#65: "it's suddenly your jam"
Welcome to issue #65 of THIS NEWSLETTER CANNOT SAVE YOU, proud to be a source of chaotic distraction from the everything that unfolds and unfolds like a malign patchwork quilt smothering the planet. Here we take up the challenge of bemusement and pleasant oddities, carry the torch of mild aesthetic rebellion, and relish the rhythms of short-form media goodness. Or something.
Scottovision
Recommendations for your consideration, dispatched from my satellite HQ in NYC, where the weather is cold, the food is good, and my spirits are unusually high:
“Application To Be Lars Von Trier's ‘Female Girlfriend/Muse’” (2024) - Filmmaker Tomi Faison chronicles her effort to assemble a worthy response to Von Trier’s attempt on social media to find a mate. This involves screening Von Trier’s directorial ouevre for 72-year-old tell-it-like-it-is neighbor Rose, who is less than impressed. Per Faison, “Lars has yet to respond.”
“Survival Ceremony” (2025) - Wizard of aesthetic dystopia Thomas Harrington Rawle returns with a scathingly absurd take on corporate culture, in which a soulless corporation employs bland demiurges whose sole purpose is to fire the corporation’s employees one by one with that personal touch we all crave.
“Ding-Dong” (2019) - The understated official description of this short film is simply, “Two friends have a little chat.” But within that benign premise lurks a twist of stratospheric social awkwardness. Written and directed by Suki-Rose.
“The Debutante” (2022) - Hijinks ensue when a young woman recruits a hyena from the London Zoo to attend a dance in her honor in disguise as her, in this maniacal animated short film from Elizabeth Hobbs. Naturally trusting the hyena is a dubious choice.
“Intergalactic Dance” (2025) - This music video by Mute Records art-pop artist Ora The Molecule is a bizarre confection from a stylistic dimension where skin is purple, hands are huge, and the Italo-disco groove is tight. The video defies any requirement to mean something specific, and yet repeated viewings are still rewarding. Sometimes you don’t know something’s your jam until it’s suddenly your jam. Directed by Sarah Fuchs.
“Peter Hair” (2025) - The sentimental tale of a front-line follicle on Tim’s scalp who resigns his commission in order to seek freedom and adventure. An understated, funny animated Adult Swim Small from Uncle Shortbread, a London-based comedy duo.
“Meat Puppet” (2024) - A young man’s inability to be a responsible person culminates in his soul being trapped inside a puppet in this short film by Eros V. It’s a familiar trope (man-child plays with toys instead of facing adulthood) and a classic example of the “don’t push the button! / why did you push the button?” genre, starting simply but escalating quickly to minor comedic carnage.
“The Cause Of The Accident That Started The Fire” (2025) - Star production house CANADA delivered this showcase for Audiovisual from Spain, in which a film director has a crisis of confidence while shooting a showcase for Audiovisual from Spain, resulting in an experimental Möbius narrative that showcases what Spain’s filmmakers can do when they cut loose. They make it look easy.
“Detested” (2024) - This intense dance film by director and choreographer Linnéa Sonka is focused on “shedding light on gender-based violence and the normalization process.” The collision of intent between the core dance troupe and the stark opposing force that surprises halfway through the film is sharp, and the symbology in the movement is both clear and poetic. The soundtrack features music by electronic artists Max Cooper, Throwing Snow, Rival Consoles, Stimming, and Catching Flies.
“Thrift Drifters” (2024) - Animator and musician Chad VanGaalen created this pilot for a show about the proprietors of an alien thrift store. In this episode they stage a fundraising jam session to raise rent money, featuring a haunted sax that generates ghosts who sing along as you play. The wild alien landscapes and characters are as visually imaginative and freaky as you might have seen in his animated music videos, and the story - devoid of ordinary conflict - delivers a strangely upbeat and humorous vibe. It’s not clear if a full series will materialize; additional episodes would be welcomed.
Exit Music
Sending you out this issue with a spirited German-language cover of LCD Soundsystem’s “Daft Punk Is Playing At My House” by Bonaparte and Sophie Hunger. Comes complete with a vintage music video featuring the youth of yesteryear getting down with their bad selves. Irresistible!
Here's the YouTube playlist with (some of) this issue's recos. Please enjoy responsibly.
Until next time, I remain your friendly correspondent, thinking of you,
Scotto
Scotto Moore is the author of WILD MASSIVE, BATTLE OF THE LINGUIST MAGES, and YOUR FAVORITE BAND CANNOT SAVE YOU.
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