Farran Smith Nehme
@selfstyledsiren.bsky.social
Film critic; NSFC, NYFCC. Bylines at Criterion, Sight & Sound, Noir City, my own Substack, and wherever fine film geeks are found.
https://selfstyledsiren.substack.com/
https://selfstyledsiren.substack.com/
Pinned
I've been dying to tell people I wrote the essay for TROUBLE IN PARADISE, a true Lubitsch masterpiece, and now I can. It's hilarious, it's gorgeous, there's nothing like it, and spending time with Trouble last year soothed my soul. www.criterion.com/films/723-tr....
Even for her early days in Hollywood, when they were still deciding what to do with her, this is an atypical pose and get-up for Jane Wyman. Dig that gorgeous dress. Photo by the one and only George Hurrell.
January 27, 2026 at 4:00 PM
Even for her early days in Hollywood, when they were still deciding what to do with her, this is an atypical pose and get-up for Jane Wyman. Dig that gorgeous dress. Photo by the one and only George Hurrell.
Reposted by Farran Smith Nehme
1/ Probably my last gift WaPo article, and one that fills me with rage: wapo.st/4rjXAMQ #AI #theft #plagiarism #Anthropic #chatbots
How Silicon Valley built AI: Buying, scanning and discarding millions of books
Court filings reveal how AI companies raced to obtain more books to feed chatbots, including by buying, scanning and disposing of millions of titles.
wapo.st
January 27, 2026 at 1:50 PM
1/ Probably my last gift WaPo article, and one that fills me with rage: wapo.st/4rjXAMQ #AI #theft #plagiarism #Anthropic #chatbots
Reposted by Farran Smith Nehme
more of this please Catholic bishops and pastors
Newark’s Cardinal Tobin: Defund lawless ICE
[Catholic pastoral messaging in the Trump era]
greydanus.substack.com
January 27, 2026 at 1:33 PM
more of this please Catholic bishops and pastors
A Separate Peace was once a common book to read in high school (freshman year in my case). I remember being very moved by it, which certainly was not the case for everything we read.
I’ve got three books going right now. 2 I’m reading and this one I’m listening to. I read this book in high school, as I’m sure many people did. I liked it then and I do now. I’m more of a book reader than listener but every once in a while it’s nice to escape into another world this way.
#books
#books
January 27, 2026 at 1:55 PM
A Separate Peace was once a common book to read in high school (freshman year in my case). I remember being very moved by it, which certainly was not the case for everything we read.
Reposted by Farran Smith Nehme
All of Agatha Christie’s Poirot has just appeared on Netflix. I knew this week had to have at least one redeeming feature.
January 26, 2026 at 7:56 PM
All of Agatha Christie’s Poirot has just appeared on Netflix. I knew this week had to have at least one redeeming feature.
Reposted by Farran Smith Nehme
January 27, 2026 at 12:36 AM
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If you're looking for a bellwether....
Rep. Tom Suozzi(D-NY), getting raked over the coals for his vote for more ICE funding, says in a campaign email that he didn’t understand what he was doing
January 26, 2026 at 6:09 PM
If you're looking for a bellwether....
Reposted by Farran Smith Nehme
Bluesky should change the "30+" tag when you have a lot of notifications to say "oh no" instead
January 26, 2026 at 6:04 PM
Bluesky should change the "30+" tag when you have a lot of notifications to say "oh no" instead
Reposted by Farran Smith Nehme
It is extremely rare that Suozzi will risk alienating the many moderates he represents in our purple district. This means he senses a large vibe shift.
January 26, 2026 at 5:54 PM
It is extremely rare that Suozzi will risk alienating the many moderates he represents in our purple district. This means he senses a large vibe shift.
Pithy, scathing, and funny, as one expects from my bunny friend Glenn. But my favorite sentence is: “The ‘Nordic Noir’ series on the Criterion Collection is lit, I recommend every title.” Too true! open.substack.com/pub/glennken...
We Saw "Hamnet"
And now cinema is over for us.
open.substack.com
January 25, 2026 at 8:01 PM
Pithy, scathing, and funny, as one expects from my bunny friend Glenn. But my favorite sentence is: “The ‘Nordic Noir’ series on the Criterion Collection is lit, I recommend every title.” Too true! open.substack.com/pub/glennken...
Reposted by Farran Smith Nehme
Carroll Gardens Brooklyn - 11:27 AM
January 25, 2026 at 4:27 PM
Carroll Gardens Brooklyn - 11:27 AM
I never get tired of photos of New York in the Great Blizzard of 1947—26 inches in Central Park, making today's storm look like a picnic. This is a lone pedestrian making their way through a peaceful Times Square, showing the Pepsico sign and a marquee for "The Voice of the Turtle" at left.
