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.
A war against the arts and arts coverage.
the Washington Post effectively blew up its arts section today, dismissing its books, TV, music, and theater critics, features writers, and several editors. (I'm also guessing the vacant film critic position will stay that way.) Just an insane loss of talent and a huge self-inflicted wound.
February 4, 2026 at 9:50 PM
A war against the arts and arts coverage.
Reposted by Alejandro A. Riera
Jeff Bezos destroyed the Washington Post because he couldn't admit that he didn't know how to run a newspaper, and also because he felt entitled to turn it into his personal plaything. Both are functions of his ego, his greed, his heedlessness, and his insecurity. What a dark day.
February 4, 2026 at 3:28 PM
Jeff Bezos destroyed the Washington Post because he couldn't admit that he didn't know how to run a newspaper, and also because he felt entitled to turn it into his personal plaything. Both are functions of his ego, his greed, his heedlessness, and his insecurity. What a dark day.
Reposted by Alejandro A. Riera
They are systematically trying to take away our art, our culture, our community. They are disassembling, brick by brick, page by page, seat by seat, the places we go to experience moments of joy, empathy, hope, collective grief, connection.
February 4, 2026 at 2:32 PM
They are systematically trying to take away our art, our culture, our community. They are disassembling, brick by brick, page by page, seat by seat, the places we go to experience moments of joy, empathy, hope, collective grief, connection.
Powers that be hate culture.
This is about The Washington Post but it is also about the slow death of movie theaters, of book stores—the rapid integration of AI into schools—the Kennedy Center—the way so many people in power are afraid of art (and wow even sports) for the power it has to give people common language and cause.
February 4, 2026 at 2:56 PM
Powers that be hate culture.
Sports section? Gone.
Book section? Gone.
Still buying books from Amazon? Stop.
www.theguardian.com/media/2026/f...
Book section? Gone.
Still buying books from Amazon? Stop.
www.theguardian.com/media/2026/f...
‘It’s an absolute bloodbath’: Washington Post undergoing significant layoffs as part of ‘strategic reset’
Employees were told Wednesday that the paper’s sports desk would close among other cuts and restructures
www.theguardian.com
February 4, 2026 at 2:43 PM
Sports section? Gone.
Book section? Gone.
Still buying books from Amazon? Stop.
www.theguardian.com/media/2026/f...
Book section? Gone.
Still buying books from Amazon? Stop.
www.theguardian.com/media/2026/f...
Reposted by Alejandro A. Riera
Shutting down (the stellar) books coverage at WaPo is a real telling move when your owner is literally Jeff Bezos
February 4, 2026 at 2:36 PM
Shutting down (the stellar) books coverage at WaPo is a real telling move when your owner is literally Jeff Bezos
Where do I start? Disaster movies? THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE. Action? Charles Bronson every time. Politics? He took me to see Costa Gavras's STATE OF SIEGE after a visit to the zoo. I was, what? about 8, 9 years old at the time? Car chases? DIRTY MARY, CRAZY LARRY and, oh, yes, THE FRENCH CONNECTION.
What’s everyone’s favorite dad movie
Trying to do a daily dumb little prompt to not think about The Horrors
February 4, 2026 at 5:02 AM
Where do I start? Disaster movies? THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE. Action? Charles Bronson every time. Politics? He took me to see Costa Gavras's STATE OF SIEGE after a visit to the zoo. I was, what? about 8, 9 years old at the time? Car chases? DIRTY MARY, CRAZY LARRY and, oh, yes, THE FRENCH CONNECTION.
Reposted by Alejandro A. Riera
This is action EVERY city in the country can take. If your hotels cooperate with ICE, goodbye liquor revenue.
A Minneapolis City Council committee delayed action Tuesday on renewing liquor licenses for two Minneapolis hotels that have housed federal immigration officers.
Minneapolis Council committee delays liquor licenses for 2 hotels over hosting federal agents
The City Council will hold a public hearing on the liquor licenses for the Canopy by Hilton in the Mill District and Depot Renaissance Hotel.
www.startribune.com
February 4, 2026 at 2:57 AM
This is action EVERY city in the country can take. If your hotels cooperate with ICE, goodbye liquor revenue.
Second time and first in 70mm. Ready to be awed again! @musicboxtheatre.bsky.social
February 4, 2026 at 1:05 AM
Second time and first in 70mm. Ready to be awed again! @musicboxtheatre.bsky.social
Reposted by Alejandro A. Riera
Wake up and read the room, Chuck!
