Books

1Q84

I don't love all Murakami but this one scratched an itch

Beloved

and also everything Morrison has written.

The Master and Margarita

satirical, chaotic, surreal, biblical symbolism

100 Years of Solitude

not beating the magical realism lover allegations

Slaughterhouse Five

I unfortunately do love a post-modern novel, this one hit hard when I read as a teen

Independent People

I daresay a nearly perfect novel. I keep looking for the same satisfaction I got from reading this, and remain disappointed.

2666

I struggle to describe the journey of this novel but it is incredibly dark. It refuses to look away from evil, and it offers no answers

Blood Meridian

dark americana is a favorite theme for me. this place is just so fucked up and I love stories that artistically leverage the innate horror of it

Film

Eraserhead

I love all of David Lynch truly but to me this is a perfect film

Stalker

Hard to list just one Tarkovsky but the imagery here spoke to me the most. Love his take on sci fi literature, Solaris is also incredible

The Color of Pomegranates

if you have not seen this, do so immediately. if you saw this and it did not imprint on the core of your being then I don't have much to say to you :)

Tetsuo the Iron Man

this film is so beautiful..and the soundtrack and sound editing!!

Possession

beautiful acting by mega babe Isabelle Adjani. uncertainty of what is happening, what is literal, what is symbolic. that is my favorite aspect of film as a medium, all my favorite films play with reality in this way

Angels Egg

another absolute visual powerhouse. Dreamy, desolate, depressing.

Videodrome

was it not obvious that Cronenbeg was gonna show up on my list? this or naked lunch are my top picks. the meta commentary on media and the absolutely fucked up sexual vibes

Mad God

rendered speechless by the artistry of the practical effects and filming. had so much fun analyzing this as an interpretation of leviticus. the mythology and cosmology of this world is so rich, Tippett is the maddest god of them all for making this

The Thing

if I am watching a horror classic, this is it

Music

Wednesday - Just Mustard

always what I play when I need something moody

Slide - George Clanton

pop music should be emotionally devastating, won't listen if it isn't

Get Disowned - Hop Along

once again, it's the devastation I seek

Disco 2 - HEALTH

this band has evolved numerous times but that 2009-2011 era hits different

Diamond Jubilee - Cindy Lee

hazy, warped dreamscape of folky americana

Arthur Verocai - Arthur Verocai

quintessential Brazilian jazz, blend of bossa nova, samba, little bit of funk.

Feral Verdure - Big Brave

this is what I imagine being slowly sawn in half to feel like. extremely beautiful but painful listening

Television

Twin Peaks: The Return

this is the work of art DL was born to make. this is my top comfort watch show, bizarrely enough

True Detective (s1 only)

ok well following the copaganda yaoi theme...I just love a man that seems destined to have been cast in a greek tragedy, and a show that stares right in the face of the evil that men do

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia

this show is a lifeline for my inner scumbag, my inner rat man. Charlie Kelly is an icon

Haikyuu!

I don't watch a ton of anime anymore but this show was so important to me, still need to watch it once a year to replenish my will to live

Cowboy Bebop

maybe the most perfect show in existence? aesthetic, vibes, soundtrack, characters with emotional damage but a lot of their background remains mysterious, full assembly of a band of misfits. scifi where the environment is often punked out, worn in and scuffed up. getting h*rny just thinking about it

Miscellaneous

Bloodborne

the lore is developed so beautifully/horrifyingly in this world. the monster design is also the most deranged, I'm in love

Myst

puzzles that make no sense and unnerving ambient mechanical sounds. played nonstop when I was a kid

Vampire the Masquerade

specifically the 20th Anniversary Edition. love the system, the world, the focus on characters rather than combat, the biblical lore. this game is high stakes! and the 90s goth vibes are me at my core