Best of lists: Hunger

http://www.soundonsight.org/20-best-prison-films-part-1-of-2/

20 Best Prison Films (Part 2 of 2)

Posted by Ricky on Apr 27th, 2010

10- Bronson (2008)
9- Un Prophète (2009)
8- Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky (1991)
7- Le Trou (1960)
6- Rescue Dawn (2006)
5- The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
4- Hunger (2008)

Directed by Steve McQueen

Genre: Bio-pic

Renowned English video artist Steve McQueen’s feature film debut Hunger, is an alternately harrowing and poetic take on the fatal 1982 hunger strike of Irish Republican Army prisoner Bobby Sands. There are long stretches without dialogue in McQueen’s visually stunning wide-screen movie where the camera is always-in-motion. However the best scene in Hunger comes when McQueen sets aside his artistic eye for a 20-minute long steady take turning it into a two-person character piece. Michael Fassbender’s physical commitment to the role is frightening and outdoes even Christian Bale in The Machinist (in terms of weight loss) and ultimately Hunger is a cinematic punch to the gut. Haunting, brutal, heartbreaking, poignant, and captivating.

Listen to our review from podcast #79
3- The Grand Illusion (1937)
2- Brute Force (1947)
1- Cool Hand Luke (1967)