Youtube Shuffle
Here's what I've been looking at...
There is a modern ritual that sits on the knife edge between being the most intimate form of friendship and unbearably annoying. I call it Youtube Shuffle. It’s that moment when someone shows you a video you ‘need to watch’ which makes you think of a video they need to watch, and you go back and forth. Content peacocking.
For the last newsletter of 2024, I wanted to share some videos I like. They are mostly about movies, or at least adjacent to it. I log every movie I watch on Letterboxed and this year I’ve got more entries than ever, so it’s fair to say cinema has been a huge part of my year.
The one link between these videos is that I’m always thinking about them! If you have any videos that I might end up obsessing about, please drop them in the comments.
Best of Luck with the Wall | Watch Here
A fascinating video from filmmaker Josh Begley, made up of satellite images of the Mexico-US border. It was made at the start of the first Trump-term. I find it such an elegant way to wordlessly make a very powerful point. It’s about Trump and the wall, but more than that, there’s something about institutional vs. natural power. Some things can never be subdued.
Akira Kurosawa - Composing Movement | Watch Here
Every Frame a Painting is one of the best Youtube channels out there. It went a few years without making videos but I was so glad to see it started up again. Even if you have never seen a Kurosawa film, this specific video is a work of art.
Steven Soderbergh’s Indiana Jones | Watch Here
Steven Soderbergh, director of the Ocean’s 11 movies, Contagion and lots of other great films, made a re-edit of Raiders of the Lost Ark in black & white and scored by the soundtrack to The Social Network. Ok, now that you have digested that previous sentence, I am imploring you to go watch the first five minutes of this edit on Soderbergh’s blog. It is truly remarkable and it shows the genius behind the original film that can often go unnoticed.
Harrison Ford and the Magic Trick | Watch Here
Since we’re talking Indy, here’s the greatest reaction to a magic trick anyone has ever had.
Fred Astaire & Mané Garrincha | Watch Here
This is a short extract from the Brazilian documentary Here We Are, Waiting For You. It’s a retrospective of the 20th Century through the biographies of a number of figures who have died before the year 2000. You might be surprised to know a lot of my youtube algorithm is just tap-dancing from old movies. This scene contrasts the skills of movie star and tap-dancer Fred Astaire and legendary footballer Mané Garrincha.
David Ehrlich’s 2023 Retrospective | Watch Here
Every year David Ehrlich puts together a montage of his favourite 20 films of that year. Last year’s video was something to behold, I cannot recommend this enough. Keep an eye out for the 2024 video coming soon (I think!).
David Lynch on Cooking Quinoa | Watch Here
This year I watched all of David Lynch’s films - a filmmaker I thought I’d hate and ended up loving. This is one of his short films, where you can see some elements of his signature style. More than that though, it feels very influential on the gen z editing style you see all over social media today. As a bonus, here’s another Lynch video I love.
Patti Labelle Sings The Alphabet | Watch Here
If you ask me what the greatest cover of all time is, I’ll send you this video.
Rap World | Watch Here
The best feature comedy of 2024 (and maybe the decade?) came on youtube and you can watch it for free. This is straight up one of my favourite movies of the year. You will not regret watching this!
Beginnings and Endings | Watch Here
This is technically not a nepotism pick because we are not related. Sam Close is a good pal and young filmmaker. He just started film school and is already making some bangers. I love the framing and editing of this video. He’s a filmmaker to watch, I can’t wait to see how ideas like this develop in his work.
Thanks for reading Everything Mixtape this year! I’ll be back in January with more interviews.