Movies in 2026 32

 

Dazed and Confused, (Richard Linklater, 1993)

One of the advantages of 2026's year of movies, much like 2025's year of books, is that I'm encouraged to get out of my rut and watch movies that I've always meant to watch but somehow never got around to viewing. So, why had I never got around to watching Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused, even though it's all but a cultural touchstone. Of course, the first reason may simply be that it's a cultural touchstone, and that ran up against my well known contrarian nature. Also, I think much of the 1990s went by in the blur of child-rearing and kicking off my career. Finally, and maybe most importantly, shit, I lived through high school in the mid-1970s, and I don't have any happy or romantic memory of it. One of the thing that I like about the film is that Linklater didn't try and turn it into some idiotic George Lucas American Graffiti version of the 70s. Yes, Dazed and Confused featured a lot of fun and silly behavior, but it also included the stupidity and cruelty and small-mindedness and boredom that was also a big part of the age. I'm sorry that it took me so long to watch Dazed and Confused for the first time, and it won't nearly be so long before I give it a second look. 

Movies in 2026 31

 

Reprise, (Joachim Trier, 2006)

We may be starting a Joachim Trier film fest. Happily, the Criterion Channel has some, although not all, of Trier's film available (but where would I be without it?). Last night I watched his first film, Reprise, for the first time in several years. The film is both joyous and dark, and even if this early effort you can see the extraordinary potential that would make Trier one of the best filmmakers in the world. The film follows the trials and tribulations of two young writers, Phillip (Anders Danielsen Lie) and Erik (Espen Klousman Hoiner) as they launch their careers, and struggle with innumerable personal problems. Highly recommended.

Company

 You never can tell who will pop by the cabin for a visit, even on a snowy cold day like today.

The last couple days I noticed the cats running up to the window to take a look in the backyard, and now I guess who had been popping by for a visit. The local beasties, the outside beasties, tend to get into patterns (at least that's true of our occasional guest, the fox) so we may have more daily visits from our friend.

Movies in 2026 30

 

Louder Than Bombs, (Joachim Trier, 2025)

It's only lately that I've discovered the Danish-Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Trier (thanks, Criterion, as always). This morning I watched his Louder Than Bombs, which I liked but didn't love (although it had some wonderful moments). It was chock full of fine performances, and Isabelle Huppert (not surprisingly) was transcendent. Sometimes I tell my students that their papers were not fully realized, after explaining that I swiped the phrase from movies. With that in mind, I guess my critique of Louder Than Bombs was that it wasn't fully realized. I found myself thinking that it would have made a better novel, mainly because there were clearly worlds within worlds beneath the surface of four very complex characters, and only so much time to explore cinematically. I liked his earlier Reprise, Oslo 31 August, and Thelma quite a bit, but unfortunately haven't been able to see his The Worst Person in the World or his current Sentimental Value yet. 

Movies in 2026 29

 

Vivre sa vie, (Jean-Luc Godard, 1962)

I've made the point along the way that I like Czech New Wave better than French New Wave, although that certainly doesn't mean that I don't like the latter. I think after making that bold point the other night I'm being drawn back to watching some of the best films of Godard and Truffaut and Varda, etc., so expect a number to appear. Last night I watched Godard's Vivre sa vie, starring Anna Karina (his definitive muse). She plays a would be actress, who, after leaving her husband and infant, tries to make it in Paris. Her job in a record story doesn't pay the bills and in the end she becomes a prostitute. Despite a tragic ending, she lives her life unapologetically. Karina's performance is wonderful, and the film includes some of those odd but brilliant moments (such as Karina's character discussing life with Godard's actual professor) that you'd expect from one of his films. The end will stay with you. Highly recommended.

25

 

Daniel Adeboboye is another native Canadian, born in Mississauga, Ontario, which is right next to two CFL cities, Toronto and Hamilton (it's essentially a suburb of the former). He attended Bryant University, and then played for hometown Toronto Argonauts, winning a Grey Cup along the way. He was traded to the REDBLACKS last season. Ottawa was the worst team in the league last year, but they just spirited Ryan Dinwiddie away from the Argonauts so I suspect better times are on the way.

I had just switched the weekly countdown number over to 25 days left until retirement, as signified by Daniel Adeboboye, currently of the Ottawa REDBLACKS, when my friend Erik caught the change on the door. He asked if that was the right number, and when I answered yes, he pointed out that it's not many days left. I think it's starting to hit all of us. 

Movies in 2026 28

 

Youth in Fury, (Masahiro Shinoda, 1960)

Here's a film, Youth in Fury, that I was considering using in my Images of Fascism class this spring as a Finals Week assignment, although I think I may have backed away from it. I'm not a huge fan of Masahiro Shinoda, although his Pale Flower is my favorite Japanese film noir. The film is about a university student who is drawn towards right wing terror as part of his and Japan's turmoil, which would have potentially made for a perfect fit for my Fascism class, but in the end I don't know if we get into his mind enough to allow my students to tackle with his motives in relation to the readings we've done on authoritarianism, especially the appeal of authoritarianism to the young. It's a good movie, and the ending is beautifully evocative of the age, so I may give it another consideration. Either way, it's definitely recommended.