January 25, 2026 at 3:04 PM
I never get tired of photos of New York in the Great Blizzard of 1947—26 inches in Central Park, making today's storm look like a picnic. This is a lone pedestrian making their way through a peaceful Times Square, showing the Pepsico sign and a marquee for "The Voice of the Turtle" at left.
Reposted by Farran Smith Nehme
The nursing subreddit changed their pic to one of Alex
January 25, 2026 at 4:14 AM
The nursing subreddit changed their pic to one of Alex
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No matter the quality of the nurse the one thing I’d do is never, ever cross them
The nursing subreddit changed their pic to one of Alex
January 25, 2026 at 4:34 AM
No matter the quality of the nurse the one thing I’d do is never, ever cross them
There goes my respect for Ellen von Unwerth.
January 25, 2026 at 4:11 AM
There goes my respect for Ellen von Unwerth.
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January 25, 2026 at 3:13 AM
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James Maher ~ Winter night, Central Park
January 25, 2026 at 3:15 AM
James Maher ~ Winter night, Central Park
Reposted by Farran Smith Nehme
The World Cup in the US must be boycotted by foreign nations. Outside financial pressure is the only thing the thugs in suits (as opposed to the thugs in camo) will respond to.
January 24, 2026 at 7:30 PM
The World Cup in the US must be boycotted by foreign nations. Outside financial pressure is the only thing the thugs in suits (as opposed to the thugs in camo) will respond to.
Reposted by Farran Smith Nehme
People are definitely setting up a barricade of trash cans and this couch, in the middle of the street where ICE is.
"That's my couch," said a woman standing nearby. "It's been on my porch for four years because it won't fit up the stairs. My neighbor will be pleased it's gone now."
"That's my couch," said a woman standing nearby. "It's been on my porch for four years because it won't fit up the stairs. My neighbor will be pleased it's gone now."
January 24, 2026 at 6:18 PM
People are definitely setting up a barricade of trash cans and this couch, in the middle of the street where ICE is.
"That's my couch," said a woman standing nearby. "It's been on my porch for four years because it won't fit up the stairs. My neighbor will be pleased it's gone now."
"That's my couch," said a woman standing nearby. "It's been on my porch for four years because it won't fit up the stairs. My neighbor will be pleased it's gone now."
Reposted by Farran Smith Nehme
Lovely to see Godard’s A BOUT DE SOUFFLE on the big screen today. A first-time watch for my friend, the nth time for me. ‘Jean-Paul Belmondo in a hat’ should be a genre in its own right!
✨ #FilmSky
✨ #FilmSky
January 24, 2026 at 5:51 PM
Lovely to see Godard’s A BOUT DE SOUFFLE on the big screen today. A first-time watch for my friend, the nth time for me. ‘Jean-Paul Belmondo in a hat’ should be a genre in its own right!
✨ #FilmSky
✨ #FilmSky
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January 24, 2026 at 3:27 AM
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An adorable Tufted Titmouse perches on a lichen covered branch while waiting for peanuts to be offered.
January 23, 2026 at 10:44 PM
An adorable Tufted Titmouse perches on a lichen covered branch while waiting for peanuts to be offered.
Reposted by Farran Smith Nehme
It’s Ann’s birthday tomorrow.
(cc @selfstyledsiren.bsky.social. Because, quite frankly, who else would I cc.)
🎥 Guy Green
(cc @selfstyledsiren.bsky.social. Because, quite frankly, who else would I cc.)
🎥 Guy Green
January 23, 2026 at 9:58 PM
It’s Ann’s birthday tomorrow.
(cc @selfstyledsiren.bsky.social. Because, quite frankly, who else would I cc.)
🎥 Guy Green
(cc @selfstyledsiren.bsky.social. Because, quite frankly, who else would I cc.)
🎥 Guy Green
My fellow New Yorkers, it's a snowstorm, not the siege of Stalingrad. Local butcher's case was practically empty; I literally got the last lamb they had save for two sad little rib chops. www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Update from Sara Hylton
www.nytimes.com
January 23, 2026 at 9:45 PM
My fellow New Yorkers, it's a snowstorm, not the siege of Stalingrad. Local butcher's case was practically empty; I literally got the last lamb they had save for two sad little rib chops. www.nytimes.com/live/2026/01...
Reposted by Farran Smith Nehme
“Television: A medium. So called because it's neither rare nor well done.”
-Ernie Kovacs #BOTD
Ernie Kovacs And Edie Adams play with a guillotine
-Ernie Kovacs #BOTD
Ernie Kovacs And Edie Adams play with a guillotine
January 23, 2026 at 3:28 PM
“Television: A medium. So called because it's neither rare nor well done.”
-Ernie Kovacs #BOTD
Ernie Kovacs And Edie Adams play with a guillotine
-Ernie Kovacs #BOTD
Ernie Kovacs And Edie Adams play with a guillotine