Over/Under Movies Episode 29: Ben Wheatley Special Episode

Over/Under Movies

We're changing things up a bit at Over/Under Movies this time around so instead of talking about one overrated and one underrated movie as usual, we're focusing on the early work of a lesser-known but talented director that at least one of our co-hosts thinks is underrated. That director is Ben Wheatley, who uses his low budget but impressively beautiful mumblecore-style digital cinematography skills to create equally hilarious and disturbing stories about British working class folks going off into a world full of wanton violence and chaos. First up is Wheatley's no-budget first feature Down Terrace, which starts off as a quirky crime comedy and gradually turns into a full-blown Shakespearean tragedy. Next, we got Kill List, a nightmarish hitman movie with an insane finale. And finally we talk about Sightseers, a relatively accessible dark comedy about a truly disturbed couple taking a blood-soaked trip through the British countryside. There's a point in the podcast where we get into spoilers about Kill List. If you'd like to skip the spoilers at the point I warn the listeners that the spoilers are beginning, go to the 52-minute mark on the episode. As usual, thank you for listening, please send us your comments so we can improve the show, and look forward to new episodes when our kick-ass Pacific Northwest-based film critics will discuss one overrated and one underrated film that share the same genre, style, or plot. You can also find us on iTunes if you search for Over/Under Movies and on Twitter @overundermovies. Erik McClanahan is the lead film critic at Oregon Arts Watch, co-host of the Adjust Your Tracking podcast (Also available on iTunes) and a contributor at The Playlist. Ryan Oliver is back on Gotchamovies.com after a short absence. He writes reviews and articles for them and co-hosts their Unspooled Reel podcast. Oktay Ege Kozak is a film critic for The Oregon Herald, Beyazperde, DVD Talk and is also a contributor and film critic at The Playlist.