In which Seymour Cassel comes out of the closet to Judd Nelson and then Nelson says many very homophobic things.

It’s rough around the edges, but I can’t emphasize enough how much I loved Power Paandi, about an old Tamil stunt man searching for another chance at happiness. (It’s on Netflix, which for all its faults has an excellent selection of 21st century south Asian films.)

The new one from @adrianpmartin.bsky.social is awesome.

Headed to Houston this week, will give an academic talk for the philosophy department on Friday but there will also be a public event on Thursday where I’ll give a 30-min talk along with a PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE screening and then Q&A.

Favorite first viewings for January. Really went for it, best month in a long time for me.

One of my goals for this year is to watch more Indian movies than French movies. Angela developing a crush on Dhanush is really helping the cause, though she’s also lobbying to finish the Brisseau filmography (and she won’t have to twist my arm on that one).

If you like fun, Rifle Club is on Netflix. Malayalam siege thriller set in the Western Ghats. Great style. I was hooting and hollering.

My 2024 new release favorites as of now. I had Close Your Eyes on my list last year or it would be #1.

Favorite first viewings for 2024, loosely ranked. Letterboxd link below.

FYI. There are still like 4-5 prime seats available. The second row is open but it’s bad. It’s not elevated above the first row so the person in front of you will likely obstruct your view.

Gloomy Sunday, house to myself, time to pop the cork on one of the movies I’ve been saving the longest.

The premise “Legally Blonde except it’s Emma Roberts as a cultural Floridian who leaves the salt life behind to join a NASA training program under false pretenses” should be a slam dunk, but it was severely fumbled. Deeply disappointing. I badly want to see a better version of this movie.

It’s a big day for the nerds in your life (I am going to devour this).

Kendrick Lamar comes out as a Zemeckis fan.

Was surprised to discover that the new Netflix movie HOT FROSTY is by the director of PSYCHO GIRLS.

Spotted on campus at Chapman University: the coolest James Benning water bottle in the world.

Nu Image deep cut in which a cop asks a class of 6th graders if any of them have read Jean-Paul Sartre. One girl raises her hand and the cop starts quoting BEING AND NOTHINGNESS from memory. Later this girl hits her head rollerskating and wakes up with a French accent.

What a beauty.

Common sense media’s suggestions for topics to talk to your kids about after watching CRIMES OF THE FUTURE with them.