Beyond work

I think life is kind of worthless without good music and movies, and I think that the art we appreciate tells everything about us, including politics. Therefore, here I share some of the works of art I am more enthusiastic about. Because I think these things tell about me as much as (maybe more) any research I have done so far. Researching is fun, and teaching is so much fun, but neither gives you goosebumps. So here in what follows a selection of my favorite musical albums, movies, TV shows, and the like.

A selection of my favorite musical albums

Glamour by I Cani

I Cani are the milestone of the 2010 indie music scene in Italy, of which I have been a hardcore fan in my high school years. They published three albums. Glamour, the middle one, is my personal favorite (but the race is close). This album makes me cry and hope for a better future, and never in more than 10 years have bored me.

Favorite track: Come Vera Nabokov

Non al Denaro, Non all’Amore, Né al Cielo by Fabrizio De André

I have declared my love for this album by dedicating my high school final thesis to it. I basically analyze the whole text of the album. Because it is pure poetry in every track. It is the musical transposition of Edgar Lee Masters’ Spoon River Anthology, and I just think it may be the greatest piece of Italian music of all time. Some lines here get under my skin as it was the first time.

Favorite track: “Un malato di cuore”

Disintegration by The Cure

Too much Italian music so far. So we go to the real classic. The Cure is a band so powerful that I love them but never listen to them. Because it’s too much. I listen to them only during a break-up (to worsen things). Yet, they are with me most of the time. Around once a year I listen to “Pictures of You” and feel renewed. I force myself not to listen to that song more because I want that song to feel fresh every time I listen to it. I want to forget something about it and epiphany back to it again.

Favorite track: Pictures of You

Mi Fist by Club Dogo

The album that changed Italian hip-hop forever, and my life with it. An album that spits rage and revolution, political to its core, strong and angry. An album that speaks about injustice and that reminds me where the fire comes from.

Favorite : Cronache di resistenza

Born to Die by Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey is usually associated either with the Republican Right or the LGBTQ community (maybe more with the G). I think Lana is universal and Born To Die is her masterpiece. An album that encloses hip-hop sounds, one of the greatest voices of our times, and the theme of losing a loved one. I know I lose points in the heads of the critics here. I do not care.

Favorite track: Summertime Sadness

Elio Samaga Hukapan Kariyana Turu by Elio e le Storie Tese

This is THE milestone in Italian comedy prog rock (“rock demenziale”). The immortal masterpiece of a band so good that always makes me sing and laugh to the tears. I have one specific sentence in one of the songs contained in this album that I swear to tattoo on my body at some point.

Favorite Track: John Holmes (Una vita per il cinema)

A selection of my favorite movies and TV Shows

Here I just go with some pictures, and offer a selection, because it is really really hard.

The Royal Tenenbaums by Wes Anderson

Django Unchained by Quentin Tarantino

The New Pope by Paolo Sorrentino

Inside by Bo Burnham

Don’t Look Up by Adam McKay

Sicko by Micheal Moore

The first movie that got me passionate about American politics, which then got me passionate about everything else related to politics.

They call him Jeeg [Lo chiamavano Jeeg Robot] by Gabriele Mainetti

Smetto Quando Voglio by Sydney Sibilia

A little bit of a cliché choice for someone who works in academia in Italy, but I have been a huge fan of this movie from way before I even imagined this career path.