MIX/VHS | Week 007
We're back after a week off with a new mix! Check out some picks from the usual crew, plus some new friends to the MX/VHS team. Soon, we will be cataloging our contributors picks so that you will have a way to refer back to past mix's. We hope you enjoy!
A Giant Dog - Sleep When Dead (dir. by John Valley)
WATCH IT HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dz93U3EHM40
John Valley once again kicks major ass with his most recent A Giant Dog/Sweet Spirit collaboration. Dizzying editing keeps the pace moving in this absurdist music video, as Valley plays the protagonist; an outcast, deformed punker seeking validation (or is it love?) from his hopped-up (or is it coked-up?), dancing bar mates. His final stare directly into the camera suggests something more though, perhaps an indictment of the airbrush-photoshop culture we live in. Or maybe he's just really hungry. Proving the 'ole devil-in-the-details adage, the practical effects, costumes, and small flourishes of sound design elevate this video into something truly enjoyable, despite the grotesque texture.
- JJ
Jeremy Radin - As My Father Has His Heart Attack (produced by Button Poetry)
WATCH IT HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cn0fQLUSgLw
Prepare to get gut-wrenched by words. Jeremy Radin's poem depicting his heart confronting his mind while witnessing his father dying digs the knife ever so slowly, really hitting home the importance of taking care of one's body. Nerdy poetry folk like myself will be drawn in instantaneously, but if this isn't your usual fare, take a few minutes and listen. The medium of Slam Poetry has a profound effect, and to see performances like this live are incredible. Button Poetry does a great job, especially in this piece, of capturing raw, intimate performances, and amplifying to the pedestal of appreciation that it deserves.
- Spencer
Empire Records (dir. by Allan Moyle)
WATCH IT HERE: http://www.amazon.com/Empire-Records-Anthony-Lapaglia/dp/B000NV0QG4
Real cute movie with a killer soundtrack. FFO: Clerks, Mall Rats, Reality Bites.
- Bex
Zombi (dir. by David Moreno)
WATCH IT HERE: https://vimeo.com/39195198
It’s unfortunate that short films are rarely given credit where credit is due. In some ways, short films are arguably more difficult to execute. While feature length films typically have between one to two hours to build character depth and establish a convincing setting, short films must accomplish the same goals in a fraction of the time. Spanish filmmaker David Moreno’s second short film, titled Zombi, achieves everything a short film should. The film follows a grandfather’s comical suicide attempts, aided by his grandson, as his daughter struggles to accept her father’s mental and physical deterioration. Zombi is a great example of genre-mixing in short film, combining relatable and heavy themes of death and growing old with a child-like light-heartedness into a wonderful encapsulation of bittersweet humor.
- Samantha
Space Station 76 (dir. by Jack Plotnick)
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k520GiR362U
If you've ever wanted to be transported to what it truly felt to be in the 1970s, experiencing this movie will get you there.
- Anne
Beginners (dir. by Mike Mills)
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1zZYMKGw2M
I saw “Beginners” at a very volatile time in my life, and for this, I owe it a lot. The film is delectably truthful, and holds nothing back. It is beautiful; it is painful; it celebrates; it mourns. It is everything that we as people go through in this life, and showcases those various moments that impact us most, even those we let disappear. The film’s cast is at the height of their game, and the writing/directing is precise and beautiful. It’s perception on life is so real and merciless, and this makes it all the more important.
- Jake
Björk - It's Oh So Quiet (dir. by Spike Jonze)
WATCH IT HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEC4nZ-yga8&feature=youtu.be
As a kid, I wanted to get into filmmaking because I wanted to make a living coming up with music video concepts. There's just something about taking a great song and then interpreting it and pairing it with fun visuals. I also absolutely love magical realism. I choose to believe there's a little magic in our universe that just makes great moments happen. In this video, my favorite director brings together both the magic and the visuals to create a world I'd like to dance through myself. Every time I go to the auto shop and see a stack of tires, I daydream of this video and then I proceed to hop on a camera crane and float into the sky.
- Carrie
Like this mix? Tell us what you think in the comments below, and let us know what you’re watching this week!