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Song of the Day #3,463: ‘Redbone’ – Childish Gambino

Next up in my 2017 film recap is a group of films I’m labelling ‘Awards Contenders.’ These movies are either winning or at least in the conversation for the various critics prizes, Golden Globes, SAG, PGA, DGA, WGA, Oscars and you get the idea.

Studios often hold these award-bait movies until the very end of the year, so I still have quite a few to catch up on, including Paul Thomas Anderson’s Phantom Thread, Steven Spielberg’s The Post, Richard Linklater’s Last Flag Flying and Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name.

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Song of the Day #3,462: ‘Crash Into Me (Live)’ – Dave Matthews Band

The year is just about over and while I have a number of films left to see, I’m pretty close to a worthy 2017 top ten movie list.

This week I’ll write briefly about my 20 favorite movies of the year, grouped into four broad categories: Women Directors, Award Favorites, Superheroes, and Comedies. Several movies I’ll mention fall into more than one of these categories, and in those cases I’ll just pick the best fit.

First up is a category I’m thrilled to see well-represented, especially in the year of #metoo: Women Directors.

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Song of the Day #3,460: ‘Just Can’t See It Through’ – Scoundrels

Often the Random iTunes Fairy surfaces a song that’s a real mystery to me. Something from an obscure soundtrack or a bargain bin purchase I’d long forgotten.

Today’s selection might be the most mysterious yet. I can’t even begin to recreate in my mind the events that led me to have an EP by British blues-rock band Scoundrels in my music collection. Never heard of them, can’t find a reference to them online that helps me connect the dots. I got nothing.

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Song of the Day #3,459: ‘All That I Am’ – Rob Thomas

Here’s a ballad from Rob Thomas’ 2005 album …Something To Be, his first solo work after three successful albums with Matchbox 20.

Thomas released two more solo albums, including one in 2015, while Matchbox 20 went on a decade-long hiatus. The band released an album in 2012, suffered the departure of lead guitarist Kyle Cook, then reunited this year to tour with Counting Crows.

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