Shame reviews

burnbehindabrokenframe:
Shame thoughts.

Completely devastating.What an amazing movie and performance by Michael.Even if is the main topic when people talk about this movie,Brandon problem is not only sex addiction but intimacy,he can’t have a normal relationship and it’s heartbreaking to witness all his demons,the despressed and distrurbed atmosphere he lives in.

It’s amazing how he can communicate with his eyes.Michael is going to be a legend,I can tell you that.What a terrific and brave performance.I can’t remember the last time I felt this way about a character or an actor’s performance.I have to say that even if i’m not a Carey Mulligan fan,she’s great as Cece,her scenes with Michael are astonishing.

I had a hard time trying to fall sleep,cause I couldn’t stop thinking about the movie and Brandon.Again,brilliant.You’re incredible Steve McQueen.

screenfreak:
Movie Review 15

Shame: What can I say about this movie. Okay… Michael Fassbenderr was hot and I will say that yes he has a donkey dick, that while you can’t really see it when he is walking straight into camera because it is shot in shadow, when he goes to the bathroom it is hanging between his legs about 3-5 inches…not erect.

But the movie is not about his dick, it is about a man who has been so damaged by something in his past, though touch upon never revealed, that he can only have sexual encounters that are devoid of all emotion and true connection. While he is a sex addict, having sex with anyone (and I mean anyone) that will give him some kind of release, he CANNOT connect to anyone, even his sister who is as screwed up and he is.

He plays the part of a normal well adjusted person, but in his private moments when he is alone, he is broken.

It is a dark film that doesn’t end in any kind of happiness. All in all… Good, not great, rent it so you can stop it if it gets to disturbing for you.
#movie review #Shame
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salanderins:

All those in favour of a documentary about Michael Fassbender as he sees which sports he can play using his penis, say ‘aye’

realityisfarfromideal:
Shame: A One Sentence Review

It was compelling, beautiful, disturbing, cold, bleak and brilliantly acted, so f&#! you Oscars.

P.S How is it that Carey Mulligan has been overlooked for any nomination/award?!

P.P.S All I now can think of is Bach and Caravaggio…

P.P.P.S Is it really wrong of me that going through my mind in certain ‘scenes’ was the song Let’s Stay Together…as sung by Obama

P.P.P.P.S It may come as a surprise but my favourite scene, the midnight run, brilliant cinematography

P.P.P.P.P.S And the ending, well where do I start?

jessiestarkid:

So Shame finally leaked! (in English) And even though it wasn’t the best quality, it was still pretty good and didn’t take away from me enjoying the film whatsoever. Okay so here’s my review!

Wow. That was my immediate reaction after seeing this powerful film. Steve McQueen delivered a film that once again could only have been pulled off by him. He captured everything in such a realistic, gritty, dirty feeling and I was wowed by the cinematography. Okay now I have to talk about the performances. Carey Mulligan and Michael Fassbender couldn’t have been any more amazing. I’m a huge fan of the both of them but I was blown away. Carey literally spoke in an entirely different octave/tone than I’ve ever heard her speak (in either her natural british or her american accent). She was amazing. She really took her performance to a place I’ve never seen her go and she was outstanding. She definitely deserves and Oscar nomination, which unfortunately the Oscars decided to not consider these great performances. She completely hypnotizes you and you can’t take your eyes off of her the whole movie. She has really grown so much as an actress and I have nothing bad to say about her performance. It was extremely realistic, every scene and every line was so believable. I completely understood her character and it was such a heartbreaking performance to watch. Now time to talk about Michael. My god I knew he was an amazing actor but this was a whole other level. He portrayed this addiction to a point of such realism and made it so tangible. He played Brandon to such a depth and you really saw what he was going through and how hard he was trying. It really brought this addiction to a whole new light and made it really possible to understand what was going on inside of him. Every glance, every move of his hands you could feel the emotion just radiating off of him. He treated Sissy horribly and you could see every layer of his performance when he would scream or yell at her. It was so sad and it had me in tears. You could see he cared and he was really trying but how his addiction was too strong and overwhelming for him at times. I’ve never seen such amazing performances and it is such a disgrace that Michael wasn’t nominated. He not only deserved a nomination, but a win. He’s done something that I really don’t think anyone else could have pulled off. He took his performance to a level I’ve never seen before. Michael WAS Brandon. There was not once that I felt I was watching Michael Fassbender act. He became Brandon and you could see the pain and frustration of the addiction in every scene.

So you really all MUST see Shame. It left me with an extremely uneasy feeling which goes to show you how great it was. It was truly amazing. They seriously deserve all of the awards for this and I seriously have a new found respect for Carey and Michael (I didn’t think that was possible seeing as how I love them so much already). But YOU NEED TO SEE SHAME!!!!!! Best film/performances of the year by far.

alexhitchcock:
alexhitchcock Reviews: Shame

image

I will be a professional. I will be a professional. I will be a professional. I will be a professional.

Alright, now that I have that mantra in my head and Carey Mulligan’s cover of Sinatra’s “New York, New York” playing on loop, I think I can discuss Steve McQueen’s Shame. The film follows Brandon, played by Michael Fassbender, a yuppie living in New York City. Brandon is a sex addict, spending most of his free time either watching pornography, masturbating, or having intercourse with bar chicks or high class call girls. Yeah, he’s kind of messed up. When his younger sister Sissy (Carey Mulligan) arrives looking for a place to stay, he finds that his life becomes problematic and has many conflicting issues as a result.

