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Song of the Day #5,360: ‘Pearl Main Titles’ – Tyler Bates

Continuing the countdown of my favorite 2022 movies…

Best Films of 2022
#3a – X
#3b – Pearl

Here’s where I’m cheating to fit 11 movies on my “top ten” list. But given that Ti West’s horror film X and its prequel Pearl were shot at the same time and released just six months apart it seems fitting to pair them.

I credit X with kickstarting my new interest in horror. In the past I’ve made time for well-reviewed scary movies, within reason. I remember wrestling with the decision to see Get Out in the theater before finally giving in because it was clearly dominating the cultural conversation. But that’s a far cry from a slasher movie that owes its biggest debt to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

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Song of the Day #5,359: ‘Oxytocin’ – Billie Eilish

Continuing the countdown of my favorite 2022 movies…

Best Films of 2022
#4 – Kimi

Steven Soderbergh is a fascinating filmmaker. Since pioneering the 90s Independent Cinema movement with his 1989 debut Sex, Lies and Videotape, he has directed 34 movies in 34 years.

Among them are micro-budget experimental films featuring only non-professional actors and high-budget blockbusters starring the biggest movie stars in the world. He’s dabbled in coming-of-age films, true crime, sports dramas, martial arts action, historical drama, biopics, and thoughtful dramas about female escorts and male strippers.

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Song of the Day #5,358: ‘Apartment for Sale’ – Lydia Tár

Continuing the countdown of my favorite 2022 movies…

Best Films of 2022
#5 – TÁR

I was so ready to dislike TÁR.

I missed the film during its initial theatrical run and by the time I got around to seeing it at home I had been subjected to an endless stream of online praise by an often-annoying fanbase.

I also heard a steady drumbeat of predictions that Cate Blanchett was on her way to her third Oscar while never-nominated Michelle Yeoh would have to settle for second place. That didn’t sit well with me either.

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Song of the Day #5,357: ‘Fuck You (Le Castle Vania Remix)’ – CeeLo Green

Today’s SOTD was a bonus track on CeeLo Green’s 2010 album The Lady Killer. It’s a remix of hit single ‘Fuck You’ by Atlanta DJ Dylan Eiland, founder of EDM project Le Castle Vania.

I’ve never understood or cared about remixes, especially ones that don’t do anything radical with the original song. ‘Fuck You’ is perfectly crafted in its original form, making this sort of tinkering completely unnecessary.

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Song of the Day #5,356: ‘The Life’ – Alicia Keys

Today’s random track appeared on Alicia Keys’ 2001 debut album Songs in A Minor.

Buoyed by singles ‘Fallin’,’ ‘A Woman’s Worth’ and ‘How Come You Don’t Call Me,’ the album was a huge hit, eventually going 7X platinum and earning five Grammys for Keys, including Best New Artist.

‘The Life’ is rather simplistic, lyrically (“when it rains it pours,” indeed) but the the music has a nice Sade-esque groove.

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