Democrats do not want common sense reform, Chuck!
The fact that you are so completely removed from what Democrats want is yet another reason why you need to step aside and retire!
You are an embarrassment.
Democrats do not want common sense reform, Chuck!
The fact that you are so completely removed from what Democrats want is yet another reason why you need to step aside and retire!
You are an embarrassment.
Democrats want commonsense reform for ICE:
End the roving patrols and racial profiling.
Take accountability and abide by the same rules as local police.
Masks need to come off, body cameras need to stay on—no secret police in the United States of America.
End the roving patrols and racial profiling.
Take accountability and abide by the same rules as local police.
Masks need to come off, body cameras need to stay on—no secret police in the United States of America.
February 3, 2026 at 11:52 PM
Wake up and read the room, Chuck!
Democrats do not want common sense reform, Chuck!
The fact that you are so completely removed from what Democrats want is yet another reason why you need to step aside and retire!
You are an embarrassment.
Democrats do not want common sense reform, Chuck!
The fact that you are so completely removed from what Democrats want is yet another reason why you need to step aside and retire!
You are an embarrassment.
Reposted by Alejandro A. Riera
Would Orson Welles want his lost classic restored by A.I.? You mean the same Orson Welles who, when Ted Turner was leading the charge to colorize black & white movies, famously proclaimed "don't let Ted Turner deface my movie with his crayons"? I think I can make an educated guess here.
In 1942, RKO slashed 43 minutes from Orson Welles's "The Magnificent Ambersons" and slapped on a happy ending. Now, an A.I. company wants to restore what was lost. Are they righting a historic wrong or descrating a classic? My deep dive, in this week's New Yorker. www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...
Deepfaking Orson Welles’s Mangled Masterpiece
Will an A.I. restoration of “The Magnificent Ambersons” right a historic wrong or desecrate a classic?
www.newyorker.com
February 3, 2026 at 7:52 PM
Would Orson Welles want his lost classic restored by A.I.? You mean the same Orson Welles who, when Ted Turner was leading the charge to colorize black & white movies, famously proclaimed "don't let Ted Turner deface my movie with his crayons"? I think I can make an educated guess here.
I will never get tired of saying this but Oprah has a lot to answer for for introducing and even supporting Drs. Oz and Phil to the world.
A multimillionaire thinks that paying down the national debt is so important that all the poors should get into the workforce earlier, work in it harder, and stay in it later to help pay it off.
It's the only possible way to do it!
It's the only possible way to do it!
Dr Oz: "If we could get the average American to start working a year earlier, right out of high school, or a year later -- not retire -- or work better during their lifetime because they're healthy, it would generate about $3 trillion to the US economy. That would more than remove the debt."
February 3, 2026 at 3:59 PM
I will never get tired of saying this but Oprah has a lot to answer for for introducing and even supporting Drs. Oz and Phil to the world.
And if you are in Chicago...the full Kill Bill is showing at the @musicboxtheatre.bsky.social that Sunday:
musicboxtheatre.com/films-and-ev...
musicboxtheatre.com/films-and-ev...
February 3, 2026 at 1:05 AM
And if you are in Chicago...the full Kill Bill is showing at the @musicboxtheatre.bsky.social that Sunday:
musicboxtheatre.com/films-and-ev...
musicboxtheatre.com/films-and-ev...
One of them may even be coming to this year's Chicago Latino Film Festival! That's for me to know and for you to find out.
U.S. Latinx directors took top honors at Sundance, led by Brazilian-American filmmaker Beth de Araújo, whose JOSEPHINE won both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award. See all the winners.
U.S. Latinx Directors Lead at Sundance With Major Wins — Cinema Tropical
U.S. Latinx directors won top honors at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, taking major awards across several categories, led by Brazilian-American filmmaker Beth de Araújo, who received both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award for her sophomore feature Josephine . Starring Channing Tatum an
cinematropical.com
February 2, 2026 at 5:19 PM
One of them may even be coming to this year's Chicago Latino Film Festival! That's for me to know and for you to find out.
Reposted by Alejandro A. Riera
“I wanna dedicate this award to all the people that had to leave their homeland, their country, to follow their dreams. For all the people who’ve lost a loved one and still had to keep moving forward, and continue with a lot of strength, this award is for you” - Bad Bunny #GRAMMYS
February 2, 2026 at 4:51 AM
“I wanna dedicate this award to all the people that had to leave their homeland, their country, to follow their dreams. For all the people who’ve lost a loved one and still had to keep moving forward, and continue with a lot of strength, this award is for you” - Bad Bunny #GRAMMYS
Debi tirar más fotos 🎼🪇🥁🎤🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷
Bad Bunny…Grammy for Album of the Year!
