Michael Snydel
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snydel.bsky.social
Michael Snydel
@snydel.bsky.social
He/him. Periodic writer about movies, regular musings about everything else. Former writer/podcaster; now i'm just trying to post through it.
NW: Caught by the Tides (Jia, 2025)
November 19, 2025 at 2:02 AM
Reposted by Michael Snydel
Pretty amazing to see two releases from the BFI that I provided essays for won awards the other day
November 18, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Reposted by Michael Snydel
Oh hey, I found the war on christmas
"Agencies within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, including ICE, ERO, and CBP intend to implement a comprehensive plan to target Spanish-speaking churches across the country during the upcoming holiday season between Thanksgiving, Nov. 27, and Christmas, Dec. 25."
Exclusive: Trump DHS Plans Immigration Raids on Churches Over Holidays
The Trump Dept. of Homeland Security is briefing federal agencies on plans for immigration enforcement operations inside churches over holidays.
thisweekinworcester.com
November 18, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Reposted by Michael Snydel
The U.S. trailer for Lav Diaz's epic #Magellan has arrived ahead of a January release.

Watch: thefilmstage.com/magellan-tra...
November 18, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Reposted by Michael Snydel
As a counter to today’s predictable Game Awards Nominees, there’s a far more unique list of nominees for The Indie Game Awards 2025. Along with more typical categories, there are also awards for things like best game developed in underrepresented areas like Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa.
Introducing the nominees for The Indie Game Awards 2025, airing on December 18th at 3:30 PM PT / 6:30 PM ET on @ign.com, @gamespot.com, and @sixoneindie.com's YouTube and Twitch channels.

Visit indiegameawards.gg for the full list of nominees, presenters, and judges.
November 17, 2025 at 5:59 PM
Perfect album from the year I turned 16. RIP Brian McBride.
November 17, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Reposted by Michael Snydel
yeah so here’s the news
Okay, yeah: Endless Mode is now The A.V. Club Games. We speedran this thing. Same editors, same writers, same content, just a different but familiar site. www.avclub.com/new-games-se...
The A.V. Club Games announces a new era
The A.V. Club's games section gets a major boost as Paste's and Endless Mode's games coverage joins the site.
www.avclub.com
November 17, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Reposted by Michael Snydel
Upcoming Criterion edition of Kurosawa Kiyoshi’s Cloud features an essay by me!

www.criterion.com/films/34956-...
Cloud
A gonzo revenge thriller, a darkly comic anticapitalist critique, and a dizzying plunge into the alienated abyss of the internet, Cloud is among the most audacious genre experiments to date from maste...
www.criterion.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:49 PM
Reposted by Michael Snydel
Today, Paste Magazine shuttered all its non-music verticals, a choice I am both professionally and personally heartbroken about. Sadly, I am once again looking for a place that wants to let me write about Books and TV on the regular, so hit me up if that’s you or anyone you know.
November 17, 2025 at 5:32 PM
As a counter to today’s predictable Game Awards Nominees, there’s a far more unique list of nominees for The Indie Game Awards 2025. Along with more typical categories, there are also awards for things like best game developed in underrepresented areas like Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa.
Introducing the nominees for The Indie Game Awards 2025, airing on December 18th at 3:30 PM PT / 6:30 PM ET on @ign.com, @gamespot.com, and @sixoneindie.com's YouTube and Twitch channels.

Visit indiegameawards.gg for the full list of nominees, presenters, and judges.
November 17, 2025 at 5:59 PM
There are so many people who I would like to mute forever who I begrudgingly keep track of because they’re making US policy decisions.
November 17, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Reposted by Michael Snydel
"Billy Bob drawls one deadpan crack after another about the sissification of modern society; the season’s opening scene sees him go off on a waitress about cornflakes ('You think our ancestors had breakfast?')." @clintworthing.bsky.social evicts Landman. www.rogerebert.com/streaming/la...
"Landman" Might Be the Dumbest Fracking Show on TV | TV/Streaming | Roger Ebert
The show struggles to find new reserves to plumb and veers off in some crazy directions to do it.
www.rogerebert.com
November 17, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Reposted by Michael Snydel
5 headlines tonight on Charlotte Observer’s homepage:

“Manolo's Bakery closes to protect customers”

“Church members flee as federal agents arrive”

“Super G executive describes agents dragging out teen employee”

“Border Patrol questions people at Walmart”

“Border Patrol sweep sparks fear”
November 16, 2025 at 4:25 AM
Reposted by Michael Snydel
Remember those national guard troops sent to Chicago by Texas Gov Greg Abbott? They went home after sitting at a suburban training facility doing nothing for a month. Abbott's little stunt cost taxpayers at least $12M. What an abuse of power.

wgntv.com/news/wgn-inv...
November 16, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Reposted by Michael Snydel
Just how morally, ethically, intellectually bankrupt do you have to be to argue that 15-year-olds can sell sex but can’t affirm gender
November 15, 2025 at 8:05 PM
I just noticed that there’s a new Alice Diop (Saint Omer) short on Mubi this week. mubi.com/en/us/films/...
Watch Fragments for Venus (2025) on MUBI
A Black woman wanders alone through the galleries of a museum, carefully examining each painting, searching for something. Across Brooklyn, another Black woman wanders the streets, her gaze full of wo...
mubi.com
November 15, 2025 at 9:06 PM
Reposted by Michael Snydel
Mikio Naruse’s EVERY-NIGHT DREAMS screens Sunday at 11:30 AM at @musicboxtheatre.bsky.social ! Imported 35mm print from Japan! Live musical accompaniment by MIYUMI project!
November 15, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Sigh, I really am not vibing with this new Rosalía album. It gives me way too much musical theater/opera energy (derogatory). More sweeping, orchestral strings is not what I wanted from her.
November 14, 2025 at 8:13 PM
Here are some new additions on my Letterboxd streaming list from the last couple of weeks. Here’s the full list with locations in the notes. boxd.it/CSdwA
November 14, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Reposted by Michael Snydel
Some exciting news: I am joining @pastemagazine.bsky.social as a ~contributing writer~ with two (!!) monthly columns: Audio Books (interviews with authors of music books) and Cover Me (interviews with bands about all their album covers). Cover Me starts next month. Audio Books starts in January.
November 13, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Reposted by Michael Snydel
A really fun time: I talked to Alex Horne and Greg Davies about 20! seasons! of Taskmaster, their thoughts on cast chemistry, designing tasks, their own bond, and what comes next. @vulture.com:

www.vulture.com/article/task...
The Taskmaster Guys Know What You’re Watching For
Alex Horne and Greg Davies break down season 20’s most ludicrous tasks and their undeniable chemistry.
www.vulture.com
November 13, 2025 at 11:49 PM
Reposted by Michael Snydel
you could fact check this — there aren’t 30 million illegal immigrants and there is no evidence that the presence of an immigrant in say houston has any impact on housing in madison, wisconsin — or you could note straightforwardly that this is just nazi rhetoric
JD Vance: "A lot of young people are saying housing is way too expensive. Why is that? Because we flooded the country with 30 million illegal immigrants who were taking houses that ought by right go to American citizens."
November 13, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Not to post stolen valor, but my wife (not on here) took these pictures of the Northern Lights from Montrose Beach in Chicago last night.
November 13, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Reposted by Michael Snydel
Comparte a Martin Scorsese y a Agnès Varda cubierta de billetes de 100 dólares y tendrás suerte para todo el mes.
November 13, 2025 at 11:48 AM