Okay, let’s get this out of the way: the movie has lots and lots of nudity and sex in it, that’s why it was rated NC-17. You might expect me to make a joke about seeing young Magneto’s penis or reference George Clooney’s Golden Globe acceptance speech, but let’s face it, this movie is ugly. Sure, thirteen year olds might enjoy seeing topless women, but the sex presented in this movie is anything but arousing.

The point of the film is to show the real problems of being a sex addict. Brandon’s life isn’t better because of this. He has sex with lots of women who want nothing to do with him, he certainly doesn’t appear to be happy at any point in this film, and he finds that he can’t handle being able to be in a serious relationship. It’s really tragic when you look at it. This guy is completely alone, and there is just no pleasure he gets from his life. His apartment is very open and bare (ignoring his massive vinyl record collection), and he doesn’t seem to be very close to anyone.

The same can be said for Sissy. This is the ugliest I have seen Carey Mulligan, who normally is so waif-like and adorable. She’s got a lot of baggage that can be found on her arms and she is incapable of taking care of herself. Brandon can hardly stand her. Most of their scenes are about the inconvenience of the other person, how Sissy breaks into his apartment, how Sissy has sex with his boss on his bed, how Brandon can’t please himself with her around.

This film is ultimately about how Brandon and Sissy are just miserable people and there is absolutely no joy in anything they do. Even Sissy’s performance of “New York, New York” is depressing as hell, despite how beautiful it is (listen here, it’s worth it:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD-OfjOg13M&feature=player_embedded). Neither of them reach any sort of arc in this film, and there really isn’t any sort of lesson learned. It’s going to take a long time for them to get over their problems, and I have no idea how they can do that.

Despite how ugly the story and the tone of the film is, the film is nicely made. I saw Steve McQueen’s only other film Hunger last year (you can read about it in my 2011 retrospective found here:http://alexhitchcock.tumblr.com/post/15069044478) A lot of what McQueen did in Hunger can be found here in Shame. There are lots of scenes of the camera running, such as Brandon’s date with Marianne, a coworker, or the scene of Brandon jogging in the evening. I swear, they must have shut down five to eight blocks of New York to film that, and it was incredible.

Also, there is a lot of natural dialogue. Most of the time, McQueen will let the actors simply talk, say whatever they want, and put it in the movie, mostly because it feels realistic. It lets us easily look into these characters without hitting us over the head with basic character traits. A lot of the conversations were also shot with some sort of division between the audience and the person. Mostly, the camera would be positioned behind the actors, and we wouldn’t see their entire face during the scene. We could see some profile, but never them completely. I feel like this forces us to pay attention to the dialogue and the tone of the actors to be able to read them in the scene. I happen to think that’s brilliant.

Ultimately though, I think I will give Shame a 4/5. While it was a gritty look into sex addiction, it wasn’t as strong as Hunger. It had unappealing aspects, but I didn’t think there was a whole lot of substance to it. There were nice shots and direction, but the story was kind of weak in my opinion. I did enjoy the movie though, I just think Hunger was better.

Now, how to recommend this movie? Well, be over seventeen, first of all. Then, see it alone. The voyeurism is kind of neat (there were only seven people in my theater, but for a time, I was the only person there). Lastly, just accept that you will see naked men and women. If you are that uncomfortable with seeing the human body, I suggest you see something tamer. Overall, just be prepared to see a really ugly, but fascinating, movie about addiction.

carasca:

Plot (no spoiler!): ‘Shame’ is about a man (Michael Fassbender) who has two sides: On the outside he might seem as a successful middle-aged office worker who owns a chic apartment in Manhattan but on the inside his addiction to sex seems to destroy him. To crown it all, his chaotic and immature sister (Carey Mulligan) comes to visit him in New York and soon the situation which was already complicated enough now totally gets out of control.



Review: The film is very realistic and it leaves out anything which is cliché. Normal situations from our everyday life become so impressive and vivid although in the scenes there is not really much action or dialogue – I guess it was the right background music (by Harry Escott) who achieved that. The film is really unique and with his pictures and the way it has been shot, it has some esthetic even though it portrays the opposite. It’s not too long and not too short… watching it once is more than enough because otherwise the whole tension is gone – and that was one of the things I liked the most: You never know what the protagonist will do in the next moment or how he will develop. Congratulations to Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan! They were great and you believe everything they say or do. It’s nice to see actors really transforming and playing roles which are so different from the ones they had before… you can gratifyingly notice that Carey Mulligan has grown up and that she is not that cute girl from ‘An Education’ anymore and although she has just an average singing voice you can’t help but being fascinated by her performance in the film as a singer which lasted for about 5 minutes. Fassbender had really guts in this movie and it was not a coincidence that he had been nominated for a Golden Globe this year.



Conclusion: Finally a male protagonist who had the guts to show everything – otherwise it’s always only the woman who gets naked (not that in this particular movie there are no naked woman!) but it is a beginning and perhaps turning point in film history…

It is a crying shame that movies like ‘Shame’ do not get even one Oscar nomination.

