard mixed things, and I liked Saltburn mostly. I’m rooting for it!
February 9, 2026 at 11:43 PM
I’ve heard mixed things, and I liked Saltburn mostly. I’m rooting for it!
About to find out whether I get to fill out another square on my bingo card.
February 9, 2026 at 11:41 PM
About to find out whether I get to fill out another square on my bingo card.
Post a banger that isn't in English.
I'm picking Otoboke Beaver, who shred and go harder than everybody.
I'm picking Otoboke Beaver, who shred and go harder than everybody.
February 9, 2026 at 9:00 PM
Post a banger that isn't in English.
I'm picking Otoboke Beaver, who shred and go harder than everybody.
I'm picking Otoboke Beaver, who shred and go harder than everybody.
Props to Laura Dern, who I think took more movies from the closet than pretty much everyone who has visited.
February 9, 2026 at 6:57 PM
Props to Laura Dern, who I think took more movies from the closet than pretty much everyone who has visited.
Exactly. I was there at the MSG farewell show, something made marginally less special with each passing day of their washed second act.
February 9, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Exactly. I was there at the MSG farewell show, something made marginally less special with each passing day of their washed second act.
When the LCD Soundsystem track "Oh Baby" played over the superbowl ad for Starlunk, one of Elon Musk's companies, I thought of this great @slate.com essay.
At least James and the gang don't have to worry about losing their edge anywmore. It's gone.
At least James and the gang don't have to worry about losing their edge anywmore. It's gone.
LCD Soundsystem Used to Be the Coolest Band In the World. How Did They Get So Cringe?
Watching the set at the Knockdown Center, I became aware that my favorite band had become unfathomably lame.
slate.com
February 9, 2026 at 5:31 PM
When the LCD Soundsystem track "Oh Baby" played over the superbowl ad for Starlunk, one of Elon Musk's companies, I thought of this great @slate.com essay.
At least James and the gang don't have to worry about losing their edge anywmore. It's gone.
At least James and the gang don't have to worry about losing their edge anywmore. It's gone.
Merci beaucoup, mon ami.
February 9, 2026 at 5:05 PM
Merci beaucoup, mon ami.
In a true "did not have that on my bingo card" moment, the year's first great punk record is by a French band.
Falling, by Youth Avoiders
from the album Defiance
youthavoiders.bandcamp.com
February 9, 2026 at 4:31 PM
In a true "did not have that on my bingo card" moment, the year's first great punk record is by a French band.
I am reading Sonny Boy, Al Pacino's memoir, and I got to a section where he talks about The Local Stigmatic, a film version of a one-act play he made in the 1980s.
He calls it one of his best roles, so out of curiosity, I watched it on YouTube. His English accent may be the worst I've ever heard.
He calls it one of his best roles, so out of curiosity, I watched it on YouTube. His English accent may be the worst I've ever heard.
The Local Stigmatic Pacino Speech
YouTube video by Nicholas Rowland
www.youtube.com
February 9, 2026 at 2:50 PM
I am reading Sonny Boy, Al Pacino's memoir, and I got to a section where he talks about The Local Stigmatic, a film version of a one-act play he made in the 1980s.
He calls it one of his best roles, so out of curiosity, I watched it on YouTube. His English accent may be the worst I've ever heard.
He calls it one of his best roles, so out of curiosity, I watched it on YouTube. His English accent may be the worst I've ever heard.
I was at a punk show Friday, then a goth-y metal show Saturday that raised money for DC mutual aid. I’m tired, boss.
February 9, 2026 at 2:56 AM
I was at a punk show Friday, then a goth-y metal show Saturday that raised money for DC mutual aid. I’m tired, boss.
Reposted by Alan Zilberman
I doubt this has happened before: 11 of this weekend's top 15 movies were made independently, inc. 4 of the top 5. There is nothing holding down overall grosses and attendance more than the fact that studios have forgotten how to do what they used to do, which is to fill the pipeline with movies.
February 9, 2026 at 12:48 AM
I doubt this has happened before: 11 of this weekend's top 15 movies were made independently, inc. 4 of the top 5. There is nothing holding down overall grosses and attendance more than the fact that studios have forgotten how to do what they used to do, which is to fill the pipeline with movies.
You could pick a list of five entirely different characters and it would still be defensible.
1. Max Cherry
2. Bill
3. Vincent Vega
4. Major Marquis Warren
5. Mr. Pink
1. Max Cherry
2. Bill
3. Vincent Vega
4. Major Marquis Warren
5. Mr. Pink
ok fine one more post about The Adventures of Cliff Booth. real quick top five Tarantino characters
1. The Bride
T-2. Shoshanna Dreyfus
T-2. Hans Landa
4. Cliff Booth
5. Jules Winnfield
1. The Bride
T-2. Shoshanna Dreyfus
T-2. Hans Landa
4. Cliff Booth
5. Jules Winnfield
February 9, 2026 at 12:33 AM
You could pick a list of five entirely different characters and it would still be defensible.
1. Max Cherry
2. Bill
3. Vincent Vega
4. Major Marquis Warren
5. Mr. Pink
1. Max Cherry
2. Bill
3. Vincent Vega
4. Major Marquis Warren
5. Mr. Pink
“American Idiot” is the only thing non-dystopian part of the past hour’s broadcast.
February 8, 2026 at 11:26 PM
“American Idiot” is the only thing non-dystopian part of the past hour’s broadcast.
Some asshole replied to this with screenshots of Matt Damon movies with low RT scores. Buddy, if you think my point of my post is to critique the celebrity who got a paycheck, then I worry about your ability to sit on a toilet seat correctly.
