Singer/songwriter Andrew Bird is a man of many talents and musical genres. His songs and performances run the gamut from folk music to indie rock to swing, and whatever genre he and his four-piece band are tackling, it is done masterfully.
His recent video and single, "Atomized", is no exception. It's a quirky tune with lyrics that speak powerfully to the current state of our culture and the impossible situation professional creative people are in (and even increasingly just regular people). The video underscores the message perfectly... and it also serves as an illustration of the unifying theme around here!
Check it out by clicking below. (And if you like it, consider supporting Mr. Bird by getting a copy of his latest album, Inside Problems.)
Manchester-based Pale Waves is an indie/punk rock band that's been performing and touring together since 2014. They've just released their third studio album--"Unwanted"--and we're happy to bring you this great music video made to support it. (It's a great punk/pop tune... and to make it even better, the video also serves as a visual example of the unifying theme here at Shades of Gray.)
"Unwanted" can presently be streamed on various platforms, including Amazon Prime Music, and it will be available on CD on August 26, 2022.
Sleaping Dreaming is a Brooklyn-based, three-member band that plays shoegazing rock that swings from borderline heavy to gauzily ethereal. Here's a beautiful, thought-provoking video in support of their song "Ring of Fireflies". I hope you find the film and music as fascinating as I did.
Ring of Fireflies (2020) Starring: Claire Davison and Beau Dobson
Director: Xing Xu
Rating: Seven of Ten Stars
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Claire Davison, the featured actress and dancer in the "Ring of Fireflies" music video, has been with the American Ballet Theatre company as a dancer and choreographer since 2012. She has performed in several other music videos, worked as a choreographer for several ballet companies, and she's one of the many dancers who've been part of Dane Shitagi's Ballerina Project. Here are some of the photos she posted for.
Mushrooms (2022) Starring: Laura Dromerick Director: Xing Xu Rating: Six of Ten Stars
A woman wanders a lakeside orchard and... oh, just watch it. You tell ME what makes a good summary.
YouTube is a great place for filmmakers to share short films that otherwise might never be seen by random members of the public. Sadly, they mostly end up in obscure corners of the site, so while they may now be out there to be discovered and appreciated, they still go mostly unseen. But at least they're there for ME to find and feature in post here, upping the chance of these creative efforts to be seen.
Every so often, I come across one such film that makes me say, "I don't think I know what this film is about, but I like everything about it!" The latest of these is "Mushrooms" from New York City-based writer/director Xing Xu. She describes herself as an artist who makes "music videos and magick art".
I might classify "Mushrooms" as a music video--the spooky, sometimes chilling music by Nurse With Wound is a prime driver in this two-minute film--if not for the free-verse narration. It's a non-narrative bit of filmmaking that I THINK is about beginnings and ends and the life that exists between them, but it could also just be a bit of spookiness that I should have saved for the 31 Nights of Halloween extravaganza crossover with Terror Titans in October.
But why don't you take a couple minutes (literally) to check out this neat little bit of art. And, like I asked above, if you can give us a good "teaser summary"--share it!
(Also, keep an eye out for another work from Xing Xu on a future Musical Monday.)
Say Nothing (2022) Starring: Jake Libner, Craig Roath, and Callie Stonecipher Directors: Joe Rosener and Jak Velinsky Rating: Six of Ten Stars
Jake (Libner) is a prisoner being subjected to a brutal interrogation. When sees an opportunity to escape, he takes it. But will his interrogator (Roath) capture him before Jake reaches the warmth and safety of his home and loving wife (Stonecipher).
"Say Nothing" is a stylish mini-thriller with an aura of film noir hanging around it thickly. I liked it so much that even though I recognized what it was inspired by, and thus knew where it was ultimately headed, I still enjoyed it right up until the end.
One thing I really liked about the film was the clever way the filmmakers handled transitions. There was already artificial abuse and aging (of the kind you see on those bargain DVDs of public domain or copyright-orphaned films from producers like Alpha Video) done to the footage, and they used the appearance of severe scratches and damage to denote scene changes. I also liked the lighting of the scenes in general, as well as the camerawork. The technical aspects of this film really made it for me.
