Niels Joaquin
@nielsj.bsky.social
Finished Exile and the Kingdom by Albert Camus
"And what about you," said Rateau, "Do you exist, then?"
[...]
"No, I'm not certain I exist. But one day I will, I'm sure of that."
(Reminds me of this Thoreau sentiment)
"And what about you," said Rateau, "Do you exist, then?"
[...]
"No, I'm not certain I exist. But one day I will, I'm sure of that."
(Reminds me of this Thoreau sentiment)
November 15, 2025 at 5:06 PM
Finished Exile and the Kingdom by Albert Camus
"And what about you," said Rateau, "Do you exist, then?"
[...]
"No, I'm not certain I exist. But one day I will, I'm sure of that."
(Reminds me of this Thoreau sentiment)
"And what about you," said Rateau, "Do you exist, then?"
[...]
"No, I'm not certain I exist. But one day I will, I'm sure of that."
(Reminds me of this Thoreau sentiment)
Finished V. by Thomas Pynchon. Right out of the gate, he was already so brilliantly imaginative, lyrical, hilarious. It's intimidating to think about the intellect and creative power it took to conjure these narratives out of the horrors (and occasional joys) of the 20th century
November 11, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Finished V. by Thomas Pynchon. Right out of the gate, he was already so brilliantly imaginative, lyrical, hilarious. It's intimidating to think about the intellect and creative power it took to conjure these narratives out of the horrors (and occasional joys) of the 20th century
Trafic (1971), in 35 mm. The absurd camper van is the funny version of this thesis from The Society of the Spectacle: "glorifying the latest commodities at a time when increasingly extensive campaigns are necessary to convince people to buy increasingly unnecessary commodities"
November 6, 2025 at 7:11 AM
Trafic (1971), in 35 mm. The absurd camper van is the funny version of this thesis from The Society of the Spectacle: "glorifying the latest commodities at a time when increasingly extensive campaigns are necessary to convince people to buy increasingly unnecessary commodities"
Wake Up Dead Man (2025). Rian Johnson is so good at these! I'm just really heartened by the popular success of his original screenplays. And the thematic depth and emotional richness of this one really fortify his genre hijinks. My favorite installment so far
November 4, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Wake Up Dead Man (2025). Rian Johnson is so good at these! I'm just really heartened by the popular success of his original screenplays. And the thematic depth and emotional richness of this one really fortify his genre hijinks. My favorite installment so far
¡VIVA LA REVOLUCIÓN!
October 31, 2025 at 10:27 PM
¡VIVA LA REVOLUCIÓN!
The Castle of Purity (1972). My first Arturo Ripstein—had never even heard of him until this BAM series!
October 25, 2025 at 3:25 AM
The Castle of Purity (1972). My first Arturo Ripstein—had never even heard of him until this BAM series!
Bugonia (2025). I enjoyed a Lanthimos! The thing that annoys me about something like The Lobster is that its universe is so explicitly constructed to set up the easiest targets for satire. Bugonia's humor is sharp, bleak, well earned; its ending leaves you exactly where it should
October 21, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Bugonia (2025). I enjoyed a Lanthimos! The thing that annoys me about something like The Lobster is that its universe is so explicitly constructed to set up the easiest targets for satire. Bugonia's humor is sharp, bleak, well earned; its ending leaves you exactly where it should
Finished The Society of the Spectacle by Guy Debord, as well as Comments on the Society of the Spectacle. Shout-out to lint_ax (on Twitter), from whose posts I learned about Debord
October 20, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Finished The Society of the Spectacle by Guy Debord, as well as Comments on the Society of the Spectacle. Shout-out to lint_ax (on Twitter), from whose posts I learned about Debord
Onibaba (1964), in 35 mm. One of the best depictions of food insecurity AND of sexual desperation? "Dover Beach" speaks of "the turbid ebb and flow / Of human misery," where there actually are no demons, and we're simply left to ourselves at the "naked shingles of the world"
October 19, 2025 at 1:46 AM
Onibaba (1964), in 35 mm. One of the best depictions of food insecurity AND of sexual desperation? "Dover Beach" speaks of "the turbid ebb and flow / Of human misery," where there actually are no demons, and we're simply left to ourselves at the "naked shingles of the world"
Cat People (1942), in 35 mm. I love all the ways that Schrader and team expanded this into (IMO) a richer film, but the original is wonderfully effective in its smaller scope. Night of the Demon is similar in how it plays with the gradual tension of giving way to the supernatural
October 18, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Cat People (1942), in 35 mm. I love all the ways that Schrader and team expanded this into (IMO) a richer film, but the original is wonderfully effective in its smaller scope. Night of the Demon is similar in how it plays with the gradual tension of giving way to the supernatural
Queen Kelly (1929, released 1932), DCP. And that rounds out my NYFF this year. Remember to balance out your schedule with some revivals! Always inspiring to see this kind of restoration work
October 8, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Queen Kelly (1929, released 1932), DCP. And that rounds out my NYFF this year. Remember to balance out your schedule with some revivals! Always inspiring to see this kind of restoration work
Marty Supreme (2025). Good Time to Uncut Gems to Marty Supreme is a legendary filmography in the making. As intense as those films (if you can imagine), with a complex role for Timmy, delusional and despicable, charming and scrappy. What a team (Khondji, Fisk!) across the board
October 7, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Marty Supreme (2025). Good Time to Uncut Gems to Marty Supreme is a legendary filmography in the making. As intense as those films (if you can imagine), with a complex role for Timmy, delusional and despicable, charming and scrappy. What a team (Khondji, Fisk!) across the board
Miroirs No. 3 (2025). Going for a climactic musical performance when you already made one of the best ones!
