It’s the weekend again, and that means Film Focus. Here’s Mike Laidman with what’s new in local theaters.
This weekend will be nothing like the last. A new weekend, two new movies, two new experiences, and a whole lot of fun, terror, suspense, and disgust.

Yes, today we will be introducing a new feature from the creators of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, and then following that up with a film that has been reeling in all kinds of awards and garnering all kinds of attention for its original take on some disturbing subject matter - something of which all humans have had nightmares.

We start with Our Kind of Traitor, and then move on to Raw.

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Mike Laidman

Welcome to another edition of Film Focus. I’m Mike Laidman.

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Our Kind of Traitor (2017, Susanna White)
A couple is caught between the Mafia and the Secret Service.

Boasting the acting talents of Stellan Skarsgard and Ewan McGregor, Our Kind of Traitor follows an ordinary English couple, Perry and Gail, on holiday, as they befriend a flamboyant and charismatic Russian, Dima, who unbeknownst to them is a kingpin money launderer for the Russian mafia.

When Dima asks for their help to deliver classified information to the British Secret Services, Perry and Gail get caught in a dangerous world of international espionage and dirty politics. The couple is propelled on a perilous journey through Paris and Bern, a safe house in the French Alps, to the murky corners of the City of London and an alliance with the British Government via a ruthless and determined MI6 agent.

This isn’t a James Bond or Mission Impossible-style flick, though. The movie relies upon its solid writing and top-notch acting to deliver its suspense - something it does in droves.


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Raw (2017, Julia Ducournau)
A young vegetarian undergoes a carnivorous hazing at school.

Everyone in Justine's family is a vet. And a vegetarian. At sixteen she's a brilliant student starting out at veterinary school where she experiences a decadent, merciless and dangerously seductive world. Desperate to fit in, she strays from her family principles and eats raw meat for the first time. Justine will soon face the terrible and unexpected consequences as her true self begins to emerge.

While it does feature lurid violence and sexuality, it’s all anchored in an immersive atmosphere. The deep symbolism lingers long after the provocative visuals have faded.

If you can see past the rain of blood, Raw is a gorgeously moving film about fear and adolescence. It’s a smart, funny, and extremely dark shocker film, but don’t let that scare you off. Better yet, go see it with a vegetarian friend and see what happens…