Annual Countdown
Be good to each other,
Nathan
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These are the songs I returned to most often in 2020. In them, I hear experimentation, hints of religion, a deep focus, a band with a lot left to say, someone leaving it all behind, release, genres bending, coming home, loving deeply, and an end. Without a doubt, these songs got me through 2020. I hope they can provide some relief for you too.
To listen to the entire Musical Thesis: My Ten Favorite Songs of 2020 playlist, click here.
Eternal Summer by The Strokes
Finale by The Lone Bellow
Tecie by Moby
Who Ever Said by Pearl Jam
Quick Escape by Pearl Jam
Ceremony by Phantogram
Determined Outcome by Sufjan Stevens & Lowell Brams
Don’t Go Away by The Beths
Do You Feel Loved by Bombay Bicycle Club
Let You Go by Bombay Bicycle Club
Be good to each other,
Nathan
This website exists because of readers and supporters. If what you just read made you smile, please consider supporting the website with a monthly gift. Your support means everything and proves to the world that original content still matters.
To listen to the entire playlist, click here.
"Hall of Mirrors" by David Gray
"Doom in Full Bloom" by American Football
"Forest Lawn" by Better Oblivion Community Center
"Didn't Know What I Was In For" by Better Oblivion Community Center
"Sleepwalkin'" by Better Oblivion Community Center
"Gold in a Brass Age" by David Gray
"It's Late" by David Gray
"Hard Times" by Guster
"Terrified" by Guster
"Uncomfortably Numb" by American Football
Be good to each other,
Nathan
This website exists because of readers and supporters. If what you just read made you smile, please consider supporting the website with a monthly gift. Your support means everything and proves to the world that original content still matters.
“Driving Home” by Jonathan Raban
Reading “Driving Home,” it was impossible to not think of what originally attracted me to the Pacific Northwest. Like countless others who arrived before me and all those who followed in the well-worn path taken by us, I arrived at this collection of states hanging in the untamed left-hand corner of the United States with a mission of being closer to nature and defining life on my own terms. Raban’s book forced to question that migration and what it means to make a place home.
“Into Thin Air” by Jon Krakauer
“Leave No Trace” should be the bedrock of every hiker’s time in the wild. Simply, it means that no one and nothing should ever know you were there. Every item of food, every item of gear, and everything you brought with you should leave with you. This allows the delicate balance between nature and man to stay intact. To read, “Into Thin Air,” is to read a story of men and women hellbent on spoiling nature in pursuit of standing on the highest point in the world. A mountainside littered with human waste, oxygen tanks, and bodies of the fallen fills almost every inch of every page. It is enough to frustrate and infuriate the most passive of nature loves.
To read the rest of the review, click here.
“Thru-Hiking Will Break Your Heart” by Carrot Quinn
“Thru-Hiking Will Break Your Heart” by Carrot Quinn reads like a turn by turn description of the Pacific Crest Trail. So much so, that at one point in the middle of the book I was fearful of knowing too much. Now, I know reading about a trail is much different than experiencing it first-hand. There are still plenty of surprises waiting for me between Mexico and Canada, but the last year has been about getting ready not spoiling the journey. With that said, moving forward I am going to spend a little less time reading and watching stories about the trail. I am confident in what I know, and I am ready for what I don’t to force me into earnest adaptation.
To read the rest of the review, click here.
“Walking the Amazon” by Ed Stafford
There are major differences between preparing to hike the entire length of the Amazon River from Peru to Brazil and hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada. When Ed Stafford decided to undertake the pioneering journey of walking the Amazon River, costs, guides, customs, terrain, safety, length of the journey and much more had to be taken into account. This doesn’t mean there aren’t similarities between the two and it all comes down to the very act of preparation. Financially situating yourself, physically finding a comfort zone, struggles with food and water, and mentally finding a sweet spot are all steps that must be taken no matter if the journey lasts six months or 2 years.
To read the rest of the review, click here.
“Tracks” by Robyn Davidson
A hike of 2,650 miles doesn’t require a purpose. One could simply love the thought of hiking, competing against yourself to accomplish something unthinkable, and working with nature to reach an ultimate goal. This is all that is truly required. For me, the pull of something bigger than myself is required. This isn’t simply just a hike. It is a test. Since the day I solidified my decision to undertake this journey, it has been about financially planning, research, finding the right gear, getting into shape, and preparing my life for a 6-month break. It is also a test of something deeper; manhood, spirituality, simplicity, and the very essence of nature itself.
To read the rest of the review, click here.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
This website exists because of readers and supporters. If what you just read made you smile, please consider supporting the website with a monthly gift. Your support means everything and proves to the world that original content still matters.
Box on the Pacific Crest Trail (Journal Entry #11)
In my last entry, I mentioned a reading/writing challenge that I am undertaking for the year focused on the concept of a journey. This challenge got me thinking about other mediums where hiking and camping is the focus. As a cinephile, I started digging around the internet for a comprehensive list of the best movies on the subject. It didn’t take long before I landed on the list below. As I work my way through the films, I am curious to see how it will impact my writing, thinking, and preparation for the trail.