8/10

xamsx:

There are so many aspects of this movie that I could praise, but it was Steve McQueen’s direction that floored me and ultimately, led to so many of the other positive elements of the film. Unnervingly assured, the camera lingers on every intimate and uncomfortable moment, with entire scenes unfurling in singular shots, through the use of incredibly framed static and tracking shots. With scenes drenched in light through huge bay windows or silhouetted by the neon lights on the streets of New York, the cinematography is beautiful, with the city becoming as much a character as anybody else in the picture.

And it is in part due to these elements, that the performances are so powerful. Whilst he may have been wrongly overlooked for an Oscar nomination, Michael Fassbender’s commanding performance is sure to generate a stir. Truly fearless, he brings incredible depth and humanity to the role of Brandon, who otherwise could have simply appeared as a hedonist in the midst of an ego crisis. Complimenting this, is Carey Mulligan as Brandon’s sister, Sissy, who’s theatrical and charming exterior proves to be a mask that she shares with her brother, albeit one that he carries in much more subtle ways.

Emotionally provocative with unwavering focus and truly naked performances, Shame is compelling, if it at times challenging viewing.

lala-land-of-laura:
Shame (contains the odd spoiler)...

So, i finally managed to watch Shame last night. These are some of the thoughts i was left feeling afterwards, you may or may not agree.

Yes Michael Fassbender’s penis is glorious, biggest ive ever seen no doubt but the film is about so much more! Dont let that fact be the only reason you watch it! PLEASE!

Fassbender played Brandon so well! You could see the inner struggle. How much he wanted to change, especially when he started dating Marianne which really made me feel almost sorry for him but at times i really didnt like him.

I really didn’t! I found myself hating him almost for the way he treated his sister Sissy. To me it was quite clear she needed him more than she would admit to him, the scene where he tells her she can stay on his couch, she went from being all loud, happy, bubbly (im assuming the Sissy that he knows her to be) to looking quite sad and withdrawn as soon as he leaves the room. As for the second to last scene when he finds her in his bathroom surrounded by blood (after he had told her she was a parasite and a burden on him) it honestly made me cry! Having been that low myself, i think it hit home. The effects actions like that can have on the people around you. It made me really connect with Sissy. Then in the hospital when he’s looking at her scars it’s so clear (to me) that he didn’t mean what he said to her and that he was lashing out because he too is struggling with his “problem”. Finding it had to cope with, more so since she moved in with him.

Hats off to them both for doing an absolutely amazing job!! They need more recognition for their abilities in portraying the characters so amazingly well rather than the fact they both have full frontal scenes!

Im starting to ramble now. So yeah, go see it! Dont let the fact you see Fassbender’s penis be the only reason though!!!

itneverfails:
Shame Film Review

When Steve McQueen directed his first feature film, Hunger in 2008, whether he realized it at the time or not, he started one of the most creative collaborations between a director and actor in years. The star of Hunger was Michael Fassbender, who unquestionably, is having a very good year. Shame (McQueen and Fassbender’s second film together) throws no punches and makes no excuses to do so. Shame is one of those movies that makes you want to run under the covers and hide. It is hard to watch and even more mesmerizing. It is a languid, beautiful and haunting film, one that crawls up under your skin and bites the hell out of you when you least expect it.

When the film starts off, we see Brandon (Fassbender) in all of his natural glory. He is naked, stripped down and broken. We watch him do his daily morning routine, which is intercut with him transfixed on scoring his next conquest with a complete stranger on the subway. Brandon is a sex addict and someone who doesn’t like himself very much. He feels nothing – his emptiness permeates every aspect of his body and yet when the film starts off, there is virtually no dialogue. There is no music. There are no common attributes of a typical film. The silence is deafening - but what moves the first part of the story along is not the silence, but the actions, reactions and brooding depth of Fassbender’s Brandon as he glides through the motions of trying to be “normal”.

On the surface, Brandon is living a normal life. He has a successful career, respect of his colleagues and friends and a beautiful apartment with an amazing NYC view. Very quickly we realize that this is all a façade and at any moment Brandon’s life and world can (and will) come crashing down on him.

The catalyst for his demise is his tortured and equally troubled sister, Sissy, (in a tour de force performance by Carey Mulligan). Sissy unexpectedly comes to stay with Brandon and then proceeds to disrupt his routine and his life with devastating effects. There is an underlying back story to these two that is never really discussed or resolved, but it is clear from their volatile interactions that something is pulling these damaged souls apart – and at the same time, that same volatility can’t keep these two away from one another.

As the story glides along, Brandon is no longer able to function the way he did before Sissy came to stay and these interruptions are bringing Brandon to his breaking point. His incessant need to watch porn or fulfill his sexual desires, the one constant relationship he has in his life, is tested. Brandon is as selfish as someone with an illness is and he is so wrapped up in his own game that he completely misses the fact that Sissy is dealing with her own demons. As the film unfolds, it is clear that something has to give and unfortunately, no one comes out ahead. Even when Brandon desperately tries to start a relationship with a co worker - he falters. He can only have sex with someone who he has no emotional attachment to, which is the saddest part of all.

