I do love a good anthology series. The idea of many little stories, based on an overarching theme, always appealed to me as if you didn't really like a story another one would soon be up and it might be more your cup of tea. I've watched many series including much of The Outer Limits, The Twilight Zone, Goosebumps, Are You Afraid of the Dark? as well as the BBC series such as Ghost Stories for Christmas amongst many other 70s horror anthologies and I can never get enough.
When I first heard of Oats Studios I was excited as it was be started by Neill Blomkamp, writer and director of District 9 as well as a few other cult films. The aim of the studio was to distribute short experimental films with the aim of seeing which would be viable for fuller projects. It's a great conceit and I like the idea of an amuse bouche with the possibility of more if there was interest.
So, over the course of a couple of days, I watched the entire run of 10 episodes. Here's my synopsis of each episode and my opinions.
Rakka
When an alien invasion by telepathic anthropomorphic reptiles destroys most the Earth and it's population, a small rag tag team fights back. They find Amir, a human who has been experimented on by the aliens. He gets a chance to help the resistance and does so in the inevitable showdown with his new abilities. Will it be enough though?
This is a down and dirty resistance sci-fi film with a lived in world presented. The story is engaging and the potential for lore and backstory is huge - a lot is achieved in just 22 minutes. Sigourney Weaver is riveting in this and adds some gravitas and pathos to proceedings. The setting is well realised and the potential to see where the story would go is intriguing.
Firebase
Set during the Vietnam war, a lone American soldier lost from his party, heads into the jungle where, rather than fighting the Vietcong, he battles against an alien that take the form of humans. When he is found by a military superior he is airlifted into an area of interest where he is told he must battles the River God, a Viet farmer who the CIA consider the embodiment of the Devil.
The short film starts off like a found footage film from the time, all shaky cameras and overaaturated colour from film negatives yellowing with age and popping and fizzing with time. It then turns into a more modern slick production but set in the 70s. The story reaches a crescendo as the unit gears up to do battle. The story is very videogamey and intriguing.
Cooking With Bill: Damasu/ Prestoveg/ Smoothie/ Sushi
Looking like a late 80s/ early 90s shopping channel bit, Bill and Karen try out new gadgets but it all seems to go terribly wrong.
This is darkly humourous as they catch the time period just right and the jargon used to shill the products like 'thermo capacitor' is spot on. The gadgets are crap and Bill comes a cropper each time. The cartoon interstitial between each product is unnecessarily bright and cheerful on purpose to contrast with the darkness of the consumerism theme.
God: Serengeti/ Chicago
This shows a cruel God who watches us from above. He has a butler and is bored so he creates issues like starting fires to see what the people on Earth will do.
This is a good episode as it shows humans are just the playthings of a cruel and unknowable god. The butler Geoffrey listens to his master but he doesn't always want to carry out the psychotic orders he is given.
Zygote
A couple of survivors at an Arctic base try to make it to Alpha base but are stalked by a mysterious creature. One of the survivors, a female synthetic, leads her blind human superior but struggles as her programming dictates her protocols.
This starts off quickly and sets the mood straightaway. The premise of getting from A to B is film 101 but the moody setting and atmosphere is very The Thing or Alien. The premise of a mining company cracking open a rock and unleashing a dangerous force is very Dead Space and very effective. The creature reveal of a hulking mass that amalgamates various bodies into one whole is impressive. It's all very effective as the claustrophic atmosphere of the place, with its red lights flashing and the shadows, is well realised.
Bad President: Oil Spill/ All My Sh*t
These two shorts show an incompetent American President as he tries to reassure the people of his country about some sad news but really he can't be arsed and wants to just party.
This is definitely a political episode as it shows a terribly incompetent man being in charge of the country and using it for his own gain.
Adam: Episode 2
A prophet of sorts leads a robot exodus out from The Consortium's hands as he reveals that their brains have been taken as their bodies are all that is needed to serve in the subservient role.
Starting at episode 2 makes this intriguing as you have to piece together what you think might have happened. When the history of one of the robots is revealed, it sets up the rest of the story. The CGI animation is very good and you can see Blomkamp's skills as a director.
Adam: Episode 3
A fake-prophet figure asks a woman to destroy a robot, her once human brother, whose soul has been taken. In return, she is blessed and able to remove her mask and breathe the usually toxic air without any repercussions.
The reveal of the machine inside the prophet is surpsiring and well animated. I love the dramatic music as it swells in its denouement.
Gdansk
A group of mech knights in white attacks villages, killing men, women and children. We see the leader and the existential crisis he seems to be suffering.
This episode has a gorgeous design and the attention to detail on the landscape is stunning. As it is very brief, this was the story I couldn't get a handle of properly but it feels a bit Star Wars-y.
Kapture Locust
This starts off like a handy cam proof of military concept design video and shows the dystopian future that can happen when scientists are given unchecked resources and power.
I like the style of the film as it plays like a cutscene in a game just before something goes wrong, very Half Life. They seen amiable enough but they commit horrible violence upon their test subjects - prisoners who want their sentences commuted.
I loved this series as there were a veritable smorgasbord of ideas. Not every episode connected with me but I'm sure every viewer will have their own opinion on what is the best and isn't that the best thing about anthologies?