MIX/VHS | Week 012
If y'all have some downtime in your busy 4th of July weekend schedule and don't know what to watch, the MIX/VHS crew has some great recommendations for you! From an Axe-weilding police officer to LA cult documentary, and everything in-between. We hope you enjoy!
Welcome to Me (dir. by Shira Piven)
WATCH IT HERE!
Welcome to Me is one of the most bizarre and hilariously-sad movies I've ever seen. Starring Kristen Wiig as Alice Klieg, an Oprah obsessed borderline personality disorder woman who wins the lottery. She decides to use her new found wealth to create her own talk show focusing on swans, traumatic life experiences, cooking, and lots of crying... All on live television. You'll laugh, cry, and cringe just like Alice. It's kind of the best!
- Felix
The Gingerdead Man (dir. by Charles Band)
WATCH IT HERE!
The Gingerdead Man is a story about a serial killer (Gary Busey) who gets reincarnated in the form of a gingerbread man that seeks revenge on the girl who sent him to prison. It is full of unnecessary gore and unnecessary bakery puns, but one of the best B Horror films out there. Luckily enough, there is a long line of Gingerdead Man movies, such as Gingerdead Man 2: Passion of the Crust, Gingerdead Man 3: Roller Boogieman, and Gingerdead Man vs. Evil Bong (one of Charles Band's other movie series).
- Morgan
JonTron - Disney Bootlegs
WATCH IT HERE!
With an over-saturation of video gaming channels on YouTube, it's comforting to know that JonTron remains the funniest of the bunch. His wicked quick humor and wicked smart timing with editing combine for the most unique style of gaming comedy around, and in his latest commentary on Bootlegged Disney video games, he is at the top of his game. It's just god damn funny, guys. I cannot stress this enough.
- Spencer
Axe Cop (Created by brothers Ethan and Malachai)
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE!
What started as an equally bizarre comic book comes Axe Cop, the animated series. Episodes clearly originate from notes taken by Ethan while quizzing his kid brother Malachi about the misadventures of two characters: Axe Cop (a cop who visited a fire and somehow acquired this weapon of choice) and Flute Cop (seriously, who knows?). The two run around fighting evil-doers with off-the-wall plots like Hitler creating a zombie army on zombie island in outer space. The episodes flow a lot like one would expect a child telling a crazy story to their older brother would go, bouncing around and occasionally not making much sense, but in a very delightful and hilarious way. Proof that sometimes great idea for an entertaining story can come from a place one would least expect. Full episodes are available on Hulu.
- Carrie
He Got Game (dir. by Spike Lee)
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE!
I'm a sucker for any sports movie, but this is undoubtedly one of Spike Lee's best works. A masterclass in subjective editing, with great performances by Denzel Washington and, surprisingly, former NBA star Ray Allen. Its take on college basketball recruiting is, unfortunately, no less relevant today than it was in '98.
- JJ
Holy Hell (dir. by Will Allen)
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE!
In the mid-eighties in LA, a spiritual group called the Buddhafield was born. Filmmaker Will Allen became a part of the family, and immediately began documenting it all. Watching the story unfold through interviews as well as footage gathered throughout the years is amazing, seeing it all through the eyes of someone who was so deep in. As the group turns more all encompassing, and their leader begins to gain complete control over every member, you discover horrifying truths that were hidden within the depths of everyone involved. The cult eventually relocated to Austin in the nineties, before eventually settling in Hawaii. I find cult documentaries extremely interesting, and Holy Hell is definitely a great one. Watching the group evolve and change as their leader wished is so eerie, and the tale continues to twist to the very last second.
- Sloane
Afterglow (dir. Eli Russell Linnetz)
WATCH IT HERE!
This short packs a hell of a fun punch in it's runtime, with an excellent soundtrack, beautiful cinematography, charismatic characters, an eccentric screenplay, and great actors. It's a weird film from start to finish, blurring the lines of traditional storytelling to create some weird, eclectic blend of omniscient something-or-other. The film touches on themes like sexual awakening, maturing as an adult, and deciding on what to hold onto and what to let go of as you grow older. All is packed into a nice little 50s period piece set in El Paso. Gotta love it.
- Jake
Game of Thrones - Season 6 Episode 10: The Winds of Winter (dir. Miguel Sapochnik)
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE!
If you’re not watching Game of Thrones, you’re wrong. But to be fair, season 6 has arguably been slow with build-up and fillers. And while episode 9, Battle of the Bastards, was beautifully shot, the plot was simply too predictable and didn’t leave me with satisfied. That said, The Winds of Winter delivered where the rest of the season fell short. The finale begins in an explosion (quite literally) of political upheaval and never drops the ball (save for some questionable choices in the soundtrack). So for anyone considering getting into Game of Thrones, do it and watch all 6 seasons, if only to get to this episode.
- Samantha
Like this mix? Tell us what you think in the comments below, and let us know what you’re watching this week!