OKC theaters showcase scope of modern world film in Jan

Last Updated on January 3, 2024, 4:12 PM | Published: January 3, 2024

OKLAHOMA CITY — 2024 is finally upon us, and of course in the film world, a new year means one thing: awards, awards, awards.

All across the country, film critics circles, guilds, review boards, and more are already dropping their “best-ofs,” sparking controversies, arguments, and congrats galore as the standout Hollywood offerings and indie buzzmakers each take their turn in the winner’s circles.

But with all the talk focused on 2023 being “the year that saved cinema,” – with a record-breaking summer restoring faith in the theater industry, spurred primarily by blockbusters and the unlikely, unofficial “Barbie”/”Oppenheimer” double-feature – there’s been sadly little attention paid to some world cinema highlights from the year.

Fortunately, some of Oklahoma City’s best theaters are taking advantage of these last few weeks before Oscar nominations drop to showcase a number of these remarkable films from across Europe and Asia, with acclaimed chefs, decorated generals, and at least one familiar giant lizard monster.

‘Godzilla Minus One’ – Now Playing – Harkins Bricktown; Cinemark Tinseltown

You’d think after half a century and more than 30 films that there’d be nothing left to extract from the implausibly ongoing saga of a massive, nuclear-powered lizard knocking over buildings, but Japanese writer/director Takashi Yamazaki is here to prove you wrong.

By going all the way back to the legendary monster’s Atomic Age origins and framing the story through the eyes and damaged psyches of the humans on the ground, “Godzilla Minus One” has already seen worldwide acclaim, being hailed as possibly the finest film in the franchise’s long history.

Godzilla was originally birthed from the anxieties, paranoias, and terrifying uncertainties of the Japanese public in the wake of the atomic bomb attacks that ended World War II, and “Minus One” goes right back to that time, centering on a post-war fighter pilot battling PTSD and survivor’s guilt.

When the monster shows up, in all of its staggering scale and horror, it’s actually scary again in a way that it hasn’t been in decades, owing mainly to the genuine concern built for the characters at its feet.

For showtimes, tickets, and more information, visit cinemark.com or harkins.com.

‘Monster’ – January 11th through January 13th – Oklahoma City Museum of Art

An entirely different kind of Japanese monster is coming to OKCMOA this month.

This riveting family drama from writer Yuji Sakamoto and director Hirokazu Kore-eda left an unshakeable impression on 2023’s Cannes Film Festival, taking home Best Screenplay for its story of the snaking lies and dangerous complexities behind a public school scandal.

A young, bullied student, his angry, vengeful mother, and the teacher allegedly responsible all collide, with each of their perspectives intertwined and gradually unfolding a mosaic of deceptions and revelations.

“Monster” also features the final film score of sadly departed, groundbreaking composer, musician, electronic pioneer, and leader of Yellow Magic Orchestra, Ryuichi Sakamoto.

For showtimes, tickets, and more information, visit okcmoa.com.

‘Fallen Leaves’ – January 5th through January 18th – Rodeo Cinema Film Row

Another Cannes standout, Finland’s “Fallen Leaves” nabbed the festival’s coveted Jury Prize and is the country’s official entry in the International Feature category at this year’s upcoming Academy Awards.

That’s a pretty large achievement for a simple film about simple people struggling to live simple lives, but writer/director Aki Kaurismäki imbues his tales of the downtrodden and ignored with such palpable humanity and such undeniable realist comedy that this simple story has been hailed as a veritable masterpiece.

The story follows a couple of forty-something, down-on-their-luck supermarket laborers that attempt to navigate love, money, addiction, and more, but the heart lies in a focus on human connection and all its endless hilarities and difficulties in middle-age.

For showtimes, tickets, and more information, visit rodeocinema.org.

‘Menus-Plaisirs – Les Troisgros’ – January 14th – Oklahoma City Museum of Art

If documentaries are more your speed, then settle in for this 4 hour (!) journey behind the scenes of one of the most award-winning and consistently lauded restaurants in France.

Revered 93 year-old (!) documentarian Frederick Wiseman is granted unprecedented access to the kitchen, leaders, staff, business, and psychology of Troisgros, a family-operated restaurant in the quiet northern town of Roanne, France that has maintained three Michelin stars for over 50 years.

Wiseman’s camera captures the family’s creativity, volatility, collaboration, and artistic soul that have continuously impressed the international food community, offering audiences a peek into the heights of the culinary world. 

For showtimes, tickets, and more information, visit okcmoa.com.

‘Noryang: Deadly Sea’ – January 5th through January 8th – Rodeo Cinema Stockyards

From South Korea comes this final entry in the monumentally successful trilogy of films launched by “The Admiral: Roaring Currents” and “Hansan: Rising Dragon,” all following the true-life military feats of Admiral Yi Sun-sin, regarded as one of history’s greatest naval minds.

Recounting Yi Sun-sin’s last hurrah in the Battle of Noryang, writer/director Kim Han-min pulls out all the stops to recreate the mind-blowing scale of the late-1500s Imjin War between Korea and Japan, culminating in a spectacular sea battle of a level rarely seen on screen.

This series has not only shattered records in South Korea, it also provides a magnificent look into a period of raging, turbulent history seldom glimpsed or understood by the West.

For showtimes, tickets, and more information, visit rodeocinema.org.

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