How Many Albums Is Too Many For a Favorites List?

It seems an absurd question to ask in May, I know, but that's exactly what I'm asking myself right now. Despite the year being less than half over, I already have nineteen (!!!!) albums that I know will make my Favorite Albums list. I don't usually share what those are until the end of the year, but they are so good, I can't NOT share them:

Belle & Sebastian - Girls In Peacetime Want To Dance
Sleater-Kinney - No Cities To Love
Kathryn Joseph - The Bones You Have Thrown Me and Blood I've Spilled
Natalie Prass - Natalie Prass
Esme Patterson - Woman To Woman
Father John Misty - I Love You, Honeybear
Courtney Barnett - Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit
Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
Death Cab For Cutie - Kintsugi
Best Coast - California Nights
The Mountain Goats - Beat The Champ
Waxahatchee - Ivy Tripp
Marina and the Diamonds - Froot
Speedy Ortiz - Foil Deer
Alabama Shakes - Sound & Color
Eskimeaux - O.K.
Torres - Sprinter
Du Blonde - Welcome Back To Milk
Faith No More - Sol Invictus

Re-visiting Mr. Show With Bob and David

It's interesting what happens when an actor's career takes off past middle age. Sometimes the best thing that happens is the new audience re-examines that actor's past work and gives it its due. This is certainly the case with Bob Odenkirk after being on Breaking Bad, but more notably since the recent start of Better Call Saul. Even though Breaking Bad's audience was pretty far reaching, age-wise, it's fair to assume that a percentage of that audience had never heard of Mr. Show With Bob and David.

I was one of the Breaking Bad fans who had heard of Mr. Show and remembered watching it more than ten years ago, though vaguely at the time. Prior to Season 2 of Breaking Bad (when Odenkirk's Saul Goodman was first introduced), I'd wager that of the two stars of Mr. Show, more people had heard of David Cross than Bob Odenkirk. This is a real shame. Personally, I've never been a big David Cross fan and I wish I could say that re-visiting Mr. Show made me appreciate him more; it didn't, but it also didn't make me dislike him more. I land somewhere in the middle with him. Sometimes Cross leans too far into Woody Allen territory for my taste, but I get why people like him.

With the recent launch of the Breaking Bad spin-off Better Call Saul, I decided to re-watch Mr. Show, just to remind myself what I had been missing. Now I didn't really set out to watch every episode of Mr. Show; there are four (well, three and a half) seasons of it and that takes some time. But I found that once I watched one episode, I couldn't help but watch another.

I don't know what I was struck more by: the show itself or the comments about the show on YouTube. By mid-way through Season 2 of Mr. Show, I'd lost track of how many comments there were to the effect of, "Wow, Bob Odenkirk is so funny! Wow, he's so talented! I never knew he was this good!" These comments surprised me mostly because I thought Odenkirk's comedic talents were obvious on Breaking Bad and certainly even four episodes into Better Call Saul. One look at the fake Saul Goodman ads could tell you that. Suffice to say, Mr. Show is damn funny and for a program that debuted twenty years ago, it's not even that dated. Even when certain sketches didn't work, Bob Odenkirk was so watchable that you don't even really care. When the sketches did work, it was pure comedic joy to watch. And while it's fairly obvious that Odenkirk was leading the charge, the rest of the cast did an equally wonderful job and it wouldn't be so funny without them. You see comedians like Jack Black, Sarah Silverman and Brian Posehn while they're just starting out and it's pretty amazing to witness.

Mr. Show works best when Odenkirk and Cross are playing it straight, particularly in a group setting. The combination of those two actors with Jay Johnston and Paul F. Tompkins pretty much guarantees some hilarity. Major chemistry between the actors is obvious and works for them even when specific scenes don't. The only time that Mr. Show truly suffers is when sketches go too long and you lose sense of the point of things, but that happens less often than not. It was a real blessing for Mr. Show to be on HBO where the creators were given the freedom to do as they pleased. I can only imagine what it would have looked like on network TV, but I doubt it would have made it on any major network to begin with, even today.

