8 Weeks In, Only 252 More To Go!

Thoughts so far? It hasn't been easy to write each week that's for sure, but I'm so glad I'm doing this, and I hope others are enjoying this project as well. P.S I love Substack!

These days, I’m a librarian, musician, podcaster and a complete nerd for the things I enjoy. I do love food and water and air, but let’s face it, music and movies are more interesting to think about. Let’s take a look at where we’re at so far with this endeavor I started earlier this year to provide you with quick links of everything. Included below are links to each of the write-ups thus far, not to mention the number where they were placed on the list that the generator chose (more for my own archives than anything else). Still a shock when the generator chose the same number on the same day with #144 (should’ve played the lottery).

So Far, So Good.

#1: Safe (1995) (dir. Todd Haynes) - 9
#2: “The Rip” - Portishead - 13
#3: Deathdream (1974) (dir. Bob Clark) - 144
#4: “Gone For Good” - The Shins - 144
#5: The Sunset Limited (2010) (dir. Tommy Lee Jones) -
#6: "He's Kissing Christian" - That Dog - 105
#7: Fearless (1993) (dir. Peter Weir) - 15
#8: “Hide” - Matthew Sweet - 220
#9: Take This Waltz (2012) (dir. Sarah Polley) - 112
#10: Brief Encounter (1945) (dir. David Lean) - 55
#11-#12: "Divorce Song" "Fuck & Run" - Liz Phair - 17/165 (cheated a bit)
#13: Wendy and Lucy (2008) (dir. Kelly Reichardt) - 25
#14: "Red Dragon Tattoo" - Fountains of Wayne - 250
#15: The Letter (1940) (dir. William Wyler) - 176
#16: "Oh God, Where Are You Now? (In Pickerel Lake? Pigeon? Marquette? Mackinaw?)" - Sufjan Stevens - 260
#17: Cloak and Dagger (1984) (dir. Richard Franklin) - 215
#18: Evil Dead 2 (1987) (dir. Sam Raimi) - 39
#19: All My Friends - LCD Soundsystem - 25

The only time I cheated with the number generator was with the Liz Phair pairing since I had skipped a week for the song write-up (nobody’s perfect). In lieu of a song write-up this week, I’m providing a sample post I had in mind for future contributors, friends and writers to provide some additional content for my Substack. Heck, I am going to even ask regular folks who aren’t arts-obsessed or involved in the world of criticism or podcasting. (Co-workers, relatives, puppies!).

As much as I love writing again, I also would love to hear what friends have to say about the works of art that I’m most passionate about. In addition, leave some comments and suggestions as well. Maybe there are more ideas for content to come including the ability for readers to choose a number of their own or even vote on a title.

My other plan besides the guest contribution questions that I’ll answer below is a possible “Band Draft” plan in which someone can join me in coming up with a list of ten essential / favorite tracks from a particular band along with a brief justification as to why. Going to think this idea through a bit more, only because I’m used to the draft experience as being in podcast-form, but regardless, coming up with a collaborative list of songs we think would make a solid mix of favorites is another future plan.

For now, let me provide a sample of what I hope other writers/friends can provide in the future as a guest post for the 5 Years Project Substack. The more fun content I can provide here, the better and next week, we’ll get back to business with another movie and song write-up per usual. And if you haven’t listened to the latest Director’s Club episode on my favorite filmmaker, you really should since it was a blast!

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Guest Contributor Questions Sample (my own answers):

What is a movie that people should know about that speaks to you?

I hope my contributors won’t hold back the way I kind of have to with my answers only because I know I will have to write more about my picks for these first two questions later on in a future post. Instead of opting for the usual go-to answers of Pump up the Volume or Fearless this time, here’s a title that I wish more people would seek out that still gets to me. I also have a poster for it on my wall for a reason. To be continued on this particular title in the future since it does have ties to Pump for sure: Permanent Record (1988)

What is a favorite song that excited you to explore a band / artist's career?

I have to plead the fifth for now on this because I’ll be writing about this further for my Substack, but I remember when I heard this, where I was and I knew I had found a new all-time favorite band that I would follow from that point forward.

What does your perfect comfort meal consist of? 

Salmon, Steamed Broccoli (or Carrots), Garlic Mashed Potatoes (maybe some Key Lime Pie for dessert). The ultimate comfort snack: Pita Chips and Hummus, which sometimes is all I have for dinner and tastes delicious and soothing in of itself. The photo pretty much says it all. I think if someone told me I could no longer have salmon and/or potatoes, I would go into a deep depression.

What is something that moves you to tears (film, song, book, anything)?

Glenn Tilbrook on a podcast episode of Sodajerker talked about how it’s difficult to put thoughts about songwriting into words because it’s all about a feeling. Certain songs or something along the lines of a movie score or a classical piece or an opera almost defy the ability to express ‘why’ they work for that very reason. Writers obviously try to craft concise, thoughtful sentences that can convey that feeling.

When it comes to what makes me cry, I immediately jump to the most transcendent piece of music I’ve ever heard - “Henryk Górecki - Symphony No. 3 'Symphony of Sorrowful Songs', Op. 36,” which plays at the very end of the movie Fearless (1993). Despite this being my favorite piece of music, there’s no way I can write about it at length. I avidly refuse which I know defeats the purpose of including this in a way since I should be able to explain why. It just does make me cry in ways I can’t quite comprehend.

Remember that scene in Philadelphia with Tom Hanks listening to an opera and breaking down? That’s a bit like me when I sit down to listen to this stunning work of art especially when I think about the ending of one of my very favorite movies of all time. Most of the songs for my project here do contain lyrics but both this Gorecki epic along with Max Richter’s “On the Nature of Daylight,” I consider them to be the two songs that are at the top of my list of personal favorites mainly for how much they both affect me. So if you end up using Gorecki or even most recently, Richter’s piece in a memorable episode of The Last Of Us, I immediately go, “oh no, it’s time to cry.”

Thank you so much for subscribing, commenting, reading and soon enough I look forward to asking you to contribute your answers to the above questions too! Here’s to 252 more weeks of writing, nerding out and long-winded analysis that will likely be more stream-of-consciousness than scholarly. Happy Spring to all!