Stephan Flores

yes--on our winter Amtrak broken-down trips they ran out of food, the toilets were frozen, and once the doors between cars were frozen open (on my birthday!)

yes, Queen of Chess fascinating!

The Testament of Ann Lee (2025) dir. Mona Fastvold [4.0] Up, Down, Fragile (1995) dir. Jacques Rivette [3.0] Hamnet (2025) dir. Chloé Zhao [3.5] If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (2025) dir. Mary Bronstein [4.0] Train Dreams (2025) dir. Clint Bentley [3.5] Blue Moon (2025) dir. Richard Linklater [4.0]

The Testament of Ann Lee (2025) Mona Fastvold [4.0]
Up, Down, Fragile (1995) dir. Jacques Rivette [3.0]
Hamnet (2025) dir. Chloé Zhao [3.5]
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (2025) dir. Mary Bronstein [4.0]
Train Dreams (2025) dir. Clint Bentley [3.5]
Blue Moon (2025) dir. Richard Linklater, Hawke is great

The Testament of Ann Lee (2025) dir. Mona Fastvold [4.0] Up, Down, Fragile (1995) dir. Jacques Rivette [3.0] Hamnet (2025) dir. Chloé Zhao [3.5] If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (2025) dir. Mary Bronstein [4.0] Train Dreams (2025) dir. Clint Bentley [3.5] Blue Moon (2025) dir. Richard Linklater [4.0]

The Testament of Ann Lee (2025) Mona Fastvold [4.0]
Up, Down, Fragile (1995) dir. Jacques Rivette [3.0]
Hamnet (2025) dir. Chloé Zhao [3.5]
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (2025) dir. Mary Bronstein [4.0]
Train Dreams (2025) dir. Clint Bentley [3.5]
Blue Moon (2025) dir. Richard Linklater, Hawke is great

I found much of it fascinating-to-sublime!

A ★★★★ review of If I Had Legs I'd Kick You (2025) This review may contain spoilers. Visit the page to bypass this warning and read the review.

Fourth film watched in past week that attends to the experiences of women characters—other three are The Testament of Ann Lee (2025), Up, Down, Fragile (1995), and Hamnet (2025)—three of these films turn upon the experience of giving birth and of being a mother (and care giver).
boxd.it/dtEhTn

"that tyrant is faking an emergency to try and run a dictatorship"

among the movies that I watched this past week, the film Happyend ( 2024, dir. Neo Sora) includes this dialogue that resonates

Dil Se . . (1998) dir. Mani Ratnam Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) dir. Mervyn LeRoy [4.0] It Was Just an Accident (2025) dir. Jafar Panahi [4.5] The Vortex (1969) dir. Philip Dudley [4.0] The Secret Agent (2025) dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho [4.5] Aurora (2010) dir. Cristi Puiu 52 Pick-Up (1986) dir. John Frankenheimer Happyend (2024) dir. Neo Sora [4.5]

Dil Se . . (1998)
Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) [4.0]
It Was Just an Accident (2025) [4.5]
The Vortex (1969) dir. Philip Dudley [4.0]
The Secret Agent (2025) dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho [4.5]
Aurora (2010) dir. Cristi Puiu
52 Pick-Up (1986) dir. John Frankenheimer
Happyend (2024) dir. Neo Sora [4.5]

Dil Se . . (1998) dir. Mani Ratnam Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) dir. Mervyn LeRoy [4.0] It Was Just an Accident (2025) dir. Jafar Panahi [4.5] The Vortex (1969) dir. Philip Dudley [4.0] The Secret Agent (2025) dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho [4.5] Aurora (2010) dir. Cristi Puiu 52 Pick-Up (1986) dir. John Frankenheimer Happyend (2024) dir. Neo Sora [4.5]

Dil Se . . (1998)
Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) [4.0]
It Was Just an Accident (2025) [4.5]
The Vortex (1969) dir. Philip Dudley [4.0]
The Secret Agent (2025) dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho [4.5]
Aurora (2010) dir. Cristi Puiu
52 Pick-Up (1986) dir. John Frankenheimer
Happyend (2024) dir. Neo Sora [4.5]

Romanian New Wave on the Criterion Channel—see the searing 4, Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days, utterly hilarious 12:08 East of Bucharest, the wonderfully offbeat Police, Adjective--and more for me to explore (though I found Aurora quite slow...)

awesome

A ★★★★½ review of One Battle After Another (2025) I enjoyed a somewhat broken up over several nights rewatch--here's my prior review: Relatively early in the film there’s something about the way that the resistance-revolutionaries are both mocked and...

