It’s the weekend again, and that means Film Focus. Here’s Mike Laidman with what’s new in local theaters.




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As we creep deeper and deeper into autumn, the cold is really starting to sink its way in. The movies this week, too, bring some deeper, darker, subjects to light.

This week we welcome the gruesome horror/thriller Saw back to its fall time slot, as well as Once, a musical romance that looks, at first blush, painfully obvious, but is much deeper than it lets on.

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Mike Laidman

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

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Jigsaw (2017, Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig)
New murders point to the killer Jigsaw having returned.

It was recently Halloween, and a decade ago, for about 5 years, was the time of Saw. The series took a break after quality took a hit, but now, after 10 years, it’s back.

It was already 13 years ago on Halloween weekend that Saw introduced the world to a new face of horror. After a series of murders bearing all the markings of the Jigsaw killer, law enforcement find themselves chasing the ghost of a man dead for over a decade and embroiled in a new game that's only just begun. Is John Kramer back from the dead to remind the world to be grateful for the gift of life? Or is this a trap set by a killer with designs of their own?

The Saw movies have usually relied on twisted, sick torture for their scares, which means, if you’re prepared, they really aren’t that scary at all - just grossly disturbing. The same holds true here, although there is a lot more daylight and better camerawork here.

In terms of story, this is very much a franchise film in that the reason it’s getting a reboot isn’t necessarily because it was more to say, moreso that it just wants to say more.

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Once (2007, John Carney)
A busker, an immigrant, and their week in Dublin.

The rise of the modern-day musical seems to be a real thing, what with La La Land debuting earlier this year to very positive reviews. But just when did this start happening? Well, opening 10 years ago this year, Once looks like a good place to start.

Set on the streets of Dublin and featuring Glen Hansard and his Irish band The Frames, this is the story of a street musician and a Czech immigrant during an eventful week as they write, rehearse and record songs that reveal their unique love story.

There’s a lot of good to be said about this movie. First, it’s an all-around feel-good film. It doesn’t shout what only needs to be said and leaves a lot of the meaning between the notes.

But perhaps the greatest good that can be said about Once is that it’s natural. It never pushes things at its audience or at its characters. The rises and falls, highs and lows, are all as genuine as anything that you’d find off the silver screen.