Stephen A Russell
@stephenarussell.bsky.social
Glasgow-born, Naarm (Melbourne)-based arts journalist and award-winning critic obsessed with film, theatre and a whole lot more. Live on the unceded lands of the Kulin Nation. Snorts generally included. He/him, quite gay.
Substack: Orion's Shoulder
Substack: Orion's Shoulder
Pinned
Why the Iranian government doesn't want you to see this film
Would you face prison for what you believe in? Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi already has and, following the release of his latest film, he may again.
bit.ly
With Iran in turmoil, worth hearing from It Was Just an Accident director Jafar Panahi on how film can champion change, even at great personal risk bit.ly/4sHylFD
Reposted by Stephen A Russell
It’s so interesting that the comet pizza-Q-Anon folks have disappeared just as their deeply held concerns about a widespread elite child trafficking conspiracy has been proven correct
January 22, 2026 at 3:37 AM
It’s so interesting that the comet pizza-Q-Anon folks have disappeared just as their deeply held concerns about a widespread elite child trafficking conspiracy has been proven correct
Reposted by Stephen A Russell
Had fantastic chats with Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater about Blue Moon, mutual respect and the art of filmmaking. Check it out @ohmpods.bsky.social bit.ly/45o3qnQ
The moon and the stars: Ethan Hawke and director Richard Linklater talk friendship, pushing boundaries and the drama of Blue Moon — One Heat Minute Productions
All the preparation in the world will not prepare you for the surreal moment when a previously unnoticed slide door opens, and Ethan Hawke steps through.
bit.ly
January 21, 2026 at 6:50 AM
Had fantastic chats with Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater about Blue Moon, mutual respect and the art of filmmaking. Check it out @ohmpods.bsky.social bit.ly/45o3qnQ
Reposted by Stephen A Russell
The amazing @stephenarussell.bsky.social plays special correspondent for @ohmpods.bsky.social with a great new interview: "The Moon and the Stars: Ethan Hawke and director Richard Linklater talk friendship, pushing boundaries and the drama of Blue Moon"
www.oneheatminute.com/articles/fea...
www.oneheatminute.com/articles/fea...
The moon and the stars: Ethan Hawke and director Richard Linklater talk friendship, pushing boundaries and the drama of Blue Moon — One Heat Minute Productions
All the preparation in the world will not prepare you for the surreal moment when a previously unnoticed slide door opens, and Ethan Hawke steps through.
www.oneheatminute.com
January 21, 2026 at 3:52 AM
The amazing @stephenarussell.bsky.social plays special correspondent for @ohmpods.bsky.social with a great new interview: "The Moon and the Stars: Ethan Hawke and director Richard Linklater talk friendship, pushing boundaries and the drama of Blue Moon"
www.oneheatminute.com/articles/fea...
www.oneheatminute.com/articles/fea...
Had fantastic chats with Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater about Blue Moon, mutual respect and the art of filmmaking. Check it out @ohmpods.bsky.social bit.ly/45o3qnQ
The moon and the stars: Ethan Hawke and director Richard Linklater talk friendship, pushing boundaries and the drama of Blue Moon — One Heat Minute Productions
All the preparation in the world will not prepare you for the surreal moment when a previously unnoticed slide door opens, and Ethan Hawke steps through.
bit.ly
January 21, 2026 at 6:50 AM
Had fantastic chats with Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater about Blue Moon, mutual respect and the art of filmmaking. Check it out @ohmpods.bsky.social bit.ly/45o3qnQ
Reposted by Stephen A Russell
Transphobia really does rot your brain.
January 19, 2026 at 5:17 PM
Transphobia really does rot your brain.
Reposted by Stephen A Russell
Reposted by Stephen A Russell
Saturday Night Fever the musical sweeps most of the story's guts off the dance floor bit.ly/45WZASI
Let's dance! Saturday Night Fever is now playing at the Athenaeum Theatre
Enjoy a fun, if lightweight, musical retelling of the movie that’s more dance-off than drama.
bit.ly
January 18, 2026 at 6:11 AM
Saturday Night Fever the musical sweeps most of the story's guts off the dance floor bit.ly/45WZASI
Will be on ABC 702 soon, talking Marty Supreme and comparing it to Call Me By Your Name
a close up of a young man 's face with his eyes closed and his hair blowing in the wind .
