Christmas comes early. I was saying the other night how Hov keeping himself off Spotify in favor of his company Tidal was hurting his legacy and relevancy. No one was gonna go out of their way to get Tidal just for JAY Z albums, as much as I love him. That means newer generations couldn’t hear Reasonable Doubt, the Blueprint, the Black Album, Watch the Throne. I’m happy they now can. Happy birthday to the GOAT, Sean Carter.
Did you know Old Town Road comes from a Nine Inch Nails song?
And it’s absolutely unmistakable.
With Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ excellent score for Watchmen still going, I started listening to some of their previous work and found Ghosts I-IV, which is under the NIN name. This was really their first big showcase for their extraordinary composing for movies and television. Ghosts is an hour and a half of great instrumentals the whole way top to bottom, but when this song came on I automatically started bobbing my head and quickly recognized what I was hearing: Old Town Road. Lil Nas X sampled it for his massive hit. Just a few days after discovering this, I saw Trent Reznor won a Country Music Award for his writing credit on the sample. What a world.
I’d encourage you to go listen to the whole album, but unfortunately, just days after discovering it, it’s gone from Spotify. Ghosted. Hopefully it’s back up soon. In the meantime check out the Watchmen soundtrack (thus far) and the show if you haven’t yet. It’s probably the best show of the year.
My Favorite Movies of 2018
- A Quiet Place
- Annihilation
- Avengers: Infinity War
- Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot
- mid90s
- Mission Impossible: Fallout
- Sorry to Bother You
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
- Vice
- Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
There were a ton of great movies tin 2018, and a lot I’m still catching up on, but I tried to stick to my absolute favorites with this short list. I got an AMC Stubs A-List pass ($20 for 3 movies a week, every week), so I got to go the theater a lot, seeing a few of these films twice. Clearly, it was an insanely good year for action/blockbusters. Seeing Infinity War opening night in Seattle on the last night of the west coast road trip with Sean, feeling the excitement and energy, was electric. I don’t like disruptions during a movie, but I was cheering right along with the audience as Thor thundered into Wakanda. It really was the perfect culmination of what Marvel’s been working towards for 10 years…and there’s still another to go.
I though Infinity War was a shoe-in for my favorite of the year…until I saw Into the Spider-Verse. Wow. I already wrote about it, but god damn, believe the hype and more. I saw it once in IMAX, and again in IMAX 3D and it was even better.
Two excellent first films from first time directors: mid90s and Sorry To Bother You. mid90s hit home for a fellow small punk kid who wanted to fit in and did crazy shit in order to do so. And it was just beautiful, intimate, and real. Sorry To Bother You is something completely different, one of the most ridiculous, in the best way, movies I’ve seen in awhile, fucked up and hilarious at the same time.
Two incredible theater experiences: A Quiet Place and Mission: Impossible Fallout. A Quiet Place was, appropriately, probably the quietest theater experience I’ve ever had. The movie created that atmosphere expertly and earned the silence and anticipation, the scares and thrills. Fallout’s action was unparalleled, and must be seen on the biggest fucking screen possible for maximum joy.
Annihilation was another surreal experience, and while it didn’t hit me strongly initially, it’s stayed with me since I saw it, and I’m dying to watch it again.
Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot is one of the last movies I watched in 2018 and probably the most unlike any movie on this list. It’s based on the true story of John Callahan, played by Joaquin Phoenix, an alcoholic who is paralyzed in a drunk driving accident, and showcases his painful recovery, physically, and from alcohol through AA, onto becoming a famous, controversial cartoonist. Phoenix does powerful work, portraying a human being so fully: he’s a dick, he’s sweet, he struggles, he finds himself. Phoenix was in a number of powerful films this year (I still need to see the Sisters Brothers, I loved the book) but I want to give some more love to Jonah Hill and his year here:
Hill plays Phoenix’s eccentric sponsor, and on top of his directorial debut, he cemented himself as one of my favorite actors working today. I re-watched This Is The End earlier in the year, which is still one of the best comedies of the last decade, and I honestly think Jonah Hill deserved an Oscar nom for playing himself. I have to rewatch the Wolf of Wall St. now too. I hope he continues to make films himself, but I enjoy him so much acting and the interesting, challenging roles he takes. The press he did this year for mid90s was also very vulnerable and honest. mid90s seems to be very much about his own childhood, including the very end of the movie. In interviews he talked about his insecurities, lessons learned, and this only made him like him more.
