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Zachary Lee

@zacharylee.bsky.social
1.1K followers 240 following 169 posts

editor, critic, journalist | bylines in rogerebert.com, The Chicago Reader, Block Club Chicago, RNS, Dread Central, Sojourners, Think Christian | CFCA Member

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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
“You can intellectualize love from every side but when you stand in front of somebody who makes your heart explode, none of that intellectualizing helps.” For @ebertvoices.bsky.social , I was delighted to talk w/ Angourie Rice & Spike Fearn abt the irresistibly charming, FINDING EMILY:
rogerebert.com
Be Smart About the Way You Change: Spike Fearn and Angourie Rice on "Finding Emily"
The stars of the Manchester-set romcom talk about the joy of their musical scenes, outtakes, and finding the romance in the city.
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RogerEbert.com @ebertvoices.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
"Love and its pursuits change with the times, but you can still be smart about the way you change." @zacharylee.bsky.social spoke with Spike Fearn and Angourie Rice about FINDING EMILY:
rogerebert.com
Be Smart About the Way You Change: Spike Fearn and Angourie Rice on "Finding Emily"
The stars of the Manchester-set romcom talk about the joy of their musical scenes, outtakes, and finding the romance in the city.
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
"The courtroom can be a sanctuary and chopping block." ICYMI: for @ebertvoices, I spoke with UNION COUNTY stars Will Poulter & Noah Centineo about on-screen smoking & changing the grammar of stories that Hollywood usually tells about addiction:
rogerebert.com
The Opposite is Connection: Will Poulter and Noah Centineo on "Union County"
The actors talk about smoking, addiction, recovery, and how their previous roles informed their latest drama.
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
"Even if he lets go of his power, lets go of his pride as a samurai, he can still find happiness. I think these words have much to say to us in our contemporary times." ICYMI: for @indiewire.com, I spoke with Kiyoshi Kuorsawa out of Cannes about THE SAMURAI AND THE PRISONER:
indiewire.com
How Kiyoshi Kurosawa Turned a Samurai Whodunit Into a Chilling Story About Belief with ‘The Samurai and the Prisoner’
Kiyoshi Kurosawa talks his latest film 'The Samurai and the Prisoner' in a new interview.
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RogerEbert.com @ebertvoices.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
"Settle into the groove of its wavelength, and you’ll find a project that champions the inevitability of truth, even as those who would benefit from its revelation would seek to bury it." @zacharylee.bsky.social reviews THE FENCE:
rogerebert.com
The Fence review: Claire Denis is back with taut power struggle
A project that champions the inevitability of truth, even as those who would benefit from its revelation would seek to bury it.
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
“It feels like we only have a certain reservoir for a specific emotion, and over time, it gets ground down. The more you’re online watching stuff, the you use up that reservoir.”
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RogerEbert.com @ebertvoices.bsky.social · 14/08/2026
"It’s through this rigorous accountability, from the system holding its participants to the participants holding themselves, that trust can blossom for everyone’s benefit." @zacharylee.bsky.social spoke with Will Poulter and Noah Centineo about their opiod addiction and recovery drama, UNION COUNTY
rogerebert.com
The Opposite is Connection: Will Poulter and Noah Centineo on "Union County"
The actors talk about smoking, addiction, recovery, and how their previous roles informed their latest drama.
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
THE END OF OAK STREET rules. It's about secrets in our homes, the bloodshed that’s latent in our paradises, about our pride meeting and subsequently being torn asunder by the apocalypse. It’s also the most thrilling dinosaur movie in ages. My review for @ebertvoices.bsky.social
rogerebert.com
The End of Oak Street review: The end of the world has never been more fun
The most thrilling dinosaur movie in ages.
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RogerEbert.com @ebertvoices.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
“This is story about the secrets in our homes, the bloodshed that’s latent in our paradises; about our pride meeting and subsequently being torn asunder by the apocalypse. It’s also the most thrilling dinosaur movie in ages." @zacharylee.bsky.social reviews THE END OF OAK STREET:
rogerebert.com
The End of Oak Street review: The end of the world has never been more fun
The most thrilling dinosaur movie in ages.