The only real complaint I can mount is that the entire film was too dark. Although I liked the way the scenes were lit, it was sometimes hard to see what was going on because everything was so dark. If the picture had been a bit brighter and with a little more contrast, I think I might have given this a rating of Seven. (I suspect the dark quality of the film may be a product of the desire to make the footage seem "old", despite the prominent presence of a cellphone.)
A less valid complaint, but one that also probably would have prompted me to give "Say Nothing" another Star (for a possible total of Eight) is that I think it could have been served well with a few lines of actual dialog. While it works as a silent movie, and is enhanced by a well-synchronized score, it would have been even stronger if there had been a voice on the cellphone, or if the interrogator spoke a few lines, and even if we got ot hear from Jake and his wife.
But, like I said, this works well enough as a silent movie. Craig Roath is particularly impressive and sinister as the interrogator, but Jake Libner and Callie Stonecipher also do as much as they can with their parts. (They don't get to emote as much as Roath).
Check out "Say Nothing" below; it's only six-and-a-half minutes long. Feel free to share your opinion in the comments below, and let me know if you caught onto where the film was going early on as well.
(BTW, I think I've seen Callie Stonecipher and Craig Roath in other things, but none of their IMDB credits look familiar, nor can I otherwise place them. Anyone out there know what else they've been in recently?)
Black and White Short Film (2022) Starring: Michael Buss, Emma Thurston, and Branden Hume Director: Branden Hume Rating: Six of Ten Stars
A student filmmaker (Hume) desperately needs an appropriate idea for a class project. He turns to an actor (Buss) brainstorming help... with mixed results.
"Black and White Short Film" is a comedy that I'm certain every arts student and professional creative can relate to: The problem of needing to fit an idea to a specific length and format, or even coming up with an idea that will fill a specific length and format, on a deadline. Those people "fortunate" enough to be their friends or colleagues will also be able to relate. Meanwhile, those out there with normal lives and "real jobs" will at the very least find the gags here very funny.
This is another of those films I found in an obscure corner of YouTube that I think deserves to be seen. This is a simply made film with naturalistic acting and a concept I found to be very clever. (And which may actually have been borne into existence from the very situation that is chronicled.)
Click below to check it out. I'm sure you will find the next five minutes well spent if you do.
In mid-April of 2022, DeKade released a new single. Both the song and video produced to promote it are fabulously spooky and befitting of a performer who seems to be a music-making, rapping shadow in a hooded sweater.
Perfect (2022) Starring: DeKade Director: Tyler Michalsen Rating: Eight of Ten Stars
The Tail (2021) Starring: Yuvaraj and Vishwa Director: Prithvi Rating: Seven of Ten Stars
A young man (Yuvaraj) finds himself with a mysterious, uninvited and constant companion (Vishwa).
"The Tail" is a seven-minute, slow burn comedy that, near as I can tell, is the product of Bengalese filmmakers and actors. I came across it while exploring the dark recesses of YouTube, and I'm glad I did!
This film was shot entirely on an iPhone 8, but it looks better than many productions that are filmed on professional grade equipment. It's also funnier and better paced than many of those films. In fact, someone who generally faults me for my weird taste in movies, watched it and was as entertained as I was.
If you have the same reaction to "The Tail" as my friend and I did, you'll initially be intrigued by what's unfolding, then bemused and, ultimately, very amused. The film keeps going after it's clear what's going on, which, if it was made by a less-talented filmmaker working with less talented and charismatic actors, would have doomed it. Instead, it ends on a perfect and absolutely hilarious note.
Check out "The Tail" by clicking below. I think you'll agree that it's an excellent modern silent movie that makes a statement about the world we live in.
Dental Care (2022) Starring: Jamison England and Simon England Director: Jamison England Rating: Seven of Ten Stars
Terry (Jamison England) is captured by an insane dentist (Simon England) who is bent on giving him the perfect smile.
Does anyone remember "Saw" and the unpleasant flood of "torture porn" movies that followed in its wake (in addition to the sequels the film itself spawned)? I do, and I disliked almost every one of the genre I had the misfortune of seeing; many I couldn't even motivate myself to write reviews of. I even found myself panning films featuring performers I liked, such as the talented Suzi Lorraine.