I may be wrong but I believe this is the first time a Puerto Rican artist wins the Grammy in this category.
P-FKN-R indeed!
Bad Bunny…Grammy for Album of the Year!
I may be wrong but I believe this is the first time a Puerto Rican artist wins the Grammy in this category.
P-FKN-R indeed!
February 2, 2026 at 4:39 AM
Debi tirar más fotos 🎼🪇🥁🎤🇵🇷🇵🇷🇵🇷
Bad Bunny…Grammy for Album of the Year!
I may be wrong but I believe this is the first time a Puerto Rican artist wins the Grammy in this category.
P-FKN-R indeed!
Bad Bunny…Grammy for Album of the Year!
I may be wrong but I believe this is the first time a Puerto Rican artist wins the Grammy in this category.
P-FKN-R indeed!
Reposted by Alejandro A. Riera
Yesterday, five-year-old Liam and his dad Adrian were released from Dilley detention center. I picked them up last night and escorted them back to Minnesota this morning.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
February 1, 2026 at 3:49 PM
Yesterday, five-year-old Liam and his dad Adrian were released from Dilley detention center. I picked them up last night and escorted them back to Minnesota this morning.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
Liam is now home. With his hat and his backpack.
Reposted by Alejandro A. Riera
My hot take about the “students cannot read whole novels / watch whole films / etc.” is that they can learn to do it. None of us are born with attention spans suited for long media. It is a learned skill and can be developed with practice.
January 31, 2026 at 3:28 PM
My hot take about the “students cannot read whole novels / watch whole films / etc.” is that they can learn to do it. None of us are born with attention spans suited for long media. It is a learned skill and can be developed with practice.
See THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE in 70mm tonight (or any other movie really at the Music Box) and help a fine Minneapolis Latino community organization.
January 30, 2026 at 7:52 PM
See THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE in 70mm tonight (or any other movie really at the Music Box) and help a fine Minneapolis Latino community organization.
Minnesota media!!!!!
I have yet to hear a statement from the feckless Chicago Tribune or for that matter Chicago's entire media landscape.
I have yet to hear a statement from the feckless Chicago Tribune or for that matter Chicago's entire media landscape.
The Minnesota Star Tribune, @mprnews.org @minnesotareformer.com , @spokesmanrecorder.bsky.social, @sahanjournal.bsky.social, Center for Broadcast Journalism and Minnesota Newspaper Association today released the following statement:
January 30, 2026 at 6:16 PM
Minnesota media!!!!!
I have yet to hear a statement from the feckless Chicago Tribune or for that matter Chicago's entire media landscape.
I have yet to hear a statement from the feckless Chicago Tribune or for that matter Chicago's entire media landscape.
Reposted by Alejandro A. Riera
Because it does seem like … just make your own original story that doesn’t come with any expectations/history. But they’re not because it’s impossible to get those made at the moment. If this theory is accurate, it’s not great for adaptations overall! (Which don’t need to be slavish but c’mon)
January 29, 2026 at 2:47 PM
Because it does seem like … just make your own original story that doesn’t come with any expectations/history. But they’re not because it’s impossible to get those made at the moment. If this theory is accurate, it’s not great for adaptations overall! (Which don’t need to be slavish but c’mon)
Reposted by Alejandro A. Riera
A friend has a theory that we’re getting adaptations of famous books (Frankenstein, Wuthering Heights) that are more about the writer/director’s “feelings” or memories of the books rather than an actual interrogation of or engagement w. what source material is doing bc only IP is getting greenlit rn
January 29, 2026 at 2:44 PM
A friend has a theory that we’re getting adaptations of famous books (Frankenstein, Wuthering Heights) that are more about the writer/director’s “feelings” or memories of the books rather than an actual interrogation of or engagement w. what source material is doing bc only IP is getting greenlit rn
Bruce channeling his inner Woody Guthrie…and his inner Los Tigres Del Norte. Because, in its immediacy, this is Bruce's corrido in honor of the good folks of Minneapolis:
Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio)
YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen
www.youtube.com
January 28, 2026 at 10:21 PM
Bruce channeling his inner Woody Guthrie…and his inner Los Tigres Del Norte. Because, in its immediacy, this is Bruce's corrido in honor of the good folks of Minneapolis: