Alejandro A. Riera
@alejandroariera.bsky.social
Writer, editor, critic, movie lover, Doctor Who fan, proud to be a boricua, a cubano and a gallego. Curmudgeon extraordinaire. You can find my writing here https://alejandroariera.substack.com and at times at outlets like the Chicago Reader.
De aquí nadie me saca, de aquí yo no me muevo
Dile que esta es mi casa, donde nació mi abuelo
De aquí nadie me saca, de aquí yo no me muevo
Dile que esta es mi casa, donde nació mi abuelo
Yo soy de P fuckin' R (¡ah!)
¿Cómo?, dile, Diego, dice
Yo soy de P fuckin' R
Dile que esta es mi casa, donde nació mi abuelo
De aquí nadie me saca, de aquí yo no me muevo
Dile que esta es mi casa, donde nació mi abuelo
Yo soy de P fuckin' R (¡ah!)
¿Cómo?, dile, Diego, dice
Yo soy de P fuckin' R
November 23, 2025 at 5:18 AM
De aquí nadie me saca, de aquí yo no me muevo
Dile que esta es mi casa, donde nació mi abuelo
De aquí nadie me saca, de aquí yo no me muevo
Dile que esta es mi casa, donde nació mi abuelo
Yo soy de P fuckin' R (¡ah!)
¿Cómo?, dile, Diego, dice
Yo soy de P fuckin' R
Dile que esta es mi casa, donde nació mi abuelo
De aquí nadie me saca, de aquí yo no me muevo
Dile que esta es mi casa, donde nació mi abuelo
Yo soy de P fuckin' R (¡ah!)
¿Cómo?, dile, Diego, dice
Yo soy de P fuckin' R
There are 4 types of guys online, no exceptions (IYKYK).
November 19, 2025 at 1:32 PM
There are 4 types of guys online, no exceptions (IYKYK).
November 14, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Post you from a different era:
Me and the college roomie still dueling it out in 1987 this time at his wedding. I may have been too much of a smart ass.
Me and the college roomie still dueling it out in 1987 this time at his wedding. I may have been too much of a smart ass.
November 7, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Post you from a different era:
Me and the college roomie still dueling it out in 1987 this time at his wedding. I may have been too much of a smart ass.
Me and the college roomie still dueling it out in 1987 this time at his wedding. I may have been too much of a smart ass.
Post you from a different era: 1985, the roomie Doug McNair and I dueling it out for our College Yearbook.
November 7, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Post you from a different era: 1985, the roomie Doug McNair and I dueling it out for our College Yearbook.
Seen on the streets of Uptown, Chicago.
November 7, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Seen on the streets of Uptown, Chicago.
Post-Halloween in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. To paraphrase Bad Bunny, "'chacho, Chicago es otra cosa.'
November 1, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Post-Halloween in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. To paraphrase Bad Bunny, "'chacho, Chicago es otra cosa.'
Cue Kraftwerk's THE ROBOTS ( seen outside my periodontist's office in Lincoln Park).
October 31, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Cue Kraftwerk's THE ROBOTS ( seen outside my periodontist's office in Lincoln Park).
Haven't done this in awhile. Three from the Chicago International Film Festival, one new release. Two I didn't care about, two I hope more people get to see if they are ever released in this country.
October 24, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Haven't done this in awhile. Three from the Chicago International Film Festival, one new release. Two I didn't care about, two I hope more people get to see if they are ever released in this country.
Early birthday gift to myself: taking these two Boricuas home with me tonight. And you know I had to add some Inspector Maigret to the mix (those new paperback editions are boo-ti-ful).
@cynthiapelayo.bsky.social
@cynthiapelayo.bsky.social
October 23, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Early birthday gift to myself: taking these two Boricuas home with me tonight. And you know I had to add some Inspector Maigret to the mix (those new paperback editions are boo-ti-ful).
@cynthiapelayo.bsky.social
@cynthiapelayo.bsky.social
If you are planning on coming down, DON'T. The folks from the The Criterion Collection at the Chicago International Film Festival told me that they are over capacity and not letting any more people stand in line.
October 17, 2025 at 8:16 PM
If you are planning on coming down, DON'T. The folks from the The Criterion Collection at the Chicago International Film Festival told me that they are over capacity and not letting any more people stand in line.
and kidnapping —yes, kidnapping, let's stop sugarcoating this— citizens and non-citizens alike while shooting at or even beating reporters. (Not to mention that all the trailers avoided any mention of the source's political storyline).
Not even JLO's star power could save it.
Not even JLO's star power could save it.
October 12, 2025 at 9:43 PM
and kidnapping —yes, kidnapping, let's stop sugarcoating this— citizens and non-citizens alike while shooting at or even beating reporters. (Not to mention that all the trailers avoided any mention of the source's political storyline).
Not even JLO's star power could save it.
Not even JLO's star power could save it.
The film adaptation of the musical adaptation of the adaptation of Manuel Puig's KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, made less than a million bucks this weekend. 1/4
October 12, 2025 at 9:43 PM
The film adaptation of the musical adaptation of the adaptation of Manuel Puig's KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, made less than a million bucks this weekend. 1/4
Exactly. So now you know where you can stick your complaints about Bad Bunny playing the Super Bowl halftime show. (Seen on Facebook).
October 4, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Exactly. So now you know where you can stick your complaints about Bad Bunny playing the Super Bowl halftime show. (Seen on Facebook).
There's a lot I liked about ANEMONE, the father and son collaboration between Daniel and Ronan Day-Lewis. Some things don't work. But overall, I found this film to be totally my groove. My review:
alejandroariera.substack.com/p/men-of-few...
alejandroariera.substack.com/p/men-of-few...
October 4, 2025 at 5:57 PM
There's a lot I liked about ANEMONE, the father and son collaboration between Daniel and Ronan Day-Lewis. Some things don't work. But overall, I found this film to be totally my groove. My review:
alejandroariera.substack.com/p/men-of-few...
alejandroariera.substack.com/p/men-of-few...
The fourth in a series of blog posts I am writing for the International Latino Cultural Center's 25th anniversary of their name change. This one about the organization's stage programming and contributions to the city's Latino theater scene over the years.
latinoculturalcenter.org/the-curtain-...
latinoculturalcenter.org/the-curtain-...
October 2, 2025 at 7:39 PM
The fourth in a series of blog posts I am writing for the International Latino Cultural Center's 25th anniversary of their name change. This one about the organization's stage programming and contributions to the city's Latino theater scene over the years.
latinoculturalcenter.org/the-curtain-...
latinoculturalcenter.org/the-curtain-...
Saw THE ROCK last night for the first time. Finishing this baby as well. September is all about mad geniuses in film:
September 21, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Saw THE ROCK last night for the first time. Finishing this baby as well. September is all about mad geniuses in film:
Fuck, yeah! Way to go, Chicago International Film Festival! Mis plegarias fueron escuchadas. ¡Aleluya!
September 16, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Fuck, yeah! Way to go, Chicago International Film Festival! Mis plegarias fueron escuchadas. ¡Aleluya!
Part Two of my 3,000+ opus on the history of music programming at the International Latino Cultural Center is now live. This series of blogs I am researching and writing are part of the ILCC's 25th anniversary celebration and fundraising campaign:
latinoculturalcenter.org/the-ever-pre...
latinoculturalcenter.org/the-ever-pre...
September 11, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Part Two of my 3,000+ opus on the history of music programming at the International Latino Cultural Center is now live. This series of blogs I am researching and writing are part of the ILCC's 25th anniversary celebration and fundraising campaign:
latinoculturalcenter.org/the-ever-pre...
latinoculturalcenter.org/the-ever-pre...
From Locus…
Gabina Iglasias? Sounds like what a Starbucks barista would write on your cup of Joe, @gabino.bsky.social.
Gabina Iglasias? Sounds like what a Starbucks barista would write on your cup of Joe, @gabino.bsky.social.
September 9, 2025 at 6:26 PM
From Locus…
Gabina Iglasias? Sounds like what a Starbucks barista would write on your cup of Joe, @gabino.bsky.social.
Gabina Iglasias? Sounds like what a Starbucks barista would write on your cup of Joe, @gabino.bsky.social.
The second in a series of blog posts I am researching and writing tied to the 25th anniversary of the International Latino Cultural Center. There was so much material on the history of music programming at the ILCC that I had to split the blog into two:
latinoculturalcenter.org/the-ever-pre...
latinoculturalcenter.org/the-ever-pre...
September 9, 2025 at 5:13 PM
The second in a series of blog posts I am researching and writing tied to the 25th anniversary of the International Latino Cultural Center. There was so much material on the history of music programming at the ILCC that I had to split the blog into two:
latinoculturalcenter.org/the-ever-pre...
latinoculturalcenter.org/the-ever-pre...
Right now: Eliades Ochoa from the Buena Vista Social Club at the Chicago Jazz Fest.
September 1, 2025 at 12:50 AM
Right now: Eliades Ochoa from the Buena Vista Social Club at the Chicago Jazz Fest.
Just cracked open this puppy about a mad man...
August 30, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Just cracked open this puppy about a mad man...
BBC World News is broadcasting my governor's response to Trump's threats to the whole world. Chicago no se deja. Chicago da fuete.
August 25, 2025 at 8:25 PM
BBC World News is broadcasting my governor's response to Trump's threats to the whole world. Chicago no se deja. Chicago da fuete.
Haven't seen this on the big screen since the 1980 Special Edition, the one where the Dreyfuss character goes inside the ship.
@musicboxtheatre.bsky.social
@musicboxtheatre.bsky.social
August 15, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Haven't seen this on the big screen since the 1980 Special Edition, the one where the Dreyfuss character goes inside the ship.
@musicboxtheatre.bsky.social
@musicboxtheatre.bsky.social