I wish I could tell you that this story has a happy ending, it doesn’t. There is no optimism, no sense of redemption and no resolution. Where the film does succeed however, is in its use of storytelling - and McQueen is a master when it comes to being an instrument for storytelling. His long, unedited shots, his use of camera angles, non linear composition and the heart wrenching musical score are the strengths of this film. The other gifts are the uncompromising and incredibly bold performances by Fassbender and Mulligan. The chemistry is so thick between these two that it can be cut with a knife. Even the nudity and graphic displays of sex (and there are a lot of both) are not gratuitous. They are the central to the story - the neck that holds this film’s head up. Without the rawness and reality of sex and nudity, Brandon and Sissy’s story would be unfulfilled.

The other main character of this film is the city of New York itself. McQueen uses NYC and all of its grittiness and desperation to his full advantage. Just as Brandon walks aimlessly through the streets of New York searching for someone to release his sexual urges, New York City itself is used as a metaphor for Brandon’s broken life and despair. This is not the New York of Woody Allen. This is the New York that crushes people’s hopes and steps on their dreams.

This film is not for the weak of heart. Even so, Shame will not disappoint. It is as real as any film can be. It will make you think, make you feel, make you sad, make you want to throw something out the window and then make you question every little moment of it - just as any extraordinary film should. There is a reason why this film has been getting so much attention and most likely (and deservedly) will be up for some Academy Awards next month. I personally cannot wait for McQueen and Fassbender’s next project together. If this film and their previous one are any indication of what the future holds with these two, we can be rest assured that we are in for another glorious, heartbreaking ride.

erincandy:
My review of Shame

Shame directed by Steve McQueen Starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan

Wow, what I movie. I feel emotionally drained after watching it. Steve McQueen really has done something truly beautiful and heartbreaking.

The look inside the struggling private life of a sex addict is a dark one. Fassbender plays Brandon perfectly. He WAS Brandon. You could feel every emotion from Brandon, his pain and frustration. Cary Mulligan played a damaged Sissy heartbreakingly.

The soundtrack was amazing, in a movie with very little dialogue that’s very important. This movie is a punch in the gut. And the sex scenes you think will be sexy, everyone is talking about Michael Fassbender getting naked and doing full frontal, well they are not sexy they are sad. You can see the pain in Brandon’s face, feel the hate and disgust he feels for himself. It’s sad and emotional. The scenes are all shot beautifully, Steve McQueen is going to have an amazing career he has a fantastic eye.

One of my favorite scenes has to be when Cary Mulligan sings the slow version of New York, so much emotion in that scene. THAT is acting. She’s amazing.

The entire last half when Brandon is on his downward spiral, it’s just so raw and emotional. The ending, was perfect I think. I haven’t felt this way about a movie since I saw Gaspar Noe’s Irreversible.

I’m very angry that Michael Fassbender and Steve McQueen were nubbed by the Academy Awards this year. It’s insane. They NC-17 rating scared them away because they are a bunch of old conservatives.

Fassbender is an incredible actor. He’s one of the best actors working right now and he’s going to be huge. He has such range and emotion, he plays every character so different. He becomes every character. This is the first time in a long time i’ve actually written an entire review instead of just tweeting about it but I felt like I had to because it really got to me. I’ll be thinking about this movie for days.


Brilliant, brilliant movie. 10/10

firstclasslove:
Shame was incredible.

It was heart-wrenching and beautiful and Michael Fassbender was amazing. There are just so many powerful scenes with very little dialogue and yet he conveys so much emotion in just a look or the set of his shoulders or the twisting of his hands.

I don’t want to gush too much about it here since this is a XMFC blog, but in summary, Shame was well-worth seeing, even if my heart did ache most of the way through it.

abxvb:
ABxVB review on Shame

The many shots of Fassbender’s facial expression are a crucial element of this film speaking volumes of his internal struggle. You can tell that he is not particularly proud of his addiction but he needs to fulfill it otherwise. The director, Steve McQueen, takes you on a journey; many to be uncomfortable and unconventional, with plenty of continuous shots, a typical McQueen trait (see Hunger, also featuring Fassbender, in order to understand). There are many shots of his facial expression, so let’s hope you already appreciate his face (VB most certainly does, ever since300).

Not only is this film about his addiction, but it is also about his relationship with the people around him – his boss, his female co-worker, strangers, himself, his New York surroundings and most importantly his sister.

The highly intense scenes can be extremely hard to handle (please, no pun intended). But as former student filmmakers, we believe in the importance of mimicking reality. We appreciate raw storytelling. Facts of reality are important to come by.

Neither Fassbender or McQueen received an Oscar nomination (sad face) but this film has put them on the Hollywood radar. And that makes ABxVB very happy.

codeofmichelle:
Shame

So I saw it again, because the first time I saw it, I missed the first 20 minutes(thanks Eric), and I was completely engulfed. We dive into the world of Brandon immediately, and what we see is a sad, lonely, and depressed human being. Michael Fassbender completely lone his body and soul for this role, and needless to say, he was incredible. His vulnerability, his anguish, his despair. Such a depressing film really, especially the ending. How Fassy didn’t get an Oscar nod, is beyond me, but then, I realized, it’s not that Fassy doesn’t deserve the nomination, it’s the Oscar that doesn’t deserve him. 5/5 Stars.

