Chris Conaton
@conatonc.bsky.social
Music writer, movie lover, professional grocery shopper
Went to Austin for the weekend so I won’t get to see it. If the 24-screen AMC (the only theater near me playing it) decides to keep it for another week I will definitely try to get to it next weekend. Otherwise it’s gonna be wait for streaming, sadly.
December 14, 2025 at 6:12 AM
Went to Austin for the weekend so I won’t get to see it. If the 24-screen AMC (the only theater near me playing it) decides to keep it for another week I will definitely try to get to it next weekend. Otherwise it’s gonna be wait for streaming, sadly.
I like that this kind of stuff is at least an undercurrent in liberal circles right now. But it needs to become its own tidal wave for the 2028 elections.
You want to get through a Dem primary? Better be talking about clearly defined consequences for this admin’s constellation of illegal actions.
You want to get through a Dem primary? Better be talking about clearly defined consequences for this admin’s constellation of illegal actions.
December 13, 2025 at 5:58 PM
I like that this kind of stuff is at least an undercurrent in liberal circles right now. But it needs to become its own tidal wave for the 2028 elections.
You want to get through a Dem primary? Better be talking about clearly defined consequences for this admin’s constellation of illegal actions.
You want to get through a Dem primary? Better be talking about clearly defined consequences for this admin’s constellation of illegal actions.
The first thing you learn is how far you can go with no gas in the tank
December 13, 2025 at 12:36 PM
The first thing you learn is how far you can go with no gas in the tank
Trump has committed impeachable offenses every single day he has been in office, from the first day of his first term to the present. All they have to do is pick a couple of the worst ones.
The only people who think he was ever wrongly impeached mainline NewsMax and MAGA Twitter.
The only people who think he was ever wrongly impeached mainline NewsMax and MAGA Twitter.
December 12, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Trump has committed impeachable offenses every single day he has been in office, from the first day of his first term to the present. All they have to do is pick a couple of the worst ones.
The only people who think he was ever wrongly impeached mainline NewsMax and MAGA Twitter.
The only people who think he was ever wrongly impeached mainline NewsMax and MAGA Twitter.
Here’s another good write up on this situation. Alzheimer’s/Dementia treatment.
deanblundell.substack.com/p/breaking-d...
deanblundell.substack.com/p/breaking-d...
🚨 BREAKING: Did a Medical Pro Crack the Health Crisis Secret/Alzheimer’s Code?
A Deep Dive into the One Story MAGA Cannot Escape
deanblundell.substack.com
December 11, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Here’s another good write up on this situation. Alzheimer’s/Dementia treatment.
deanblundell.substack.com/p/breaking-d...
deanblundell.substack.com/p/breaking-d...
Time to introduce the people to the wonders of Zoo!
December 10, 2025 at 11:16 PM
Time to introduce the people to the wonders of Zoo!
The backlash to “deplorables” continues to echo through journalism and the commentariat a decade later.
December 10, 2025 at 6:28 PM
The backlash to “deplorables” continues to echo through journalism and the commentariat a decade later.
Mike Johnson, The Speaker of the Excuses.
December 10, 2025 at 4:23 PM
Mike Johnson, The Speaker of the Excuses.
Incidentally Zach Woods would be on QT’s list of “weak actors” because, like Dano, Wilson, and Lillard, he doesn’t get to play characters who are cool or tough.
December 10, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Incidentally Zach Woods would be on QT’s list of “weak actors” because, like Dano, Wilson, and Lillard, he doesn’t get to play characters who are cool or tough.
This year we would have:
• Indiana - Kennesaw State
• Ohio State - Western Michigan
• Georgia - Washington State (the Pac is a real conference again next year)
• Texas Tech - Duke
• Oregon - Boise State
• Ole Miss - James Madison
• Texas A&M - Tulane
• Oklahoma - Miami
•
• Indiana - Kennesaw State
• Ohio State - Western Michigan
• Georgia - Washington State (the Pac is a real conference again next year)
• Texas Tech - Duke
• Oregon - Boise State
• Ole Miss - James Madison
• Texas A&M - Tulane
• Oklahoma - Miami
•
December 9, 2025 at 2:34 PM
This year we would have:
• Indiana - Kennesaw State
• Ohio State - Western Michigan
• Georgia - Washington State (the Pac is a real conference again next year)
• Texas Tech - Duke
• Oregon - Boise State
• Ole Miss - James Madison
• Texas A&M - Tulane
• Oklahoma - Miami
•
• Indiana - Kennesaw State
• Ohio State - Western Michigan
• Georgia - Washington State (the Pac is a real conference again next year)
• Texas Tech - Duke
• Oregon - Boise State
• Ole Miss - James Madison
• Texas A&M - Tulane
• Oklahoma - Miami
•
It’s currently the #2 biggest animated film in North America for the year behind Zoo2pia, which is one of the main considerations for getting a Golden Globe nomination. “Was this a thing that was successful, will its presence theoretically get more people to watch? NOMINATED”
December 8, 2025 at 9:12 PM
It’s currently the #2 biggest animated film in North America for the year behind Zoo2pia, which is one of the main considerations for getting a Golden Globe nomination. “Was this a thing that was successful, will its presence theoretically get more people to watch? NOMINATED”
K-State and ISU are in the middle of coaching changeovers and are going to be losing huge chunks of their rosters. The new coaches don’t want to step in, the coordinators don’t want the job for a game, and most of the players have a foot out the door, anyway. This is not the case with Notre Dame.