Finally, Vice and Won’t You Be My Neighbor, two polar opposites. (Technically I watched these two in the beginning of 2019, but they’re 2018 releases so I’m including them.) Vice. God damn. One of the most fun, depressing movies I’ve seen. It’s an ambitious look at the quiet, power-hungry monster that is Dick Cheney, but the editing, direction and flourishes of filmmaking are kinetic, pulling back and in on all the horrible, dumb damage one expert, silent bureaucrat unleashed on the world. I liked the movie a lot, but I felt depressed afterwards. So the next night I watched Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, the documentary on Mr. Rogers. And I bawled like a baby throughout. Seeing the love and empathy he truly lived, the attention and pure focus he gave to each child he interacted with, and the determination behind each show and theme it covered, was gobsmackingly emotional. Probably because it’s so rare to see someone like that anymore. I can’t think of another human being, especially one on television, who is so empathic and heartfelt and gentle in their life and interactions. Especially today.
There you have it. A wonderful year for movies, and this is just a slice of what I thought was great this year. I’m excited to check out what I missed, but I can’t lie, I’m counting down the days til’ Endgame.
My Year in Music 2018
This has been a ridiculous year for music. I paid close attention to new music coming out this year and was overwhelmed in the best possible way. Nearly every week there were new albums out by musicians I love. Without even listing them all, this included artists such as (deep breath):
Pusha T, Nas, Kanye, Kanye & Cudi, Eminem, Nine Inch Nails, A$AP Rocky, J. Cole, Jay Rock, Black Thought, Travis Scott, Logic, Lil Wayne, Action Bronson, Royce Da 5’9, The Internet, Blood Orange, Noname, Janelle Monae, Jorja Smith, Freddie Gibbs, Freddie Gibbs & Curren$y, Drake, Paul McCartney, John Mayer, Gorillaz, BROCKHAMPTON, 6LACK, Ghostface, Method Man, Mick Jenkins, Khalid, JID, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Parquet Courts, Beach House, Courtney Barnett, Tyler the Creator, Earl Sweatshirt, Anderson .Paak, Kurt Vile, Chance the Rapper, Joey Purp, Meek Mill, Big K.R.IT., Vince Staples…
…and many more. This is too much god damn music to try to summarize or write about. Rather than go over all of my favorites and risk repeating a lot of year end lists, I’d like to instead pass along a couple of playlists and highlight a few projects that might have flown under the radar in such a packed year.
First, I kept a running playlist of all my favorite songs released in 2018 that you can check out here:
Only 100 songs show up there, but if you go to it on Spotify there’s over 250.
I’ll also include the playlist Spotify created of my most listened to songs of the year:
While I don’t know that it’s totally accurate, it’s close enough, and is a good look at all the music I loved this year, regardless of whether it was released in 2018 or not. These two playlists give the best view of what I really liked this year, but here are a few albums I wanted to highlight:
Mac Miller – Swimming
I only gave Mac Miller a shot after he passed away and I regret that. He came onto the scene when I was in college and I basically assumed he was strictly a frat rapper and I never gave him another chance until he died. The outpouring of love and respect from peers like Schoolboy Q, Kendrick, Earl Sweatshirt, Vince Staples, and many, many more blew me away. After reading more about him in articles reacting to his death and reflecting on his work, I learned he had quietly blossomed into a workaholic, musical genius. Everyone loved him for his humor, his hunger, and his passion and respect for the craft of making music.
His passing is tragic and sad. He was younger than me. He had just released an album, Swimming, that continued to push his sound and subject matter in a new, deeper direction. Discovering him in the wake of his death, listening to these emotional, beautiful, brilliant songs on Swimming shook me, for many reasons. Death. Addiction. Love. Regret. The lyrics are vulnerable, melancholy, and at times fun. It made me think about life. It also made me question the preconceived notions I’d held onto that shut out this musician without a second thought . I began giving nearly every new music release a chance and ended up finding new favorites among artists I’d previously dismissed. This reminded me of how quickly you can get old, even when you’re young, if you shut yourself off to new things. It stretched beyond music. How many more of these beliefs am I holding onto despite never even giving it a proper chance? You have to be vigilant to watch out for your own biases. And finally, it reminded me to enjoy this life and the people in it while we’re still here.