P.S. Yes, Fassy has the body of a God.

kidneytheft:
Shame.

I saw Shame last night, starring Michael Fassbender.

It was amazing.

But there were a group of teenage girls sitting behind me, who were clearly there just to see his d***. So they kept laughing at all the sex scenes.

The sex scenes are the least interesting parts of the film, fyi.

donniaandjokesy:

365 Movie Challenge:

14. Shame, ★★★★★

This movie really unsettled me—obviously, given the context of the film and whatnot. I knew well what it was about (duh okay i worship michael fassbender alright), but I guess one has to actually sit down and watch it to…experience the uncomfortableness of the movie.

First things first, I know people make a lot of Fassy p**** jokes because of its constant exposure in the movie, but honestly, I didn’t see anything jokey about it after watching it. Like Michael played this role so g*&^%$# well that the thought of sex with him now depresses me. The sex in this movie is depressing okay. That s$#! didn’t turn me on at all. I just felt sad. And obviously that was the intention of the film and they did succeeded damn well with messing with my emotions.

Not even 20 minutes into the movie, and I just wanted to hug Brandon. The strain of sexual addiction on his life was just so evident and so many scenes just…killed me, my heart just ached watching it.

I don’t really…know what to properly say about this movie right now because it left me in such a depressed state…but its such a sad, beautiful film. It is in no means for everyone, but if you can just look past the obvious…just try to understand Brandon…

I don’t remember feeling this kind of emotional sadness since watching Melancholia.

Shame is such an emotionally haunting film…and that being said, the Academy are full of f#%@#&! idiots to not nominate Michael Fassbender for Best Actor Oscar and nominate Steve McQueen or Best Director. Clearly, those idiots weren’t watching the same film I did because I know I saw a f#%@#&! brilliant actor while watching that movie. I saw a f#%@#&! Oscar winner okay. And I’m just furious he wasn’t nominated. That’s just the biggest f#%@#&! snub I’ve ever f#%@#&! seen in my life.

Aside from my ranting…seriously, 5/5 for Shame. Michael Fassbender is an amazing actor, and Steve McQueen is an amazing director. They are both stunning and I can’t wait to see them work on more movies together. Every time they work together, they make something brilliant.

cigarettesandlipgloss:
Review On Shame

Just finished the movie Shame. That movie was …. A whole lot deeper than what I expected it to be … My palms were sweating, my heart was pounding … It was just … Deep

I give it 5 starts

good directing
story line
backgrounds of characters
mcfassy f#%@#&! so good
list goes on and on!!

cocojean:
Shame: Movie Review

Michael Fassbender

“Shame,” Steve McQueen’s latest work, is undoubtedly one of the best of 2011. Exploring the theme of addiction, and in this particular case, sex addiction, “Shame” gives a no holds barred look at the ongoing futility of an addict’s quest for gratification.

Michael Fassbender as Brandon is simply mesmerizing as he sucks you into his world of wanting despair.

It’s a difficult theme to get right on screen due to the nature of this specific addiction and without the film inevitably turning into a B grade porn flick but to his credit, McQueen successfully manages to demonstrate the sex scenes without either glorifying nor cutting away.

The opening sequence is stunning. Shot on a New York subway train, Brandon, a moderately successful single man, makes eye contact with a striking young woman. He appears to generate confidence, yet equally there is a look of something else in his eye - confusion, fear, loathing, a weariness. We don’t really know, but just as he almost successfully pulls in his prey, the woman, perhaps perceiving his hesitation seems to come to her senses and instinctively touches her wedding ring. She departs hurriedly as the train doors opens with Brandon right behind her, but soon merges into the underground crowd and vanishes. Brandon is crushed.

Brandon gives into his pleasure where and when he can and through any necessary means. It’s a need that must be sated. But when his sister, Sissy, (Carey Mulligan), herself a misfit of sorts, crashes into his life looking for some temporary housing solace, Brandon’s life and habitual practices are thrown off balance.

The relationship and reunion of brother and sister is tense and edgy, with an unexplored backstory given just enough weight so the viewer is aware of some previous strain that has never been dealt with between the pair.

Sissy is the catalyst to Brandon becoming aware of the uselessness of his addiction, but ultimately we are unsure if he can take the next steps to recovery and we are not provided with any resolution.

“Shame” is stimulating not only for its subject matter but for some of it’s brilliant stylistic filming. McQueen’s long tracking shot of Fassbender jogging at night through the streets of Manhattan is a beautiful uncut sequence and Carey Mulligan singing a very slow, languid version of “New York New York” from start to end is spellbinding.

A definite must see in understanding the complexities of addiction and its eventual damaging influence on everyday life.
#Movie Review

http://middletron.tumblr.com/post/16432775223/shamereview

Powerful Shame

After the publicity blaze that’s surrounded Steve McQueen’s second feature film Shame, I felt like I’d already seen the movie by the time I bought my movie ticket. I’d read the laudatory reviews, watched interviews with Michael Fassbender (Brandon) and Carey Mulligan (Sissy) and seen George Clooney’s odd Golden Globes acceptance speech (seriously George, just come out of the closet).

