“Smoky Mt. Ballads” – Bascom Lamar Lunsford
Responsible for some of the finest folk songs of the 1920s, Bascom Lamar Lunsford’s 1953 LP “Smoky Mt. Ballads” is an underrated and unlikely comeback.
“Demon Pond” (1979)
The 1979 Japanese film “Demon Pond” is a strange and surreal experience that is both beautiful and grotesque, mysterious and wacky.
“Weapons” (2025)
Featuring one of the best intro sequences in recent horror movie memory, Zach Cregger’s “Weapons” is a decently entertaining spook flick.
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004)
Nostalgic, wistful, heartbreaking and life-affirming, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is one of the best movies of the 2000s.
“The Matrix” (1999)
Featuring slick style and iconic visuals, “The Matrix” is probably the most action-packed science-fiction movie ever.
“Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” (2010)
Nearly unrecognizable from the source material, Chris Columbus’ “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” is one of the worst young-adult fantasy movie adaptations.
“Scary Movie” (2000)
Filled with irreverent jokes and offensive gonzo humor, the first entry in the “Scary Movie” franchise is probably the best.
“Drive My Car” (2021)
Long, slow and meditative, Ryusuke Hamiguchi’s mesmerizing “Drive My Car” is a quietly emotional tour de force.
“Young Man With a Horn” (1950)
“Young Man With a Horn,” starring Kirk Douglas as a passionate jazzman, is an uneven albeit tuneful biopic about a fictional trumpeter.
“Vampires Suck” (2010)
Because “Twilight” is so unintentionally hilarious, “Vampires Suck” (a “Twilight” parody) is completely unnecessary.
“Ka: Dar Oakley in the Ruin of Ymr” by John Crowley (2017)
Taking influence from indigenous folklore and creation myths, John Crowley’s “Ka: Dar Oakley in the Ruin of Ymr” is a late-career classic from one of our greatest writers.
“Oscar Peterson Plays Duke Ellington” – Oscar Peterson
While not essential, “Oscar Peterson Plays Duke Ellington” is a fine collection of easy-listening jazz.