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.
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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-...
I went to see The Testament of Ann Lee and thought about the psychic link between the religious fervor of 18th-century Shaker worship and the larger-than-life choreography of 20th-century movie musicals. A good movie, a massive swing:
A ★★★½ review of The Testament of Ann Lee (2025)
Random notes: • A big swing, and one that draws an implicit link between the religious fervor of 18th-century Shaker worship and the larger-than-life choreography of 20th-century movie musicals; almos...
letterboxd.com
February 10, 2026 at 3:04 AM
I went to see The Testament of Ann Lee and thought about the psychic link between the religious fervor of 18th-century Shaker worship and the larger-than-life choreography of 20th-century movie musicals. A good movie, a massive swing:
Reposted by Zach Schonfeld
being a millennial is great. everything I ever did on the internet for like 10 years is all coming back around as class action lawsuit money
December 5, 2025 at 4:22 AM
being a millennial is great. everything I ever did on the internet for like 10 years is all coming back around as class action lawsuit money
Aaron Sorkin is directing a sequel to a David Fincher film and Fincher is directing a sequel to a Tarantino film. To complete the circle, Tarantino MUST direct a sequel to Molly's Game.
February 9, 2026 at 7:18 PM
Aaron Sorkin is directing a sequel to a David Fincher film and Fincher is directing a sequel to a Tarantino film. To complete the circle, Tarantino MUST direct a sequel to Molly's Game.
Blue Moon and Materialists are both secretly about the fear that short men aren't worthy of love, but Blue Moon is a much better movie.
February 9, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Blue Moon and Materialists are both secretly about the fear that short men aren't worthy of love, but Blue Moon is a much better movie.
Bought some CDs at the new Rough Trade store recently
February 8, 2026 at 9:06 PM
Bought some CDs at the new Rough Trade store recently
84 minutes of hanging out on tour with the Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth, Beck, Bikini Kill, and Pavement in 1995 is an extremely easy sell for me. Still, I loved Tamra Davis's archival documentary The Best Summer, a time capsule from a chiller era:
A ★★★★ review of The Best Summer (2026)
Eighty-four minutes of hanging out on tour with Sonic Youth, Beastie Boys, Beck, Bikini Kill, and Pavement in 1995 is an extremely easy sell for me. Still, I loved how raw and slice-of-life this is, h...
letterboxd.com
February 8, 2026 at 3:19 AM
84 minutes of hanging out on tour with the Beastie Boys, Sonic Youth, Beck, Bikini Kill, and Pavement in 1995 is an extremely easy sell for me. Still, I loved Tamra Davis's archival documentary The Best Summer, a time capsule from a chiller era:
Reposted by Zach Schonfeld
Renfeild: I booked your passage on the Demeter, master
Dracula: thankfs. dont foret the box of,, dert
Dracula: thankfs. dont foret the box of,, dert
February 5, 2026 at 3:49 AM
Renfeild: I booked your passage on the Demeter, master
Dracula: thankfs. dont foret the box of,, dert
Dracula: thankfs. dont foret the box of,, dert
It's really something to see Epstein's assistant and Woody Allen's assistant arranging for Epstein and Woody to take a walk together, like parents arranging a playdate for their kids
February 7, 2026 at 4:19 AM
It's really something to see Epstein's assistant and Woody Allen's assistant arranging for Epstein and Woody to take a walk together, like parents arranging a playdate for their kids
In light of the heavily-asterisked "success" of Melania, I'm in the mood to reshare this essay I wrote last year about the rise of sanitized celebrity docs that are increasingly indistinguishable from high-end brand management.
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/ma...
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/ma...
February 6, 2026 at 4:01 PM
In light of the heavily-asterisked "success" of Melania, I'm in the mood to reshare this essay I wrote last year about the rise of sanitized celebrity docs that are increasingly indistinguishable from high-end brand management.
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/ma...
www.theguardian.com/film/2025/ma...
Reposted by Zach Schonfeld
Joanna Newsom in the party shuffle to prove to my guests I'm not using Spotify
February 2, 2026 at 1:44 PM
Joanna Newsom in the party shuffle to prove to my guests I'm not using Spotify
Quiet night-time albums that have precisely one loud, fast song
February 6, 2026 at 3:21 AM
Quiet night-time albums that have precisely one loud, fast song
Good morning. Over at @pitchfork.com, I wrote about Geologist's first solo album, which is centered around the hurdy-gurdy and sounds like a medieval troubadour got drunk on mead and discovered spiritual jazz 600 years early.
Geologist: Can I Get a Pack of Camel Lights?