So, when "Dental Care" veered quickly into torture porn territory--with its innocent victim being set upon in a gruesome and merciless fashion by an evil madman for no apparent reason other than to be gruesome and merciless-- it was quite a surprise to me that I found myself liking it (even as I squirmed at certain moments). While it's possible that my tastes have degraded since the early 2000s, I like to think that the actual reason for me liking this film is that it despite the torture porn vibe, it gets a number of things right that lesser films get wrong--at least when it comes to being effective horror films.
Areas in which "Dental Care" succeeds are both in direction and cinematography. There's a sense of griminess about everything in the film that suits the subject matter perfectly; Jamie England knows that sometimes "less is more" when it comes to what gets shown on screen in a horror film; and the films final few moments are executed so fabulously that a number of famous filmmakers could benefit from taking a look at.
Click below to watch "Dental Care"... and please let me know if you agree or disagree with my take!
Loop (2022) Starring: Bryn Wilson and Christian Gillam Director: Aaron Delaney Rating: Five of Ten Stars
A young woman (Wilson) takes the path less traveled... and finds herself trapped in the Twilight Zone with a mysterious fellow wanderer (Gillam).
"Loop" is another gem that I discovered in the distant corners of YouTube while searching for interesting things to watch and write about in this space. I assume it's an effort by a beginning filmmaker, and I think that if he sticks with it and masters his craft, we'll be treated to great stuff in a few years.
The basic idea and execution of "Loop" is an engaging one, but it's one that is very tricky to execute and which could become very boring to watch, very fast. Delaney, however, keeps things moving and shows a near-perfect sense of timing with the points at which he introduces plot complications and story elements as the film unfolds. This film got my imagination going, and I find myself thinking about the unanswered mysteries it presents, long after the end credits rolled. There's no higher praise I can give a film other than to say it left me with questions that I have fun puzzling out answers to.
As much as I enjoyed "Loop", I can't ignore its technical flaws. Delany makes several ambitious attempts at in-camera edits/effects that he doesn't quite pull off, and the sound mixing leaves a lot to be desired--the dialogue is too soft and the soundtrack music is too loud. There are also a couple points where the camera should have placed in a slightly different place to avoid having a sign in the background. That sign undermined the sense that the characters are trapped in some unknowable paranormal place and thus came dangerously close to spoiling the whole film. (As it is, that sign is responsible for me giving this film a Five instead of a Six Out of Ten Stars.)
If you have a few minutes, check you "Loop" by clicking below. I hope you find it as interesting and imagination-stirring as I did!
From what half-assed research I did, today's song resulted when two avantgarde musicians teamed up -- Two Feet (aka Zachary William Dess) and Grandson (aka Jordan Edward Benjamin).
I think the music they've come with is okay, but I am in complete love with the Erik Rojas-directed video that supports it. It goes to a completely unexpected place!
The Call (2020) Starring: Danielle Elisha Steiner Director: Wolfgang Kern Rating: Six of Ten Stars
While walking in the rain, a woman (Steiner) gets a phone call.
"The Call" is a quiet, technically well-executed film. I liked the creative, yet straight-forward, camera-work. The precisely calculated use of out-of-focus moments were among the things that impressed me the most about this film... and the well-deployed, touching (yet catchy) music on the soundtrack also stood out.
And yet, I found myself waffling between awarding this picture a High Six or a Low Seven on my 0-10 scale, because I am not left with a clear sense of what is going with the phone call mentioned in the title and my teaser summary. There are a couple obvious explanations--and a less obvious one that got my imagination going, but I'm fairly certain it's not something that was in the Wolfgang Kern's head when staging this film--but since I didn't feel that was enough here for me to lean in one direction or another as far as "meaning" goes, I went with the High Six Rating.
I strongly recommend you take a few minutes out of your day to check out "The Call". Just click below and sit back. Perhaps you can even leave a comment below to tell me (and other visitors) what you think is going on with the voice on the phone.
Today, on 2/2/22, we're sharing stories about doppelgangers, here and at Terror Titans. We hope you enjoy... and we hope you don't encounter your doppelgangers in your wanderings today.
