#2: Bully. Netflix continues to add wonderful new things and this movie is one of them. Although it enters the realm of depressing from time to time, Bully is an incredibly well made documentary maintains an uplifting tone despite the subject matter. I would highly recommend it to anyone raising kids, thinking of doing so, or who was ever once a kid themselves.
#4: Circus. A documentary show I just discovered yesterday and ended up watching all six episodes. It provides an in-depth portrayal of all those involved in the running and performing of the Big Apple Circus. Over the course of the series it becomes apparent just how much work goes into the production and how much dedication to the tradition there is for those who were born into circus families.
As I'm sure most of you know, season three of Game of Thrones starts tonight. So, in order to get everyone pumped for the premiere, here's a fun little Game of Thrones inspired mix for you all.
#2: Dogtooth. If you're on Netflix as much as I am you've probably seen this one on there a few times. However, despite the amount of times I've seen it on Netflix, I had yet to watch it until recently, in fact, I didn't even know what it was about. Having now seen the movie I can highly recommend it to you as an unsettling foreign film about young adults who have been isolated from the rest of the world for their entire lives and therefore can't function as normal people. It's one of those movies that'll stick with you into the following days.
#4: Slums of Beverly Hill. On a much lighter note, I also recently watched this movie on Netflix. Not much to say about it but: Natasha Lyonne, Alan Arkin, Marisa Tomei, dysfunctional family, the 1970s, living in cheap apartments on the outskirts of Beverly Hills. If you're looking for a way to come down from the intensity of Dogtooth, this would be a good movie to turn to.
#4: Cleanflix. Another documentary I found on Netflix, this one is all about a Utah based company who helped Mormons avoid vulgarity in movies by editing all the sex, violence and language out of popular films and renting them out.
Happy Friday everyone. So, since my birthday is tomorrow, I thought I'd do a special 6 suggestion Watchin' Stuff Lite for you all, with some of my favorite age themed songs. Please, do enjoy.
#1: "At Seventeen" - Janis Ian, yes, like the Mean Girls character and I'm sure that wasn't a coincidence seeing as this song plays in the background of a fairly unfitting scene. But, anyway, this was one of my favorites from when I actually was seventeen.
#2: The West Wing. Since I haven't given a TV suggestion in a couple of weeks I thought I'd throw in one I'm watching currently. I recently noticed this show on Netflix and decided to give it a watch. Though not the most exciting show ever, there are some great story lines and some wonderful characters. Overall, I'd say it's a nice, entertaining fairy tale about good-hearted politicians trying to do what is right for the country.
#4. Zeitgeist: The Movie. Going back to my documentary kick, I have to recommend this one because it blew my mind. It's a fairly heavy and dense look at conspiracy theories and relatively unknown truths about the origins of religion. Even if you don't want to take the whole thing at face value, it's still nice to see another side of the story.
#6: "Leaves That Are Green" - Simon & Garfunkle. I was 21 years when I started this blog, I'm 22 now, but I won't be for long. Time hurries on and the leaves that are green turn to brown.
Five more suggestions for you, brought to you by me.
#1: "Walking On Broken Glass" - Annie Lennox. Feeling a little nostalgic, I guess, so here's one of my favorite childhood songs. Also, John Malkovich and Hugh Laurie in the same video? Magic.
#2: Exit Through the Gift Shop. Continuing with my documentary kick here, Exit Through the Gift Shop is one of the best I've seen on Netflix so far. At the outset, this seems like a straightforward documentary about the street art movement but it turns out to be a lot more. I don't want to spoil the twist at the end so all I'll say is, it's definitely worth the hour and a half.
#3: "Not Living At All" - Mr. Airplane Man. This is a great band and I feel like more people should know that about them (I wanted to post "Shakin' Around" but I couldn't find a video for it on YouTube, you should look up the song if you like this one, or even if you don't).
#4: This Film Is Not Yet Rated. Like Exit Through the Gift Shop, this is one of the best documentaries I've seen on Netflix in the past few weeks. This one covers the hypocrisy and agenda-pushing system behind the movie rating system in a very effective and entertaining way. It is pretty infuriating but in every way a documentary should be really.
#5: "59th Street Bridge Song" - Simon & Garfunkle. This just makes me happy.
Well, it's Friday folks and that means it's time for more Watchin' Stuff Lite. So, here are some recommendations for those who are interested.
#1: "Bang Bang" - Terry Reid. I'm really just a fan of Terry Reid across the board, in fact I might post more by him in the future, but for now I give you his version of "Bang Bang" because, although there are many good versions of this song, this is my favorite.
#2: First Position. In the last week or so I've been really into documentaries on Netflix and this is one of the best I've found thus far. I've had a bit of a dancing theme on this blog for a month or so unintentionally, and this movie falls in line with that. So, if you enjoy watching talented kids dedicate all their time to dance in order to make their dreams come true (as I apparently do), you should check out this documentary.