Read Zach Schonfeld’s review of the album.
pitchfork.com
February 5, 2026 at 4:26 PM
Good morning. Over at @pitchfork.com, I wrote about Geologist's first solo album, which is centered around the hurdy-gurdy and sounds like a medieval troubadour got drunk on mead and discovered spiritual jazz 600 years early.
Reposted by Zach Schonfeld
i suppose it’s fitting that the model the billionaires have in mind when they want to destroy a journalistic institution and make it a reactionary slop machine is The Free Press
February 4, 2026 at 4:02 PM
i suppose it’s fitting that the model the billionaires have in mind when they want to destroy a journalistic institution and make it a reactionary slop machine is The Free Press
The "benevolent billionaire" model of journalism is dead. Solidarity with everyone at the Post who's lost their job because a man worth $239,000,000,000 belatedly realized that accountability journalism doesn't always make Number Go Up.
February 4, 2026 at 3:28 PM
The "benevolent billionaire" model of journalism is dead. Solidarity with everyone at the Post who's lost their job because a man worth $239,000,000,000 belatedly realized that accountability journalism doesn't always make Number Go Up.
[Investigators meticulously sifting through my emails after my death] Why on earth did this guy get so many emails about something called "RIYL: Big Thief"??
February 3, 2026 at 6:58 PM
[Investigators meticulously sifting through my emails after my death] Why on earth did this guy get so many emails about something called "RIYL: Big Thief"??
Reposted by Zach Schonfeld
The Melania documentary might be the first film made solely by people named Alan Smithee.
January 27, 2026 at 11:24 PM
The Melania documentary might be the first film made solely by people named Alan Smithee.
Incredible. The Passion of the Christ came out 22 years ago and depicted the year A.D. 33. If The Passion of the Christ came out today, it would have to be set in A.D. 55!
February 3, 2026 at 3:16 AM
Incredible. The Passion of the Christ came out 22 years ago and depicted the year A.D. 33. If The Passion of the Christ came out today, it would have to be set in A.D. 55!
Gawker was a good website for many reasons, but especially because it made avowed enemies out of people like Peter Thiel and Jeffrey Epstein.
February 2, 2026 at 9:17 PM
Gawker was a good website for many reasons, but especially because it made avowed enemies out of people like Peter Thiel and Jeffrey Epstein.
I think it's nice that Cher absentmindedly awarded a Grammy to the long-dead Luther Vandross. Cher should be allowed to give the Grammy to whoever she wants.
February 2, 2026 at 4:35 PM
I think it's nice that Cher absentmindedly awarded a Grammy to the long-dead Luther Vandross. Cher should be allowed to give the Grammy to whoever she wants.
Reposted by Zach Schonfeld
A MIGHTY WIND is a perfect film and one of the great boomer texts
January 31, 2026 at 3:15 AM
A MIGHTY WIND is a perfect film and one of the great boomer texts
[Joe Strummer voice]
That's Melania Trump, honey!
That's Melania Trump, honey!
February 1, 2026 at 7:34 PM
[Joe Strummer voice]
That's Melania Trump, honey!
That's Melania Trump, honey!
Easy to dunk on Rage Against the Machine but Tom Morello has always been a genuine activist at heart, someone who shows up and speaks out whether or not it sells records
January 31, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Easy to dunk on Rage Against the Machine but Tom Morello has always been a genuine activist at heart, someone who shows up and speaks out whether or not it sells records
Reposted by Zach Schonfeld
I don't think it's exaggerating to say that the stark contrast between Delia Deetz in "Beetlejuice" and Kevin's mom in "Home Alone" was the first time it really dawned on me what acting was.
January 30, 2026 at 6:38 PM
I don't think it's exaggerating to say that the stark contrast between Delia Deetz in "Beetlejuice" and Kevin's mom in "Home Alone" was the first time it really dawned on me what acting was.
Losing Diane Keaton and Rob Reiner and Catherine O'Hara in quick succession is a pretty big blow for people who enjoy elementary things such as "laughter" and "joy"
January 31, 2026 at 12:20 AM
Losing Diane Keaton and Rob Reiner and Catherine O'Hara in quick succession is a pretty big blow for people who enjoy elementary things such as "laughter" and "joy"
I don't think there's a more perfectly cast movie than After Hours. Every kooky side character a complex world unto herself; every performance charged with surprises and alarming left turns.
January 30, 2026 at 7:22 PM
I don't think there's a more perfectly cast movie than After Hours. Every kooky side character a complex world unto herself; every performance charged with surprises and alarming left turns.