Wednesday 19 Jun
OKG Newsletter
Rod Lott
The Wrath of God
Thou shalt not screw with Robert Mitchum.
Western
Rod Lott
What a kick it is to see Robert Mitchum biting into a stogie and laying waste to a room with a machine gun. Because, really, how often does a man of the cloth do that? No wonder the 1972 quasi-Western is titled The Wrath of God. The film takes place in a South American town so brutal and dismal that, as one character reasons, "If God had wanted to give the world an enema, he'd've stuck the nozzle in here."
Marina Abramović: The Artist Is Present
The definition of art is challenged — often with full nudity — in a dynamic documentary.
Klown
One tart and tasty Danish!
General Education
#fail
Comedy
Rod Lott
If Ferris Bueller's Day Off were directed by Wes Anderson, it might resemble the coming-of-age comedy General Education.
The Five Man Army
Take 'Five.'
Western
Rod Lott
Before he became Itay’s master of horror, Dario Argento knocked out a few screenplays, including one of Sergio Leone's legendary Western epics, Once Upon a Time in the West. Lesser-known is 1969's The Five Man Army. That's too bad, because it brings an “international all-star team” approach to the spaghetti Western, and doesn’t forget the all-aces Ennio Morricone score!
The Revenant
Ain’t no trip to ‘Zombieland.’
Comedy
Rod Lott
I recently had a discussion with friends about the increasing trend of self-aggrandizing Twitter bios of locals who think so mighty highly of themselves, they must brag to the Internet about their amazing awesomeness! Our theory is, if you have to tell the world you're a "creative genius" or "master of [fill in the blank]," you're more than likely not. Real genius speaks for itself.
Sitting Target
Bring me the head of Jill St. John!
Action
Rod Lott
In the case of 1972's Sitting Target, the title refers to Pat Lomart (Jill St. John, Diamonds Are Forever), the wife of rough and rugged Harry (Oliver Reed, Gladiator). The opening scene finds her visiting him behind bars, where he's being held for murder. Since he's liable to get 15 years, she can't wait for him, so she's filing for divorce.
The Tall Man
Short on suspense.
Thriller
Rod Lott
According to some fun facts that open The Tall Man, some 1,000 children vanish each year who never are found. In the near-dead mining town of Cold Rock, that's because they're taken by the mysterious titular figure who's cloaked in black and darts in and out of the woods.
Sleepwalk with Me
Comedian Mike Birbiglia’s account of his noctural disorder is a sleeper hit, both hilarious and heartfelt.
The Cabin in the Woods
Horror
Rod Lott
Josh Whedon is partially responsible for arguably the most creative pictures of this year, and I don’t mean The Avengers. I’m talking about The Cabin in the Woods, the horror film reputed to be a game-changer in the genre. It’s not the end-all-be-all film as hyped, but it is undeniably clever.
The Victim
Biehn there, dumb that.
Thriller
Rod Lott
Michael Biehn was so inspired by appearing in Grindhouse that he wrote and directed his own grindhouse tribute, The Victim.
Bait 3D
Fin and fear.
The Crimson Petal and the White
Oh, Sugar, Sugar.
Television series
Rod Lott
Four of the finest hours of entertainment this year can be found in The Crimson Petal and the White, an enchanting, seductive BBC miniseries based on Michel Faber’s best-selling novel. Set in London of 1874, in a time of cholera, it is, as co-star Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids) states in a bonus interview, “a love story almost entirely bereft of love.”
Drive-In
Enjoy the show!