Doppelganger (2020)
Starring: Michael Diulus
Director: Michael Diulus
Rating: Six of Ten Stars
A writer (Diulus) drifts off to sleep while working and finds himself in a struggle for his soul.
"Doppelganger" is a straight-forward, no-frills supernatural horror short that captures the feeling of dreams dead-on. I appreciate its simplicity, and it shows that a single person with a camera and a good eye can create a great experience for the viewer. (The only criticisms I have amount to little more than nitpicks. But I think the main character might have an easier time writing if he sat at a desk; I was more worried for the laptop than his safety for a while there; and the strangling bit was... well, a bit too obvious that it was just one guy and a camera making the film.)
Check out "Doppelganger" by clicking below. I think you'll like it.
You can see more from Michaek Diulus on his YouTube channel by clicking here.
Earlier this month, Adele released the video for "Oh My God", another single off her latest album. If you're a fan of Adele, I suspect you'll enjoy what's here. Even if you aren't, if you're a regular in these parts, we think you'll enjoy the weirdness of this video!
While researching something entirely different, I stumbled upon the series "Ninecrow" by Dora Mitchell.
"Ninecrows" is a serialized webcomic that Mitchell began in October of 2020. It has the tone and pacing of a young adult horror novel, or a high-quality made-for-TV psychological thriller. It's the story of Amanda, a teenager who moves to an isolated small town with her Mom, following her parents divorce. She soon discovers that there is something very odd about the place, including strange lights in the wooded mountains high above the town and a pattern of girls mysteriously disappearing when they are about her age. When her mother starts to undergo a personality change, Amanda tries finding allies that can help her unravel the mysteries of the town--but is there anyone or any thing what is at it seems in this strange town?
As of this writing, Mitchell's about 100 pages in and is currently serializing the fourth and final chapter. So far, I've loved how the story's unfolded and how Mitchell has been upping the stakes and laying on the mystery and dialing up the horror. I am looking forward to seeing how it all wraps up, especially given the completely new mystery that was introduced in the something-of-a-cliffhanger ending of Part Three.
I have read the three completed chapters. I generally don't comment on these sorts of web serials (or comic book storylines, period) until they're complete and I can evaluate the entire work. In this case, though, I am interested enough in what's going on that I want to see Mitchell encouraged to finish it! And what better encouragement it there than to know there's an audience out there?
Go check out "Ninecrows". You can read the completed parts, thus experiencing the series the way I did, by clicking on the links below:
... you get a fun little take on so very many of the short films that're featured over at our sister blog Terror Titans.
Horror Movie For Dogs (2020)
Starring: Koda
Director: Caleb Herring
Rating: Six of Ten Stars
A family dog (Koda) is left alone in a haunted house.
Filmmaker Caleb Herring wrote about "Horror Movie for Dogs: "I shot this the night before Halloween because I was insanely bored and my girlfriend was out for the night, leaving me and our good boy home alone."
His boredom is our blessing, because this is a nicely done short film. It's concise and not a moment of screen-time is wasted. The only complaint I have is that the soundtrack is a bit overblown and too omnipresent. A little more quiet in this film would have made it a lot more effective.
That aside, this is an amusing effort that is well worth checking out (which you can do from this very post). I think that those people who are down-voting it have no hearts, sense of humor, nor sense of what makes a good film.
The Jaded Heart Club is a rock band with a classic 1960s sound with a hard modern edge, and they have several videos supporting their singles that make them perfect guests for Musical Monday. Few, however, are as perfect as the video for "I Put a Spell On You" with its 1960s horror film sensibility.
Check out "I Put a Spell On You" below. It's a great way to awaken the Halloween Sprit within you!
The Grim Reaper is back to perform another creepy folk song while playing the banjo. (He is mixing things up a bit this time out, as he's got back-up singers.)
We hope this performance helps stir the Halloween spirit within young and old!
During this month of Halloween, Death will be dropping by to sing us some of his favorite tunes (which also happen to be about him) while playing the banjo. We hope you enjoy these unique, Halloween-flavored treats!
First up, we have "Death and the Lady", a folksong that's been kicking around since at least the early 1700s.
(For more on "Death", Old Leatherstocking, and performances by the man behind the mask, click here.)
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