The only major quip that people could have with it is the amount of swearing, as that does add up at times; and yet I never felt like it was overkill and that it had purpose for most the sketches. Mr. Show wasn't about swearing and raunchiness though: it was purely about getting a laugh from pretty unexpected places. The sketches on religion and family life are particularly hilarious, and even when they dress up in absurd ways (the monk sketch is especially funny), usually a laugh is found somewhere. Not once during any of the 30 episodes did I think, "This really isn't funny", it was more like, "This is funny, but..." It had a sprinkling of SNL (Odenkirk used to write for SNL, after all) and a dash of MAD TV, but mostly it was pretty original stuff. It may not have had the influence of, say, Kids In The Hall, but it was a quality show all the same. And if there is a comedian more watchable than Bob Odenkirk, I haven't found him.

I suppose that's part of what makes his performances on Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul all the more impressive, as it marked his first stab at drama on a TV series. Vince Gilligan, creator of both those shows, was apparently a fan of Mr. Show and gave the role of Saul Goodman to Odenkirk without so much as an audition, and it's easy to see why.

I don't necessarily recommend going the route that I did with Mr. Show, as watching all 30 episodes is certainly not required; but you can find basically all the best sketches from the show on YouTube. My top 5 sketches are "Marriage Announcement", "Weeklong Romance", "Lie Detector Test", "Botched Drug Deal" and "Intervention." But that's just the beginning of my favorites list because there were many great sketches on this show. Mr. Show is not for everyone, but for the rest of us, there is so much to enjoy and appreciate. I count it as one of my favorite sketch shows ever.

Favorite Films of 2014

My list of favorite films last year included at least two that were considered gorefests (You're Next and Maniac) and this year, the "grossest" film on my list isn't even considered horror (Cheap Thrills). These aren't in any particular order because I felt it unfair to rank them. Some of them include career-making performances (Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler, Dan Stevens in The Guest) and breakout directorial debuts (The Babadook) but they are all unique in their own way. My 2014 list might be small, but it's mighty. Very mighty.

Grand Budapest Hotel

Wes Anderson is not the kind of filmmaker who "needs" a masterpiece. His filmography was impressive enough before Grand Budapest Hotel came out at the beginning of this year. If this film is a masterpiece (arguably, I admit), I have to say it's the silliest masterpiece I've ever seen. This is a director who let loose and encouraged his actors to let loose, and the result is nothing less than brilliant. Not much more needs to be said about it.

Nightcrawler

What convinced me to see this film is theaters was not necessarily the story, but simply in how beautifully it was shot. It was obvious from the trailer that Nightcrawler was predominately eye candy, thanks in part to the employment of Paul Thomas Anderson's personal cinematographer. Of course, I got far more than I bargained for, with Jake Gyllenhaal giving the best performance of his entire career. And it's one of those fringe-horror films that are really up my alley, but in ways I can't explain. Suffice to say, Nightcrawler blew me away.

Obvious Child

If anyone but Jenny Slate were playing the lead character in Obvious Child, the film wouldn't have worked at all. But put it in her capable hands and it's fantastic. Teetering the line between hilarious and poignant, Obvious Child strikes a chord for women in a way that I haven't seen in a pretty long time. And I always appreciate films that go just where they need to and not any further, which Obvious Child does. Uncomfortable (in a good way) but highly recommended.

Gone Girl

I know what kind of magic a great cast in the hands of David Fincher can produce (see Zodiac) and that was my main reason for seeing Gone Girl. That, and I couldn't remember the last Ben Affleck film I'd seen. After seeing it in theaters, I found I couldn't stop thinking about it for days afterward. Any film where the characters constantly question not only themselves but their partners is good in my book. And even though the only flaw with Gone Girl (besides its terrible/weird ending) is that its twist will lessen the impact of the film in subsequent viewings, I really found it to be an all around achievement. Gone Girl's true brilliance lies in its seemingly bland exterior, but in its second and third acts turns into a well done meditation on the human condition and what people really know about each other. Fincher stuns once again.

Starry Eyes

Like with some other films on this year's list, I watched Starry Eyes based solely on the reviews of critics and industry people whose opinions I trusted. And like with Gone Girl, I knew little to nothing about the story line, so I went into it with totally fresh eyes. I hasten to say much about this film because it's better to simply experience it like I did. I will say that it's amazing what you can do with a small budget, an ambitious director, and a lead actress so committed to her role that you know she was in pain during filming. Starry Eyes is an unexpected treat.