Cinephile No. 583 “The Paradise Suite”
Do you remember how you felt the first time you saw the movie, "Crash?" Do you remember the sense of helplessness? Remember wondering if we were really all that connected? "The Paradise Suite" takes those feelings and turns them up to eleven with scenes that are both gut-wrenching, violent, and hard to watch. Yet, as scenes of rape, human trafficking, and compromised parents played out before me, I found myself unable to turn away. I kept telling myself that what I was watching was important and is happening all over the world. I knew by the end of the film I would be a more informed person. I left the theatre a more compassionate person. I don't know if we can ask film to do more than that.
Box on the Pacific Crest Trail (Journal Entry #10)
2 Years in Los Angeles
This is my second and final letter written as a citizen of Los Angeles. If all goes according to plan, I should begin hiking the Pacific Crest trail at the US/Mexican border in April of next year and be back in Seattle by early October. The next eight months will be both exhilarating and filled with anxiety. I will be exploring that topic more in the future. Instead, I would like to use this annual letter to reflect on my time in the City of Angels.
An Annual Letter to the Graduates of Frederick High School (2019)
“Flyover country.” It is a term you hear a lot when living on either the East or West coasts of the United States. It is meant as a deriding comment; just one more way to look down on a group of people not living in the vacuums of attention that is New York and Los Angeles. In a lot of ways, it speaks to the elitism that people assume just because they live in massive port cities.
An Annual Letter to My Fellow Rotarians (2019)
I joined Rotary by becoming a member of the Rotary Club of Kent, WA in 2011. As someone new to the area and his profession, I was looking to grow my circle of friends, colleagues, and potential business partners. I was selfishly drawn to Rotary. What convinced me to stay was the selflessness of the club and the organization itself.
Song of the Moment (January 2019)
An Annual Letter to the Men of Pike (2018)
Since the fall of 2002, I have been involved in some capacity with the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. Over the course of 16 years, my roles have been varied. I have been another face in the room. I have undertaken positions without much fanfare. I have led a chapter. I have advised a chapter. No matter the role, when my fraternity asked for my participation, I stepped forward.
Point B: Seattle
As I head to the airport, I can see the towers of glass and steel that define downtown Los Angeles in the rearview mirror. With each mile, they become smaller and fainter. This trip is just for the weekend, but it is a precursor of things to come. In less than 300 days, I will enter downtown for the last time to go to work. Everything I own will begin making its way back to Seattle. I will head the opposite direction toward the US/Mexican border and begin a 5-month journey toward home via the Pacific Crest Trail. Very soon, my whole life will change.
Captured
To view the gallery, click HERE.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
This website exists because of readers and supporters. If what you just read made you smile, please consider supporting the website with a monthly gift. Your support means everything and proves to the world that original content still matters.
These films were my five favorites of the 2019 Oscar Season. Click below to read the reviews of each.
“A Star Is Born,” click to read the review.
I try my hardest to not give films five-star reviews. No matter the art form, very little approaches the reality of perfection. “A Star Is Born” isn’t a perfect movie, yet it moved me in unexpected ways. It left me emotionally involved in its characters long after I had departed the theater. Its story shook me in ways I was unprepared to face. Its aftermath for me and everyone else who has seen it is Oscar worthy. This is why I am giving it 5-stars. This feeling of near perfection is all thanks to two people crossing paths.
“1985,” click to read the review.
As an out and proud gay man, I know the story of “1985” well. I don’t understand the urgency of needing to come home and confess something before it is too late, but I understand the feeling of coming home for the holidays and with the intention of sharing who you truly are and failing to do so. In more ways than I can count, I related to this black and white tale. On an emotional level, it shook me at my core. By the time it was all over, I was left distraught to ponder over one of the very best movies of the year.
“First Man,” click to read the review.
After an end to the Apollo missions, the American love affair with space began to lie dormant. Sure, we’d tune in for another satellite being launched into the furthest reaches of space, parts added to the International Space Station, or an astronaut breaking “time in space” records. Recently, thanks to the likes of Elon Musk and American cinema, we’ve begun looking at the stars and collectively dreaming once again. “Interstellar,” “The Martian,” and “Gravity” have helped fuel this idea that something like a manned mission to Mars is possible. Before we go further than any man has ever gone before, it is necessary to pause and realize where we’ve been. “First Man” is about those men and women who dare and have dared to do the impossible.
“Green Book,” click to read the review.
The plot of “Green Book” is predictable. Most of the time such a sentence is a nail in the coffin for a film. At the very least, it is strike one. That isn’t the case for this movie. Instead, this film is saved by the on-screen chemistry between Viggo Mortensen’s character, Tony Lip, and Mahershala Ali’s character, Dr. Don Shirley. Tony Lip is an opportunity man trying to make ends meet. Dr. Shirley is a classically trained pianist. As they drift into each other’s atmosphere, the real fun and drama of this film starts.
