I’ve been going out to more live shows and performances in the last couple of months, the most recent being Wicked when it came to OKC last week. By the time we got to intermission, I’d been thinking about how familiar the actor playing The Wizard looked and was trying to place where I’d seen him before. Tom McGowan has been working for years in film, television, and theater so I mean no disrespect to the man’s long, varied career when I say I lost my mind when I realized it was Kenny the station manager from Frasier on stage in front of me. I’ve seen him in other things, but Frasier is the show I’ve rewatched the most in my entire life so in a weird way, it was like seeing an old friend. I don’t think the staff at the Thelma Gaylord Performing Arts Theatre would’ve seen it that way if I’d hopped on stage to say hi to my buddy Kenny/Tom.
Anyway, here’s some other things I’ve been enjoying lately.
MOVIES
If you wanted to read about my 2023 journey through Mexican Cinema, I have great news in this link. I’m continuing it in 2024, so if this is your area of expertise, all suggestions are welcome.
I watched a few Pedro Infante movies like Los tres García and Escuela de vagabundos. I also watched The Chambermaid, a 2018 movie from Lila Avilés who has another movie out this year called Tótem that I cannot wait to see. Chambermaid has the ambience of a sci-fi movie without actually being a sci-fi movie, unlike anything I’ve seen. It’s on Kanopy in the states if you have a library card.
Two titles I cut from the list of potential Nathan’s Movie Collection posts last year were Dazed and Confused and School of Rock, both movies directed by Richard Linklater. I’ve always been fascinated by the man’s career that’s gone in several odd, very interesting directions. With his new movie (Hit Man) coming to Netflix in June, I’m gonna try to watch every Linklater movie I can before then. Right now, I’m up to SubUrbia. If some kind soul could tell me where to find and watch Tape, we’ll be friends forever.
TV
I’ve got plenty of nits to pick with Fargo’s fifth season, but it’s the first time I think they really landed the plane well since season two. I was prepared to cringe when I heard it was set in 2019, and while I still did in certain parts, I think Noah Hawley and company avoided getting hung up on drawing too many direct parallels to our current political situation that’s only gotten worse since. It’s a compelling story on its own and the parallels are there if you want to see them. I’m just glad they avoided COVID entirely, figuratively speaking. Unless I just gave away Season Six.
There’s not a whole lot of TV I keep up with except for Abbott Elementary which is now back for a third season and still funny as ever. I’ve also been watching George Lopez on Peacock at night to unwind, which feels weird at 8:00 PM instead of 3:00 AM on Nick at Nite. It’s ridiculous that they even offer an option to skip the credits. I’m linking them here below just out of spite. Not sure who I’m spiting here, but it feels right so I’m going with it.
BOOKS
Another movie I watched this month was Devil in a Blue Dress, a detective noir starring Denzel Washington as Easy Rawlins, a WWII vet-turned-private eye. Don Cheadle is in a supporting part, showing up an hour and doing the unimaginable by stealing the entire movie away from Denzel every time he’s onscreen.
The movie is based on a novel of the same name by Walter Mosely who wrote a whole series of hardboiled mystery novels featuring Rawlins. Devil in a Blue Dress the book is also great and right now, I’m in the middle of A Red Death, the second Easy Rawlins novel. You can’t really tell from the title, but it’s set in the early fifties and fear of communism is involved.
MUSIC
I’ve been to a handful of concerts in the last couple of months and it’s amazing to see all the musical talent coming out of OKC and Oklahoma at large. Back in December, I saw Jason Scott & The High Heat with Autumn Ragland opening for them. Besides being a musician, Jason also starred in Jason Isbell’s music video for “King of Oklahoma,” a powerful moment of Jason Singularity.
And not to brag, but my wife went to church camp with Jason (Scott) and one time I said hi to him when he sang at my friend’s wedding, an interaction I’m sure he 100% remembers and carries with him to this day. I just don’t want any of you to treat me differently.
In all seriousness, it was amazing show. The High Heat are a tight band that sound incredible live. I’d never heard of Autumn before this, but I got on her wavelength immediately. She’s got two albums out, Guardian and More Like a Melody, both excellent.
I went to this particular show with my friend Butch who may be reading this (Hey, Butch 👋). He’s been my unofficial guide through OKC’s music scene and Ken Pomeroy is someone he put on my radar. She was at the Jason Scott show singing backup on one of their songs. She was also briefly in maybe my favorite episode of Reservation Dogs, “Elora’s Dad,” which I obviously didn’t clock at the time. She’s an accomplished singer/songwriter in her own right and I was lucky enough to catch her opening for Willi Carlisle last week here in town. Her song, “Cicadas,” was in that Reservation Dogs episode which was just recently released as a single. I believe there’s also an album coming later this year, which I cannot wait for.
That’s all I’ve got for now. I plan on sharing these check-ins at the end of the month. Right now, I’m working on something about my favorite books which should come sometime in a couple of weeks. If this sounds like something you’d like to keep up with…
Until next time.
“You can’t really tell from the title, but it’s set in the early fifties and fear of communism is involved.”
💀💀💀😂😂😂
Glad you've been able to check out some of Oklahoma's great talent. Great writing, as always!