The Babadook

Even though I've decided not to rank my favorite films of 2014, if hard pressed, I would have to put this at the top. Considering my high expectations for The Babadook (I'd read about it for close to six months before it finally came out in the U.S. on VOD), I could have been disappointed or felt that the wait wasn't worth it; that was the total opposite of how I ended up feeling about it. The most powerful thing about The Babadook is that it really is about grief and how untapped grief can manifest itself. That's something that we can all relate to in one way or another. This theme really made it a gut punch in the final act. And one of my favorite things about this film is that it's a slow burn horror film; it takes its time in developing the story and the journey that the two main characters take. It also has that "filmed anywhere" feel to it that adds to its creepiness and realism. And if nothing else, The Babadook gave me even more reasons to not have children.

Under The Skin

The reviews of Under The Skin calling it "an experience" instead of a film are absolutely right. More than any other film on my favorites list, this one just can't really be explained. It is visually the most gorgeous of all the films on here and interestingly, has the least amount of dialogue. In fact, it has the least amount of dialogue and story of any film I've seen in a long time, but it packs a punch and ends up being devastating in many ways. You walk away from it not knowing at all what happened, but knowing that you're glad you went along for the ride and experienced it. And who can complain about Scarlett Johannson anyway?

The Sacrament

The distributor of The Sacrament knows the ways to get me to see a film: a) make it based on an event I've always been fascinated by (Jonestown), b) put one of my favorite directors at the helm (Ti West), and c) have it star one of my favorite actors (AJ Bowen). These all add up to a crown jewel in the cap of everyone involved. The Sacrament is disturbing enough (particularly the final act) that I might not want to watch it again and again, but it really got to me when the credits rolled. The realism of the script, the acting and basically everything about it cannot be overstated. A "mockumentary" at its very finest.

Cheap Thrills

Cheap Thrills ended up being only the second film on my list (besides Nightcrawler) that was a reflection of how disturbing society is as a whole and what people are willing to do to survive and/or get ahead. It's the kind of film that even though I loved it, I found myself kind of grossed out that I was enjoying it and wondered what that enjoyment said about me as a person. Yes, I would see any film with Pat Healy and Ethan Embry (it's one of three Ethan Embry films on my list this year! hooray!) but they really pulled off a doozie of a film here. I'm not sure I would see it again soon, nor would I really recommend it to most people, but I'm glad I saw it.

Locke

One of the things I remembered about seeing Locke in theaters was that two people actually walked out mid-way through the film. I couldn't believe it at the time and I still can't. Locke isn't for everyone, clearly. If you need action, different scenery or more than one person on the screen for 90 minutes, Locke is not your film. If, however, you truly enjoy the tour de force performance of one incredibly committed actor, then this film will impress. I've liked Tom Hardy since his excellent performance in the underrated Lawless, but I had no idea he was this brilliant. I do now.

Housebound

In 2013 I declared that You're Next was the most fun film I'd seen all year. Housebound gets that honor in 2014, without a doubt. It could probably be classified into at least three different films in one, constantly keeping you guessing and having a hell of a time from start to finish. It's amazing to me that this kind of premise hasn't been used more often, as Housebound proved what kind of brilliance can happen when done right. It's also been awhile since I've seen a movie where during a certain scene I actually said out loud, "YES! THANK YOU FOR GOING THERE! YES!!" but I did with this one. And its end was so satisfying I can't even believe it exists out in the real world. Housebound is that magnificent.

The One I Love

The less said about this film's plot, the better. Suffice to say that when you put Elizabeth Moss and Mark Duplass together with a good script, wonderful things happen. If you don't know much about either of these people (most people saw Mad Men, so Elizabeth Moss is fairly known by now), they have a lot to offer. This is Mark Duplass' best film since Safety Not Guaranteed, which was so overlooked, it's criminal.

Blue Ruin

Blue Ruin has the distinction of being the only film on my list that I recommended to someone without even having seen it. I urged my dad to see it in theaters during its all-too-brief run and I'm glad he did - because he enjoyed it as much as I did when I finally saw it. Few films had gotten such rave reviews from every critic and film industry person I respected this year as Blue Ruin and they were all spot on. Much like last year's wonderful sleeper The Battery, this film is narratively tight, exceptionally acted and well directed. I can't recommend this film enough.