February 8, 2026 at 5:35 PM
Some asshole replied to this with screenshots of Matt Damon movies with low RT scores. Buddy, if you think my point of my post is to critique the celebrity who got a paycheck, then I worry about your ability to sit on a toilet seat correctly.
Reposted by Alan Zilberman
the people who want you to believe that generative AI can paint like Picasso tend to gloss over the fact that Picasso didn’t have hundreds of Picassos to learn from. He had to make something new, which a model trained on old art is definitionally incapable of doing.
February 8, 2026 at 4:36 PM
the people who want you to believe that generative AI can paint like Picasso tend to gloss over the fact that Picasso didn’t have hundreds of Picassos to learn from. He had to make something new, which a model trained on old art is definitionally incapable of doing.
Fuck off with that shit.
He has always been a good, bankable actor. His last major role was in Oppenheimer, and this summer he is starring in The Odyssey which will probably make close to a billion dollars.
He has always been a good, bankable actor. His last major role was in Oppenheimer, and this summer he is starring in The Odyssey which will probably make close to a billion dollars.
February 8, 2026 at 4:32 PM
Fuck off with that shit.
He has always been a good, bankable actor. His last major role was in Oppenheimer, and this summer he is starring in The Odyssey which will probably make close to a billion dollars.
He has always been a good, bankable actor. His last major role was in Oppenheimer, and this summer he is starring in The Odyssey which will probably make close to a billion dollars.
Hell yeah.
The implied insult of the whole thing is pretty galling.
The implied insult of the whole thing is pretty galling.
February 8, 2026 at 4:12 PM
Hell yeah.
The implied insult of the whole thing is pretty galling.
The implied insult of the whole thing is pretty galling.
Matt Damon said “fortune favors the brave” in a Super Bowl crypto ad five years ago. If you listened to him, you almost certainly would have lost money.
He was paid in cash.
He was paid in cash.
happy Super Bowl Sunday! for all you commercials sickos, I make the case that this game's ad blitz will be to A.I. what 2022's was to crypto and 2000's was to the dot-com boom—with all attendant implications for our broader economy and the celebrity-promotion complex: slate.com/technology/2...
The Biggest Star of the Super Bowl Isn’t an Athlete—or Bad Bunny
We’ve seen this game before, and it doesn’t end well for anyone.
slate.com
February 8, 2026 at 4:05 PM
Matt Damon said “fortune favors the brave” in a Super Bowl crypto ad five years ago. If you listened to him, you almost certainly would have lost money.
He was paid in cash.
He was paid in cash.
Reposted by Alan Zilberman
There is an effort underway by some of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the US to deprive Washington of any culture that does not fit their narrow, cruel, and incorrect view of what the arts should be. This week they struck a powerful blow that should not be forgotten—or forgiven.
If it clarifies what was lost this week:
Philip Kennicott and Monica Hesse remain as arts critics at The Washington Post
Eliminated:
art critic
arts editor
arts/film editor
classical critic
pop critic
television critic
theater critic
all editors/reporters in Book World including two book critics
Philip Kennicott and Monica Hesse remain as arts critics at The Washington Post
Eliminated:
art critic
arts editor
arts/film editor
classical critic
pop critic
television critic
theater critic
all editors/reporters in Book World including two book critics
February 7, 2026 at 10:02 PM
There is an effort underway by some of the wealthiest and most powerful men in the US to deprive Washington of any culture that does not fit their narrow, cruel, and incorrect view of what the arts should be. This week they struck a powerful blow that should not be forgotten—or forgiven.
99% of my posts are about movies, TV, music, books, or hyperlocal DC things.
a group of soldiers are standing in a row wearing helmets and armor .
ALT: a group of soldiers are standing in a row wearing helmets and armor .
media.tenor.com
February 7, 2026 at 9:39 PM
99% of my posts are about movies, TV, music, books, or hyperlocal DC things.
I think he wants the name and reputation without anything that earned it. I’ve seen folks suggest he wants to turn the post into Politico, but I think that’s wrong. He wants to turn it into The Free Press.
February 7, 2026 at 7:03 PM
I think he wants the name and reputation without anything that earned it. I’ve seen folks suggest he wants to turn the post into Politico, but I think that’s wrong. He wants to turn it into The Free Press.
Someone ask him what his favorite Fellini is. He looks like a Nights of Cabiria guy to me.
February 7, 2026 at 4:35 PM
Someone ask him what his favorite Fellini is. He looks like a Nights of Cabiria guy to me.
Reposted by Alan Zilberman
Gold Zone commentator on an Italian women’s speed skating gold: “If Federico Fellini were alive today, this is the movie he’d be making” (???)
He went on to say “there’ll be a lot of Chianti going down tonight.”
I’m convinced this man has the Wikipedia page for “Italy” open
He went on to say “there’ll be a lot of Chianti going down tonight.”
I’m convinced this man has the Wikipedia page for “Italy” open
February 7, 2026 at 4:28 PM
Gold Zone commentator on an Italian women’s speed skating gold: “If Federico Fellini were alive today, this is the movie he’d be making” (???)
He went on to say “there’ll be a lot of Chianti going down tonight.”
I’m convinced this man has the Wikipedia page for “Italy” open
He went on to say “there’ll be a lot of Chianti going down tonight.”
I’m convinced this man has the Wikipedia page for “Italy” open
Great minds
Additional dream hosts: Bridget Everett, Werner Herzog, Vic Michaelis, Nicole Byer, Fiona Apple, Andrew WK, Jason Mantzoukas.
February 6, 2026 at 11:11 PM
Great minds