The MacGuffin

I was probably not the best choice to review the new film Tinker Tailor Solider Spy for The MacGuffin. Double-crossing, secret-plotting, many-character-having spy movies make me anxious; I spend much of the time just fretting that I’ll miss something plot-wise. And if this is the case with a typical James Bond-style adventure, director Tomas Alfredson’s film takes it to new levels. The plot is purposefully, stubbornly obtuse, and often I had to just let go and try to enjoy the scene at hand while acknowledging that I didn’t understand the context—or, to put a finer point on it, what the hell was going on at all. It’s not so much that there are too many twists and turns to follow, but that we’re left to fend for ourselves as they come. I realize that too much exposition can be tiresome, but any summary at some point would have been appreciated. It can be argued that leaving so much gray area enhances the message of the film; I get that. I don’t mind working for comprehension, but I’d like to at least get the impression that if I work hard enough, an answer exists somewhere. But maybe that’s how a lot of spies feel.

In the new film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, opening in Seattle this Friday, Gary Oldman plays George Smiley, a retired spy called back to try to discover a mole within his old organization. When Oldman was in Seattle recently, he had a chance to talk to me, along with Allie Hanley of Culture Mob and Jason Roestel of The Examiner. As expected, he was a delight. Below is the transcript of that interview. Warning: some spoilers ahead (but not about who the mole is).

In honor of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Spencer and Greg reflect on Gary Oldman’s career. Then they tackle kid-driven movies and give DVD picks of the week.

Trying to figure out the Best Picture Oscars is based on looking at many things, including: what actors are in it, what director is making the film, whether it’s the kind of film the Academy has responded to in the past, and just plain old guesswork. Also, I am not saying these will be the best movies of the year, just the ones that could strike the Academy’s taste. Keeping that in mind, here are a list of seven more movies that I think have potential to be Best Picture contenders.

Lately I’ve been trying to make sure I’m caught up on the big films of 2011. That means for this week’s column you’ll see an abundance of summer sequels. Some of these enhanced characters we had met before now continue their stories in new and interesting ways. Others…not so much.

Spencer is joined by guest host director Marc Clebanoff.  Spencer and Marc talk about his career and his newest film, Break, which has just been released on DVD.  Next they analyze great acting performances, and conclude with a discussion about Marc’s guilty pleasure films.