October 7, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Miroirs No. 3 (2025). Going for a climactic musical performance when you already made one of the best ones!
Little Boy (2025). The best structural films make you slow down and focus so intensely that you realize how the normal pace of life has warped your ideas about what deserves attention. I just came across a relevant phrase from Debord: "the empire of modern passivity"
October 6, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Little Boy (2025). The best structural films make you slow down and focus so intensely that you realize how the normal pace of life has warped your ideas about what deserves attention. I just came across a relevant phrase from Debord: "the empire of modern passivity"
The Fence (2025). Just as in his first collaboration with Denis, Isaach De Bankolé shows his immense power even in characters who have to hold back their emotion
October 6, 2025 at 1:29 PM
The Fence (2025). Just as in his first collaboration with Denis, Isaach De Bankolé shows his immense power even in characters who have to hold back their emotion
Sholay (1975). This was on my watch list for a long time—I first heard about it from Mark Cousins's The Story of Film. Lucky to experience the brand-new restoration with a cheering audience, especially since I have almost no exposure to Indian cinema outside of the Apu Trilogy
October 5, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Sholay (1975). This was on my watch list for a long time—I first heard about it from Mark Cousins's The Story of Film. Lucky to experience the brand-new restoration with a cheering audience, especially since I have almost no exposure to Indian cinema outside of the Apu Trilogy
Mare's Nest (2025). DeLillo's play within the film is a very concentrated dose of his language: what it signals, how it collapses. Thought of The Names: "language ... existed mainly as a medium of politeness between people, with odd allowances made for the communication of ideas"
October 4, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Mare's Nest (2025). DeLillo's play within the film is a very concentrated dose of his language: what it signals, how it collapses. Thought of The Names: "language ... existed mainly as a medium of politeness between people, with odd allowances made for the communication of ideas"
Portrait of a Young Girl at the End of the 1960s in Brussels (1994); I'm Hungry, I'm Cold (1984). There's a shot in Portrait where Akerman just lingers unhurriedly on her protagonist's face, and you feel so much empathy for all the self-doubt and sexual confusion of adolescence
October 3, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Portrait of a Young Girl at the End of the 1960s in Brussels (1994); I'm Hungry, I'm Cold (1984). There's a shot in Portrait where Akerman just lingers unhurriedly on her protagonist's face, and you feel so much empathy for all the self-doubt and sexual confusion of adolescence
Finished Panegyric: Volumes 1 & 2 by Guy Debord
September 28, 2025 at 3:47 AM
Finished Panegyric: Volumes 1 & 2 by Guy Debord
One Battle After Another (2025), in VistaVision 35 mm. Scene report from 11:00 PM showing: projection went black two times early on, but the projectionist fully recovered! 🎞️
I was surprised by how similar VV felt to IMAX 70 mm, with its squarish frame and incredible quality
I was surprised by how similar VV felt to IMAX 70 mm, with its squarish frame and incredible quality
September 26, 2025 at 12:59 PM
One Battle After Another (2025), in VistaVision 35 mm. Scene report from 11:00 PM showing: projection went black two times early on, but the projectionist fully recovered! 🎞️
I was surprised by how similar VV felt to IMAX 70 mm, with its squarish frame and incredible quality
I was surprised by how similar VV felt to IMAX 70 mm, with its squarish frame and incredible quality
I had this question about VistaVision several years ago, and now that the format is back, I was wondering ... When Vertigo was in its original theatrical run, did the great majority of people just see it projected in standard 35? How many theaters could show a VistaVision print?
September 25, 2025 at 10:57 PM
I had this question about VistaVision several years ago, and now that the format is back, I was wondering ... When Vertigo was in its original theatrical run, did the great majority of people just see it projected in standard 35? How many theaters could show a VistaVision print?
Finished Joseph Conrad's "Youth" & The End of the Tether. Tether is a stark depiction of what money is like with no assets to your name: you gamble what little you have on yourself, and a life of labor is rewarded only by the terror of making money in old age to fund your old age
September 25, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Finished Joseph Conrad's "Youth" & The End of the Tether. Tether is a stark depiction of what money is like with no assets to your name: you gamble what little you have on yourself, and a life of labor is rewarded only by the terror of making money in old age to fund your old age
MacGruber (2010), DCP. Famously a favorite of DGA president Christopher Nolan. (I didn't like it, but I did love the recurring gag where MacGruber takes his stereo/tape deck with him every time he gets out of his car, mainly because I'm old enough to get it)
September 22, 2025 at 2:40 AM
MacGruber (2010), DCP. Famously a favorite of DGA president Christopher Nolan. (I didn't like it, but I did love the recurring gag where MacGruber takes his stereo/tape deck with him every time he gets out of his car, mainly because I'm old enough to get it)
Cat People (1982), in 35 mm. I love how it succeeds as a monster film, a horror film, a supernatural film, an erotic art film. Will ignore the MoMA audience's full-blown laughter 🫥
September 21, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Cat People (1982), in 35 mm. I love how it succeeds as a monster film, a horror film, a supernatural film, an erotic art film. Will ignore the MoMA audience's full-blown laughter 🫥