I think I can understand your perspective, though I felt (somewhat) differently about the film
boxd.it/cLnSzz

Favorite First-Watches February 2026 Ida (2014) dir. Pawel Pawlikowski [4.5] Julie Keeps Quiet (Julie zwijgt, 2024) dir. Leonardo Van Dijl [4.5] La Soufrière: Warten auf eine unausweichliche Katastrophe ("La Soufrière – Waiting for an Inevitable Disaster”, 1977) dir. Werner Herzog [4.5] God’s Own Country (2017) dir. Francis Lee [4.5] Hay Fever (1984) dir. Cecilia Brereton [4.5] Two People Exchanging Saliva (Deux personnes échangeant de la salive, 2024) dir. Alexandre Singh, Natalie Musteata [4.5] The Symbol of the Unconquered: A Story of the Ku Klux Klan (1920)*^ dir. Oscar Micheaux [4.0] Female (1933)* dir. Michael Curtiz [4.0] Fräulein [Das Fräulein] (2006) dir. Andrea Štaka [4.0] Neighbours (1952) dir. Norman McLaren [4.0] Father and Daughter (2000) dir. Michael Dudok de Wit [4.0] Queen of Chess (2026) dir. Rory Kennedy [4.0] No Other Choice (2025) dir. Park Chan-wook [4.0] Natural Phenomena (Fenómenos naturales, 2024) dir. Marcos Antonio Díaz Sosa [4.0] Sparring Partner (2022) dir. J. J. Kandel [4.0] In My Hands (2026) D. K. Lawhorn [4.0] Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) dir. Mervyn LeRoy [“We’re in the Money” opening number is great!]

Ida (2014)
Julie Keeps Quiet (2024)
"La Soufrière – Waiting for an Inevitable Disaster” (1977)
God’s Own Country (2017)
Hay Fever (1984)
Two People Exchanging Saliva (2024)
Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) [because “We’re in the Money” is great plus the other numbers as well as Aline MacMahon]

Favorite First-Watches February 2026 Ida (2014) dir. Pawel Pawlikowski [4.5] Julie Keeps Quiet (Julie zwijgt, 2024) dir. Leonardo Van Dijl [4.5] La Soufrière: Warten auf eine unausweichliche Katastrophe ("La Soufrière – Waiting for an Inevitable Disaster”, 1977) dir. Werner Herzog [4.5] God’s Own Country (2017) dir. Francis Lee [4.5] Hay Fever (1984) dir. Cecilia Brereton [4.5] Two People Exchanging Saliva (Deux personnes échangeant de la salive, 2024) dir. Alexandre Singh, Natalie Musteata [4.5] The Symbol of the Unconquered: A Story of the Ku Klux Klan (1920)*^ dir. Oscar Micheaux [4.0] Female (1933)* dir. Michael Curtiz [4.0] Fräulein [Das Fräulein] (2006) dir. Andrea Štaka [4.0] Neighbours (1952) dir. Norman McLaren [4.0] Father and Daughter (2000) dir. Michael Dudok de Wit [4.0] Queen of Chess (2026) dir. Rory Kennedy [4.0] No Other Choice (2025) dir. Park Chan-wook [4.0] Natural Phenomena (Fenómenos naturales, 2024) dir. Marcos Antonio Díaz Sosa [4.0] Sparring Partner (2022) dir. J. J. Kandel [4.0] In My Hands (2026) D. K. Lawhorn [4.0] Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) dir. Mervyn LeRoy [“We’re in the Money” opening number is great!]

Ida (2014)
Julie Keeps Quiet (2024)
"La Soufrière – Waiting for an Inevitable Disaster” (1977)
God’s Own Country (2017)
Hay Fever (1984)
Two People Exchanging Saliva (2024)
Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) [because “We’re in the Money” is great plus the other numbers as well as Aline MacMahon]

yes weirdly awful--plus you love cats and food, what gives with such antisocial boorishness!

wow--horrible and would have said 'crazy' except apparently it's not--it's bad enough (I recall) having nice lunch with prominent scholar who failed to cite my article and at least was startled (embarrassed?) to learn I had written on the same popular 18th c. play, but never expressed anything more

I love the necessary-unavoidable "screen(s)-blinds" between us and what remains always unseen, simultaneously out there and inside, with us, in our very hands .... warm birthday regards for the year ahead!

