MIX/VHS | Week 015
It's been sporadically down pouring rain here in Austin. And what better way to escape unbearably warm storms than to stay at home and watch some great recommended visual media goodness! As always, MIX/VHS is your go-to homies for the job, and this week, we've got some great stuff in the lineup. Sit back, relax, and enjoy!
Creature Comforts - Pets at the Vets (created by Aardman)
WATCH IT HERE!
I just watched the Rick and Morty piece that was pulled from a court transcript and had literally just been introduced and quickly become obsessed with this Oscar winning series. So, between those two, I'm recommending this piece as it seems pretty pertinent to the current atmosphere around the healthcare system. In this piece, unscripted excerpts from the British public talking about their experiences with health professionals and their thoughts on when and why they go to the doctor is then animated into an interesting piece in which pets are expressing their feelings on going to the vet through those voices.
- Carrie
The Most Hated Family in America (presented by Louis Theroux)
WATCH IT HERE!
Louis Theroux's divisive and critically-contested mini-documentary follows the infamous Westboro Baptist Church in 2007. As this is nearer to their inception as a notorious hate group in America, it is a very intense look at the family dynamics themselves, and how the cult-like family approach their day-to-day life. Theroux's questioning is questionable at times, but one thing is for sure - he doesn't mind digging his metaphorical "knife" just a little bit deeper to get a more authentic response. And with his newest documentary on "Scientology" coming out soon, now is a great chance to become well-versed in his work.
- Jake
My Beautiful Broken Brain (dir. by Sophie Robinson & Lotje Sodderland)
WATCH IT HERE!
My Beautiful Broken Brain is a documentary following Lotje, as she begins to live life after suffering a hemorrhage stroke. It's amazing watching her story unfold. Being in the film industry before her injury, she's able to communicate her inner life as she recovers, even before she's able to speak again, through video diaries and visuals. Her story is truly compelling, and really puts into perspective how amazingly our brains work. Produced by David Lynch, I highly recommend giving it a view.
- Sloane
Bojack Horseman: Season 3, Episode 4 "Fish Out of Water" (dir. by Mike Hollingsworth)
WATCH IT HERE!
This is one of those shows that when you recommend it to your friends, they watch the first couple of episodes (which I can objectively say are a little slow and not as nuanced) and they back out because it just doesn't jive with them. So let's skip that part, and go right to the new season, in particular, an episode that both takes bold new risks (it literally has almost no dialogue) but also looks as if it's marinated itself in the core of every great part of Bojack Horseman all in one episode. It's laugh and grin funny, it's cripplingly depressing, it's beautifully animated, psychedelically scored...It shows how hard it's Antihero works to try and be a good person but just never can get quite over the hump in the eyes of the people that really matter. You've got to bask in Bojack Horseman as a show. It mirrors modern depression in it's design: don't judge it by one or two glances.
- Spencer
Adult Swim - The History of a Television Empire (created by kaptainkristian)
WATCH IT HERE!
Since I was unable to find a juicy piece of content for this week (you have failed me for the last time Indiewire!), I thought I'd share this video essay about a severely underrated content creator, Adult Swim, instead. Created by YouTuber kaptainkristian, it delves into what makes the network so groundbreaking, and why it's been able to take up the television 'voice of a slacker generation' mantel from MTV (anyone remember the Thriller music video? Yeah I wasn't born yet either). Touching on some of my favorite pieces of TV content; Rick & Morty, Cowboy Bebop...anything besides Lost: the Kaptain gives due credit to the unequivocally democratic philosophy of Adult Swim, and it's willingness to give anything and everything a voice on late-night. The essay's got some nice 'lil editing flourishes too, check-ch-check-check-check-ch-check it out.
- JJ
Scott Pilgram Vs. The World (dir. by Edgar Wright)
WATCH IT HERE!