A Reader & A Cinephile: January 2026 Recommendations

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Written By Nathan Box

Hey friends, welcome to another episode of A Reader & A Cinephile. And just like that, we are off. The first month of the year is in the books. January felt like it was 37 weeks long, especially if you are following national news headlines. My work in the nonprofit sector and my volunteer pursuits keep me pretty plugged into the ever evolving landscape of America’s slow descent into a fascist hellscape. When all that becomes too much, I turn to books and movies for moments of escape. 

In January, I read 2 books, one of which absolutely blew me away. Last month, thanks to my pursuit of films nominated at this year’s Academy Awards and an all-access streaming pass to the Sundance Film Festival, I watched 40 films. But the film that owned the month was a rewatch. Let’s get into it.

Be good to each other,

Nathan

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Nathan Box
Hello! My name is Nathan. I've always believed I would meet that special someone in one of two places; either a record store or a book store. Maybe I need to amend? I moved to Seattle in February of 2011 from Oklahoma City (Try and not hold the Sonics/Thunder thing against me). I knew I wanted to work for a nonprofit and go to grad school. Within a couple of months, I was doing both. During the day, I work as a Fund Developer and Community Relations Manager for a nonprofit in Kent and at night I try to stay as busy as possible volunteering, trying new restaurants, finding hidden bars and exploring Seattle. The past few years has been both terrifying and exhilarating. I have done things on my own I didn’t think were within my capability. I love being outdoors. On any given weekend, I can be found hiking, on a road trip, volunteering, at a museum, seeing a movie (I see a lot of them). I am passionate about nonprofit work. I feel called to leave a mark on this world. Nothing against those who enjoy making tons of money, I just need to know I am making a difference.
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A Reader & A Cinephile: 10 2026 Films on My Radar
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Poems for My Family: Lucas