ALT: a close up of a young man 's face with his eyes closed and his hair blowing in the wind .
media.tenor.com
January 19, 2026 at 9:57 AM
Will be on ABC 702 soon, talking Marty Supreme and comparing it to Call Me By Your Name
I won’t lie, I’ve found Chalamet’s Oscar campaign intensely annoying, but a few important niggles aside, I wound up really digging Marty Supreme (or Extreme, as I keep typing it) bit.ly/3NpTnZi
Marty Supreme review: propulsive, frenetic if lightweight fun | ScreenHub: Film, TV, Streaming and Games
Josh Safdie’s solo directorial debut features a who’s who of cameos, gorgeous cinematography, and Timothée Chalamet as the fast-talking, chaotic lead.
bit.ly
January 19, 2026 at 7:53 AM
I won’t lie, I’ve found Chalamet’s Oscar campaign intensely annoying, but a few important niggles aside, I wound up really digging Marty Supreme (or Extreme, as I keep typing it) bit.ly/3NpTnZi
Reposted by Stephen A Russell
Frothy fun, Sugar @artscentremelb.bsky.social is a Midsumma delight bit.ly/4b28Zff
Sugar review: a frothy, fun and fearless Midsumma treat
This whirlwind production works Chappell Roan into Pretty Woman by way of Tomáš Kantor’s commanding queerness.
bit.ly
January 16, 2026 at 4:59 AM
Frothy fun, Sugar @artscentremelb.bsky.social is a Midsumma delight bit.ly/4b28Zff
Saturday Night Fever the musical sweeps most of the story's guts off the dance floor bit.ly/45WZASI
Let's dance! Saturday Night Fever is now playing at the Athenaeum Theatre
Enjoy a fun, if lightweight, musical retelling of the movie that’s more dance-off than drama.
bit.ly
January 18, 2026 at 6:11 AM
Saturday Night Fever the musical sweeps most of the story's guts off the dance floor bit.ly/45WZASI
Reposted by Stephen A Russell
The Advertiser has the letter Malinauskas wrote to the board of Adelaide Festival. It is very hard to see how this is not a direction to remove Abdel-Fattah, despite a line saying board decisions are independent. drive.google.com/file/d/169Pi...
Letter from the Hon Peter Malinauskas MP, Premier of South Australia - Whiting, Tracey - fB526314 (B2460669).pdf
drive.google.com
January 17, 2026 at 11:13 PM
The Advertiser has the letter Malinauskas wrote to the board of Adelaide Festival. It is very hard to see how this is not a direction to remove Abdel-Fattah, despite a line saying board decisions are independent. drive.google.com/file/d/169Pi...
Reposted by Stephen A Russell
January 17, 2026 at 6:26 AM
Reposted by Stephen A Russell
It's not hate to oppose systematic mass murder. Even if it was, a felt emotion is not worse than the literal killing fields sustained by the West’s murder colony in occupied Palestine. It is insane that this needs to be said. How about, if you do not like being 'vilified' maybe stop being villains?
January 17, 2026 at 3:39 AM
It's not hate to oppose systematic mass murder. Even if it was, a felt emotion is not worse than the literal killing fields sustained by the West’s murder colony in occupied Palestine. It is insane that this needs to be said. How about, if you do not like being 'vilified' maybe stop being villains?
Reposted by Stephen A Russell
With Iran in turmoil, worth hearing from It Was Just an Accident director Jafar Panahi on how film can champion change, even at great personal risk bit.ly/4sHylFD
Why the Iranian government doesn't want you to see this film
Would you face prison for what you believe in? Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi already has and, following the release of his latest film, he may again.
bit.ly
January 14, 2026 at 10:13 PM
With Iran in turmoil, worth hearing from It Was Just an Accident director Jafar Panahi on how film can champion change, even at great personal risk bit.ly/4sHylFD
Reposted by Stephen A Russell
This is your reminder that Hungarian-Jewish scientist George de Hevesy dissolved two Nobel Prizes in aqua regia to keep them out of the hands of the Nazis.
He then left the dissolved solution on his shelf and fled to Sweden.
(After the war he un-dissolved the gold and the prizes were re-cast.)
He then left the dissolved solution on his shelf and fled to Sweden.
(After the war he un-dissolved the gold and the prizes were re-cast.)
January 16, 2026 at 4:14 AM
This is your reminder that Hungarian-Jewish scientist George de Hevesy dissolved two Nobel Prizes in aqua regia to keep them out of the hands of the Nazis.
He then left the dissolved solution on his shelf and fled to Sweden.
(After the war he un-dissolved the gold and the prizes were re-cast.)
He then left the dissolved solution on his shelf and fled to Sweden.
(After the war he un-dissolved the gold and the prizes were re-cast.)
