I used to think that there was nothing worse than a painfully bad movie, but I now know that there is a new circle of movie hell: a good movie that turns itself bad. Horns is one such film. Directed by Alexandre Aja based on Joe Hill’s novel of the same name, the movie follows…
Short film round-up
Move over, Morgan Freeman – there’s a new God in town, and his name is Nick Offerman. In Eric Kissack’s nine-minute The Gunfighter, Offerman plays an omniscient narrator of a Western scene whose speech can be heard by the characters he’s describing. Kissack mixes lowbrow gags and highbrow meta-humor to great effect, and Offerman’s narration…
Entertainment news round-up for Oct. 12
The nonprofit behind the New York Film Festival, the Film Society of Lincoln Center, will honor Robert Redford with its 42nd annual Chaplin Award. Redford will be lauded for his acting, his directing, his work on Broadway, and his support of independent film through his founding of the Sundance Institute and its associated film festival. He…
Short film round-up
Although Hello World :) clocks in at 21 minutes, it feels like directors Rafaël Mathé and Etienne Larragueta tried to cram too much into too short a film. Each individual component of the cyberhacker piece is interesting and incredibly detailed, but when combined, we never get to a chance to fully engage with any of them. The result…
Critic finds cult classic “Dogma” a little dated
Kevin Smith’s 1999 film Dogma was probably groundbreakingly irreverent for audiences in its day. However, much like some of the tenets of organized religion that the movie pokes fun at, it doesn’t feel like it’s stood the test of time. Although the timing and structure of Smith’s writing still hits its mark, the actual content…
Entertainment news round-up for Oct. 4
TNT’s Dallas will not be returning after its third season, the network announced Friday. The show’s ratings suffered following the death of the original Dallas star, Larry Hagman, during the second season. “TNT has decided not to renew ‘Dallas.’ We are extremely proud of the series, which defied expectations by standing as a worthy continuation of the Ewing saga. We want…
Short film round-up
Although Finnish filmmaker Mikko Löppönen’s nine-minute short L4ST doesn’t have much in the way of dialogue or plot or character development, it is an incredible atmospheric thrill ride. Based loosely on video game The Last of Us, the film follows two survivors trying to live through a zombie apocalypse. The short’s biggest strength is its…
Entertainment news round-up for Oct. 1
Netflix is extending its original programming, thanks to a new movie deal with Adam Sandler. Sandler’s Happy Madison Prods. will work with the video service on four films, in which Sandler will star. The features will be available exclusively on Netflix, with the first one speculated to arrive as soon as 2015. For more information on…
Entertainment news round-up for Sept. 26
The Office vet Angela Kinsey is set for a recurring role on TBS’ new comedy series Your Family or Mine. Kinsey’s role was played by Elizabeth Ellis in the pilot. Other actors in the cast include Richard Dreyfuss and JoBeth Williams. For more on the show, click here. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has okayed the restricted use of…
Critic finds “Guardians of the Galaxy” a pleasant counterpoint to heavier superhero fare
Guardians of the Galaxy is the perfect reminder of what a good summer blockbuster should be like: witty, charming, full of heart, and above all else, fun. What’s more, it manages to be all these things without pandering to the lowest common denominator, instead keeping the jokes smart and the pace lightning-fast. Directed by James…
Entertainment news round-up for Sept. 24
MGM’s recent lawsuit against Universal regarding the latter’s upcoming project Section 6 will move forward, after a ruling from U.S. District Judge James Otero. The crux of the matter is that the script for the film is substantially similar to the James Bond property. Both deal with MI-6, although Section 6 is set around the formation of the organization. For…
Short film round-up
Alan Rickman stars in Dust, a delightfully creepy seven-minute short about a man and his obsession. It’s difficult to say much without giving anything away, but suffice it to say that writer/directors Ben Ockrent & Jake Russell do a wonderful job showcasing both Rickman’s talent and their own skill at creating an atmosphere. To see the film,…
Emmy-award winning filmmaker visits OCU
By Lauren Matheny, Web Editor Paul Saltzman, a documentary filmmaker and founder of Moving Beyond Prejudice, will lead a one-day workshop at OCU on Oct. 4. The even will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center. Registration is $25 and will include lunch. Students interested in…