#3: "Anything, Anything" - Dramarama. I'm surprised I never played this song on the show because it's one of my favorites off of one of my favorite albums. But, at any rate, here it is.
#4: Craigslist Joe. Another documentary I watched this week, this one follows a man named Joe as he attempts to live for a month solely off of the goodness of people he meets on Craiglist. Though it might not sound terribly exciting from the outset, it's really very entertaining an endearing. Definitely worth a watch.
#5: "Sweet Thing" - Van Morrison. One of my favorite Van Morrison songs and a very nice one to fall asleep to.
All right folks. Here's a little more Watchin' Stuff Lite for everyone.
#1: "Accidents Never Happen" - Blondie. I didn't really play any Blondie on the actual show which was kind of an oversight on my part. This week I was listening to a bit of Eat to The Beat so I figured I'd put up one of my favorites off the album. Hope you enjoy.
#2: Tank Girl. I wish I could say I was cooler and have loved this movie since I was a kid but, alas, I just saw it for the first time this week. Can't say it was the best movie I've ever seen but it certainly does have a quality (and a great soundtrack) and it's definitely worth a watch, even if only to understand its cultural relevance.
#3: "Hall of Mirrors" - The Distillers. At some point near the end of the show I got the urge to put this song in an episode, unfortunately I never really found a good place for it so here it is for your listening pleasure.
#4: Django Unchained. Now, I'm sure everyone and their brother was raving about this one on your Facebook feed a couple weeks back so this isn't one of my best suggestions, but still. I'm just saying, it's not just hype, this was a legitimately good movie that is definitely worth a watch.
#5: "Blank Generation" - Richard Hell & the Voidiods. I've loved this song for years but had kind of forgotten about it until I heard it again in Tank Girl. Check it out, it's some good stuff.
Hello friends! I'm back with more suggestions for this week, with Watchin' Stuff Lite Vol. 2, where I suggest some TV shows, movies and music you should check out. And since I set the precedent of five suggestions last week, I'm thinking I'll take a cue from Carrie Brownstein's blog Monitor Mix and turn this into a bit of a Five For Friday thing. But anyway, without further ado, here are this week's suggestions:
#1: "Addicted" - Io Echo. Couldn't find a studio recording of this song on youtube but this should give you a good idea of what this band is like. A lot of their music is kinda hard to find but it's worth the effort.
#2: Now, I have to say, I usually try to stay away from suggesting reality shows because most of the time they're guilty pleasures and no matter how entertaining they may be, they don't command a lot of respect. But this week, both of my suggestions happen to be reality TV of some sort. First off is Catfish: The TV show. Based on Catfish the movie, this MTV show follows a guy named Nev as he attempts to help people in online relationships meet their virtual significant other face-to-face. Don't let the fact that this show is on MTV sway you because this is actually a pretty well made and intriguing show.
#3: "Black Leather" - The Runaways. I don't know how it's possible but I never actually played a full Runaways song on the show, so here is one of my favorites to rectify that a bit.
#4: Dance Moms, my second reality show suggestion of the day. I know it might seem like just another stupid reality show about moms exploiting their children, but it's not really. I mean, sure the moms are kind of living vicariously through their children and Abby Lee Miller is a very aggressive dance teacher. But at the end of the day, it's just a very entertaining show about crazy moms and their incredibly talented daughters. I'm sure it's not a show for everyone, but if you're one who enjoys the occasional reality show, you should check it out.
#5: "I'm A Train" - Albert Hammond. A cute little 70s song I used to love and just recently rediscovered.
Since, for me, 2012 was the year of Watchin' Stuff I'd like to end the year that has treated us so well with a little recap. Here is list of my favorite shows, movies and songs that kept me occupied throughout the year. None of this actually came out in 2012, but I highly recommend them all nonetheless.
Top 5 TV Shows:
Portlandia: My love for this show is no secret to those who have listened to even one episode of Watchin' Stuff, but I will take this opportunity to give it one last shout-out for the year. Though I did technically discover this show in late 2011, it has been a major aspect of my 2012 and I highly recommend it to the the few of you who have yet to see it.
Misfits: Though I don't have the same attachment to Misfits as I do to Portlandia, this is a show I came to greatly enjoy over our summer hiatus. It's fun, well-written and British. What more can you ask for?
Louie: Though I've been watching Louie for a while, this is another show I grew to love over summer hiatus. I always thought season one was good but, in my opinion, it just got better with season two and three. If you're a fan of dark humor and can take a bit of discomfort in your comedy, Louie is probably for you.
American Horror Story Season One: I'm gonna be very specific about the fact that I'm recommending season one only. I rang in 2012 with this creepy, Ryan Murphy show and didn't regret it one bit. Season one is now on Netflix and I highly recommend it for fans of horror on any level but, unfortunately, season two has been a bit of a letdown.
Lip Service: A show for a niche audience perhaps, but a very entertaining Scottish, lesbian drama in any event. If you liked The L Word, you'll most likely enjoy this one. Although, I will say, things kinda fall apart at the end of season two so just bear that in mind.