Besides all of that, Swimming is just amazing fucking music, sonically and lyrically. There are no features but the album has plenty of stealthy help from his numerous friends and collaborators. Thundercat plays bass on What’s the Use. John Mayer plays guitar on Small Worlds. Both Syd and Steve Lacy from the Internet contribute with vocals and production respectively. Mac brought in Jon Brion to put the finishing touches on the album. Brion’s done dozens of amazing movie scores and has worked with Kanye, Frank Ocean and Fiona Apple just to name a few. Snoop Dogg even provides a few echoes of the chorus on What’s the Use. But this album is all Mac, airing out his troubles, his joys, and his strongest love: music.
Kali Uchis – Isolation
This album dropped the same day as Cardi B, so understandably got overlooked. It’s a fantastic album though, with features by some of my favorite people in music right now. Favorite songs include In My Dreams (produced by Gorillaz), Feel Like a Fool, After the Storm (featuring Tyler the Creator), Just a Stranger (featuring Steve Lacy of the Internet), and stand out track Tyrant (featuring Jorja Smith, who’s own 2018 release, Lost and Found, is excellent as well). It’d be sacrilege to compare her to Amy Winehouse, but a few songs off this album reminded me of her.
Young Thug – On the Rvn
Holy shit I could not stop playing this EP. Never really been a Thugger fan, but this dropped on a Monday in late September and I probably played it for 2 weeks straight. Climax is a perfect pairing with 6LACK (who’s own album, East Atlanta Love Letter, is worth checking out), Sin has BARS from Jaden Smith, Real In My Veins bangs, and High samples Elton John’s Rocket Man, so it’s almost automatically good.
Black Thought – Streams of Thought Vol. 2
One of the greatest rappers of all time is also one of the most slept on. Black Thought of the Roots released two EPs this year, the first produced by 9th Wonder (legend), the second by Salaam Remi (who’s worked on some of the best Nas and Amy Winehouse songs). While both are great I ended up liking Vol. 2 more. It’s just fast-paced, unadulterated bars throughout. “I’m a Pulitzer Prize Fighter how I vaporize writers…”
Saba – Care For Me
While I can’t say I return to this one as much as the others on this list, I can recognize the pure greatness of it. It’s one of the most densely layered, lyrically strong narrative hip hop albums I’ve heard in a long time. It’s a bleak album dealing with the trauma of growing up and having to grieve loved ones lost too early. This kid is the real deal, and his previous album, Bucket List Project is absolutely listening to too.
Oliver Tree – Alien Boy EP
This guy’s music is as catchy as his look is goofy. Which is extremely catchy and extremely goofy. But it doesn’t really matter when you can’t stop playing his music. His music is a strange fusion of pop, dance, and hip hop with an abrasive voice that just works over it all. The EP is only 16 minutes, but he just released another great song at the end of the year called Hurt. Check this weirdo out.
More “Overlooked” Hip Hop Albums of 2018
The Internet – Hive Mind
JID – DiCaprio 2
Flatbush Zombies – Vacation in Hell
Curren$y, Freddie Gibbs & the Alchemist – FETTI
Swizz Beats – POISON
Favorite Non-Hip Hop Albums of 2018
Parquet Courts – Wide Awake!