December 7, 2025 at 9:46 PM
K-State and ISU are in the middle of coaching changeovers and are going to be losing huge chunks of their rosters. The new coaches don’t want to step in, the coordinators don’t want the job for a game, and most of the players have a foot out the door, anyway. This is not the case with Notre Dame.
Notre Dame stayed in the Top 25 after those two losses due to the largesse of the coaches and sports writers. This allowed them to hang around all season and repair their record against mostly inferior opponents. They were always going to be an edge case, and it all broke the wrong way this weekend.
December 7, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Notre Dame stayed in the Top 25 after those two losses due to the largesse of the coaches and sports writers. This allowed them to hang around all season and repair their record against mostly inferior opponents. They were always going to be an edge case, and it all broke the wrong way this weekend.
He isn’t occupied making movies so he has more time to descend into grumpy old man status.
December 7, 2025 at 12:27 AM
He isn’t occupied making movies so he has more time to descend into grumpy old man status.
Illinois is already gerrymandered towards Dems 14-3, but if they push it they can maybe squeeze one more out.
New York and New Jersey both have independent commissions and would require state constitutional amendments to sideline them, and probably wouldn’t be able to do it in time for ‘26.
New York and New Jersey both have independent commissions and would require state constitutional amendments to sideline them, and probably wouldn’t be able to do it in time for ‘26.
December 6, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Illinois is already gerrymandered towards Dems 14-3, but if they push it they can maybe squeeze one more out.
New York and New Jersey both have independent commissions and would require state constitutional amendments to sideline them, and probably wouldn’t be able to do it in time for ‘26.
New York and New Jersey both have independent commissions and would require state constitutional amendments to sideline them, and probably wouldn’t be able to do it in time for ‘26.
Stupid and Nasty are the new Diamond and Silk.
December 6, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Stupid and Nasty are the new Diamond and Silk.
Ah, yes, the same reasoning for why we no longer have a Voting Rights Act.
December 6, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Ah, yes, the same reasoning for why we no longer have a Voting Rights Act.
I’m a Stranger Things fan, so I clicked on this. I’ll confirm that many of his complaints are valid! But they carry a lot less weight coming from someone who clearly soured on the show long ago and subjected himself to 5.5 hours of hate-watching this simply to show us how negative he could be.
December 5, 2025 at 11:11 PM
I’m a Stranger Things fan, so I clicked on this. I’ll confirm that many of his complaints are valid! But they carry a lot less weight coming from someone who clearly soured on the show long ago and subjected himself to 5.5 hours of hate-watching this simply to show us how negative he could be.
As a longtime music critic myself, I’ve written plenty of negative reviews. They’re fun to do! But I don’t usually go into a review with the express intent to tear something to shreds. And if I dislike something, I don’t usually volunteer to take on the next album or season for a review.
December 5, 2025 at 10:43 PM
As a longtime music critic myself, I’ve written plenty of negative reviews. They’re fun to do! But I don’t usually go into a review with the express intent to tear something to shreds. And if I dislike something, I don’t usually volunteer to take on the next album or season for a review.
This is a markedly different take than Freddie, who clearly subscribes to the “Critics are either afraid of angry fans or too apathetic to say what they REALLY think” philosophy.
That seems to be going on here, with Freddie relishing the chance to rip into Stranger Things with gusto.
That seems to be going on here, with Freddie relishing the chance to rip into Stranger Things with gusto.
December 5, 2025 at 10:27 PM
This is a markedly different take than Freddie, who clearly subscribes to the “Critics are either afraid of angry fans or too apathetic to say what they REALLY think” philosophy.
That seems to be going on here, with Freddie relishing the chance to rip into Stranger Things with gusto.
That seems to be going on here, with Freddie relishing the chance to rip into Stranger Things with gusto.
Good questions, lots to unpack. The “Is criticism too nice now?” question has been bouncing around for months, and I like critic Steven Hyden’s well-considered take. Critics are more specialized and genre-savvy today and unlikely to reject stuff out of hand.
stevenhyden.substack.com/p/the-real-r...
stevenhyden.substack.com/p/the-real-r...
The Real Reason Music Critics Got Nicer
Hint: It's related to how music criticism also got better
stevenhyden.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Good questions, lots to unpack. The “Is criticism too nice now?” question has been bouncing around for months, and I like critic Steven Hyden’s well-considered take. Critics are more specialized and genre-savvy today and unlikely to reject stuff out of hand.
stevenhyden.substack.com/p/the-real-r...
stevenhyden.substack.com/p/the-real-r...