Entertainment news round-up for Oct. 27
In a stunning change of course, Regal Cinemas has entertained the notion of going from being one of the biggest buyers in the movie theater acquisition market to potentially being sold. “We’re all excited about the years 2015, 2016 and I’m going to be aggressive and say even 2017,” said Regal CEO Amy Miles. “I think that (in the)…
Entertainment news round-up for Oct. 23
Martin Scorsese will serve as executive producer on an upcoming authorized documentary on The Grateful Dead, directed by Amir Bar-Lev. “The Grateful Dead were more than just a band,” Scorsese said. “They were their own planet, populated by millions of devoted fans. I’m very happy that this picture is being made and proud to be…
Short film round-up
We continue our exploration of the works of Eoin Duffy with three of his longer animated shorts. You can find his work here. The two-and-a-half-minute short Encounter is a series of vignettes about man’s interference in nature’s affairs, specifically in the sea. It has Duffy’s signature quirky, minimalist visuals and sharp, nonverbal humor. The animation has…
School of Theatre students to represent at H&8th
Volunteers from OCU’s School of Theater will volunteer under the direction of professor Ashley Bellet at the H&8th Night Market on Halloween.The students will do Halloween costume makeup for children attending the event, which will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 31.
Animated short film round-up
This week’s animated short film round-up will feature the works of Irish filmmaker Eoin Duffy, whose award-winning films can be found here. Weighing in at a hefty five seconds, Unbuttoned doesn’t have much in the way of plot – or anything else, really – but it does portray an almost universally despised phenomenon (which I will not spoil for…
Live-action short film round-up
French filmmaking collective HOTU’s three-minute 87 Bounces is not your typical short film. Somewhat of a cross between a supercut and a flipbook, follows a basketball as it bounces through cinematic history. What it lacks in story it makes up for in slick nostalgia. Watch it here. Six-minute short Snooze Time, from director Ivan Barge and writer Matthew Harris, feels…
Entertainment news round-up for Oct. 19
Alamo Drafthouse CEO Tim League wants to end the decline of 35mm film usage in modern movie theaters. “We should be finding ways to inspire a young generation to fall in love with going to the cinema just like Tarantino, Nolan and many of us theater owners did when we were kids. I want a…
Entertainment news round-up for Oct. 10
A review of the entertainment industry for this week
Information expo hosted for campus community
Students, faculty and staff can explore 50 vendors from the area during the first Benefits and Wellness Expo. The expo is from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Oct. 15 in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center.
Let’s Talk About It series discusses a “Capitol Offense”
By Submitted “Capitol Offense,” by William Bernhardt, is the next book to be discussed in the Let’s Talk About It, Oklahoma book discussion series. The discussion will take place at 7 p.m. Oct. 7 in Walker Center, Room 151. This year, the series is focusing on crime novels which take place in Oklahoma. “Capitol Offense”…
On the Town: what to do this weekend in OKC
By Lauren Matheny, Web Editor Welcome to the first edition of “On the Town,” a place to let you know what’s going on off-campus this weekend. The Oklahoma City community is redolent with events, festivals, and cultural opportunities, and the Student Publications staff encourages students to get off campus and get out on the town….
U.S. Department of State official to speak at International Energy Conference in OKC
Matthew McManus, an official from the U.S. Department of State, will be one of the featured speakers at Oklahoma City University’s International Energy Conference. The conference will take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 15 at the Cox Convention Center in downtown Oklahoma City. It is presented by OCU’s Meinders School of…
Short film round-up
Despite coming from such a strong animation background, French filmmaker Loïc Bramoullé seems to draw up a rather lifeless character in Space Cat Hob. The six-minute short follows the titular astrokitty Hob, whose spaceship crash-lands on an alien planet. Although the world around Hob is lovingly crafted and stunningly beautiful, the cat’s misproportioned body and face straight out of…
