Cinema Roundup - February 2026: “Never mistake my kindness for weakness”
I was in Rotterdam during the first few days of February for the film festival, followed by a few more days in Amsterdam to attend a few rep screenings and new releases before I returned to Dubai.
An unusual case of rep screening happened in Dubai, Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining was released in our cinemas, including on IMAX screens. Needless to say I was very happy.
As for new releases, Wuthering Heights was released here with an 18+ rating but was still heavily censored.
We also got The Secret Agent, Send Help, Crime 101 and Shelter, all during the first half of February before Ramadan when there are hardly any new releases during that time. The only notable release during Ramadan was Is This Thing On? and I was the only one at the night screening.
I also moderated a talk on February 25 with artist and filmmaker Nujoom Alghanem and curator Munira Al Sayegh after the screening of Nujoom’s film Honey, Rain and Dust. It was for an event organised by Miu Miu titled Sunset To Sunrise, “a celebration of community and storytelling”.
FILMS I LIKED:
Chronovisor (Kevin Walker, Jack Auen)
Cinerama, IFFR, Rotterdam
“The device can capture everyone’s entire past, completely without exception. Nothing can be kept secret; no state secrets, no industrial secrets, no private lives.”
UPDATE MARCH 24: Wrote about it here.
Crime 101 (Bart Layton)
VOX Cinemas, IMAX, Festival City, Dubai
“Because people who grow up in chaos crave order.”
Is This Thing On? (Bradley Cooper)
VOX Cinemas, IMAX, Festival City, Dubai
Mi Amor(Guillaume Nicloux)
De Doelen, IFFR, Rotterdam
UPDATE MARCH 24: Wrote about it here.
Send Help (Sam Raimi)
VOX Cinemas, Festival City, Dubai
“Never mistake my kindness for weakness.”
Shelter (Ric Roman Waugh)
VOX Cinemas, Festival City, Dubai
“When you use a weapon, you never operate from fear. Always balance your emotions. Keep your wits.”
Urchin (Harris Dickinson)
EYE Filmmuseum
NOT GREAT BUT HAD A GOOD TIME:
The Housemaid (Paul Feig)
Pathé Tuchinski, Amsterdam
"There’s another set of stairs on the other side of the house that are less Guggenheimy."
Go for Amanda Seyfried. She is always good, always delivers.
FAVOURITE REWATCH:
The Secret Agent (Kleber Mendonça Filho)
VOX Cinemas, Festival City, Dubai
FAVOURITE REP SCREENINGS:
FIRST TIME:
Who Killed Teddy Bear? (Joseph Cates, 1965)
Cinerama, IFFR, Rotterdam
UPDATE MARCH 24: Wrote about it here.
Tracing to Expo ’70 (Liu Cheung-Hung, 1970)
Cinerama, IFFR, Rotterdam
UPDATE MARCH 24: Wrote about it here.
REWATCHES:
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (David Lynch, 1992)
Eye Filmmuseum, Amsterdam
Millennium Mambo (Hou Hsiao-hsien, 2001)
Filmtheater De Uitkijk, Amsterdam
The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, 1980)
VOX Cinemas, IMAX, Festival City, Dubai
The Trouble with Angels (Ida Lupino, 1966)
Pathé Schouwburgplein, IFFR, Rotterdam
UPDATE MARCH 24: Wrote about it here.
The Yacoubian Building (Marwan Hamed, 2006)
Cinerama, IFFR, Rotterdam
UPDATE MARCH 24: Wrote about it here.
Everything I watched in February: https://letterboxd.com/hindmezaina/diary/films/for/2026/02/
Cinema Roundup January 2026