And the movie unfolded just as I had read – the initial, intense, silent train flirtation, seeing the Full Fassbender within the first five minutes, Brandon’s stream of meaningless sexual encounters, the night out with his try-hard boss, the arrival of ultra-needy sister Sissy, the failure to get it up when emotions became involved and the subsequent hefty night out which involved fingering a girl at a bar, getting beaten up by her boyfriend, receiving a blow job from a giant bear of a gay man and concluding in a threesome with a pair of hookers (oh the energy required….).

As the film unfolded, it felt at times completely indulgent. The said threesome seemed to go on for an interminable amount of time and Sissy’s neediness was completely unbearable when she first turned up, her emotional vulnerability shown in stark contrast to Brandon’s emotional self-control. Her seriously slow version of ‘New York New York’ also had screamings of art-house wank - beautiful for sure, but what average fast-paced city dweller would ever take time out of their martini drinking schedule to pay attention to a no-name jazz singer in the corner of a trendy bar?

The flippant way Brandon’s Irish accent was explained was also ill-thought through. Remarkable actor as he is, accents are not Michael Fassbender’s strong point and I felt the film could have done with a more plausible back story than a mere teenage move from Ireland to New York. If that was the case, surely his name would have been Brendan, as opposed to the ultra-American Brandon? Wouldn’t Sissy’s accent have suffered the same fate?

However, indulgent irks paled in comparison to the haunted feeling McQueen’s film leaves you with. Post-viewing I commented that Fassbender’s ‘sex face’ was not hot knowing I was wilfully missing the point of this shot. Of all the encounters across the film, this is the crescendo - the money shot if you will - where the pure, bleak desperation of Brandon’s compulsion comes crashing out.

Michael Fassbender’s steely intensity and Mulligan’s ultra-vulnerability are mesmerizing. We all know Fassbender to be quite the screen presence – if that first scene in Inglorious Basterds wasn’t so goddamned good, he would have stolen the entire film in the underground bar - and he doesn’t fail here. His intent but joyless seductions and sudden, furious rages at Sissy are forceful, commanding and enthralling.

But this is nothing on Carey Mulligan. After being underwhelmed by her in Drive (Like a pretty bug waiting around to get squished), her transformation here into the biggest emotional mess I’ve encountered since my boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend, is nothing short of astounding. She’s so needy and real that you want to run into the screen and shake her. Hard.

Some reviewers have commented there are no laughs throughout the film but McQueen gives occasional moments of glee – especially when Brandon sweetly admits as a kid he once peed his pants – which makes the emotional void these characters now exist in seem all the more devastating. McQueen also adroitly captures all of Brandon’s sleazy encounters without ever making them sexy. Not once is he tempted to cross the line into the romance of movie love making, in fact most of the encounters are either clinical and cold, or downright awkward.

While it’s certainly not pleasant viewing – the dramatic turn of events towards the end even goes a little too far – Shame is extremely powerful. A bleak portrait of two desperate people caught in a moral void to which there is no escape.

Posted 3 days ago
3 notes

magnetictelepath:
Shame (IMO)

I…don’t think Shame was a very good movie.

Was Fassbender a great actor in it as Brandon? Yes. As was his sister, played by Carey Mulligan

But the pacing and script, I just could not get down with. I felt that they spent far too long on moments that they did not need to (the singing of NY, NY anyone? His nighttime jog? even the threesome) I felt like I got the gist of what the director was trying to say 15 minutes before those scenes actually ended. It almost felt as if he ran out of material. I liked the scene where he ended up not being able to be with his coworker because he had dated her first. I liked the weird sexual chemistry he had with his sister and how it made the audience feel sorry for him. But all in all I felt as if the author only had a few ideas that he wanted to explore, and had too much time to explore it. The movie felt tedious at parts, and I honestly cannot imagine voluntarily watching it again. It had its good scenes but I almost wanted to cut them out and put them like…in a movie with a plot.

A lot of the surprise at the fact that the awards disliked this movie actually surprised ME, because I quite agreed with them. It is possible to have an exceptional performance in a not so exceptional movie, and that’s what Fassbender brought to the table.

wannagotothemovies:
Review: Shame (2012)

“How are you helping me? Huh? Look at me. You come in here and you’re a weight on me. Do you understand me? You’re a burden. You’re just dragging me down.”

Shame is a British/American drama film. It stars Michael Fassbender (X-Men: First Class) and Carey Mulligan (Never Let Me Go). The film is directed by Steve McQueen (Hunger).

Brandon (Michael Fassbender) is a New Yorker who shuns intimacy with women but feeds his desires with a compulsive addiction to sex. When his wayward younger sister (Carey Mulligan) moves into his apartment stirring memories of their shared painful past, Brandon’s insular life spirals out of control.

Shame is the latest film that teams up Fassbender and McQueen together again, having previously both did Hunger together. It’s a film that gained a lot of buzz and critical success from its festival trails. The film’s focus is on addiction, more specifically sex addiction.

Michael Fassbender plays Brandon. He’s a successful New York worker who has a dark secret. He’s addicted to sex. So much so we see his life spiral out of control down darker holes because of it. He doesn’t seek love or intimacy but just the raw state its in. He doesn’t control it but is a slave to it. It controls his everyday life from buying escorts at night to masturbating every morning and at work. As it stands this is Fassbender’s best performance to date. It’s extremely brave of the man as he bares all for the world to see.