Top 5 Movies:
The Skin I Live In: Recommended to be by "friend of the show Chloe Holtzman", this was the best movie I saw in 2012. The best Almodovar film I've seen thus far, The Skin I Live In has plot twists, drama, intrigue, sexuality and Elena Anaya, everything you could ever hope for in a movie. I can't say too much for fear of ruining it but just do me a favor and watch it.
Paris Is Burning: Since watching this documentary for the first time in September I have watched it three or four more times with others in order to show them it's beauty. By giving an in-depth portrayal of the Harlem drag scene of the late 80s, Paris Is Burning basically serves as the dark precursor to RuPaul's Drag Race.
Paper Man: A spontaneous Netflix choice of my roommate Sarah and I, Paper Man was probably the best surprise like of 2012 for me. Do you like Jeff Daniels and Emma Stone? Of course you do. So, you should probably watch this movie.
Tomboy: Over the summer, many of my nights were spent watching things that sounded interesting on Netflix; this was one of those late-night picks. A French film about a pre-teen trans boy, Tomboy was the best of all the films I saw from the gay & lesbian category on Netflix all year.
Billy Elliot: A movie that has been recommended to me countless times since I was about thirteen, I finally got around to seeing Billy Elliot over the summer and it didn't disappoint. If you like heartwarming movies about kids who must overcome adversity to follow their dreams, you will love Billy Elliot and it will make you cry.
Top 10 Songs:
"Violet" - Hole: Though I've owned this song for years I only just formed an emotional connection with it this year. I basically love everything about it, the guitar, Courtney Love's aggression, the lyrics, the rise and fall of energy, just everything.
"Future Crimes" - Wild Flag: As much as I hate to admit it, I have to confess that I only started listening to Wild Flag after I started watching Portlandia. Though I was a bandwagoner of sorts in that respect, I fell in love with song as soon as I heard it. My favorite Wild Flag song to date and it was even better live at the Fillmore in April.
"Here I Am" - Tegan and Sara: Though I started listening to this song a bit before 2012, it has remained one of my favorites until this very day. No matter how many times I hear it, the end still gets me. Most of the time when it comes up on shuffle I have to hear it multiple times in a row before I'm ready to move on to the next song. Early Tegan and Sara at their very best here.
"Sail" - Awolnation: The only song on the list I discovered through a friend, I first heard this song on my friends Alyse and Dylan's radio show in May. Since then it's been one of those songs that I just love to walk down the street to. The driving beat gives me so much determination that (even though I'm the only one who can hear it) makes me feel like a much more intense and important person and I like it.
"Waiting Room" - Fugazi: Over the course of the last few years I've been working on diversifying my music library by branching out into offshoots of styles I already enjoy. At the beginning of 2012, I finally found my way to Fugazi. Although it's not exactly a deep cut, I've had a great affinity for this song all year.
"How To Play Dead" - Sleater-Kinney: Although I was already familiar with Sleater-Kinney before I started watching Portlandia, I'm not gonna lie, it did inspire me to dig a little deeper into their catalogue (deeper as in all the way to the bottom). I have too many favorite S-K songs to reasonably mention on here so I decided to go with this ditty off their first album because, for whatever reason, we formed a special bond the very first time I heard it. Whether inspired by my love for the recently formed band grit of the song overall or Carrie Brownstein's aggressive, pseudo-feminit, anti-blowjob lyrics, "How to Play Dead" will always hold a special place in my heart.
"Commit a Crime" - Mr. Airplane Man: I was originally inspired to go out and find this song in order to play it on our Music Show many months back and since then I've come to love it dearly. As I said on the show, I first heard it in an episode of The L Word and thought it was one of the (for lack of a better word) coolest songs I'd heard in quite a while. If I knew how to play the guitar, I would learn this song and play it all the time.
"Eye" - Smashing Pumpkins: This song from David Lynch's Lost Highway was one of my best pandora finds of all time. Though not always accurate, sometimes pandora is spot on and gives you gold like this song. I was never a huge Smashing Pumpkins fan but this song made me reconsider. It's like if Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails and Depeche Mode had a beautiful, synth-filled baby and I love it.
"Color Me Once" - Violent Femmes: The slowest of all the songs I've included on the list, this Violent Femmes song from The Crow is very dark, a little creepy and, in my opinion, incredibly sexy. I'm not sure if it's my favorite Violent Femmes song, or if it's just tied for first with "Add It Up" and "Kiss Off" but it's certainly the one that makes me feel the most. Do me a favor, turn off all the lights, light some candles and listen to this song as loud as you can handle. You won't regret it.
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" - The Slits: I've had this song around for a while now but I didn't really come to appreciate it until we played it in our Eastbound and Part Down show. Possibly my favorite Slits song and definitely my favorite version of this tune, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" makes me happy every time I hear it. It's one of those songs I'll forget about for a while then hear it again and realize I've missed it. And, for some reason, I love that they didn't change the words from the original to match their gender. They were just too cool to give a shit about that.
