#83:
Welcome to issue #83 of THIS NEWSLETTER CANNOT SAVE YOU, arriving right on time as usual, according to a whimsically unpredictable schedule derived from predicting the intersection of constellations, reading patterns in oil spills as seen from spy satellite photographs, and of course, closing my eyes and throwing darts at a cardboard standing portrait of Tony Danza, which no you may not ask why I possess such a treasure. But I’ve said too much.
Onward!
Scottovision
“Billy’s Balloon” (1998) - A couple weeks ago, renowned animator Don Hertzfeldt (creator of the amazing series World of Tomorrow) posted an old student film on his YouTube channel. It’s no ordinary student film - it was nominated for a Short Film Palm D'Or at Cannes and won the Grand Prize at Slamdance. The premise: young Billy’s delightful red balloon turns out to be homicidal, and things go downhill from there.
“Karupy” (2025) - At her 65th birthday celebration, Karupy makes a startling pronouncement: she intends to end her life before the party is over. Her family’s varied responses manage to make the situation even more awkward. This short film by Kalainithan Kalaichelvan is bold and stylish, rarely settling for a predictable visual or narrative beat. It was a Canadian Screen Award nominee for Best Live Action Short Drama at the 14th Canadian Screen Awards in 2026.
“Lemon-Aid” (2024) - A jogger comes across an unattended lemonaid stand on his block and makes a fateful decision, which has repercussions for his entire neighborhood, in this absurdist horror-ish movie written and directed by Sumner McMurtry. This is a story of a tranquil suburban utopia invaded by outsiders. The outsiders just happen to be lemon people.
“We The People” (2025) - Florida dance crew Motiv, led by choreographer Marlee Hightower, represented the USA last year in the South Korean dance competition show World of Woman Street Fighter. For the show’s “Mega Crew” segment, in which the original crew is expanded significantly for one number, Hightower directed this tight hip-hop dance film, presenting a sharp contrast to the show’s other ensembles who were generally performing in the K-pop style. Hightower described the piece as a depiction of resistance and rebellion, elements that are crucial to hip-hop aesthetics and the American experience alike.
“Quiet Apocalypse” (2025) - This effective slice of cosmic horror depicts the sudden, inexplicable appearance of 30,000 horrific and gargantuan creatures in locations around the globe. The collective militaries of Earth respond predictably, but the situation is weirder than they surmise. It’s nice to see something in this particular style come with a “No AI was used to make this” label; it’s instead a clever blending of original animation and stock video footage to create a battered, real world effect.
“That’s AI” (2026) - This film also carries a “No AI was used to make this” label, ironic (or not) for a short film about a man who believes an event happening in his own environment is actually being produced by AI. Written and directed by Sebastian Lopez.
“Quinceañera” (2026) - Director and makeup artist Fernanda Acuña crafted this artful depiction of a Latin American coming-of-age party, where the 15-year-old girl being feted just happens to be an extraterrestrial. Yes, it’s on the nose, but it’s also funny and sweet.
“The Fridge” (2025) - The food items in a refridgerator are alive and they’re not happy about their destinies in this animated short film by Coby Palivathukal. Some try to escape, others try to live life to the fullest, and some, like the wise mayonnaise, find inner peace. But they’re all going to get eaten in the end.
“Yearn” (2025) - Animator Ben Smith manages to imbue two statues with deep emotional longing and passion in this beautiful 3D animated short film, in which the statues in question finally (and improbably) manage to physically connect in the wake of an earthquake. It’s pleasingly ironic that it takes an act of God to bring these two inanimate but very real objects together.
“I Approve This Message” (2026) - A man running for Congress in Georgia faces a sudden dilemma when his college-era participation in an ill-advised stunt resurfaces. As his campaign scrambles to respond, the candidate faces the fact that his old ideals and his modern principles are further apart than he realized. This short film written and directed by Craig Newman walks a line between satire and drama and pulls it off, largely thanks to a top notch performance by Newman himself as the candidate, who works his way through some fiery moments before stumbling open-eyed into the film’s semi-idealistic conclusion.
Exit Music
Sending you out this issue with new and recent music in the electronic vein. The Avalanches are back with a new Jamie xx collaboration called “Every Single Weekend,” Ninja Tune artist Bonobo is back with a new track called “Me And You,” TOMORA (the duo of singer-songwriter Aurora and Tom Rowlands of The Chemical Brothers) recently performed their excellent single “I Drink The Light” on Jools Holland, and an obscure ambient group called [checks notes] Boards of Canada recently made a triumphant return with a new Warp Records album called Inferno that opens with “Introit / Prophecy At 1420 MHz.” All told, it’s a fine time to be an electronic music fan.
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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