Carey Mulligan plays Sissy, Brandon’s younger sister. She appears out of the blue and turns Brandon’s life upside down and the equilibrium of his world. She’s just as damaged and messed up as Brandon it would appear. They both have a close yet extremely broken relationship, it’s something we never find out about either. Mulligan equally gives us a powerful and raw performance.

Visually, Shame is shot beautifully. It’s artistically done extremely well, but thats what you get with Steve McQueen. What I think is the underrated hero among this film is the editor. The film is very graphic with its sex scenes yet it’s been handled so well and tastefully edited. You see lots of close-ups in particular on Brandon’s face. What the film doesn’t do is glorify his lifestyle which is important. It’s an addiction which is never positive. Even though Brandon seems dependent on it he always seems disgusted with himself. It as if he doesn’t really enjoy it but is just feeding the demon inside of him.

In essence Shame is a brilliant drama that tackles a different type of addiction you might normally see. It’s shot magnificently and we see fine performances from everyone. If there was any justice then Fassbender would be nominated for a few awards for his portrayal of Brandon. My only gripe was that I think it was a little too long and could of been shorter, but other than that it is a superbly raw and brave film.

★★★★☆

http://pursuitoffassiness.tumblr.com/post/16389330270/for-my-1000th-post

For my 1000th post…

I thought I’d do a review of Shame, which I saw over the weekend.

I knew “a lot” about the film going into and by that I mean I saw clips and interviews where they discussed the characters and in those interviews there were extended clips. Even with seeing all of that, the movie still shook me to my core. Few movies can do that, and for this movie to be able to do this with a topic that is not sensitive to me at all, is phenomenal.

Now onto the movie itself… for me, what I appreciated the most was the conclusions that you (the audience) have to draw. The movie draws just enough of a picture that you can get a basic idea of what is going on, but you to truly grasp the complications then you have to do some thinking or discussion afterwards. For example, the biggest question of: how/why are Brandon and Sissy (Cissy?) the way they are? I went to go see this movie with a friend and we spent about four hours discussing different theories and whatnot as to what sort of lead them there. Some people complain because Michael Fassbender’s New York accent wasn’t perfect (his Irish accent slipped in a bit) whereas Carey Mulligan’s was, but I don’t think that was an inability on his part: I think that was on purpose. In the context of their characters it makes perfect sense that Brandon would still have a piece of his Irish home (hence his accent still being there somewhat) with him whereas Sissy would abandon all of that life (perfecting an accent that is too perfect).

As well, during the sex scenes (before his spiral downward), I felt like I was watching a gruesome train wreck: I couldn’t stop watching. Even during the threesome, when they show a close up of Brandon’s face and I want reach out and try to help, but I just sit there stunned look and a knot in my stomach. You can see (and feel) his pain, and yet there is nothing you can do. For me that was painful, but I think the hardest part for me to watch was when he was with Maryann, both the date and their scene in the hotel room. You can tell he is trying, and you want him to be with her so he can get better but you just know in the back of your head it won’t work like that. And then when he asks her if he can walk her down and she just declines, you know that’s (essentially) the end of that. And then it cuts to the next scene where’s having sex with some woman, I shook my head a little bit not because I was disappointed but because I was more or so saddened that his addiction is at the point where it is consuming him to the point of (possibly) no return.

And then we have the downward spiral… I think what I appreciated most about the spiral is that it was quick, just like a spiral should be. I mean I understand that it can take time for a person to hit bottom but I feel as though since he was already so close to the bottom that fall wasn’t hard to see happening quickly.

I believe this is a type of film that can start a lot of conversations and discussions about addiction in general, but of course sex addiction specifically. What did you guys think of the movie? I would love to hear anyone’s thoughts about it.
posted 3 days ago with 6 notes

mikesgtr:
Just seen Shame

Absolutely amazing film, if you get chance to watch it do it (that is if you’re not coy about sex). I had my doubts about how far it would actually go in the first half (there were quite a few laughs in it and the whole sex addiction problem Brandon had (excellently played by Michael Fassbender by the way, can definitely see why he’s won a lot of awards for it) didn’t really make itself to be that much of a problem) but the second half more than made up for it. I won’t spoil it on here in case any of you reading this are interested in seeing it, but the closest film i can compare it to (pacing wise at least) would be Drive. A slow, unsure first half that sets the scene for the absolutely incredible second half. Go see it!
#shame #sex #AMAZING

nationalenquireronline:

We Review: Shame (2011)

Shame tells the story of a man named Brandon (played by Michael Assbender) who enjoys having sex with multiple women, (and not calling them back the next morning.)

Brandon is visited by his sister (played by Michelle Williams) but he does not have sex with her because she is his sister.

Brandon’s long horse p**** has resulted in the making of screencaps, gifs, and the act of masturbation (although it is still only available to be viewed as a low-def cock, sorry normanreedus.)

We actually don’t really know what the story is about because we’ve only skipped to the sex scenes, but it seems like a romantic comedy as it involves sex which is usually a comedic prospect in a movie.

