Netflix Instant Watch Recommendation of the Week: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

This week, I'm recommending the bizarrely entertaining 1990 film "Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead," written and directed by Tom Stoppard. Starring Gary Oldman and Tim Roth as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, respectively, the film tells the tale of William Shakespeare's classic tragedy, "Hamlet," but from the perspective of those two minor characters.

The real star of the show, however, is the script by Tom Stoppard. Originally a play, Stoppard's take on the material is a fiendishly clever existentialist back and forth between the two title characters as they meander their way through the saga of Shakespeare's doomed Danish prince. It's full of tremendous dialog scenes that are masterfully played my Oldman and Roth, as well as a bombastically theatrical performance from Richard Dreyfuss as the manic leader of a roaming theater company.

The costuming and art direction are all appropriately Shakespearean, and it is rather obvious that the script originated as a play. The direction by Stoppard (who is primarily a man of the theater), is rather pedestrian, and the film does come across as a bit dated (especially when it comes to the score), but given the script's focus on dialog and performance, these are minor issues overall.

Both Roth and Oldman are delightful, and there is one particularly clever scene where they are engaged in a sort of verbal tennis match, rallying witty conversation back and forth over a literal net and court. I've never seen Gary Oldman give a performance quite as lovable as his portrayal "gentle Rosencrantz," and it's fantastic to see further proof of his seemingly limitless range as an actor.

In the end, I can't help but feel like the best way to see this story would be on the stage, as the electricity of a live performance would lend itself quite well to the long and witty verbal sparring of the two leads. Unfortunately, it's difficult to find a good theater performance, and especially difficult to find one headlined by actors as engaging as Tim Roth and Gary Oldman. Therefore, in the absence of a good live performance, Stoppard's film is an excellent substitute, and an easy recommendation for Shakespeare fans and non-fans alike.

Book Club - Sweet Tooth

This week, we discuss Jeff Lemire's Sweet Tooth, from Vertigo Comics, with slightly less special guest, Elaine! BTW, Sweet Tooth Vol. 3 comes out today! And the perfect place to buy it is from our friends at Treasure Island Comics; so, y'know, do that.

Monday Show and Tell, Ep. 10 - Fourth Chair

Hallo! This week, we welcome special guest(?) host, Elaine! Listen as we discuss the new J.J. Abrams movie Super 8, and the action-comedy anime series Sekirei! And keep an ear out for the Ghost Cat, be the first to email us it's secret location, and win an awesome prize!



Time Stamps:
[2:44] - Super 8
[12:18] - Sekirei

HOORAY!!!

Have you heard the news! The OMG Podcast has officially topped 100 downloads!!! So thanks everybody, we couldn'ta done it without you!

Book Club Wednesday - X-Men: First Class

Here it is... Enjoy!

Comic Book Review - The Nobody

Written by Jeff Lemire (Sweet Tooth, Essex County Trilogy), and published by Vertigo Comics in 2008, The Nobody is a modern take on H.G. Wells' The Invisible Man. It's the story of Large Mouth, a small town in Canada, and the event's surrounding the arrival of a mysterious stranger covered head to toe in bandages.

It's a short graphic novel, only three chapters, and the story is told very sparsely and very rapidly, something I enjoy about Lemire's writing.  He does a brilliant job setting the mood and introducing the various players in town quickly and effectively.

The bulk of the story is spent developing a tense relationship between the Invisible Man and Vickie, the young protagonist, while developing an equally tense suspense, and underlying terror.  But the shit doesn't really hit the fan till the last chapter, when Lemire does an excellent, heart-wrenching job exposing the fears and prejudice of the townsfolk, while leaving the Invisible Man shrouded in his ever-persistent mystery.

Lemire's black, white, and blue art adds so much to the atmosphere of this tale. It's equals parts creepy, surreal, and gritty, doing a great job bridging the gap between this larger than life sci-fi premise, and the real world, small town setting.


All in all, it's a great read, one I'd definitely recommend to fans of Graphic Novels as literature.  For more Jeff Lemire, listen in next week, when we discuss Sweet Tooth, an ongoing comic from Vertigo.  And be sure to buy all you comic from our friends at Treasure Island Comics in Fremont, CA, or find your own local comic shop at ComicShopLocator.com

Monday Show and Tell, Ep. 9 - Hippo Surprise

This week, Darren talks about the BBC series, Sherlock, as well as the PSN Welcome Back Games. Meanwhile, Andrew tells us all about the Apple Records Reissues. And remember to come back Wednesday, when we discuss the new film, X-Men: First Class.



Time Stamps:

[1:35] - Sherlock

[7:34] - PSN Welcome Back games

[11:54] - Apple Records

Netflix Instant Watch Recommendation of the Week: Anvil! The Story of Anvil

This week, I'm very happy to be recommending the heartwarming critical darling, "Anvil! The Story of Anvil." Directed by Sacha Gervasi, this 2008 documentary explores the story of Canadian metal band Anvil, led by Steve "Lips" Kudlow and Robb Reiner.

The film follows Kudlow and Reiner as they continue to seek success in the world of metal 30 years after their creation of the band as adolescents. Anvil, despite having had an influence on some of the most popular metal musicians in history (Metallica, Anthrax, Slash), had never really managed to find any resounding success among the heyday of 80's metal. When the film begins to follow Kudlow and Reiner, they are working low-paying menial jobs in order to make money to support their continued musical performance.

Despite this, the two men (along with current bassist Glenn Five) are still playing just as enthusiastically as ever. Their very close friendship comes across brilliantly in the film, and even if you aren't a huge fan of their genre of music, it is extremely easy to root for their success as the film progresses. They are clearly talented musicians, and it is obvious how much they love playing metal for a crowd, no matter how small the crowd may be. In addition, both Kudlow and Reiner are perfect examples of stereotypical Canadian politeness.

If this is sounding a lot like "This is Spinal Tap," that's because it sort of is. Unlike that Rob Reiner (just a hilarious coincidence, as it happens) film, though, "Anvil!" is not really meant to make you laugh. You likely will, as there are plenty of funny moments throughout, but it is by no means Gervasi's intent. Like any great story of friendship, there are a few points in the film where those friendships are tested, and those moments are appropriately tense and dramatic, with plenty of pathos earned for these men over the course of the documentary.

Overall, it's an easy recommendation to anyone, but especially fans of 80's metal. You'll meet a band you likely had no idea existed, let alone was so respected by their fans and peers. The personalities of the band members are engaging personalities, and rooting for them as they struggle to find success is quite a satisfying journey. Even if you're not a fan of metal, it's a pretty easy recommendation, as it presents a wonderfully honest tale of friendship that succeeds at tugging gingerly at your heartstrings.

Book Club Wednesday - Mystery Team

Hello all! This week, it's Mystery Team, a movie starring Don Glover, among others.... As always, keep an ear out for the ghost cat, be the first to email us its location, and win a prize! And tune in next week when we'll discuss the new movie, X-Men: First Class. Enjoy!