At last! My mortal enemy January rots in the festering pit of New Year's hell it so richly derserves! Which means we are that much closer to the Oscars, March Madness and baseball! Adios, Bergman month...

However, we must first contend with the still daunting weather of February. The big mitigating factor on our side is a month chock full of classic cinema goodness. So while I prep the monthly overview let's focus on this first day of the year's second month. And it's a good one.

At last, my old foe January, there can be only one of us left standing. I only hope it's me...

Weird Drupal snafus have felled the mighty January calendar it seems for good. As if this month didn't absolutely suck enough. My apologies to all ye faithful who have kept pace with this website and the info it has striven to offer since its inception last summer. I can promise we will do our utmost to ensure this never happens again. In the meantime I can still offer my Picks in an effort to keep you informed of all classic film screenings in these magnificent boroughs. Let's push on, shall we?

Alright, January. I hate you and you hate me. So let's get this post over with so I can sleep 20 hours and seemingly watch you die faster. Agreed?

LOTS goin' on today in classic film screenings should you decide to brave the bone bleaching single digit winds this day. I may even trudge through this gotham tundra toward my Pick tonight. Depends on how I feel about digging back into that marinara sauce I made Wednesday night. We shall see...

Pickin's be as slim as heat this day in temperatures oppresive, but some worthy gems are screening should you choose to brave the elements.

My advice today is stay indoors. Order in some hot tomato soup and turkey meatloaf. Crawl up next to the fireplace and indulge your DVD collection or Turner Classic Movies for your classic film fix. If you don't have a deep DVD collection or TCM perhaps AMC or FX or TNT will suffice. If you don't have a fireplace to crawl up beside then make one, MAKE ONE I SAID!!!!

Late announcements from several prestige venues propose a cinematic January that isn't quite as over as it seems. To which I say goddam. Goddam January all to hell.

Having accepted this reality, however, let me now hip ya to the update. Some very cool classic films are screening in the next ten days. Read on...

The Nitehawk Cinema kicks the day off with its Little Creatures series, today offering a noon screening of Steven Spielberg's 80's behemoth E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL. As entries in the director's CV go, I'm sure the Nitehawk's brunch is delicious.

The Berg Man screens for a final day as part of MOMA's ongoing Auteurist History of Film series. WILD STRAWBERRIES, the tale of a man in the winter of his life forced to weigh his accomplishments against his failings, is one of the master filmmaker's grandest achievements. Plus it's one of Ingmar's cheerier efforts. I know. Brrr.