Paul McCartney – Egypt Station
Courtney Barnett – Tell Me How You Really Feel
Nao – Saturn
Vulfpeck – Hill Climber
Shopping – The Original Body
Robyn – Honey
Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Sex & Food
Kamasi Washington – Heaven and Earth
Ryan Beatty – Boy in Jeans
Car Seat Headrest – Twin Fantasy
Young Fathers – Cocoa Sugar
Favorite Non-2018 Albums I Discovered This Year
Big Thief – Capacity
Mavis Staples – You Are Not Alone
Mac Miller – The Divine Feminine & Watching Movies Without the Sound Off
Freddie Gibbs – Piñata
KAYTRANADA – 99.9%
The xx – I See You
BROCKHAMPTON – Saturation I, II, & III
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
I got to see an advanced screening of Into the Spider-Verse last night in IMAX. What an amazing movie. It’s the best Spider-Man movie made in my book. The story is so strong and weaves so many webs (sorry) while still honing in on an emotional hero’s journey. The animation style is unlike anything I’ve seen before, but so is the camera movement and the action choreography. The action is frenetic, whipping all over the place in the best possible way. It’s gorgeous, insanely colorful and has some of the most creative visuals I’ve seen in an animated film. And it’s absolutely hilarious. My boy Jake Johnson killed it but the entire voice cast is phenomenal, especially Miles (Shameik Moore) and his father (Brian Tyree Henry aka Paperboy). There’s so many great character moments and surprises throughout, but I don’t want to spoil any of them. Go see this movie if you’re at all a fan of Spidey or animated movies.
Updated: LSD/88 TV Pilot
LSD/88
Since I last posted this screenplay, I managed to get a manager (!) and we worked the script more over the summer. I think it’s even better than before, a little longer now with more action and character development. This is the version that we’ll be sending out to executives to try to get it made. Check it out and let me know what you think!
Logline: At the beginning of the 1960’s, a washed up CIA agent must revisit his past for a chance at redemption, returning to the underworld he left behind to prevent a catastrophic experimental drug from spreading on the streets and altering human history forever.
You can find more of my screenplays here.
Mobility Routine with Peter Attia & Jesse Schwartzman
Peter Attia is an interesting person. A doctor specializing in longevity, he is a wealth of information on health, exercise, sleep, nutrition, and much more. After a great appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast, and the recent start of his own brand new podcast, I was reminded of the video series he had done with Jesse Schwartzman that focused on a mobility routine that allows you to move and feel better, whether it’s before a workout or just for life in general.
I learned about these videos last year and have worked in a lot of the movements into my own daily stretching routine, but fell off practicing the whole regimen. I recently recommended the videos to a few friends who also listened to the podcasts and got great feedback. It made them more comfortable going into a workout, freer, looser, with a better range of motion. I always feel good after doing it, whether I’m going into a workout or not. I’m jumping back into the full practice myself now, and thought I’d share it here if anyone was interested. I recommend trying it out, seeing what you like, and at least building those ones into some sort of routine. I definitely recommend learning more about Peter too; he’s a fascinating individual with a lot of valuable information on health and life.
Anthony Bourdain, Positive Affirmations, Empathy, and Going Forward
This was first posted in November of 2016
The night of the election, I watched an episode of this season’s Parts Unknown. Anthony Bourdain visits Houston to take a look at how diverse it has become from the immigrant tradition of America. It was a beautiful episode, and a nice respite before the crushing election that was to come. But I want to focus on one part of the episode and hopefully come back in a way that can provide some hope, and maybe a practical action you can integrate into your life.
During his trip, Bourdain visits an ESL class at a school where 80% of the student body’s first language is not English. The class begins with positive affirmations repeated by the class.
Today is a beautiful day.
I will work hard.
I am important.
I will succeed.
Watching it I felt profoundly moved hearing all of those kids say these things loudly and proudly. How rare it is for a kid, or an adult, to express such things to others, let alone to themselves. And how much more empowering for kids in a completely new country, in a completely different language, to express this and feel it inside themselves.
It also rang true to me. I’ve been experimenting with positive affirmations in the morning each day for about 5 months now. I simply say each morning, while I make my bed, maybe with some light stretching: I am kind. I am patient. I am curious. I am happy. I am compassionate. I am forgiving. I am open. I am here. Happy. Healthy. Strong. Love.
Saying that this has radically changed my life sounds false to me at first, until I think about it. I am still naturally impatient and selfish. But saying this every morning at least puts me in the right mindset, on the right path, to come back to it throughout my day. Sometimes it feels like I’m just going through the motions, but surprisingly often, I truly feel it, and it does radically change my day. It gives me the same feeling I felt when I watched those kids repeat their own affirmations.