Reposted by Stephen A Russell
What fresh horror and strangely beguiling beauty will be uncovered in Nia DaCosta’s 28 Years Later chapter, The Bone Temple? bit.ly/4jKcCJ8
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple review: beguilingly wild and tender | ScreenHub: Film, TV, Streaming and Games
Candyman director Nia DaCosta proves there’s plenty of surprises yet in this shape-changing and soul-shifting franchise.
bit.ly
January 15, 2026 at 6:29 AM
What fresh horror and strangely beguiling beauty will be uncovered in Nia DaCosta’s 28 Years Later chapter, The Bone Temple? bit.ly/4jKcCJ8
Frothy fun, Sugar @artscentremelb.bsky.social is a Midsumma delight bit.ly/4b28Zff
Sugar review: a frothy, fun and fearless Midsumma treat
This whirlwind production works Chappell Roan into Pretty Woman by way of Tomáš Kantor’s commanding queerness.
bit.ly
January 16, 2026 at 4:59 AM
Frothy fun, Sugar @artscentremelb.bsky.social is a Midsumma delight bit.ly/4b28Zff
What fresh horror and strangely beguiling beauty will be uncovered in Nia DaCosta’s 28 Years Later chapter, The Bone Temple? bit.ly/4jKcCJ8
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple review: beguilingly wild and tender | ScreenHub: Film, TV, Streaming and Games
Candyman director Nia DaCosta proves there’s plenty of surprises yet in this shape-changing and soul-shifting franchise.
bit.ly
January 15, 2026 at 6:29 AM
What fresh horror and strangely beguiling beauty will be uncovered in Nia DaCosta’s 28 Years Later chapter, The Bone Temple? bit.ly/4jKcCJ8
With Iran in turmoil, worth hearing from It Was Just an Accident director Jafar Panahi on how film can champion change, even at great personal risk bit.ly/4sHylFD
Why the Iranian government doesn't want you to see this film
Would you face prison for what you believe in? Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi already has and, following the release of his latest film, he may again.
bit.ly
January 14, 2026 at 10:13 PM
With Iran in turmoil, worth hearing from It Was Just an Accident director Jafar Panahi on how film can champion change, even at great personal risk bit.ly/4sHylFD
Reposted by Stephen A Russell
"Public submissions on the laws are due to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security by Thursday afternoon. That leaves fewer than three days for public consultation.
This timeline is wholly inadequate to consider such significant changes."
theconversation.com/with-its-new...
This timeline is wholly inadequate to consider such significant changes."
theconversation.com/with-its-new...
With its new laws, the government is tackling hate speech quickly, but not properly
The draft hate speech bill includes the biggest terrorism reforms in years, but it raises more questions than it answers.
theconversation.com
January 14, 2026 at 9:47 PM
"Public submissions on the laws are due to the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security by Thursday afternoon. That leaves fewer than three days for public consultation.
This timeline is wholly inadequate to consider such significant changes."
theconversation.com/with-its-new...
This timeline is wholly inadequate to consider such significant changes."
theconversation.com/with-its-new...
Last summer movie spot on Radio National this morning soon. Hoping to chat Hamnet and the Bone Temple. Join us?
a woman in a red dress is carrying a man on her back through a forest
ALT: a woman in a red dress is carrying a man on her back through a forest
media.tenor.com
January 14, 2026 at 9:36 PM
Last summer movie spot on Radio National this morning soon. Hoping to chat Hamnet and the Bone Temple. Join us?
Reposted by Stephen A Russell
I giggled at this because I am not a mature person
January 14, 2026 at 2:09 AM
I giggled at this because I am not a mature person
The SA arts minister finally shows up to her job after almost a week hiding under her desk and her only contribution is to defend the premier’s censorial vandalism that has destroyed the oldest writers festival in the world. She’s not fit to be anywhere near cultural leadership.
January 13, 2026 at 11:15 AM
The SA arts minister finally shows up to her job after almost a week hiding under her desk and her only contribution is to defend the premier’s censorial vandalism that has destroyed the oldest writers festival in the world. She’s not fit to be anywhere near cultural leadership.
The fascism keeps on creeping
Asio chief given powers to recommend organisations be proscribed as hate groups under Labor’s new laws
Asio chief given powers to recommend organisations be proscribed as hate groups under Labor’s new laws
Neo-Nazi group the National Socialist Network claims it will disband before hate speech legislation is introduced to parliament on Monday
*
Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates
*
Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast
Australia’s spy boss will be given powers to recommend an organisation be proscribed as a hate group under the Labor government’s new religious vilification protections.
The draft bill, which the government released on Tuesday, includes new hate speech and anti-vilification laws, powers to formally designate groups as proscribed organisations, and provisions for the largest gun buy-back scheme since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
January 13, 2026 at 6:19 AM
The fascism keeps on creeping