Zach Schonfeld
@zachschonfeld.bsky.social
Freelance writer and editor. Contributor to Pitchfork, Paste, Vulture, The Guardian, etc. Author of two books. Still sitting in a room. Email: zschonfeld@gmail.com.
Pinned
Zach Schonfeld
@zachschonfeld.bsky.social
· Nov 17
My book is finally out now. I spent three years researching Nicolas Cage's early years, studying his formative performances, and interviewing more than 120 people who worked with him and shared untold stories with me. I hope you find it interesting.
bookshop.org/p/books/how-...
bookshop.org/p/books/how-...
Reposted by Zach Schonfeld
honorable mention: Sublime's "Doin' Time"
Top 5 Songs That Feature Vocals From Actual Dogs:
1. Jane's Addiction — "Been Caught Stealing"
2. Beach Boys — "Caroline, No"
3. Mitski — "I'm Your Man"
4. Fiona Apple — "Fetch the Bolt Cutters"
5. Hélène Barbier — "Plastique Couch"
1. Jane's Addiction — "Been Caught Stealing"
2. Beach Boys — "Caroline, No"
3. Mitski — "I'm Your Man"
4. Fiona Apple — "Fetch the Bolt Cutters"
5. Hélène Barbier — "Plastique Couch"
December 11, 2025 at 3:33 AM
honorable mention: Sublime's "Doin' Time"
The seasonal focus on "A Long December" is distracting us from recognizing that "Mrs. Potter's Lullaby" is the '90s "Visions of Johanna"
December 25, 2025 at 9:21 PM
The seasonal focus on "A Long December" is distracting us from recognizing that "Mrs. Potter's Lullaby" is the '90s "Visions of Johanna"
A Discogs buyer messaged me: "hi do you have emerson lake and palmer concerts from 1977 and 1978 ROB." I wrote back: "What does ROB stand for?" He replied: "ROB MEANS ROBERT."
December 25, 2025 at 12:32 AM
A Discogs buyer messaged me: "hi do you have emerson lake and palmer concerts from 1977 and 1978 ROB." I wrote back: "What does ROB stand for?" He replied: "ROB MEANS ROBERT."
Reposted by Zach Schonfeld
DISCLOSURE DAY is Spielberg's first contemporary-set film since THE BFG in 2016. Prior to that it was WAR OF THE WORLDS in 2005.
In the past 25 years, Scorsese has made one movie set in the 21st century, Tarantino has made two, and Steven Soderbergh has made 21.
December 17, 2025 at 7:26 PM
DISCLOSURE DAY is Spielberg's first contemporary-set film since THE BFG in 2016. Prior to that it was WAR OF THE WORLDS in 2005.
Mid-'20s movies that are set in the '50s yet full of '80s needle drops:
• Queer (2024)
• Marty Supreme (2025)
• ???
• Queer (2024)
• Marty Supreme (2025)
• ???
December 24, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Mid-'20s movies that are set in the '50s yet full of '80s needle drops:
• Queer (2024)
• Marty Supreme (2025)
• ???
• Queer (2024)
• Marty Supreme (2025)
• ???
It's profoundly sad to see the Flaming Lips reduced to this
December 23, 2025 at 6:24 PM
It's profoundly sad to see the Flaming Lips reduced to this
Oscar prediction time! Looks like the Best Supporting Actor race will come down to five nominees...
December 23, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Oscar prediction time! Looks like the Best Supporting Actor race will come down to five nominees...
MARTY SUPREME (2025): Josh Safdie is the only director on the planet who would assemble Abel Ferrara, Larry "Ratso" Sloman, and Mitchell Wenig to play sweaty greaseballs in a $60-million prestige movie and I do love him for that.
December 23, 2025 at 4:12 AM
MARTY SUPREME (2025): Josh Safdie is the only director on the planet who would assemble Abel Ferrara, Larry "Ratso" Sloman, and Mitchell Wenig to play sweaty greaseballs in a $60-million prestige movie and I do love him for that.
To be honest, I wanted to interview Cameron Winter's mom (author of a bestselling polyamory memoir) for the New York Mag piece, but she didn't respond to my emails.
December 22, 2025 at 9:28 PM
To be honest, I wanted to interview Cameron Winter's mom (author of a bestselling polyamory memoir) for the New York Mag piece, but she didn't respond to my emails.
Reposted by Zach Schonfeld
one of the reasons Smile 2 is a really effective movie is that you can really easily imagine like half of our contemporary female pop stars in a situation where they're afflicted by a supernatural curse
November 15, 2025 at 3:12 AM
one of the reasons Smile 2 is a really effective movie is that you can really easily imagine like half of our contemporary female pop stars in a situation where they're afflicted by a supernatural curse
Here's Yo La Tengo covering "Mrs. Robinson" with Susanna Hoffs last night
December 22, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Here's Yo La Tengo covering "Mrs. Robinson" with Susanna Hoffs last night
Reposted by Zach Schonfeld
it’s so funny how my (well-meaning!!) gentile friends are like “may the menorah candles illuminate our world in this dark time” and jews are like “cool, latkes”
December 15, 2025 at 12:57 AM
it’s so funny how my (well-meaning!!) gentile friends are like “may the menorah candles illuminate our world in this dark time” and jews are like “cool, latkes”
As an addendum to my Sunday Review, I decided to publish a long interview I did with the Boo Radleys' lead singer, Simon "Sice" Rowbottom, back in 2022:
'I Think We Confused People from Album to Album': An Interview with Sice of the Boo Radleys
An addendum to my Sunday Review
tunabassoons.substack.com
December 21, 2025 at 5:12 PM
As an addendum to my Sunday Review, I decided to publish a long interview I did with the Boo Radleys' lead singer, Simon "Sice" Rowbottom, back in 2022:
Here's Yo La Tengo turning "Be My Baby" into a dream-pop lullaby the other night
December 20, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Here's Yo La Tengo turning "Be My Baby" into a dream-pop lullaby the other night
Reposted by Zach Schonfeld
Because if you care about securely owning a movie that you love--as opposed to "owning" it only until a license agreement over which you have no control expires without warning--you need a DVD or Blu-ray. The hardware may be yesterday; the concern is very much of this moment.