I went to Austin, Texas right after the election and I had a wonderful, beautiful time. I interacted with a lot of different people. In the back of my mind I was trying to formulate some way to write about this election, this time we live in now, based on this experience. But I don’t want to write about the election. I also don’t want to preach to the choir. I’m sure if you’re reading this you may have similar beliefs, and you’re a good person who just wants what’s best for yourself, your family and friends, and the world. But in light of this episode, and in light of the hate filled speech that guy used throughout his campaign, and won the election with, I wanted to share one story from my trip that rings home with this segment of Parts Unknown.
I was getting a ride home at the end of the night from Gabriel. Gabriel ended up sharing that he was a Rwandan genocide survivor. He wasn’t much older than me, so he must’ve been really young when he escaped. After he escaped, he lived in a refugee camp for 10 years. No electricity, no running water, no toilets. 10 years. Finally he was allowed to relocate, and he narrowed the options given to him down to America, down to Texas, and finally to Austin, where he’s made a living and enjoyed life ever since. Just as powerful as his story was the genuineness he gave off in just a 15 minute car ride. He seemed like a sweet man, a happy man. And he’d gone through hell to get to this point.
As a country and as people we’re going to have to go through a lot of shit moving forward. It’s easy to focus solely on ourselves and our families, and shut everyone else out, especially if they seem very different from us. It’s easy to take what we have for granted. And it’s incredibly hard to imagine how we can make a difference in our country and community, if we’re even lucky enough to have the time and resources to do so. But one thing we can all try to do is to be kinder to each other. To be open and to listen. To recognize that everyone has their our own struggles we cannot see.
In order to be kind to one another we first have to be kind to ourselves. Positive affirmations can be one way to practice being kind to yourself. Even though it might seem silly, corny, or a waste of time, it’s one of the easiest, simplest, yet most powerful ways to be kinder to ourselves each day and to remind us how we want to live while we’re here. And it’s able to be done by every one of us.
I hope you have a great Thanksgiving and can remain sane through the wonderful political talk you’ll all endure. You’ll survive.
RIP Anthony Bourdain
I am so saddened by this news.
Sitting down to write this, I’m struck by how much Anthony Bourdain influenced my life, without me even realizing it. Anthony Bourdain is one of the reasons I started traveling after college, and fell in love with it. One of my favorite things in the world to do now is go somewhere new, eat some delicious food, and get to know the people that live there. See amazing things I’ve never experienced before. To just be in a new place, where somehow it’s easier to be yourself. I’ve been to restaurants he’s been to, seen his picture on the wall as I enjoyed, quite likely, the same meal he had eaten. He was a guide for exploration, and an inspiration to get off your ass and go do something new.
Reading his book Kitchen Confidential awoken an even greater interest in cooking and food. Seeing that he was writing novels while working the kitchen all night inspired me, showed me that I could find the time too. That book also allowed me to recognize the struggles of addiction, of self-loathing, and most importantly, to see that we can overcome those things, and come out the other side stronger, a total bad-ass world traveler with clearer eyes and a more open heart.
His show impacted me deeply. It showed me how to be curious about others, empathetic, to recognize that someone who might be from somewhere different is actually probably pretty damn similar to me. A couple years ago I wrote about an episode he did that inspired me, which I’ve reposted above. In that piece I talk about meeting and talking with a Rwandan refugee driving an Uber in Austin, about the struggle of life in a refugee camp and making it here after many years. I had the courage to talk to him and ask questions, and gain a greater empathy and perspective, and a friend in that moment, in part, because of Anthony Bourdain.
I am so saddened for this loss, for the loss his daughter now has to experience, and everyone who loved him. He seemed happy, and that’s the saddest, most dangerous part of this all, I guess. It’s easy to hide pain or struggle. Talk openly and honestly with your loved ones, and get them help if they need it. Ask the uncomfortable question. Tell the uncomfortable truth about your own self. Get help for yourself if you need it. Too many good people are dying, and we need all of them we can get in this world today.
New Screenplay: LSD/88
LSD/88
Logline: At the beginning of the 1960’s, a washed up CIA agent must revisit his past for a chance at redemption, returning to the underworld he left behind to prevent a catastrophic experimental drug from spreading on the streets and altering human history forever.
I’ve been working on this script off and on for a long time and I’m very happy with how it’s turned out. I just entered it into some screenwriting competitions and will find out how it did towards the end of the year.
You can find more of my screenplays here.