Best thing I've seen all day. Cinema!!!! (Even though it ain't.)

Congrats to #9 Music Box Theatre

No offense to our mayor and other leaders that have intermittently used the "closely monitoring" line, but wtf does that even mean? That seems to imply there is a line that has not yet been crossed. So what is the line, then? What is it and what will you actually do anyway?

Governor JB Pritzker Armed agents with no systems of accountability and no standards and procedures are terrorizing a city and for weeks have been detaining, assaulting, and in one case, murdered someone because they are latino. That's it. So how much of that are you willing to permit?

My review of the number one movie at the box office this weekend, Paul Thomas Anderson's #OneBattleAfterAnother is finally up. And it barely scratches the surface. I truly love the film's second act and Benicia, enough reasons to see it again. alejandroariera.substack.com/p/come-the-rev…

For the evening crowd:

BORIIIIIIIICUAS! Tickets are already on sale for the Chicago International Film Festival screening of ESTA ISLA, winner of three awards at Tribeca including Best Cinematography & Best New Narrative Director. Co-director Lorraine Jones Molina will ttenda! chicagofilmfestival.com/film/thisislan…

In honor of Jane Goodall. A classic moment from that enjoyably silly film GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE: youtube.com/watch?v=4DsTV2…

Having never seen the documentary Benny Sadie's solo directorial debut is based on, I found myself appreciating a good chunk of what he did visually and sonically with THE SMASHING MACHINE…and, of course, Dwayne Johnson's performance. My review: alejandroariera.substack.com/p/a-brutal-and…

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-ri…

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-ri…

If you happen to be in New York… nytimes.com/2025/10/02/art…

For the night crowd.

For the night crowd.

Today in Chicago: ICE raiding a Walmart, snatching up a man unloading coconuts, and handcuffing Ald. Jessie Fuentes in an emergency room at the hospital. “Thr worst of the worst,” they said.

mexican anti nazi propaganda

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-w…

A note of caution to journalists: Don’t report ICE claims as fact. They lie all the time. And they have a huge propaganda apparatus to spread their lies. Don’t be part of it.

For the night crowd: