Daniella
@daniellamazzio
Culture Writer/Critic. Consultant. Posts about movies, Chicago, gardening, pollinators, disability, & leftism. Ran that Lydia Tár account. Now have a Michael Shannon podcast. Opinions are my own. Viva Palestina.
I think it's charming that Jon Bernthal's hair is all top and no side in Spiderman and no top and all side in The Odyssey
It was my forever love @joeengleman.bsky.social's birthday on Friday and he said instead of a photo of him I should post his birthday haul from me, which was two Wiseman movies, three books, and stained glass bird candle holders. ❤️
The Mouse is out of the bag: Extremely delighted to share that I'll be at this year's @socialismconference.org to talk w/ @vickyacab.bsky.social about her brilliant book, "The Extended Universe: How Disney Killed the Movies and Took over the World." Register! socialism2026.sched.com/event/2RijZ/...
Chicagoans, I think we may finally be out of the cold days for good because one of three swallowtails I overwintered emerged yesterday. She is very beautiful and I was worried they didn't make it and nature continues to amaze me 🥹 #SwallowtailSummer approaches....
These reviews and *all* my CLFF reviews can be found at room-tone.ghost.io.
And RUNA SIMI (dir. Augusto Zegarra, Peru): "Zegarra's eye as a documentarian allows the greater reality to bleed through without overwhelming our central subject. This is a movie about the remnants of colonialism that maintain a stranglehold on Peru" room-tone.ghost.io/clff-6-runa-...
MELODRAMA (dir. Andrés Farías, Dominican Republic): "[Chicago-based writer] Rey Andújar's most successful contribution is the romance he inflects into the dialogue... genuine work that solidifies MELODRAMA's place as a great—and tragic—romance." room-tone.ghost.io/clff-4-espin...
EVA (dir. William Reyes, Honduras/Colombia): "Both mother and son have to face a mountainous grief that no one could have expected, but that also puts both of their lives in stasis emotionally and economically." room-tone.ghost.io/clff-7-mistu...
CIELO (dir. Alberto Sciamma, Bolivia): "CIELO at its heart is a movie about the shock of living. The shock comes from great beauty (the desert cinematography rivals MAD MAX: FURY ROAD). It comes in great tragedy, too" room-tone.ghost.io/clff-5-to-di...
Now let's get into my favorite watches (watches I hope will have substantial distribution!) First up, A BRIGHT FUTURE/UN FUTURO BRILLANTE (dir. Lucía Garibaldi, Uruguay): "[Elisa] just sees a caste system that sees her youth as a commodity" room-tone.ghost.io/clff-3-theyd...
🎬 All of my dispatches from the Chicago Latino Film Fest are now live! Before diving into the links, let's get into some stats and highlights: 🧵
It's still ✨MATCH WEEK✨ for this year's Fund-a-Thon! Donate to support @chiabortionfund.bsky.social and critical healthcare access that extends far beyond Illinois! fund.nnaf.org/fundraiser/7...
There are so many ways to help! You can donate to my page linked above! OR you can buy one of the T-shirts I designed in tribute to the Alderman who said in 2022 he didn't want to see Illinois become the abortion state of the Midwest lol www.bonfire.com/from-the-peo...
This is how I feel when u don't subscribe to my newsletter, especially when u could be the first to know about new Hand Me the Mike episodes, could see my upcoming dispatches from the Chicago Latino Film Festival, and so much more.....
HIGHLY recommend Vicky Osterweil's "The Extended Universe" which comes out this week from @haymarketbooks.org. Great blend of research and cultural criticism that gets into how Disney has shaped global policy w/ reach far beyond Hollywood by dissecting the business principles of IP.
🎶 We're baaaaaaack 🎶 On the newest, LATEST, Hand Me the Mike, I am joined by stellar writer and journalist @nataliesnotinit.bsky.social to talk about John Waters' CECIL B. DEMENTED! One of my favorite conversations so far. 🔗 below!
Hand Me the Mike is BACK, baby, with a new episode on Shannon's directorial debut ERIC LARUE, featuring my dear dear friend @soberrabbit.bsky.social. Listen as we navigate some tough topics and talk about how the movie speaks to many feelings that have come to define 2025. 🔗➡️
FILM CRITICISM IS ALIVE AND IN LOVE, BABY!! You won't believe the conversations about adaptation (and streaming services) @joeengleman.bsky.social and I have been having around the house lately. Read my dive on HEDDA and Joe's on TRAIN DREAMS now online @chicagoreader.com ❤️🔥
Chicago! Don't miss tonight's Cold Sweat double feature of TAKE SHELTER and SAVE THE GREEN PLANET at @facetschicago.bsky.social! If you go, you may even see a familiar postcard....
Ya girl finally emerged from her bunker (a month of depression) and I'm pleased to say Hand Me the Mike is BACK with a discussion of Joshua Oppenheimer's 2024 musical THE END. @rosswbermaniv.bsky.social joins for a very rich conversation. We talk a lot about ACT OF KILLING, too. 🔗➡️
Boy last week was a doozy, huh? Well after taking a mini break, Hand Me the Mike is back with a doozy! @petreraleigh.bsky.social and I talk about both of Werner Herzog's 2009 movies: MY SON, MY SON, WHAT HAVE YE DONE? and BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS. 🔗⤵️
As Chicago continues to be used as a rhetorical device by the right, I want to highlight the abundance of Latin American and queer film screenings (starting this week through the end of Sept) between @musicboxtheatre.bsky.social's Crucemos Al Otro Lado programming & @reelingfilmfest.bsky.social!
It's #MikeDropMonday! The new hashtag I'm inventing to indicate there's a new episode of Hand Me the Mike. This week, we've got the Bechdel Cast's @caitlindurante.bsky.social on to talk about Michael Shannon's film debut GROUNDHOG DAY! This is a fun one that covers a lot of ground! 🔗⤵️
Great performances of the century? How about a lil film called BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD?! On the latest Hand Me the Mike, I'm joined by Chicago born-and-raised illustrator and Sidney Lumet completist Vincent Mollica. Really great convo that also digs into craft! 🔗⤵️
On the latest Hand Me the Mike, I'm joined by Sweet Void Cinema's Jack McCoy to go deep on MAN OF STEEL. Inevitably, we talk James Gunn's SUPERMAN, but we also get into how Snyder's Kal-El grapples with mythos and why Shannon's performance is the perfect level of intensity. 🔗⤵️
Will be on live today at 4:20pm CT (ayyy) to talk film criticism and my Michael Shannon podcast with host and programmer Tyler Balentine. Listen at que4.org!
On the latest ep of Hand Me the Mike, @isaacfeldberg.bsky.social and I talk TAKE SHELTER, what makes Shannon the 'Meltdown Maestro,' and reference everything from The Book of Job to THE SHROUDS. PLUS: @joeengleman.bsky.social and I quickly check in on our first-time watch of Boardwalk Empire.
What is it about Michael Shannon? Today, on Shannon's birthday, I'm pleased to share the introductory episode of "Hand Me the Mike." Listen to me share in my best NPR voice why the actor has such a fascinating — and uniquely American — career. Link in thread⤵️
ICYMI: Over one month, I interviewed more than 30 orgs and individuals impacted by the Tr*mp administration's aggressive attacks on the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. 🧵 chicagoreader.com/music/music-...