For the past few years I had thought the last movie I watched in theaters before COVID was the execrable Rise of Skywalker. What a way to enter a cinema-going hiatus on a downer. I was reminded today, however, that Uncut Gems was released in 2019 as well. I now recall watching that at The Byrd Theater with my friend over the holidays. So at least I saw a movie that was actually worth watching before getting stuck at home, though the infinitely rising tension really set the stage for the year ahead in a way I couldn’t have imagined.