It's here, at last, a day that seemed an impossible mark mere weeks ago, as we chafed and chapped and turned one more shade of grey beneath the heel of a winter's oppression immemorable. Finally we can inaugurate one more summer, one more indulgence of the sun's warmth, a season where we are unencumbered by extraneous clothing, preppings of emotional bulwarks for that first step out the door, and newer and increasingly inventive invective toward Mother Nature. For the time being, it would seem, we have entered a climatic Goldilocks Zone, and there has existed no better 24 hours in modern times to find celebration of said within.

It's Memorial Day weekend once more, and it would appear weather amicable to activities routine to this holiday is finally, perhaps formally, taking hold in our fair metropolis. Park and backyard BBQ's, picnics, mass consuming of beer, liquor and sizzurp, beach and boardwalk hijinks, all these endeavors are worthy tickings-off of our collective clocks today, having no greater order of biz mañana than to wake whenever, scratch whatever body area needs such attendance, and spend the remainder of the day watching the HBO GO we're piggybacking on our pal's account. America, fuck yeah.

At the risk of injecting what might seem maudlin sentiment to these happy-happy-joy-joy proceedings, however, I suggest we give at least a moment's pause to the men and women who have served and are serving in the U. S. military, an observance this holiday has come to epitomize, so we can freely Citibike, stream Netflix and blog whatever blathery we deem crucial to the social health of the cyberverse. We have selfless protectors, folks, let's take one minute of one day at the very least to acknowledge them.

JEEZUS you don't know the WEEK I had!

Wait, I meant to lead with GODDAM IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK! I MISSED YOU GUYS N' GALS! And then work in to my shpilkis. Okay now we're good.

I know, I know, this site is so slick and sleek it seems like it's run from the Bill Gates' penthouse. The merest thought of a technical snafu seems as improbable as Burt Reynolds losing his status as top box office draw three decades running. But folks, sadly both of these things are not only possible, they occasionally happen, and I get to feel Mr. Reynolds' pain.

I have but one thing to say to Gareth Edwards; goddam you for making me apologize to Roland Emmerich.

Ahem.

Continuing series today include French Cinema's Secret Trove at the French Institute/Alliance Française, Fassbinder: Romantic Anarchist Part One at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, and An Auteurist History of Film Reprise, Part Two at MoMA. The shenanigans appear thus;

It's Sunday. Let's just get to it.

Okay, Mets suck. Now let's get to it.

Continuing series today include Film Forum Jr. at (where else?) Film Forum, Fassbinder: Romantic Anarchist Part One at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, Cool Worlds: The Animation of Ralph Bakshi at BAM Cinématek, An Auteurist History of Film Reprise, Part Two at MoMA, and Museum of the Moving Image's half finished and absolutely unmissable Kenji Mizoguchi retrospective. The rep circuit roshambo as follows;

Yanks fightin' it out for first place in the AL East? The NBA Conference finals dominating the airwaves? Something called the NHL still accessible by tweaking the rabbit ears? You guys have fun with that. My attention is squarely focused on one competitive sport that stirs the adrenaline like no other. That's right, the Annual Scripps Spelling Bee is 12 days away. Can you use "disquietude" in a sentence?

Ongoing series today include An Auteurist History of Film Reprise, Part Two at MoMA, Cool Worlds: The Animation of Ralph Bakshi at BAM Cinématek, Fassbinder: Romantic Anarchist Part One at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, the Kenji Mizoguchi retrospective at Moving Image, and From Mae West to Punk: the Bowery on Film at Anthology Film Archives. The tomfoolery as follows;

As the skies open on our fair metropolis, so too does the NYC rep film circuit switch its energies from potential to kinetic. Lots to recommend today to the tri-state Cinegeek, from seminal works from the silent era, to adventurous and controversial works of animation, to some of the crowned masters of world cinema. To all the whiners out there, buy an umbrella and get over it. To all the pros, I need advise nothing. To both, read on.

New and continuing series today include Fassbinder: Romantic Anarchist (Part One) at the Film Society, An Auteurist History of Film and its Reprise Part Two spinoff at MoMA, Cool Worlds: The Animation of Ralph Bakshi at BAM Cinématek, the Kenji Mizoguchi retrospective at Museum of the Moving Image, Justice in Film at the New York Historical Society, From Mae West to Punk: The Bowery on Film at Anthology Film Arhcives, as, as befits every fine Friday, the Cabaret Cinema selection at the Rubin Museum of Art. The projected projections appear thus;

I thought NOAH effectively ended its run a couple of weeks ago, but apparently late sunsets and merry birdsong ain't enough of a memo to the elements to justify a work stoppage on the Ark. We must be really bad, man. Double-bag the galoshes, folks, the deluge approacheth.

Ongoing series today include An Auteurist History of Film at MoMA, and Punk Rock Girls and Cool Worlds: The Animation of Ralph Bakshi at BAM Cinématek. The upstream shenanigans looketh thus;

Another lull in NYC's rep calendar today, preceding a much busier weekend to come. Only three selections to choose from, true enough. But to those of you whining about this paucity of cinematic wares I offer these three words sure to tuck that outrage back into its nesting cave; First World Problem. Huh? HUH? Feel bad now?

Continuing series today include An Auteurist History of Film at MoMA, and Punk Rock Girls at BAM Cinématek. The Vitagraph nonsense as follows;