Happy Christmas

Sometimes a film makes my list on cast alone. Plot, direction, these things don't always matter when you put the right people together. Happy Christmas is that kind of film for me. Melanie Lynskey, Anna Kendrick and Joe Swanberg are a fantastic combination when acting in the same space, though they were already three of my favorite actors before this film finally came out on VOD. And while this is not Joe Swanberg's best directed film (Drinking Buddies is his masterpiece and likely always will be), it's a step in the right direction.

Late Phases

I never imagined that Ethan Embry would be in three genre films on my list in 2014, but he is, and I couldn't be happier. His role in Late Phases is small but memorable. The people who made this movie obviously knew how to get to me right away: put Larry Fessenden and Ethan Embry in the first scene and I'm hooked (including Tom Noonan in a small role doesn't hurt either). As someone who doesn't tend to like werewolf movies this was really well done. The lead actor carries the film beautifully and the twist on who the "creature" ends up being is smart. Just an all-around lovely little film.

The Guest

There was no film on my list that I'd waited longer to see than The Guest. I'd been wanting to see it so much that I was sure I'd be let down. After all, it was hard to imagine Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett topping 2013's You're Next, but somehow they pulled it off. A large part of this film's success is undoubtedly Dan Stevens, who absolutely shines in the lead role. The supporting cast is also strong (AJ Bowen! Ethan Embry!) and like Wingard and Barrett's other films, the soundtrack is fantastic. What I loved most about The Guest is that if you'd seen You're Next or A Horrible Way To Die, you knew who created it from the opening scene. And yet it was leaps and bounds ahead of those two films. I can't say enough about this film, but should mention that it isn't necessarily for everyone (as is the case with most of my favorite films). But for the rest of us, it's an unbeatable gem.

Oculus 

This film didn't actually make it on my list immediately, which doesn't happen very often. Despite a wonderful opening scene (which Mockingbird also had and the rest of that film was a terrible mess), I was on the fence about it during the first twenty minutes. But then Oculus really surprised me and ended up being a film that I couldn't not enjoy. Having gotten more into horror films in recent years, I'm more or less used to the acting being sub par, and most of the time that's okay. But the acting wasn't like that at all in this film, which in addition to the visuals and the story, made it a real treat to watch. It's the kind of slow burn, subtle, thinking man's horror film that I find myself turning to more often than not when I want something beyond some jump scares and gore. I found that with Oculus.

Enemy

One of the only reviews I read for Enemy (after I'd already seen it) had the perfect headline: "What did I just watch?" That's exactly how I felt after seeing this trippy but weirdly awesome little film. How you feel about Enemy will likely depend on two things: 1) how much you like Jake Gyllenhaal and 2) how quickly you buy into the utter silliness of the film. If you like Mr. Gyllenhaal (check) and you like occasionally giving yourself over to a film's obvious silliness (check) then there's a lot to enjoy with this film. Gyllenhaal's performance really makes Enemy work, but the supporting cast does a great job as well. While Enemy is not half the film that Mr. Gyllenhaal's other 2014 film Nightcrawler is, his performance in this one is almost as impressive. Also, Enemy gets the award for weirdest opening and ending scenes in a single film for me in 2014. How many times can I say, "This is just SO WEIRD!" during a film? The answer is a lot, apparently.

Movies That Were Good But Not Good Enough For The List:

Honeymoon
The Trip To Italy
Calvary
Grand Piano

My Best Albums of 2014 Will Definitely Be My Favorite Albums of 2014

In the years since I've graduated from being in the "18-25" demographic, I've realized more and more that I have no idea what constitutes the "best" as far as pop culture is concerned. I really don't. File that under, "I don't have time for ranking this crap." Because of this realization, I feel better putting together "favorites" lists, rather than "best" lists. There's less pressure doing it that way, anyhow.

I also prefer "favorites" to "best" because the older I get, the less I care about what I like versus what I "should" like. There are a handful of albums on my list this year, for example, that are probably not very good to most people; but I really like them. And I'm finding it harder to qualify exactly why I like a particular album/movie/book/etc.

This Favorite Albums of 2014 list, then, will not be ranked nor explained. With that being said, I have narrowed down my top 10 out of the group, which I put in bold.

