Last Updated on June 20, 2023, 8:35 PM | Published: June 20, 2023
The word “auteur” gets thrown around a bit too easily at times.
By definition, it should be reserved for an artistic voice so singular, so unprecedented, that it could only come from one person’s mind, making even mimicry and imitation practically impossible.
More often than not, it’s a term applied to filmmakers as a way of implying that a writer/director’s creative vision and voice are so strong that it’s easy to believe that they alone conceived and crafted the film, no matter how many other hands were involved along the way.
But while it’s become more common to see talk of “auteur touches” in superhero flicks and crowd-pleasing studio fare (even the most creative and surprising ones,) it’s still rare to see a film that feels like it could only ever be made by one person.
Through next week, OKC audiences can see some true auteur works, including the newest wide release from one of the most singular visual storytellers, a modern classic blockbuster that retains its auteur status, one of the best young recent cinematic madmen, and a look at a master’s own fantastical inspirations.
‘Midsommar’ – Flix Brewhouse – Monday, June 26th
Writer/director Ari Aster became one of the hottest and most closely watched young filmmakers in America following his soul-crushing psychological-horror breakthrough “Hereditary,” and it’s clear that he was determined to live up to that hype with his next project.
2019’s “Midsommar” crashed the gates of the modern horror genre with a beautiful and fearless creative voice, fully cementing Aster as one of the most inimitable new talents in American cinema.
Featuring a breakout performance from the recently exploding Florence Pugh, “Midsommar” follows a group of culturally curious college kids jetting off to Sweden for what they expect to be an authentic European nature festival.
What follows is a descent down a rabbit hole of cultist ritual, debilitating grief, psychedelic drugs, and the unexpected horrors of sex and gender hierarchies.
Aster followed up yet again with this year’s even stranger “Beau Is Afraid,” but “Midsommar” was the moment that he proved himself a worthy addition to the “auteur” conversation.
For showtimes, tickets, and more info, visit flixbrewhouse.com.
‘Interstellar’ – Harkins Bricktown – Tuesday, June 27th
It’s admittedly difficult to find a true auteur in the world of multi-million-grossing blockbusters, but probably more than any other director, Christopher Nolan seems to fit the bill.
Arguably no other filmmaker can so deftly combine the artistic merits of groundbreaking, innovative “art” film with the commercial instincts necessary to break $500 million at the box office, but Nolan seems to do it time and time again, collecting accolades with films like “Inception” and “The Dark Knight.”
But there’s a legitimate argument that 2014’s “Interstellar” is actually his strongest film work.
Following a father’s journey to the stars in search of a habitable planet after Earth is wrecked by climate collapse in the sadly near future, the brilliance of the film is in its believably sold science, its commitment to head-spinning temporal experimentation, and above all else, its deeply human emotion.
It’s seemingly only Nolan that could combine all of those elements so effectively, creating a mammoth film as big as both its concepts and its heart.
For showtimes, tickets, and more info, visit harkins.com.
‘Lynch/Oz” & “Wild at Heart’ – Oklahoma City Museum of Art – Friday, June 30th through Sunday, July 2nd
Just say the word “auteur” and you’re likely to hear the name David Lynch in the next breath.
He’s developed an entire career out of being an absolutely unique and singular creative force, dissecting the imagery, psychology, and impenetrable reality of dreams arguably better than any other artist or storyteller in any medium.
But if you’ve ever wanted to get a look into the inscrutable mind and influences behind Lynch’s works, OKCMOA will be presenting the perfect new documentary for you.
From film-scholar documentarian Alexandre Phillippe, “Lynch/Oz” explores the persistent and enduring influence of “The Wizard of Oz” on practically all of Lynch’s films, sometimes explicitly and sometimes buried behind interpretation. The immortal 1939 family-fantasy masterpiece clearly has an immovable spot inside Lynch’s psyche.
To drive that point home, OKCMOA will also be presenting Lynch’s 1990 surrealist road trip classic, “Wild at Heart,” his most overtly “Wizard of Oz”-inspired work, for one night only on July 1st.
For showtimes, tickets, and more info, visit okcmoa.com.
‘Asteroid City’ – Opens Everywhere Friday, June 23rd
As a slew of memes and TikToks have recently proven, not even AI can accurately reproduce the distinctive visual style or storytelling sensibilities of modern auteur writer/director Wes Anderson, and his newest offering “Asteroid City” looks poised to remind the world that only he can do what he does.
Applying his pastel-paletted, photographic style to the science-fiction genre for the first time, “Asteroid City” stands to be something altogether different among Anderson’s beloved filmography as a tiny desert town in America attempts to handle humanity’s first contact with extraterrestrials.
I was a huge fan of Anderson’s last film, genre-defying anthology “The French Dispatch,” and expect this new outing to continue that push into uncharted territory for his definitive style and voice.
See it everywhere as it expands to wide release this Friday, June 23rd.
Brett Fieldcamp has been covering arts, entertainment, news, housing, and culture in Oklahoma for nearly 15 years, writing for several local and state publications. He’s also a musician and songwriter and holds a certification as Specialist of Spirits from The Society of Wine Educators.
