2015 is coming to a close and “best of the year” lists are beginning to be penned. Before that ink dries, let us once again draw your eyes to a selection of videos from the past month that should not be missed. Featuring road trips gone horrifically sour, gripping lyrical pieces shot on the front lines of the Syrian refugee crisis, some of the most innovative music videos that deserve to be on heavy rotation, and more, these are the best staff picks from November.
“Arrêt Pipi” from DPPLR
When nature calls on a road trip, unsanitary conditions and the always feared absence of toilet paper are usually as bad as it gets. That is, until you watch Dutch production company DPPLR's short film “Arrêt Pipi.” Delivering one of the most horrifying yet visually stylish films we've seen this year, you will quickly realize that an empty roll should be the least of your worries.
Tame Impala “The Less I Know The Better” from CANADA
Those who really care about music videos, who care about the craft and artistry of the form itself and not just the musicians who headline the title, know the name CANADA. This director's collective out of Barcelona has been a force in the music video game for years now, and their kitchen-sink approach to absurdist, psycho-sexual imagery is beloved. They pull out all the stops for Australian rock stars Tame Impala's latest single. CANADA blasts the screen with color while depicting a bizarre lover's triangle between a confident, sex-positive high school gymnastics queen, her insecure jock beau, and a gorilla named Trevor.
“Oh Willy...” from Marc and Emma
A worldwide sensation at film festivals and winner of innumerable awards, this 16-minute stop-motion animation has just made its Internet debut. A grown man visits the nudist colony he grew up in following the death of his mother, which he is not taking it well. His grief finds a very, very (very!) unexpected outlet, making this film a rare antithesis to the “coming-of-age” plot line. Story aside, the craft is impeccable, featuring gorgeous miniature sets filled with soft lighting and lovingly crafted characters made of felt. Fair warning though, it does take place at a nudist colony! Be prepared for adorably tiny fabric genitalia.
Radkey – “Glore“ from Nicos Livesey
We've all seen claymation before, but you really don't know how crazy and complex claymation can be until you watch “Glore” by the band Radkey. Director Nicos Livesey“s use of layering, black light, and mountains of clay manages to make a technique that's decades old feel fresh and inventive. And of course, it's lots of fun.
“Slowly Rising” from Kanahebi
The music video for BEATSOFREEN evolves a style that Japanese-born artist Hideki Inaba has been working on in his last few pieces, earning him his his first, but likely not last Staff Pick. In meticulous detail, he animates fantastical organic forms in an evolving parade of lush color and gentle movement, creating a fabulous alien choreography worthy of Busby Berkeley. Kudos to the commissioning label as well — electronic music purveyor King Deluxe consistently exercises the sharpest eye on Vimeo for identifying standout animation talent.
“DIFFUSION” from Kouhei Nakama
Director Kouhei Nakama's short “Diffusion“ imagines what humans would look like if their skin had patterned textures like animals. The 3D animated film balances the visually stunning with the downright creepy, and has moments that will blow your mind and make your skin crawl at the same time.
“Sugarless Tea” from Sai Selvarajan
This stunning short takes us on a journey from New York City to India and back in a spoken-word tale of the impenetrable bond between two brothers. As the story unfolds, stop-motion watercolor paintings illustrate the characters and central objects delighting the viewer in both craft and narrative.
"Sam Klemke's Time Machine" from Visit Films
If you're into art, weird creative outsiders, and time machines, then you're going to love the next two Vimeo On Demand titles on our list. First up is Sam Klemke's Time Machine, a unique documentary/personal film that takes four decades worth of the eponymous Sam's meticulous filmings of his life and turns them into a trippy trip down memory lane — and ultimately moves towards existential territory by exploring what it means to be dream, grow old, fall short of those dreams, and just be human. Before Boyhood, before “one photo a day” or the selfie craze, there was Sam Klemke and his need to overshare.
Happy watchings!
For those seeking more well-crafted, carefully selected, and highly loved videos, take a journey through our best of Staff Picks archive.