My Favorite Albums of 2014

St. Vincent - "St. Vincent"
Interpol - "El Pintor"
Cloud Nothings - "Here And Nowhere Else"
Drive-By Truckers - "English Oceans"
Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings - "Give The People What They Want"
TV On The Radio - "Seeds"
First Aid Kit - "Stay Gold"
Sharon Van Etten - "Are We There"
Conor Oberst - "Upside Down Mountain"
Lydia Loveless - "Somewhere Else"
Roseanne Cash - "The River And The Thread"
Todd Terje - "It's Album Time"
EMA - "The Future's Void"
D'Angelo - "Black Messiah"
Hercules & Love Affair - "The Feast Of The Broken Heart"
Ex Hex - "Rips"
Damien Jurado - "Brothers And Sisters Of The Eternal Sun"
Jenny Lewis - "The Voyager"
The Hold Steady - "Teeth Dreams"
Eliza Shaddad - "Waters EP"
She Keeps Bees - "Eight Houses"
Elbow - "The Take Off And Landing Of Everything"
Liars - "Mess"
Marissa Nadler - "July"
Lykke Li - "I Never Learn"
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra - "Fuck Off Get Free We Pour Light On Everything"
Nicole Atkins - "Slow Phaser"
Baths - "Ocean Death"
Angel Olsen - "Burn Your Fire For No Witness"
Speedy Ortiz - "Real Hair"
My Brightest Diamond - "This Is My Hand"
Ryan Adams - "Ryan Adams"
Shellac - "Dude Incredible"
Beck - "Morning Phase"
Caribou - "Our Love"
Virgin Of The Birds - "Winter Seeds"
Aphex Twin - "Syro"
Courtney Barnett - "The Double EP: A Sea Of Split Peas"

Philip Seymour Hoffman: My "Intellectual Crush"

Much like at the beginning of 2013, this year has already started out terribly with the death of one of my favorite people and the best actor of his generation, Philip Seymour Hoffman. Around this time last year it was one of my favorite musicians, Jason Molina. And like Jason Molina, Philip Seymour Hoffman suffered from a similar problem (drug addiction and alcoholism, respectively), they both died young, and both had sought treatment multiple times. It's a heartbreaking way to start off the year, in so many ways. More than enough has been said about this great man's addiction, so I'd rather focus on his illustrious acting career. I won't speculate on his personal life (of which most people know nothing anyway) and it bears repeating that he was someone's father and someone's son, so anything personal is best left alone.

While social media was flooded with tributes to and articles about Mr. Hoffman, one particular person summed it up perfectly for me: "Imagine being as good at anything as Philip Seymour Hoffman was at his job." It was his job to act, but he was one of those people who was so amazing at it, that every time he appeared on screen in anything, you forgot he was acting. He WAS whoever he was playing, he fully embodied every character. There was, and never will be, anyone remotely like him. The most important place in my heart that he holds is how excited he got me about movies and great acting in my young adult years. I can't say he was the first actor to do this, because that honor belongs to Kevin Spacey. But unlike Kevin Spacey, whose work tapered off in quality and frequency (though he's had a resurgence as of late), Philip Seymour Hoffman's performances only improved and sharpened with time, and never waned. Mr. Hoffman also defined an "intellectual crush" for me; one of those actors who was so smart and so talented that his looks didn't matter, and if anything, sometimes they helped his cause. Even if he was in some movies that weren't that great ("Pirate Radio" and "Along Came Polly" come to mind), his performances were always fantastic and so magnetic that you couldn't NOT watch him in anything. Anytime I saw a movie trailer he was in or heard about a movie he was in, my immediate thought was, "Yeah, I'll definitely see that. If Hoffman's in it, I'll see it." His untimely death is even more sad for me now, because that's one less actor whose work I always seek out, whose movies I always watch, regardless of their quality or subject. Now that the world has been robbed of any of his future performances, the only other American actor whose work I always make sure I see is Paul Giammati. That's it. Those were the only two American actors who I thought were at the top of their game and always a joy to watch perform.