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RogerEbert.com @ebertvoices.bsky.social · 10/08/2026
"The maturity over the years has in many ways manifested in the storytelling and craft. Whereas the sense of humor, in the best possible way, hasn’t really matured." @zacharylee.bsky.social spoke with the Broken Lizard troupe about SUPER TROOPERS 3:
rogerebert.com
A Comedy Legacy: Broken Lizard on "Super Troopers 3"
The team behind "Super Troopers 3" on its production, and their legacy.
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RogerEbert.com @ebertvoices.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
“Focusing on Iceland’s glaciers and the monumental consequence of their loss, this work makes space for both lament and celebration. It’s a homily, presented with the potency and style of performance poetry." @zacharylee.bsky.social reviews TIME AND WATER, streaming on Disney+ now:
rogerebert.com
Time and Water movie review & film summary
It’s a homily, presented with the potency and style of performance poetry.
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RogerEbert.com @ebertvoices.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
"It’s a testament to Lane’s work and philosophy that she’s willing to let so much of the film’s runtime be dedicated to our wordless, fierce protagonist, who might offer some occasional hoots, but is otherwise fairly laconic." @zacharylee.bsky.social reviews WILD INSIDE:
rogerebert.com
Wild Inside review: Unusual documentary takes flight
Lane’s cry for people to pay more attention to the marvels around them poignantly rings true.
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 30/07/2026
"Believing that something undeniably exists there, even if it is not visibly captured, is essential — not only for making a film but also for watching one." For @indiewire.com, an honor to talk to the master, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, about his jidaigeki whodunit, THE SAMURAI AND THE PRISONER.
indiewire.com
How Kiyoshi Kurosawa Turned a Samurai Whodunit Into a Chilling Story About Belief with ‘The Samurai and the Prisoner’
Kiyoshi Kurosawa talks his latest film 'The Samurai and the Prisoner' in a new interview.
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Matt Zoller Seitz @mattzollerseitz.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
I wrote a tribute to Kaylee Hottle, the deaf actress whose performance as Jia was the heart of two of the Legendary Pictures Kaiju films, Godzilla vs Kong and Godzilla x Kong. Killed at 18 in a car wreck. A staggering loss. www.rogerebert.com/tributes/wha...
rogerebert.com
What Could Have Been: Kaylee Hottle (2007-2026)
From Jean Harlow and James Dean through Simone Battle and Anton Yelchin, entertainment history is filled with instances of performers dying just as audiences
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Sojourners @sojo.net · 22/07/2026
@zacharylee.bsky.social interviews director Michael Sarnoski, whose latest film "is a gentle inquiry into what happens when we seek the comfort of myth over the discomfort of reality." sojo.net/articles/cul...
sojo.net
Everyone in ‘The Death of Robin Hood’ Is Praying For Something Different
The new A24 film’s writer and director talks the brutality, spirituality, and grace of history’s most famous outlaw.
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RogerEbert.com @ebertvoices.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
"I wanted to set out whether that way of connecting–through our imaginations–is something humanity is still able to do.” @zacharylee.bsky.social spoke with Hirokazu Kore-eda about his latest film, SHEEP IN THE BOX. In select theaters on 7/24: www.rogerebert.com/interviews/s...
rogerebert.com
Closer to Trees: Hirokazu Kore-eda on "Sheep in the Box"
The filmmaker talks about The Little Prince, staying rooted in an increasingly digital world, and grappling with the ethics of AI.
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mitchell atencio (he·him·his) @mitchellatencio.com · 16/07/2026
come for the discussion on pro wrestling, Gaetano Pesce, and toeing the line in comedy; stay for the discussion of misogyny in CHH, the industry of Christian art, and aging with your audience (gift link)
sojo.net
Andy Mineo and Wordsplayed Are Having the Most Fun in Christian Hip-Hop
The rap duo known as “Magic & Bird” talk comedy, nostalgia, interior design, and misogyny in CHH.
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RogerEbert.com @ebertvoices.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
With MUBI Fest returning for the 3rd year to Chicago, @zacharylee.bsky.social highlighted the varied and robust programming, from the Chicago premiere of TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA, a scratch ‘n sniff edition of THE SUBSTANCE, & a screening of THE MASTERMIND preformed w/ a live score:
rogerebert.com
MUBI Fest 2026: Better Together
A personal recounting of one of the coolest Chicago film events of the year.