Why do (us) old people want to burden Gen Z with our nostalgia for an antique piece of hardware in the first place?
A (quite) young movie lover said to me recently, "Not everybody can afford a DVD player," and I said "How much do you think a DVD player costs?"
He said, "I don't know, like $500?"
Those of us who advocate physical media are maybe not doing the best job of messaging.
He said, "I don't know, like $500?"
Those of us who advocate physical media are maybe not doing the best job of messaging.
December 13, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Because if you care about securely owning a movie that you love--as opposed to "owning" it only until a license agreement over which you have no control expires without warning--you need a DVD or Blu-ray. The hardware may be yesterday; the concern is very much of this moment.
Yo La Tengo Hanukkah Season is the only time of year I almost understand what it's like to be a Phish fan.
December 20, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Yo La Tengo Hanukkah Season is the only time of year I almost understand what it's like to be a Phish fan.
I wrote about Geese for New York Mag's "Reasons to Love New York" issue
December 19, 2025 at 4:22 PM
I wrote about Geese for New York Mag's "Reasons to Love New York" issue
Reposted by Zach Schonfeld
a fav 2025 record you may have missed iykyk
avaluna.bandcamp.com/album/ava-luna
avaluna.bandcamp.com/album/ava-luna
Ava Luna, by Ava Luna
11 track album
avaluna.bandcamp.com
December 13, 2025 at 6:14 PM
a fav 2025 record you may have missed iykyk
avaluna.bandcamp.com/album/ava-luna
avaluna.bandcamp.com/album/ava-luna
Drozd has been the musical heart of the Flaming Lips for 30 years. He's the guy who brings Wayne's wacky concepts to life and sculpts incredible albums like Zaireeka and The Soft Bulletin. Without him, the Lips are a gimmicky nostalgia vessel.
The Flaming Lips Split With Steven Drozd After 33 Years
Steven Drozd joined the Flaming Lips in 1991. At that point, the long-running Oklahoma City psych-rock band had already been around for eight years. Drozd started out as their drummer. Over the years,...
stereogum.com
December 18, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Drozd has been the musical heart of the Flaming Lips for 30 years. He's the guy who brings Wayne's wacky concepts to life and sculpts incredible albums like Zaireeka and The Soft Bulletin. Without him, the Lips are a gimmicky nostalgia vessel.
I wrote a mini-profile of Geese for the new issue of New York magazine. I love this band and am deeply unnerved by the fact that they were born in 2002.
December 18, 2025 at 6:55 PM
I wrote a mini-profile of Geese for the new issue of New York magazine. I love this band and am deeply unnerved by the fact that they were born in 2002.
Feels like the Flaming Lips are basically just a tribute band now.
Steven Drozd Says He's No Longer in The Flaming Lips
Steven Drozd says he is no longer a member of The Flaming Lips.
consequence.net
December 18, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Feels like the Flaming Lips are basically just a tribute band now.
Reposted by Zach Schonfeld
Really very good stuff from Zach that made me want to watch all three of these movies again immediately. bsky.app/profile/zach...
Ever since I saw One Battle After Another, I've thought about what it means that this is PTA's first movie set in the present century since Punch-Drunk Love. So, I wrote an essay about One Battle After Another and Bugonia and a year of movies that grapple with the ugliness of present-day America.
The Year the Auteurs Finally Portrayed Present-Day America
2025 saw directors known primarily for their period pieces shifting to contemporary stories
www.insidehook.com
December 17, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Really very good stuff from Zach that made me want to watch all three of these movies again immediately. bsky.app/profile/zach...
Ever since I saw One Battle After Another, I've thought about what it means that this is PTA's first movie set in the present century since Punch-Drunk Love. So, I wrote an essay about One Battle After Another and Bugonia and a year of movies that grapple with the ugliness of present-day America.
The Year the Auteurs Finally Portrayed Present-Day America
2025 saw directors known primarily for their period pieces shifting to contemporary stories
www.insidehook.com
December 16, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Ever since I saw One Battle After Another, I've thought about what it means that this is PTA's first movie set in the present century since Punch-Drunk Love. So, I wrote an essay about One Battle After Another and Bugonia and a year of movies that grapple with the ugliness of present-day America.
Reposted by Zach Schonfeld
the most tragic part of being an immortal vampire is helplessly watching as all the hit ragtime ditties you wrote slowly enter the public domain
December 16, 2025 at 6:53 PM
the most tragic part of being an immortal vampire is helplessly watching as all the hit ragtime ditties you wrote slowly enter the public domain
Pretty unimaginably dark year for Hollywood. Started with the fires and Lynch's death, ended with Rob and Michele Reiner being murdered in their own home.
December 16, 2025 at 3:13 AM
Pretty unimaginably dark year for Hollywood. Started with the fires and Lynch's death, ended with Rob and Michele Reiner being murdered in their own home.