But I think the best way to honor such an incredible talent is to simply enjoy his work. And there is much to enjoy, in spite of his life being cut so short. In addition to his already prolific filmography, we will be seeing at least two more of his movies yet to be released, hopefully this year (Sundance favorite "A Most Wanted Man" and "God's Pocket"). As is usually the way, it is often only after someone has died that we realize the full scope of their work and how much there is to appreciate, and Philip Seymour Hoffman is certainly no exception. For me personally, my favorite performances of his are likely the same as most other people's favorites: "Flawless", "Magnolia", "Almost Famous", "Love Liza", "25th Hour", "Before The Devil Knows You're Dead", "Synecdoche, New York", "Capote", "Doubt", "Jack Goes Boating", and of course, "The Master." Not surprisingly, most of those are also my favorite films in general. I saw "Capote" twice in theaters and cried the first time I saw it. I had some minor issues with "The Master", but his epic performance was the best thing about it. Even in small roles, like in "Punch Drunk Love" and "Boogie Nights", he made an impact and his absence would have made it a lesser movie. And in spite of the fact that he was often considered "indie film royalty", he did lend his talent to a few Hollywood films, like "Mission Impossible III" and "The Hunger Games."

Just two weeks removed from his death, writing about him in the past tense makes me uncomfortable and so sad. Despite his death, however, Philip Seymour Hoffman has an impressive resume of performances to re-watch and continually enjoy, and as such, he left us with a lot. But as with anyone who was the best at what they did, it's just not enough. It will never be.

My Best Albums of 2013

I've been steadily working on my Best Albums of 2013 list for quite awhile now (with a few recent tweaks) but am just now getting around to putting my list out there. While compiling this ever-important list, I've looked at hundreds of other Best of 2013 lists and it's safe to say that NONE of the ones I've seen will be remotely like mine. The fact that Jason Isbell's "Southeastern" isn't on every single one of them is a travesty I can't even comprehend right now. Seriously. I also managed to throw in a soundtrack (this year's re-make of Maniac) because it was so good that it could be legitimately enjoyed without needing to see the film. I should note one glaring omission on this list: I was going to include Matthew E. White's excellent album "Big Inner", but since I couldn't figure out whether it came out in 2013 or 2012, I decided to leave it off for the sake of accuracy.

Since I put this list together in mix CD form, I'm going to list these albums as the songs show up on my mixes. *ahem* So here is my Best of 2013 list (all 50), with the top ten in bold.

The Dismemberment Plan - "Uncanney Valley"
Bill Callahan - "Dream River"
Dessa - "Parts of Speech"
Laura Marling - "Once I Was An Eagle"
Moderat - "II"
Lady Lamb the Beekeeper - "Ripely Pine"
Chris T-T & The Hoodrats - "The Bear"
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - "Push The Sky Away"
Baths - "Obsidian"
David Lang - "Death Speaks"
Waxatachee - "Cerulean Salt"
Caleb Burhans - "Evensong"
Toro Y Moi - "Anything In Return"
Neko Case - "The Worse Things Get…"
Los Campesinos! - "No Blues"
Chelsea Wolfe - "Pain Is Beauty"
Arctic Monkeys - "AM"
Torres - "Torres"
Wire - "Change Becomes Us"
Phosphorescent - "Muchacho"
Chvrches - "The Bones of What You Believe"
Soundtrack to Maniac
Sigur Ros - "Kveikur"
Caitlin Rose - "The Stand-In"
The Devil Makes Three - "I'm A Stranger Here"
Holy Ghost! - "Dynamics"
Anna Von Hausswolff - "Ceremony"
Thee Oh Sees - "Floating Coffin"
The National - "Trouble Will Find Me"
Savages - "Silence Yourself"
Josh Ritter - "The Beast In Its Tracks"
Of Montreal - "Lousy With Sylvianbriar"
The Civil Wars - "The Civil Wars"
Eels - "Wonderful, Glorious"
Julianna Barwick - "Nepenthe"
Cut Copy - "Free Your Mind"
Mikal Cronin - "MCII"
Scout Niblett - "It's Up To Emma"
Forest Swords - "Engravings"
Deer Tick - "Negativity"
Basia Bulat - "Tall Tall Shadow"
John Grant - "Pale Green Ghosts"
Kurt Vile - "Walkin On A Pretty Daze"
Deap Vally - "Sistrionix"
Jason Isbell - "Southeastern"
She & Him - "Volume 3"
Okkervil River - "The Silver Gymnasium" 
Disclosure - "Settle"
Minor Alps - "Get There"
Laura Veirs - "Warp and Weft"

Honorable Mentions:

Rhye - "Woman"
Frank Turner - "Tape Deck Heart"
Iceage - "You're Nothing"
Superchunk - "I Hate Music"
Deerhunter - "Monomania"
Scud Mountain Boys - "Do You Love The Sun"
Queens Of The Stone Age - "…Like Clockwork" (I'm sorry, Josh Homme!)
The Head And The Heart - "Let's Be Still"
White Denim - "Corsicana Lemonade"
The Dodos - "Carrier"

The time I discovered my obsession with AJ Bowen was full-blown and other musings on the indie horror genre...