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Matt Zoller Seitz @mattzollerseitz.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
"Casting actors of many nationalities and ethnicities sends the message that Homer, like Shakespeare, and so many great storytellers from so many countries, belongs to everyone." On The Odyssey and its "controversies." Loved it. A big show, intelligently told. www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-...
rogerebert.com
The Odyssey review: Christopher Nolan has done it again
A mighty epic with a view of human nature more sophisticated than most movies of its type.
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mitchell atencio (he·him·his) @mitchellatencio.com · 09/07/2026
Simon, like so much evangelical politics, reduces love to a feeling and a sentiment. An affirmation that Musk is "a human being made in the image of God and worthy of love." A worthy sentiment! But love in the Christian tradition also, always, means material actions of solidarity and care.
sojo.net
A Christian Plan to Help Billionaires
There is no logical reason for people to live like this. We should help them.
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mitchell atencio (he·him·his) @mitchellatencio.com · 09/07/2026
my report on R.L. Stollar's death and his life of tenacious advocacy for homeschool alumni, children, and abuse survivors. (gift link)
sojo.net
R.L. Stollar’s Death Leaves Complicated Legacy as a Child’s Rights Theologian
Stollar’s peers say he was a tenacious advocate but a prickly and unreliable ally to the movement he supported.
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Abby Olcese @abbyolcese.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
Demi Lovato get a job stay away from her meme
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RogerEbert.com @ebertvoices.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
"This is a film that understands that the truest picture of society comes from the eyes of those it neglects, courtesy of the outcasts who plunder airtime from the State itself." @zacharylee.bsky.social reviews BARRIO TRISTE:
rogerebert.com
Barrio Triste review: Harmony Korine-produced chaos feels fascinatingly chaotic
There’s a gift in witnessing a crew that realizes the power of seeing themselves and their stories on-screen.
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
“How do you navigate being loyal to your friends when they’re all hiding things from each other?” For JoySauce, chatted w/ Megan Lawless abt her big OBSESSION moment, septum piercings, foam bricks, & navigating adult friendships:
joysauce.com
Why Megan Lawless is our latest 'Obsession'
The actress on her latest film, her character's striking look, and the importance of being honest with your friends.
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RogerEbert.com @ebertvoices.bsky.social · 15/05/2026
“It may not reinvent the wheel, but by playing squarely to its middle-of-the-road strengths,” writes @zacharylee.bsky.social about DRIVER’S ED.
rogerebert.com
Driver's Ed review: Teen comedy stays in a charming 2000s road-movie gear
By playing squarely to its middle-of-the-road strengths, it’s still a trip worth taking.
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RogerEbert.com @ebertvoices.bsky.social · 01/05/2026
“It earns its viewing time for trying its very best at putting a new spin on a familiar story,” writes @zacharylee.bsky.social about SWAPPED.
rogerebert.com
Swapped review: Clever Netflix animated original values empathy
What it lacks in narrative originality, it makes up for through a game voice cast, a wonderfully realized world, and a surprisingly dark spin
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
“We are taking these texts, these words on a page, & turning them into images that need to have sound and emotion to them that would never exist in textual form.” For @ebertvoices.bsky.social, I spoke w/ MOTHER MARY’s David Lowery abt transubstantiation, the feminine divine, & the T-1000:
rogerebert.com
An Act of Translation: David Lowery on "Mother Mary"
An interview with the director of A24's latest about friendship, location, and how the T-1000 influenced its strangest element.
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RogerEbert.com @ebertvoices.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
"I’ve been trying to take a feeling and give it form." @zacharylee.bsky.social spoke w/ David Lowery about MOTHER MARY, making the film nearly man-free, creativity as an act of transubstantiation, & TERMINATOR 2’s influence:
rogerebert.com
An Act of Translation: David Lowery on "Mother Mary"
An interview with the director of A24's latest about friendship, location, and how the T-1000 influenced its strangest element.
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ReadJack🇺🇸 @readjack.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
A forever thank you to Roger Ebert for everything. @ebertvoices.bsky.social readjack.wordpress.com/2023/04/04/r...
readjack.wordpress.com
Roger Ebert: The Life & Death of a Chicago Journalist
Jack note: I originally published this piece on my ChicagoNow media blog “Eye on Chi” on April 4, 2013, the day that one of my heroes, Roger Ebert, passed away at age 70. In honor of th…
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ReadJack🇺🇸 @readjack.bsky.social · 20/04/2026
The Columbine massacre was on this date in 1999. Instead of energizing our country to get gun violence under control, it kicked off a new normal. One of the best explanations ever of journalism's destructive impact on mass shootings came from Roger Ebert in his review of Gus Van Sant’s “Elephant.”
