OKLAHOMA CITY — It’s getting hot out there, and I’m sure we can all feel it.
The heat is sweeping in across the nation and threatening to put a serious damper on everything that we love about summer in America, that carefree spirit of fun, friendship, and freedom that defines the season.
It feels like every day, the heat gets a little more oppressive, and the sad reality is that it’s not likely to let up any time soon, with forecasters expecting that things will only be getting hotter in the coming weeks and months.
All of which means that it’s more important than ever that we take some opportunities to escape the heat and remind ourselves of the powers of friendship, companionship, community, and just simple fun. And what better place to do that than at the movies?
We’re lucky, then, that theaters all around OKC are offering some chances over the next couple of weeks to escape all of the worry and anxiety about the increasingly concerning heat with some films showcasing all manner of friendships and life-affirming adventures, be them heroic, existential, or outright absurd.
‘The Goonies’ 40th Anniversary – Harkins Bricktown – June 24th
It’s hard to think of any other film that so perfectly captures the ridiculous fun and epic imaginations of a group of young friends looking for adventure around their hometown better than 1985’s weird-kid classic “The Goonies.”
It’s a band of childhood compatriots – each with their own unique specialty and wacky personality – protecting their town’s future, questing into its darkest caverns, and of course searching for lost pirate treasure, just as all boys do at that age.
“The Goonies” is so full of infectious, youthful energy and its patented “never say die!” attitude that it’s difficult to believe it’s 40 years old this year, but here we are.
It’s back in theaters for one night only to celebrate four decades, and you can bet that it’ll be loaded with 40 and 50 year-old kids ready to gear up and march out once again to adventure alongside their friends.
For showtimes and tickets, visit harkins.com.
‘Friendship’ – Oklahoma City Museum of Art – June 20th through June 27th
A movie called “Friendship” must be a nice, harmless, feel-good movie for friends, right?
Well, that would be easier to believe if it didn’t star perhaps the reigning king of absurdist cringe comedy, Tim Robinson of “I Think You Should Leave.”
In “Friendship,” Robinson plays a hapless, awkward suburbanite increasingly determined to form a bond with his alluring, confidently masculine new neighbor, played by the inexhaustibly charismatic Paul Rudd.
What follows is a series of embarrassing mishaps, mortifying attempts at humanity, and misguided efforts at coolness and camaraderie that are enough to make anyone recoil at the awkwardness, and to make people of the right comedic persuasion split a side or two laughing.
Fans of “I Think You Should Leave” will likely eat up exactly what writer/director Andrew DeYoung is offering here.
But if you’re not compatible with Robinson’s particular brand of often antagonistically embarrassing and dark comedy, then you really probably should leave.
For showtimes and tickets, visit okcmoa.com.
‘The Life of Chuck’ – Oklahoma City Museum of Art – June 20th through June 29th
The movie that blew the doors off of the Toronto International Film Festival, Mike Flanagan’s “The Life of Chuck” is all about the beauty, complexity, strangeness, and fulfillment of a human life, no matter how small or singular.
Flanagan is best known for his nerve-shredding horror series on Netflix like “The Haunting of Hill House” and “Midnight Mass,” as well as his adaptations of Stephen King thrillers like “Gerald’s Game” and “Doctor Sleep.”
But this time around, he’s adapting a very different kind of story from King, reminding audiences that not only does the master of American horror also have a softer, more contemplative and emotional side, but that Flanagan can nail that part of King’s storytelling as well.
The plot is best left cryptic and best unfolded throughout the film, but suffice to say that “The Life of Chuck” arcs through the full lifetime of an American everyman from his time as an everyboy through his loves, losses, and the lingering light that every life leaves in its wake.
But of course, it’s Stephen King, so you can expect that there’s a deeper element at play, one that connects the threads of mystery surrounding just who Chuck is and why the whole world is drawn into his orbit and his mind.
It’s also great to see the fantastically watchable Tom Hiddleston playing something quiet and genial rather than the costumed villains or theatrically broad characters we’re used to seeing.
For showtimes and tickets, visit okcmoa.com.
‘Batman’ (1966) – Rodeo Cinema – June 28th
When it comes to stories of undying friendship and camaraderie in the face of adversity, there’s no greater bond than that between Batman and Robin.
At least as far as the Swinging Sixties were concerned.
These “old chums” are as quick with a goofy aside or a quirky quip as they are with a punch or a “POW!” and it’s honestly remarkable how well the fun and insanity of this quintessentially ’60s flick have held up over the years.
If you’re sick of Batman (and superhero movies in general) becoming incessantly dark and brooding, then catch this opportunity to see the great Adam West and Burt Ward save the United Nations from dehydration, ward off deadly fish with “Shark-Repellant Bat-Spray,” and try desperately to get rid of a bomb.
Yes, it’s as ridiculous as any film has ever been, but it’s a great counterbalance to the much darker ridiculousness of the modern world.
For showtimes and tickets, visit rodeoinema.org.
Catch Brett Fieldcamp’s film column weekly for information and insights into the world of film in the Oklahoma City metro and Oklahoma. | Brought to you by the Oklahoma City Museum of Art.
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.