They say that every fire starts with one little spark. That seems to often be the case with me, at least as far as my pop culture obsessions go.  My obsessions tend to be with musicians; it's been awhile since I've had an obsession with an actor. It wasn't until a few weeks ago that I realized my latest obsession was with genre actor AJ Bowen. I guess I could just blame Netflix for this, because once I saw his 2010 film "A Horrible Way To Die", I discovered that a few of his other movies were also on Netflix. The aforementioned film is definitely the little spark that started this fire. I came to this film knowing nothing about Bowen or anyone else in the film - it was, after all, a little film, as independent as they come. Half-way through the movie, I was convinced that the main character was played by comedian Paul F. Thompkins, as when he had a mustache, Bowen looked identical to Tompkins. The idea of Tompkins playing a serial killer sounded amazing! And the performance was fantastic. So, I kept watching. But as the film went on, and Bowen's facial hair changed, I was a bit let down by the fact that it was not the actor I thought. However, the movie (and Bowen himself) was great enough that I wanted to see more like it. I still maintain that "A Horrible Way To Die" is one of the better slasher flicks of the last decade and unlike many horror films, has one of the best endings, well, ever.

Being into a horror genre actor is not that weird for me, considering my favorite movie is The Shining. But it was my first true introduction to indie horror movies, often made by the same group of people. You start to notice the same producers/directors coming up (Adam Wingard, Simon Barrett, Ti West) and then of course, the same actors. It's strange to be so into an actor whose films I can't really recommend to most people. For many people, horror films are "above them", intellectually speaking. I certainly get that, because I am much the same way. But I've always been more into the psychological aspect of horror films than anything else, be them mainstream or "B Level." I could go so far as to say that Bowen's films border on guilty pleasures for me. Everyone has them, and perhaps his movies are just my guilty pleasures. On the other hand, Bowen said it best himself about his movies: "I hope that even if the movie is shitty, someone can say, 'Well, that one guy in it wasn't quite as shitty.'" From the ones I've seen so far, none of them were unwatchable, even if some didn't make much sense ("Rites Of Spring"). Bowen just has that certain presence, and it's his looks combined with his acting talent and voice (he can look normal but sound super creepy) that make him impossible to not be drawn in by.

However "low brow" these films might be, at least they're not like anything in the "Saw" movies (which I used to like) or "Hostel." Most of them do have a point and none of them are horrifically violent. I admit to seeing a preview for one movie he was in and deciding that his horrible haircut was too much and that I would never see it. An actor who usually looks hot should always look that way, right? Considering how terrible some commercial horror films look these days ("Paranormal Activity" anyone?), Bowen's films are actually quite good by comparison. If you can get past some lame dialogue and a bit of gore, any of the above movies are worth watching, if only for Bowen's performances. One of the reasons I like him so much is that despite being in so many horror movies, none of his are that similar story-wise. For example, I can't even put "The Signal" in one particular category because I've never seen anything like it: part "Shaun Of The Dead", part "The Crazies" and mostly really fun. Even if Bowen doesn't have much screen time in a particular movie, he certainly makes the most of it - "The House Of The Devil" being a prime example (don't order a pizza from this guy!). In the same vein, even in his silliest movie "Hatchet 2", his lines are so funny (as is his death scene) that you don't care about the rest of the movie.

All of this having been said, the timing of this particular obsession is not lost on me; as a baseball fan, this is the worst time of the year, so other interests have to fill my time until at least March. In addition to the string of Bowen's movies on Netflix, his slasher flick "You're Next" is due for digital release at the end of the month, along with his newest film "The Sacrament", which is set for theatrical release sometime next year. Will I see be re-watching "The Signal" and "A Horrible Way To Die" come next April? I'd like to think so, but even if I don't, it's been a fantastic ride into the world of indie horror films and an introduction to one of the finer actors in that genre.