The MacGuffin

There are many reasons to dislike Sleeping Beauty, the new film from first-time writer/director Julia Leigh, but at least being sick of half-hearted fairy tale updates is not one of them. This is because the film has almost nothing to do with the traditional Charles Perrault tale, or any of the versions that have come since. If you were hoping for a smart commentary on one of the ultimate damsel-in-distress scenes, or even just a satisfying re-telling of the much-loved story, look elsewhere. What we have here is oblique randomness in which, yes, at several points a beautiful girl does catch a few winks. That’s about it.

Here is a way to know you’re watching a great film: every scene contains both an element of surprise and a sense of inevitability. Surprising a savvy audience that has seen every trick in the book is tough; doing it while following the rule of inevitability—but not predictability—is tougher. It’s master-level storytelling. It’s what fills every moment of , the new film from writer/director Paddy Considine.

If you are the sort of person who sees a film title like Another Happy Day and hopes it’s trying to be ironic, you are in luck with Sam Levinson’s new film. It doesn’t seem there’s been a happy day in a long while with this lot of characters, gathering for a long weekend of sniping at each other over little things, ignoring real issues, occasional bouts of violence, and, oh yeah, celebrating a marriage. Happy days, indeed.

For a period of time in the mid-to-late 1980s, first-time documentarian Jennie Livingston took her camera into the world of New York City’s “ball” scene, a phenomenon amongst minorities in the gay community of that area and time. Many participants competed in the raucous events; with a form modeled on fashion shows, they allowed just about anyone to show off their look in a number of different, often highly creative, categories. It feels hard to explain; seeing it in action is the best way to understand the process and significance of the events. Though one participant sums up the value as “I went to a ball, I got a trophy, and now everyone wants to know me,” something much deeper than that was also happening. Livingston’s film captures some of a fascinating moment in social history.

A well-made film about someone selflessly helping another provides a certain distinct sense of pleasure for the viewer, which I believe comes mostly from the fact that films of this sort are usually done poorly. They slide into congratulatory territory; they try too hard to be heartwarming, and miss the point. They suggest that the viewer should immediately go out and seek their own charity case to shower neighborly love upon, whether they want it or not. Le Havre, the most recent film from Finnish filmmaker Aki Kauismäki, tackles such a story of helping a stranger with none of that treacle. Characters who are essentially good people are faced with choices, and they act in the best interest of someone who doesn’t have the means to get through his situation alone. Would that the world was a bit more like this…

Brandi Sperry: It is getting to the end of the month, and that time when, after weeks of gorging, a horror fan might either be looking to circle back around to the must-watch-every-year classics, or get a little out there and outside the box. (2002), a disturbing French film from writer/director Marina de Van, could easily be classified as outside the confines of horror. It is not meant to be “scary.” But the sense of apprehension in the viewer that it evokes, the atmosphere of psychological instability, and the sheer, gory ickiness of it, to me, provide so many of the trademark sensations that many horror films do that I can’t help but think of it that way

I’ve written in this space about Claire Denis before, discussing the remarkable film White Material (2009). Just from that one film, I knew that she could be classified as a master of creating tension. I’ve wanted to go back and watch more of her work, and recently sat down with perhaps the odd film out on her resume, an entry in horror: 2001′s Trouble Every Day. Though it differs from the types of dramas she’s best known for, I was eager to see what her skill could create in a genre film. And, of course, I am always enthusiastic about exploring horror made by women. But after watching, I almost chose not to write about it.

Brandi Sperry: Since joining the MacGuffin crew, there are a few movies that the lads have given me shit about not having seen before. One in particular seemed to illicit that certain “I’m just surprised you haven’t seen it, is all” reaction from movie-lovers that is similar to a parent’s “I’m not mad, just disappointed.” That was Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn (1996).

Among the rules of life if you are a character in a movie is: always be nice to the office freak. This person is about 5000% more likely than other characters to either go on a killing spree or become incredibly successful, by my scientific estimation. Either way, you want to be on their good side. I’m pretty sure the title of Cindy Sherman’s 1997 horror comedy gives away which situation we’re in this time.

Brandi Sperry: There are some remake projects that just won’t die, no matter what the obstacles, and the new version of Footloose was one of them. We’ve been hearing about this since Zac Efron was supposed to star in it back in 2007 (and hey, he did seem a logical choice, if someone was insisting on making this movie). Now, four years and a few potential stars and directors later, Footloose has arrived. Craig Brewer, best known for writing and directing Hustle & Flow (2005), took the reigns, and dancer Kenny Wormald takes on the role of Ren McCormack, the one that solidified Kevin Bacon as a star 27 years ago.