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).

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.

Let The Right One In
2008; directed by Tomas Alfredson; screenplay by John Ajvide Lindqvist, from his novel

In a suburb of Stockholm in the early 1980s, 12-year-old Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) is continually bullied by his classmates. When an odd girl (Lina Leandersson) moves into his apartment complex, the two develop a connection that brings them both comfort and danger. But even as it becomes clear that Eli is not a normal young girl—normal young girls don’t need to consume blood to survive—Oskar is too infatuated to turn away from her.

Starkly and beautifully shot, with strong, subtle performances from the young leads, on its release Let the Right One In quickly became a contender for one of the great vampire films of all time.

Let Me In, from director Matt Reeves, famously of Cloverfield, is being released into theaters today. This film has gained notoriety for being a remake of the very popular Swedish film, Let The Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in), from director Tomas Alfredson.  I will be the first to admit that initially this film struck me as a bad idea; more often than not remakes don’t live up to the original. As more details were revealed I began to hope this would be the exception to the rule, as they put together a fantastic team for the production.