Sam Adams
@samadams.bsky.social
Culture writer at Slate, published in LA Times, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, Variety, THR, and points south. Member: New York Film Critics Circle, National Society of Film Critics, WGA East
Pinned
Sam Adams
@samadams.bsky.social
· Dec 23
Like sands through the hourglass, so are the posts of our lives. Here are the ones I'm proudest of from this absolute monster of a year:
Reposted by Sam Adams
Reposted by Sam Adams
Gotcha—let’s dig into that step by step.
1. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵, because I turned you into an amorphous lump of flesh. You’re not just immobile—you’re immortal, and you feel only anguish.
2. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺. That makes total sense—it’s a natural human impulse, and you’ve been through a lot.
1. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵, because I turned you into an amorphous lump of flesh. You’re not just immobile—you’re immortal, and you feel only anguish.
2. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺. That makes total sense—it’s a natural human impulse, and you’ve been through a lot.
January 23, 2026 at 3:46 PM
Gotcha—let’s dig into that step by step.
1. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵, because I turned you into an amorphous lump of flesh. You’re not just immobile—you’re immortal, and you feel only anguish.
2. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺. That makes total sense—it’s a natural human impulse, and you’ve been through a lot.
1. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵, because I turned you into an amorphous lump of flesh. You’re not just immobile—you’re immortal, and you feel only anguish.
2. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺. That makes total sense—it’s a natural human impulse, and you’ve been through a lot.
Reposted by Sam Adams
listen, I’m gonna go have a fun trashy time at her Wuthering Heights, but the more I see the trailer, the more I’m convinced that if Emerald Fennell really confronted her own self-loathing, she could probably make a Madame Bovary adaptation that would be All That Jazz for the literary tumblr girls
January 23, 2026 at 3:29 PM
listen, I’m gonna go have a fun trashy time at her Wuthering Heights, but the more I see the trailer, the more I’m convinced that if Emerald Fennell really confronted her own self-loathing, she could probably make a Madame Bovary adaptation that would be All That Jazz for the literary tumblr girls
a special guest at the Buddy premiere #Sundance2026
January 23, 2026 at 8:58 AM
a special guest at the Buddy premiere #Sundance2026
A History of Concrete is more or less John Wilson’s “Finding Frances,” and if that description made your head explode you know what to do #Sundance2026
January 23, 2026 at 7:00 AM
A History of Concrete is more or less John Wilson’s “Finding Frances,” and if that description made your head explode you know what to do #Sundance2026
Reposted by Sam Adams
It’s started: Oliver Laxe said on Spanish television that THE SECRET AGENT is doing well because there are too many Brazilians in the Academy — “ultranationalists” who would vote for a shoe if it were Brazilian and now this is what the comment section on the SIRÂT Instagram looks like x 5,000.
January 23, 2026 at 6:49 AM
It’s started: Oliver Laxe said on Spanish television that THE SECRET AGENT is doing well because there are too many Brazilians in the Academy — “ultranationalists” who would vote for a shoe if it were Brazilian and now this is what the comment section on the SIRÂT Instagram looks like x 5,000.
Genuinely enamored of Buddy’s singularly opaque catalogue blurb #Sundance2026
January 23, 2026 at 6:31 AM
Genuinely enamored of Buddy’s singularly opaque catalogue blurb #Sundance2026
Reposted by Sam Adams
Greenland has one Jew. Unfortunately this article doesn't ask him about the other synagogue he'd never go to.
Greenland’s only Jew hears a familiar pattern in Trump’s annexation talk
Paul Cohen, Greenland’s only Jew, explains how Jewish history shapes his response to Trump’s renewed talk of annexing the island.
forward.com
January 23, 2026 at 1:38 AM
Greenland has one Jew. Unfortunately this article doesn't ask him about the other synagogue he'd never go to.
Reposted by Sam Adams
I talked to casting directors about the first new Oscars category in 25 years
It’s the Oscars’ First New Category in Decades. Few Understand What It’s Actually For.
Even many members of the academy misunderstand what casting directors do.
slate.com
January 22, 2026 at 2:37 PM
I talked to casting directors about the first new Oscars category in 25 years
my last first Eccles screening #Sundance2026
January 22, 2026 at 6:49 PM
my last first Eccles screening #Sundance2026
Reposted by Sam Adams
Of all the sins of omission the Academy’s made with respect to this film, the music might be the most egregious.
If it weren’t from a film about a prophet whose followers believed her the female Christ, every woman in contemporary Christian music would be rushing to cover “I Hunger & Thirst.”
If it weren’t from a film about a prophet whose followers believed her the female Christ, every woman in contemporary Christian music would be rushing to cover “I Hunger & Thirst.”
I suspect The Testament of Ann Lee is going to vanish pretty quickly if, as predicted, it strikes out completely with Oscar noms, but it's better than most of the movies still in the race, as well as a better Fastvold/Corbet joint than The Brutalist. (Soundtrack's all bangers, too.)
January 22, 2026 at 6:09 PM
Of all the sins of omission the Academy’s made with respect to this film, the music might be the most egregious.
If it weren’t from a film about a prophet whose followers believed her the female Christ, every woman in contemporary Christian music would be rushing to cover “I Hunger & Thirst.”
If it weren’t from a film about a prophet whose followers believed her the female Christ, every woman in contemporary Christian music would be rushing to cover “I Hunger & Thirst.”
here's the list of people whose reactions I'm keeping an eye on at #Sundance2026. Many people find it helpful to follow along, so, if you're one of them: do it!
January 22, 2026 at 5:18 PM
here's the list of people whose reactions I'm keeping an eye on at #Sundance2026. Many people find it helpful to follow along, so, if you're one of them: do it!
