MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack)

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) 6 days ago 5/5 ...a funny yet poignant look at the death of a parent and the hometown you have a complicated relationship with. Go to Full Review Trash Mountain (2026) 100% - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) 6 days ago 5/5 There is a lot of trauma explored in How We Stand, but it doesn’t stay in the trauma, instead, showing how these women experience it and, to whatever degree they are able, overcome it. Go to Full Review How We Stand (2026) - - - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Oct 19, 2026 4.5/5 Wicker is a horny movie, yes, but this is also a deeply romantic movie about trust, autonomy, and finding a relationship that works for you. Go to Full Review Wicker (2026) 94% - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Sep 26, 2026 4/5 The Surgeon is a fun thriller that asks, what if doctors were willing to do some harm? Go to Full Review The Surgeon (2026) 100% - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Sep 26, 2026 4/5 The film follows a straightforward biopic structure, but Andrew Scott’s performance is so electric that it elevates this film into something far more impressive. Go to Full Review Elsinore (2026) 88% - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Sep 26, 2026 2.5/5 ...while beautifully shot and well acted, the film felt like it simply replayed two beats over and over for its nearly 2-hour runtime. Go to Full Review A Long Winter (2026) 78% - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Sep 20, 2026 3/5 I appreciate that the film examines the question of having children, but it feels tone-deaf in a season when people without the wealth on display in the movie have limited or no access to the choice to remain childless. Go to Full Review Babies (2026) 88% - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Sep 20, 2026 3.5/5 There aren’t many unique beats in Smudge the Blades, but it is nevertheless a sweet film with a solid cast, making it worth your time. Go to Full Review Smudge the Blades (2026) - - - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Sep 20, 2026 2/5 I’m always in favor of a big swing movie, but Stuffed ultimately feels as lifeless as the animals in Araminta’s house. Go to Full Review Stuffed (2026) 72% - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Sep 15, 2026 5/5 If abled people are inspired by Being Heumann, let’s make sure that it inspires us to find ways to protect the dignity of the disabled among us, not just because it could be us, but because it’s the right thing to do. Go to Full Review Being Heumann (2026) 86% - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Sep 14, 2026 3.5/5 This is a bizarre, funny, confusing, uplifting movie, and it is held together by the Maras. Go to Full Review Bucking Fastard (2026) 69% - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Sep 14, 2026 4/5 Coward is...a beautifully sensual film, filled with longing. Go to Full Review Coward (2026) 95% - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Sep 14, 2026 2/5 The performances felt very try-hard, and the dialogue sloppily written. It reminded me of any straight-to-streaming true-crime story, just with bigger names attached. Go to Full Review Evil Genius (2026) 58% - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Sep 12, 2026 5/5 The film seamlessly blends a classic 70s thriller with modern sensibilities...creating a movie that will work for a broad audience as well as someone who might bandy about the phrase cinephile. Go to Full Review The Only Living Pickpocket in New York (2026) 97% - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Aug 29, 2026 3.5/5 The film gets lost in the weeds a bit in the back half, but an exceptional first act and a phenomenal voice performance by Keegan-Michael Key make this a fun and unsettling movie. Go to Full Review Buddy (2026) 88% - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Aug 18, 2026 4/5 This earnest film is a beautiful testimony to the power of gratitude, particularly in the midst of deep pain. Go to Full Review Paper Flowers (2024) - - - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Aug 4, 2026 3.5/5 While the Spider-Man villain in this film feels somewhat lacking, the movie shines when it focuses on Peter’s closest enemy: loneliness. Go to Full Review Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) 90% - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Aug 3, 2026 4/5 Although the premise is a little bit convoluted, by taking these (trans panic) talking points at face value, it is able to show their absurdity, while also presenting a truly beautiful coming out story. Go to Full Review She's the He (2025) 100% - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Jul 29, 2026 3/5 While it’s true that there isn’t much that is unique about Splash City, the film boasts gripping performances that allow this crime thriller to rise above its sometimes lacking script. Go to Full Review Splash City (2026) 91% - -

Alise Chaffins MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack) Jul 28, 2026 5/5 The Odyssey is both an exceptional feat of filmmaking and storytelling, taking an ancient tale and making it a warning to modern audiences about the arrogance of assuming that danger only exists outside what you already know. Go to Full Review The Odyssey (2026) 94% - -