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Real Life, Modern Romance, Lost in America, Defending Your Life. That quartet of films possesses so much DNA that I witness in today’s comedy. I love Brooks’ melding of earnest, trenchant, and silly. He’s always exploring the pitfalls of idealism and exposing self-awareness as a curse. Yet his films aren’t cynical, they’re heartfelt.
Jan 16, 2024
Related Recs
i watched ‘Real Life‘ (1979) the other day, and it’s definitely one of my favorites of this month! its directed by Albert Brooks, stared by Albert Brooks, and basically shows what would happen if he filmed the everyday life of a normal family for his next big film. you can definitely see the influences for nathan fielder & his content, so if you’re a fan of it then i’d recommend!!
(also this movie is the blueprint for the reality tv we watch today LOL)
2d ago
funny documentary about a working class midwestern guy just trying to get his film made. feels like a mockumentary but it’s real. bittersweet with a looming sadness, but if anything it’s hopeful. definitely inspired napoleon dynamite and hot rod
one of my new favorites methinks…
Feb 7, 2024
Sep 25, 2024
Top Recs from @carrie
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I know, it’s obnoxious to be part of this trendy bandwagon. For all I know, you’re someone who has called to complain about the sound of people playing the game, which I’ve heard happens in certain neighborhoods. I get it. It’s essentially very loud and very big ping pong. If I can make one argument for taking up the sport, I’d say it’s that the age range of people with whom you hang out will expand greatly. The other day, I played with a 10-year old, a 30-year old, and a 70-year old. Plus, it’s a real-life interaction, and it’s easy to come up short on those sometimes.
Jan 16, 2024
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If someone asked me to list the greatest living American novelists, Ward would be in my Top 5. Sing, Unburied, Sing is an absolute stunner, both lived-in and otherworldly, such aching and beautiful prose. And Ward can be blunt too, evincing the steps and steepness of life. Her most recent novel, Let Us Descend, is profound and painful, the story of an enslaved girl, of conjured humanity despite brutal circumstances. I love how Ward’s stories fuse generations, those living and beyond; I’m always transfixed as a reader.
Jan 16, 2024
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Julia Davis and Vicky Pepperdine are absolutely mental. And brilliant. And I probably laugh out loud more at this than anything else. So, if you like your comedy dark, like a cave or a hotel room with blackout curtains, this is for you. It’s essentially an advice podcast, where the questions are fake and the answers are shocking. Plus, you learn about the sordid lives of Joan and Jericha along the way.
Jan 16, 2024