#72: "an absurd level of awkwardness"
Welcome to issue #72 of THIS NEWSLETTER CANNOT SAVE YOU. You know, friends, an unavoidable part of this beat is when I stumble across a video of some sort and think to myself, “Wow, what a great find! I can’t wait to put it in my newsletter!” only to discover it was actually super popular eight years ago, racked up 48 billion views, was given the Nobel Prize for short form video, was chiseled into some quantum crystal storage medium and hurled into the galaxy on a powerful rocket to herald our aesthetic prowess as a species, staking the bold claim that a video so fundamentally good is evidence that our planet is deserving of an equal seat in the galactic community, if such a thing exists, and if not, if that video hurtles across the galaxy and never finds its destined audience, then at least it was played 48 billion times on Earth, before eventually, eight years later, it racked up 48 billion and one when I sat down and watched it. Anyway, that video is not included in this issue.
Scottovision
“Beth’s Farm” (2025) - In this music video for a quirky baroque pop tune by Jerskin Fendrix, a bit of ritual folk magic is just what’s needed to keep the farm afloat. Emma Stone stars and Yorgos Lanthimos directs, marking their sixth time working together after such films as Poor Things and Kinds of Kindness; Fendrix composed the score for those films, so this video is a family affair among collaborators.
“Ridin’” (1994) - For no apparent reason, please enjoy this charming music video for a bouncy Eurodance track by Dutch group Doop. They’re best known for their hit single, also called “Doop,” in which the lyrics “consisted entirely of the word ‘doop’ scatted over a fast-paced big band sample.” This track is equally engaging!
“Hey Man” (2025) - In the waning hours of a raucous party, a pair of old friends find themselves alone by the fire, and realize they have an opportunity to truly connect. This short film by James Oxyer dangles the promise of authenticity, but at the price of an absurd level of awkwardness.
“Cargo” (2013) - This short horror-esque film (it’s got horror elements, but it’s not particularly scary) puts a heart-punching spin on typical zombie apocalypse films. I’m not much of a zombie fan anymore, but the small twist in this story’s construction is sad and sweet. Apparently this was adapted into a feature film in 2017, but my completely uninformed opinion is that it was probably just fine at eight minutes. Directed by Ben Howling and Yolanda Ramke.
“Korg Funk 5” (2025) - Director Nadia Lee Cohen, a favorite of mine whose work lives in a weird zone of satire, fashion, and absurdism, just released her music video for an old Aphex Twin track, and it delivers exactly what you’d expect from an Aphex Twin video: it’s batshit crazy. Cohen (she’s the (primary) one in the blue leotard) starts small with an “audition spinning out of control” vibe before taking to the streets for a “sudden riot with cops and clowns” vibe, all of which is threaded through with her own wild dancing and many trick camera shots to keep you guessing about what you’re even seeing. As my great-granduncle Angus used to say, “It’s something to look at.”
“Nursery Rhymes” (2019) - This film directed by Tom Noakes creates an immersive experience by staying in one take throughout most of its running time, giving us a true slice of an unfortunate moment in several lives. I’d seen this years ago before my newsletter began, and once I saw the opening few frames this time around, I was caught up in it all over again. You do have to be patient, though, as it takes a little time to ramp into its premise.
“Two Strangers Who Meet Five Times” (2017) - Not my usual fare, but sometimes you can trick me into liking something with sentimentality to it. I was drawn in by the unique-sounding premise, and the film delivers—not in a twisty sci-fi way, but in a simple, heartfelt, human way. Filmmaker Marcus Markou gets a lot of mileage by ratcheting his story down to just two people, bumping into each other again and again across time.
“Day Trip” (2021) - Two young men take a small amount of psychedelic mushrooms and hang out in a park. That’s it, that’s the film. What’s appealing about this is there’s no twist or stylistic angle about it; writer/director Taha Ismail manages the neat trick of portraying the inexpressible with a touch of vérité.
“The Cost Of Hugging” (2024) - This bittersweet little gem of a short film by writer/director Louis Bhose opens with a late-night chat in a resort bar between outgoing, likeable Jacques and clearly miserable Erica. Is Jacques’ buoyant attention enough to pull Erica out of despair? No spoilers.
“Sitting” (2017) - Imagine you get access to a powerful drug and the dose comes complete with your own personal trip sitter, played by alternative musician Mitski in this intriguing piece. What ensues is part short film, part music video, and it adds up to a potent seven minutes. Written and directed by Emily Yoshida, who was on the writing staff for the TV series Shogun.
Exit Music
Sending you out this week with the 20th anniversary remaster of the seminal track “Hide and Seek” by Imogen Heap. If you’re as familiar with the original track as I am, you’ll find the remaster to be exceptionally rewarding, and if you haven’t heard it, go in with the best set of headphones you can get your hands on. It’s lush and bittersweet, and a remarkable fusion of voice and technology into something elevated. Looking forward to the whole Speak for Yourself album remaster, on its way.
Here's the YouTube playlist with (most 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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