Intellimusica

The Polar Express Released in 2004, The Polar Express tells the story of a young boy who doubts the existence of Santa Claus. On Christmas Eve, he embarks on a magical journey to the North Pole aboard a train called the Polar Express, learning about […]

See Things That Others Don’t The historical drama Hamnet chronicles the fractured marriage between William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes Hathaway, following the devastating loss of their only son, Hamnet. The film ultimately explores how William channels his unbearable anguish, transforming the boy’s name and […]

Amores Perros The 2000 Mexican film Amores Perros, directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu, is a powerful and gritty triptych of interconnected stories set against the backdrop of Mexico City. Its emotional intensity is significantly heightened by the masterful score by Argentine composer, Gustavo Santaolalla. Santaolalla’s […]

Midsummers (Acoustic) This song has a great, accidental backstory. For years, fans of the Netflix series Outer Banks believed the pivotal guitar motif from Season 1, Episode 5 was my arrangement of “Lion” by Dustin O’Halloran. It was a case of mistaken identity—the motif was […]

Hermano, by Tom Farrell “Hermano,” is a beautiful and lesser-known Spanish guitar piece featured in the 2012 Will Ferrell comedy, Casa de mi Padre. It’s a fantastic fingerstyle piece that sounds complex but is surprisingly accessible for intermediate guitarists. The original composition was performed by […]

Frankenstein Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein on Netflix is a masterful, and visually exquisite adaptation. As you’d expect from the director, the set pieces are breathtaking, and the casting—Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, and Mia Goth—are delightfully weird, as they should be in a Guillermo del Toro […]

Chosen Family I love that director, Dan Trachtenberg, has basically become “the James Gunn” of the Predator franchise. His 3 films: Prey, Killer of Killers, and Badlands are so good — that I’m curious to see what else he can do? Honestly, if he decides […]

Of the undiscovered country “Hamnet” is a historical drama based on Maggie O’Farrell’s bestselling 2020 novel. The film tells the profound story of love and loss between William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes Hathaway (historically known as Anne Hathaway, but not the modern actress). The […]

Leyendo en el Hospital The score for The Motorcycle Diaries is widely regarded as one of Gustavo Santaolalla’s masterworks. Directed by Walter Salles, the 2004 film is adapted from the journals of two real-life Argentines, Alberto Granado and Ernesto Guevara de la Serna. Depicting the […]

The Last Samurai “The Last Samurai,” released in 2003, is an epic historical drama directed by Edward Zwick and starring Tom Cruise. Zwick has actually directed many of my favorite films; Glory, Legends of the Fall, and Blood Diamond to name a few. The Last […]

ALIEN EARTH Alien Earth is an incredible series on FX. I didn’t have high hopes — given all the misses with the franchise. However, Noah Hawley (Fargo) has the created a masterpiece. [No spoilers] Episode 1 is a little wonky, but every episode afterward is […]

“One Battle After Another” is an action-comedy-thriller film directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, loosely adapted from the 1990 Thomas Pynchon novel Vineland. Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood composed the film score, marking his sixth collaboration with Paul Thomas Anderson. I love all things Radiohead, and Jonny […]