MIX/VHS | Week 066
Week 066
Take a bite (or eight) into this sweet + juicy set of recommendations from your friends at MIX/VHS! Eclectic + fantastic picks as always, so we hope you enjoy them all as much as we do!
Eating 15 Pancakes
WATCH IT HERE!
In high school, I bet my friend Humza that he couldn't eat seven Fillet-O-Fish sandwiches from McDonald's in one sitting. He made it through five sandwiches in full and finished half of the sixth sandwich. Unable to drive himself (on account of the frankenfish filling his stomach), I drove Humza back to his house that night and had to explain to his parents why their son looked and acted drunk. He loved every second. Eating fifteen pancakes looks bad, but I'm sure it's less bad than eating seven Fillet-O-Fish sandwiches. Forrest MacNeil reviews other essential experiences in many other episodes of Review, but few others reach the deadpan darkness of Eating 15 Pancakes.
- Peder
Cobra Kai
WATCH IT HERE!
Some nostalgic pieces come across pretty hokey and sort of lose the spirit of the old, but not true with Cobra Kai. This series feels like Karate Kid all-grown-up in pretty much every way. There's a fun karate fight in every episode as we dive into the back story in an almost "where are they now" way. It's also really fun to see the story from the vantage point of Johnny... you remember, the blond rival of Daniel-son, and the dude that not only lost the love of his life to the new-kid-in-town, but also was nearly killed by his sensei when he looses the championships. Totally tragic. Check it out for some great 80s feels.
- Carrie
Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE!
“My beauty is my curse.” Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story is a truly beautiful, insightful documentary about the life of actress Hedy Lamarr. While most ‘film-buffs’ are perhaps familiar with this Hollywood starlet, the documentary highlights Hedy’s other role as an inventor. Her passion and talent for this subject would lead her to eventually create a ground-breaking technological invention that exists in the majority of electronic and wireless devices that we use today. If you are a classic film-lover and a fan of the “Hollywood Golden Age,” I would definitely recommend this film. Also in this #METOO era, we could all learn a few lessons from Ms. Lamarr’s life story.
- Zoe
Terrace House: Boys & Girls in the City
WATCH IT ON NETFLIX!
This is the most incredible reality TV show I've ever seen, and I can probably count on one hand the number of times anyone raises their voice. It's the polar opposite of Jersey Shore (which I also love). 6 strangers, 1 house, and all the small dramas of every day life in a shared living space.
- Morgan
Disobedience
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE!
At times tender, at times tense, but never overwhelming erotic and melodramatic: Disobedience was full of human surprise and incredibly nuanced performances from all three of its leads, which I totally not expecting whatsoever. A deeply engaging story about two women's forbidden love against the backdrop of an Orthodox Jewish community. The film explores their romance less for shock, and more for the powerful quietness of acceptance. Love is love, y'all. Get on board with it.
- Spencer
Ants-In-My-Eyes Johnson
WATCH IT HERE!
Rick and Morty is funny as hell. If you haven’t seen the show, let me enlighten your brain and introduce you to one of the funniest moments from the show. During an episode, Rick and Morty decided to watch Interdimensional Cable instead of regular Earth cable - giving them the power to watch anything in the universe. They stumble upon this gem of a sales commercial...
- Alek
Liquid Sky
WATCH THE TRAILER HERE!
Liquid Sky is an incredibly bizarre film that really just needs to be seen. A product of the neon soaked 80's art house, this film is out there. The rough plot is as follows: Invisible aliens land on top of an apartment building in search of drugs. After finding cocaine, the aliens discover a better drug, the chemicals released in the brain during sex. So naturally, they start vaporizing people having sex and that is only a small part of the story. The other part follows a girlfriend and boyfriend, Margaret and Jimmy, both played by Anne Carlisle who is really into clubbing, drugs, abuse and brooding. None of it really matters as Liquid Sky is one of those films where the story is just a delivery device for amazing visuals. From insane dance parties with bright clothes and tons of make up, to the finale where a distraught Margaret wears neon paint under a black light, this is a film that need to be experienced. Unfortunately, it isn't streaming anywhere, but it is available at I Luv Video and for purchase on Amazon through the great distribution label Vinegar Syndrome.
- Joey
Two Cents - PBS Digital Studios
WATCH IT HERE!
Now with college macro- and microeconomics firmly behind me, I never thought I'd willingly watch a video about the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI). But I not only watched this video, I enjoyed it – owing in large part to the show's charming, tactile animation and lovely, homespun textures (courtesy of animator Nathan Bayless, instructor at the Austin School of Film). Considering its 3-minute runtime, the video focuses over-much on the historic members of the Dow Jones index, rather than its 30 modern mega corporations. And the video’s conclusion ultimately feels recursive and underwhelming: the best reason for investors to watch the DJI is because every other investor is watching it. But these aren't symptoms of poor writing. Rather, they're the nature of the genre. We can’t expect dissertation-level analyses from this sort of coffee-break content. Nevertheless, we can hope this peppy duo will whet an audience’s appetite to learn more, and carry out additional research. Considering this show is still in its infancy, we can all look forward to watching it develop and grow - with interest, of course.
- Matt
Like this mix? Tell us what you think in the comments below, and let us know what you’re recommending for us to watch this week!