A ★★★★½ review of Ida (2013) Ida (2014) dir. Pawel Pawlikowski The several reviews via weblink below provide excellent referents for this film’s striking, spare appeal, visual presentation, and affecting force at the traumatic li...

boxd.it/dhqsp3

Tender Mercies ((1983) dir. Bruce Beresford [4.5] No Other Choice (2025) dir. Park Chan-wook [4.0] Natural Phenomena (Fenómenos naturales, 2024) dir. Marcos Antonio Díaz Sosa [4.0] Dead of Winter (2025) dir. Brian Kirk Retirement Plan (2024) dir. John Kelly Papillon (2025) by Florence Miailhe The F-Word (2024) dir. Alex Cannon Reappear (2021) dir. Tommy Clarke Hamster (2023) dir. Fatima Nofley Toast (2022) dir. Benedict Webb Ida (2014) dir. Pawel Pawlikowski [4.5] Writing Doom (2024) dir. Suzy Shepherd life is but a dream (2025) dir. D. K. Lawhorn Stranger’s Pawn (2025) dir. Gabriell Salgado Office Royale (2023) dir. Sam Baron Sparring Partner (2022) dir. J. J. Kandel [4.0]

Quite a few short films this past week!—finally watched Ida (2014)—excellent.

Tender Mercies ((1983) dir. Bruce Beresford [4.5] No Other Choice (2025) dir. Park Chan-wook [4.0] Natural Phenomena (Fenómenos naturales, 2024) dir. Marcos Antonio Díaz Sosa [4.0] Dead of Winter (2025) dir. Brian Kirk Retirement Plan (2024) dir. John Kelly Papillon (2025) by Florence Miailhe The F-Word (2024) dir. Alex Cannon Reappear (2021) dir. Tommy Clarke Hamster (2023) dir. Fatima Nofley Toast (2022) dir. Benedict Webb Ida (2014) dir. Pawel Pawlikowski [4.5] Writing Doom (2024) dir. Suzy Shepherd life is but a dream (2025) dir. D. K. Lawhorn Stranger’s Pawn (2025) dir. Gabriell Salgado Office Royale (2023) dir. Sam Baron Sparring Partner (2022) dir. J. J. Kandel [4.0]

Quite a few short films this past week!—finally watched Ida (2014)—excellent.

59%

tricky part with higher risk of failure is the caramel sauce ( can seize up into glob!)

MABEL MILLÁN - Classical Guitar Concert | Albeniz, Malats, Tarrega | Siccas Guitars YouTube video by SiccasGuitars

Spanish guitarist Mabel Millán has two degrees in guitar and two in law-legal studies--works as a prosecutor and aims to be a judge--especially fantastic interesting interpretation-performance of El Carnaval de Necenia among the five pieces in this concert

youtu.be/tGgOzVB_az0?...

A ★★★★ review of I Know Where I'm Going! (1945) This review may contain spoilers. Visit the page to bypass this warning and read the review.

rewatched this wonderful fascinating film just over a year ago! boxd.it/8k5zTp

A ★★★★½ review of Two People Exchanging Saliva (2024) Two People Exchanging Saliva (Deux personnes échangeant de la salive, 2024) dir. Alexandre Singh, Natalie Musteata Excellent, compelling, intriguing portrayal of the arbitrariness of taboo—of seized-u...

boxd.it/dawkVz

several via Kanopy

great to see all this Beckett (long ago I studied Beckett's drama with teacher-scholar Enoch Brater)

A ★★★★½ review of Julie Keeps Quiet (2024) Julie Keeps Quiet (Julie zwijgt, 2024) dir. Leonardo Van Dijl Highly compelling, restrained portrait and understanding evident in this affecting, sharp film, with the director making a thoughtful debu...

boxd.it/ddwxkX

Two People Exchanging Saliva (2024) [4.5]
The Singers (2025)
Queen of Chess (2026)
Favours (2024)
Glory to the Queen (2020)
Julie Keeps Quiet (2024) dir. Leonardo Van Dijl [4.5]

Two People Exchanging Saliva (2024) [4.5]
The Singers (2025)
Queen of Chess (2026)
Favours (2024)
Glory to the Queen (2020)
Julie Keeps Quiet (2024) dir. Leonardo Van Dijl [4.5]