Selects: XLIX

For our 49th instalment, we got in touch with Phillip Youmans, a New Orleans-born filmmaker based in Los Angeles.

Below are Phillip’s selects and what he had to say:

Johnny Favorite sold his soul for fame and now the devil is back to collect.

‘Angel Heart’ teaches a lesson of self-acceptance. Johnny Favorite sold his soul for fame and now the devil is back to collect. He learns that you can only outrun the Devil for so long. Just like you can only outrun the past for so long. The resolution is acceptance. In life, we reap what we’ve sown.

By the end of the movie, Johnny is forced to look in the mirror and take responsibility for his choices. And through his journey, the movie urges you to look in the mirror and consider your own journey of self-acceptance.

FILMS

Like all great detective stories, ‘Se7en’ subverts expectations and invites the audience to gradually unravel the truth. The detectives and the audience are privy to the same knowledge, neither a step ahead of the other. This dynamic is incredibly effective. By the time of the horrifying twist at the end, we feel exactly what the detectives feel.

FILMS

Absolutely beautiful. A film to make you appreciate the here and now. It reminds me of the serenity prayer:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

FILMS

Electric. This is a very dynamic piece. Incredible portraits and stunning compositions. The energy of the film and the music are perfectly in sync. It’s the kinda video that makes me wanna pick up a camera and go shoot.

MUSIC VIDEOS

I often describe my connection with art as psychedelic. I’m creating and searching for art that feels like a kaleidoscope of life. That’s this video.

MUSIC VIDEOS

The blank faces, the ominous zoom, the gorgeous color grade. This film is a beautiful, visceral nightmare.

MUSIC VIDEOS

This is the most effective, heartbreaking PSA I’ve ever seen. A brilliant subversion of our expectations. You can feel the innocence being robbed from these kids in real-time and it is truly gut-wrenching. This film makes an undeniable statement. This is required viewing for any and everyone as far as I’m concerned.

CAMPAIGN

This 10-part series is an unflinching look at America’s role in the Vietnam war. The film vividly illustrates the process of dehumanization and the dangers of conformity. The archival footage, the sobering interviews, and the passage of time. Everything about the execution of this film is potent.

DOCUMENTARY