“Isle of Dogs,” click to read the review.
I have never given an animated film a five-star review. That changes today. It changes with Wes Anderson. I am an unabashed fan of Anderson. Sure, his writing and directorial style are quirky, strange, and tend to buck the norm. Still, inside of every single film is an extreme attention to detail; detail trending toward some sort of obsessive-compulsive disorder. In Wes Anderson films, every shot, every line, every scene, and the placement of every character is gone through with a fine-tooth comb. Every detail matters, because every film should matter. We, as audience members, deserve to be treated to something with this much love and devotion. Anything else is disrespectful to our intellect and our hard-earned money.
Be good to each other,
-Nathan
Last month, 411 people read an article on Natetheworld.com. If you were one of them, please consider supporting this website with a monthly gift. Your support means everything and proves to the world that original content still matters.
If I were a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, this is how I would vote for the 91st Oscars…
Actor in a Leading Role: Christian Bale, Vice
Actor in a Supporting Role: Mahershala Ali, Green Book
Actress in a Leading Role: Glenn Close, The Wife
Actress in a Supporting Role: Rachel Weisz, The Favourite
Animated Feature Film: Isle of Dogs
Cinematography: Roma
Costume Design: Black Panther
Directing: Roma
Documentary Feature: Minding the Gap
Documentary Short Subject: End Game
Film Editing: Bohemian Rhapsody
Foreign Language Film: Roma
Makeup and Hairstyling: Vice
Original Score: If Beale Street Could Talk
Original Song: “Shallow,” A Star is Born
Best Picture: A Star Is Born
Production Design: First Man
Animated Short Film: One Small Step
Live Action Short Film: Detainment
Sound Editing: First Man
Sound Mixing: Bohemian Rhapsody
Visual Effects: Ready Player One
Adapted Screenplay: A Star Is Born
Original Screenplay: First Reformed
Be good to each other,
-Nathan
Last month, 411 people read an article on Natetheworld.com. If you were one of them, please consider supporting this website with a monthly gift. Your support means everything and proves to the world that original content still matters.
On Sunday, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will host the 91st Oscars. As is tradition this time of the year on Natetheworld, I am publishing my annual list of every movie I saw in the last year ranked from best to worst. Last year, I saw 66 films in a theater and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts. Be sure to comment below.
5 Star Films
A Star Is Born
1985
First Man
Green Book
Isle of Dogs
Three Identical Strangers
Won’t You Be My Neighbor
Jonathan
At Eternity’s Gate
Sicario: Day of the Soldado
4 Star Films
Annihilation
Lean on Pete
Galveston
Roma
If Beale Street Could Talk
Eighth Grade
Ben Is Back
Vice
On the Basis of Sex
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
2019 Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts
2019 Oscar Nominated Short Subject Documentaries
Avengers: Infinity War
First Reformed
The Wife
Bohemian Rhapsody
The Old Man and the Gun
Ashes in the Snow
Black Panther
Banana Split
Museo
The Rider
We the Coyotes
Mission: Impossible - Fallout
Love After Love
Ready Player One
Deadpool 2
Christopher Robin
3 Star Films
You Were Never Really Here
Unloveable
Blackkklansman
The Favourite
Solace
Song of Back and Neck
2019 Oscar Nominated Animated Shorts
American Animals
McQueen
Cold War
Mule
Aquaman
A Simple Favor
American Dreamer
Softness of Bodies
Project Involve Shorts
Mid90’s
Oceans 8
Staycation
The Wrong Todd
The Incredibles 2
The Death of Stalin
Sorry to Bother You
2 Star Films
Game Night
Ride
The Happy Time Murders
1 Star Films
A Skin So Soft
BuyBust
Be good to each other,
-Nathan
Last month, 411 people read an article on Natetheworld.com. If you were one of them, please consider supporting this website with a monthly gift. Your support means everything and proves to the world that original content still matters.
Be good to each other,
Nathan
Last month, 533 people read an article on Natetheworld.com. If you were one of them, please consider supporting this website with a monthly gift. Your support means everything and proves to the world that original content still matters.
Musical Thesis: My 10 Favorite Songs of 2018 is a special playlist to me. These are the 10 songs that I had on repeat most often. They got me through incredible highs and lows. I hope they can do the same for you. Enjoy!
To listen to the Musical Thesis: My 10 Favorite Songs of 2018 Playlist on Spotify, click here.
“Ancient Names, Pt. II” by Lord Huron
“Last Ride” by Beach House
“Severed” by The Decemberists
“Starwatcher” by The Decemberists
“Chinky Pin Hill” by I’m With Her
“Lemon Glow” by Beach House
“888” by cavetown
“When I’m Weary” by Dave Matthews Band
“Everything Is Awful” by The Decemberists
“I’ll Be Your Girl” by The Decemberists
Be good to each other,
Nathan
Last month, 533 people read an article on Natetheworld.com. If you were one of them, please consider supporting this website with a monthly gift. Your support means everything and proves to the world that original content still matters.