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
“I can just go to the material I’m interested in & then determine what kind of filmmaker I want to be to present it.” For @ebertvoices.bsky.social, I spoke w/ THE CHRISTOPHERS director Steven Soderbergh abt being a creative chameleon, artistic legacy, & stress testing new technologies:
rogerebert.com
The Best Version of the Thing: Steven Soderbergh on "The Christophers"
An interview with the legendary director about his newest film.
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RogerEbert.com @ebertvoices.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
"On a narrative, emotional, and philosophical level, it's a very active film; it just happens to be contained.” @zacharylee.bsky.social spoke with Steven Soderbergh about THE CHRISTOPHERS, artistic legacy, & stress testing new technologies:
rogerebert.com
The Best Version of the Thing: Steven Soderbergh on "The Christophers"
An interview with the legendary director about his newest film.
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 17/04/2026
Last but not least, I hold a soft spot for POWER BALLAD, a movie that constantly surprises you by plucking chords of hope from a heartbreaking narrative. Playing Saturday, 5/2 for @@chicagocritics.bsky.social 🎟️:
musicboxtheatre.com
Power Ballad
When Rick (Paul Rudd), a past-his-prime wedding singer, meets fading boy-band star Danny (Nick Jonas) during a gig, the two bond over music and a late-night jam session. But when Danny turns one of…
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
You won't see a better movie about Greek mythology this year than IF I GO WILL THEY MISS ME. A @chicagocritics.bsky.social selection that explores what happens when protection gets in the way of presence. Walter Thompson-Hernández's film is worth seeing in all of its intimate glory. 🎟️:
musicboxtheatre.com
If I Go Will They Miss Me
Twelve-year-old Lil Ant transforms his working-class neighborhood beneath the LAX flight path into a living mythology, where family members become gods and the sky is crowded with endless departures.…
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 15/04/2026
I've been enamored with LATE FAME since I saw it & am delighted it's playing @@chicagocritics.bsky.social. Kent Jones gem starring Willem Dafoe & Greta Lee is about the need for someone to hear us thoroughly just once & the joy of having our story receive the grace of being beheld. 🎟️:
musicboxtheatre.com
Late Fame
Legendary New York poet Ed Saxberger's forgotten works captivate an eccentric group of young creatives, reigniting his artistic passion. Their intrigue intertwines with the bewitching presence of…
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Now on digital VOD, I loved chatting with UNDERTONE director Ian Tuason & star Nina Kiri on the film’s spiritual wavelength and how they created a horror film that explores the reality that we’ll always care for our loved ones imperfectly. For @ebertvoices.bsky.social:
rogerebert.com
We Broke the Loop: Ian Tuason and Nina Kiri on "undertone"
The director and star of A24's atmospheric horror film talk fear, faith, and turning the filmmaker's family home into a haunted house.
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Also worth checking out from @chicagocritics.bsky.social is MADDIE'S SECRET. John Early's film soars on the fuel of its open-hearted sincerity & reminds us that we don’t have to follow the world’s recipe for success; we’re beloved enough that we can freestyle on our own and still be whole. 🎟️:
musicboxtheatre.com
Maddie's Secret
MADDIE’S SECRET is comedian, writer, and actor John Early’s critically acclaimed directorial debut starring himself as Maddie, a plucky dishwasher who leaps to viral superstardom at a trendy food…
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
This week I'll highlight titles from @@chicagocritics.bsky.social worth checking out: 1st up is CAROLINA CAROLINE. Sexiness & tragedy sizzle off the screen thanks to Samara Weaving, Kyle Gallner, & a smooth-as-whiskey score from Christopher Bear 🎟️:
musicboxtheatre.com
Carolina Caroline
Acclaimed director Adam Carter Rehmeier’s romantic crime thriller stars Samara Weaving (READY OR NOT, BORDERLINE) as Caroline Daniels, whose desire to leave her small Texas town brings her into the…
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
"We've taken for granted that this is what the internet is ... but we are capable of constructing a better social media.” I spoke w/ Daniel Goldhaber and Isa Mazzei about FACES OF DEATH, cheese pizza, reimagining our online existence, & being digital prophets: cinemafemme.com/2026/04/11/d...