Rating: S (sexpalooza)

chroniccinephilia:
Review-A-Day: Shame (2011)

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★★★★

Shame is one hell of a movie. And I shall get this out of the way right now: It’s a crime and a shame (hah) that Shame has been snubbed for the academy awards.

Directed by Steve McQueen (No, not that one) and starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, Shame is a film about a successful, attractive man in New York. He has a nice apartment, a good job and people like him.

Of course, there’s some sort of dark side to him, some sort of vice and bad habit, and in Shame, this would be his sexual addiction. Brandon, played by a fantastic Fassbender, moves from meaningless sexual relationship to meaningless sexual relationship. He has an ungodly amount of porn on his computer and around his house and he travels around looking for each new orgasm.

Shame follows how this horrible addiction reaches a crescendo with Brandon, and with the added addition of his world being rocked thanks for a visit from his sister, Sissy (Played by an as always talented Carey Mulligan)

The movie is brutal on Brandon, and the script written by Abi Morgan and Steve McQueen is a harsh representation of Brandon and his condition. The rise in situations add stress on Fassbender’s character and is brought to breaking point many a time. Even when he tries to reform himself, he can never truly escape who he is.

Mulligan does well in a supporting role, especially when she performs a song that is so beautifully shot and performed. She also brings a nice energy and dynamic to play off with Fassbender, as they fight and interact as brother and sister.

But of course, Fassbender is the real highlight here. He has the confidence to put all on display here, and I’m not just talking about the nudity and explicit sex scenes. The level of emotions and the *range* of emotions Fassbender can play and show across his face is phenomenal.

McQueen chooses smartly to implement close-ups on Fassbender when in these sexual encounters and you can see the pleasure, and the frustration and the pain and the sheer emotion coming out as he has sex or masturbates or something similar.

There is also the smart move to have some scenes evoke a sense of voyeurism, as if we are peeking in on people’s private business. Like in a scene where Brandon spies a couple having sex against a window, we are placed with a similar gaze upwards, like we too are voyeur. And then it is interesting to see Brandon thrust (hah) into a similar situation, and we the audience are very much put in the same way, the voyeurs, as Brandon attempts yet another successful conquest.

The story is so well written and it has a nice mirroring effect between the two halves of the movie, the direction is stellar, the camera framing is so beautiful, the editing is pitch perfect and the performances can blow you out of the water.

It is such a huge mystery why Shame did not garner the appreciation from the Academy as one would think. Because this movie is such a brilliant example of a human exploration that’s harsh, real, and on the money. No punches are pulled here, and Fassbender, McQueen and company go the whole mile.

Four stars out of four.

http://coopersconcepts.weebly.com/movie-reviews.html

"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" movie review 01/27/2012
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Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, and Thomas Horn star in this gripping drama about dealing with the loss of a loved one. Oscar (Thomas Horn) and his father (Tom Hanks) have a very special relationship. They go on many adventures and solve the puzzles of life together. When Oscar’s father dies in 9/11, he finds himself at a loss. After snooping around in his father’s closet, he stumbles upon a key and with it an impeccable journey.

This movie is extremely remarkable and incredibly worthy of every accolade imaginable. This story delves deeper into the psyche of a child who is trying to connect with his father in any way that he can. “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” is a beautifully told tale about just how hard this tragic event actually hit us as a country and as a family of Americans. In my opinion, it’s one of the best films of the year and it will go down in history as one of the best exposés of 9/11. Take the time to see this remarkable film. You won’t regret it.

4 ½ out of 5 stars. Rated PG-13

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"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" movie review 01/27/2012
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Viewed: 1-17-12

David Fincher directs this awesome retelling of the best-selling novel by Stieg Larsson. Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig star in this masterful mystery. Mikeal Blomvkist (Craig) is a journalist who has lost all credibilty and his job. Lisabeth Salander (Mara) is a 25-year-old, punk-rock hacker. Their connection? Harriet Vanger. When Mikeal is hired by the Vanger family to help solve the 37-year-old murder of Harriet, Lisbeth and Mikeal team up to solve the mystery.

This movie is so intricate and beautifully told and striking, that you can't take your eyes from it for one second. Rooney Mara's Oscar-nominated performance is wonderful for such a young, unknown actress. She brings sparks to the screen and electrifies. Daniel Craig also does a splindid job. David Fincher's directing is spot-on as usual. The score is simply amazing. I could keep going! Go see this movie. Now. Why are you still reading? Go see the movie.

4 out of 4 stars.
Rated R
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"Shame" movie review 01/27/2012
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Viewed: 1-26-12

Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan star in this grim tale of a sex addict. Fassbender plays Brandon, a distant, socially-impaired sex addict that can't get a handle on his addiction. When his sister, Sissy (Carey Mulligan) shows up on his doorstep, it's even harder still for him to hid his horrible secret. But when his addiction starts to affect more than just himself, can he see the errors of his ways?
This movie...is definitely worthy of its NC-17 rating. So, be wary of that. However, it is a gripping story of the life of a self-absorbed sex addict that delves deeper and deeper into his psyche. Fassbender's performance is exceptional for a new up-and-comer. Carey Mulligan blew this one out of the park. No doubt that this is one of the best films of 2011.

3. 5 out of 4 stars.
Rated NC-17