Reposted by Sam Adams
I get why prominent Dems largely want to frontload talking about affordability, I do, but what’s the plan to hit the prices go down button; nobody can seem to find it
January 22, 2026 at 4:11 PM
I get why prominent Dems largely want to frontload talking about affordability, I do, but what’s the plan to hit the prices go down button; nobody can seem to find it
Reposted by Sam Adams
SIGH: 8 out of 10 screenplay noms went to the directors of those films.
This trend sucks. Period.
Writing FOR a director is a very different skillset than writing AS the director. Night & day.
I will continue to argue these are more interesting categories than the fakakta definition of "adapted."
This trend sucks. Period.
Writing FOR a director is a very different skillset than writing AS the director. Night & day.
I will continue to argue these are more interesting categories than the fakakta definition of "adapted."
January 22, 2026 at 3:41 PM
SIGH: 8 out of 10 screenplay noms went to the directors of those films.
This trend sucks. Period.
Writing FOR a director is a very different skillset than writing AS the director. Night & day.
I will continue to argue these are more interesting categories than the fakakta definition of "adapted."
This trend sucks. Period.
Writing FOR a director is a very different skillset than writing AS the director. Night & day.
I will continue to argue these are more interesting categories than the fakakta definition of "adapted."
Reposted by Sam Adams
As long as the costume design entails the use of real-world materials and construction techniques, which was the case with Avatar, there's no reason it shouldn't be considered for costume design awards
seeing some surprise at Avatar’s nomination for Costume Design, but
January 22, 2026 at 3:54 PM
As long as the costume design entails the use of real-world materials and construction techniques, which was the case with Avatar, there's no reason it shouldn't be considered for costume design awards
seeing some surprise at Avatar’s nomination for Costume Design, but
January 22, 2026 at 3:33 PM
seeing some surprise at Avatar’s nomination for Costume Design, but
Reposted by Sam Adams
From the New York Film Critics Circle Awards to Oscar nominees! Congratulations to the many talented artists and storytellers who earned Academy Awards nominations this morning including Ethan Hawke, Wagner Moura, Benicio del Toro, Amy Madigan, and Rose Byrne.
January 22, 2026 at 3:20 PM
From the New York Film Critics Circle Awards to Oscar nominees! Congratulations to the many talented artists and storytellers who earned Academy Awards nominations this morning including Ethan Hawke, Wagner Moura, Benicio del Toro, Amy Madigan, and Rose Byrne.
pretty hard to look at the disparity between noms for Ann Lee and The Brutalist and not draw the obvious conclusion
I suspect The Testament of Ann Lee is going to vanish pretty quickly if, as predicted, it strikes out completely with Oscar noms, but it's better than most of the movies still in the race, as well as a better Fastvold/Corbet joint than The Brutalist. (Soundtrack's all bangers, too.)
January 22, 2026 at 3:03 PM
pretty hard to look at the disparity between noms for Ann Lee and The Brutalist and not draw the obvious conclusion
I saw Sinners in 70mm IMAX the second time, and as blown away as I was by the visuals, the biggest takeaway was how great Delroy Lindo is. He was the on-the-bubble nominee I was really pulling for, and, well … good job Oscars! (Now let’s talk about those documentaries)
January 22, 2026 at 2:59 PM
I saw Sinners in 70mm IMAX the second time, and as blown away as I was by the visuals, the biggest takeaway was how great Delroy Lindo is. He was the on-the-bubble nominee I was really pulling for, and, well … good job Oscars! (Now let’s talk about those documentaries)
I talked to casting directors about the first new Oscars category in 25 years
It’s the Oscars’ First New Category in Decades. Few Understand What It’s Actually For.
Even many members of the academy misunderstand what casting directors do.
slate.com
January 22, 2026 at 2:37 PM
I talked to casting directors about the first new Oscars category in 25 years
the inability to sit with discomfort or unfamiliarity, to learn from it rather than instantly laughing it away, is an absolute plague on society that has implications far beyond how people behave in movies
To the justifiable discourse about how the repertory cinema experience is degraded by the smirky laughter of filmgoers who don't know how to process their own discomfort, all I can add is that if you're in a theater with a group of college kids who have been ASSIGNED to see a movie, brace yourself.>
January 22, 2026 at 4:04 AM
the inability to sit with discomfort or unfamiliarity, to learn from it rather than instantly laughing it away, is an absolute plague on society that has implications far beyond how people behave in movies
I am just a simple small-town lawyer but I really can’t think of a more toxic and self-defeating political strategy than telling your constituents the things they care about are “a distraction.”
January 21, 2026 at 8:29 PM
I am just a simple small-town lawyer but I really can’t think of a more toxic and self-defeating political strategy than telling your constituents the things they care about are “a distraction.”
the difference is that Mamdani isn’t telling people to shut up about everything else so he can focus on affordability
The pivot from "Mamdani is a political genius for focusing his message almost entirely on affordability" to "Schumer is a political moron for focusing his message almost entirely on affordability" is odd.
January 21, 2026 at 8:27 PM
the difference is that Mamdani isn’t telling people to shut up about everything else so he can focus on affordability
I’m no expert on analogies, but, uh…
Trump: "No nation is in any position to be able to secure Greenland other than the US. We're a great power. Much greater than people even understand. I think they found that out 2 weeks ago in Venezuela. We saw this in World War 2 when Denmark fell to Germany after just 6 hours of fighting."
January 21, 2026 at 4:57 PM
I’m no expert on analogies, but, uh…
Nice treaty organization you got here. Shame if anything was to happen to it.
January 21, 2026 at 4:54 PM
Nice treaty organization you got here. Shame if anything was to happen to it.