cinemafemme.com
Doomscrolling the Abyss: Daniel Goldhaber and Isa Mazzei on Reimagining Horror in “Faces of Death”
When John Alan Schwartz’s “Faces of Death” came out in 1978, it emerged at a time when the proliferation of violent images wasn’t as ubiquitous as it is today. The mondo-horror film…
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 02/04/2026
For @blockclubchi.bsky.social I preview what Chicagoans can expect for the Beyond Chicago Film Festival, which kicks off at the @musicboxtheatre.bsky.social today!
blockclubchicago.org
Beyond Film Fest, The Biggest Genre Festival In US, Makes Its Chicago Debut This Weekend
The festival is bringing 31 features to the Music Box, including the new Bob Odenkirk action film “Normal” and a 4K restoration of the 2008 film “Speed Racer.”
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
Your Sunday read: incredibly blessed I could have a thoughtful chat with ANIMA director Brian Tetsuro Ivie and star Sydney Chandler about ANIMA. For Filmmaker Magazine, our convo on how shooting on film is an act of prayer & the importance of mystery in the creative life:
filmmakermagazine.com
“Questions of the Soul”: Director Brian Tetsuro Ivie and Star Sydney Chandler on Anima
Zachary Lee interviews director Brian Tetsuro Ivie and star Sydney Chandler on Anima, their sci-fi, SXSW-premiering film.
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 28/03/2026
For @sojo.net, I got to interview the oomfs, Maika Monroe and Tyriq Withers about forgiveness, prison reform, and motherhood:
sojo.net
‘Reminders of Him’ Is a Love Story About Forgiveness After Prison
The latest Colleen Hoover adaptation finds surprising poignancy in the story of a formerly incarcerated woman navigating reentry and stigma amid a surprise romance.
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 27/03/2026
I'm quite high on FORBIDDEN FRUITS, which operates at a more cosmically tragic level if you devote your time to it, but it works just as well if consumed in the background of a sleepover where the gossip and liquor are flowing freely. My @ebertvoices.bsky.social review:
rogerebert.com
Forbidden Fruits review: Lili Reinhart shines in sapphic witch thriller
This is for those who like their sisterhood slashers dashed with sapphic yearning.
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
Emerging from chrysalis to share more work from SXSW. First up being THEY WILL KILL YOU, one of the most bonkers and madcap action films to ever come from the studio system. My review for @thewrap.com:
thewrap.com
‘They Will Kill You’ Review: Zazie Beetz Slays in a Devilish,  Kill-the-Rich Horror Genre Mash-Up
SXSW: Director Kirill Sokolov delivers raucous thrills in a tale of sisters who fight their way out of Hell.
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
“I’m sick of living in a world where the bad guys win.” For Filmmaker Magazine I got to chat w/ Radio Silence about READY OR NOT 2 HERE I COME, the increased candle budget, and what gives them the strength to resist despair: filmmakermagazine.com/133457-inter...
filmmakermagazine.com
“The Devil Won’t Wait for You”: Radio Silence on Ready or Not 2: Here I Come
Zachary Lee discusses Ready or Not 2: Here I Come with co-directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, AKA Radio Silence.
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RogerEbert.com @ebertvoices.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
"Where they could have just been sensationalized stories, they are instead projects that present their subjects with grace and understanding,” writes @zacharylee.bsky.social about BABY/GIRLS, MANHOOD, and DRIFT.
rogerebert.com
SXSW 2026: baby/girls, Manhood, Drift
On three docs tackling everything from young mothers to tall buildings to male insecurity from this year's fest.
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
Sirât? You mean MAD LAXE: FURY RAVE?
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Didn't love TRAP HOUSE, but Inde Navarrette's work in that film did solidify that the ingredients for her maniacal turn in OBSESSION have been there all along. Can't wait for people to experience her unique flavor of unhinged
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Grateful I had the chance to cover many of the films nominated for Oscars this year, whether in the form of interviews, reviews, or think pieces. Ahead of the ceremony this week, a 🧵of my coverage:
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Zachary Lee @zacharylee.bsky.social · 10/03/2026
Wait, so you're telling me there's another movie coming out this year that focuses on a crew adrift on a mysterious ship in a treacherous and volatile landscape with no memories of who they are or why they got there, that's not called ROSE OF NEVADA
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