Shame

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In New York, the empty thirty and something year-old Brandon (Michael Fassbender) is a sex-addicted man that works in an office. His longest relationship lasted only four months and Brandon does not have any friend. Brandon has casual sex with women that he meets in bars; has sex also with hookers; visits * sites in Internet; and collects sex magazines. However, he is unable to have sex with an acquaintance. When his also dysfunctional younger sister Sissy (Carey Mulligan) unexpectedly moves to his apartment, she has one night stand with Brandon's boss and the world of Brandon turns upside-down. "Shame" is one of the most overrated films that I have recently seen. Brandon is a man that was probably sexually abused when he was a child and is sex addicted. The plot is limited to show his empty existence shagging women and masturbating. His sister Sissy is also a dysfunctional young woman, weaker than him, that needs support from her older brother but he is unable to help her. In the end, "Shame" is a film with good performances, but with a shallow and empty story. My vote is four. Title (Brazil): "Shame"

What Director Steve McQueen and co-writer Abi Morgan achieve in the raw and powerful Shame starring breakout star of 2011 Michael Fassbender and Academy Award nominated actress Carey Mulligan is some of the most daring and provocative work seen this year. Telling the story of Brandon (Fassbender), a mid-30s successful businessman who balances his work life and his unflinching addiction to sex on a daily basis. When his free spirited and often times irresponsible sister Sissy (Mulligan) drops by unexpectedly, Brandon is faced with having his dark secret unravel in his day-to-day operations. Headlined by tour-de-force performances by Fassbender and Mulligan, Shame wraps you from moment one, never easing its unyielding grip on us and showing the darkest parts of nature in a fresh and venturesome manner. McQueen and Morgan shape their narrative in a classic storytelling procedure that entices the viewer without ever feeling forced. They build two authentic characters that surprisingly you can relate to and find solace in. This archetype could be considered one of the best written works of 2011. McQueen's direction is steady, precise, and full of originality. As stylistic as his direction is, his third act does lose its gravity leaving some thoughts to maneuver in and out. Two polarizing technical aspects of the film are Joe Walker's very impressive editing work, showcasing some of the most vulgar yet necessary scenes of the year. Also, though sadly brief, Harry Escott's massively transcendent score builds up to one of my favorite opening film sequences seen this millennium. So about the nudity you ask and that NC-17 rating? It's all necessary. It never feels forced or for the sake of showing a genital. It's all important and unique to the story. But rest assured, it does deliver some of the most graphic images seen (that's not *) on film. Fassbender and Mulligan set the screen on fire. Fassbender dedicates himself to Brandon, showing all the beauty and ugly, and bestowing upon us, one of the finest Oscar-caliber performances of the year. He doesn't allow judgment, he becomes, he doesn't allow resurgence, he inhabits. It's one of the year's best turns by a leading man. Mulligan achieves her most raw and passionate performance to date. As Sissy, she dives in, lives, and never comes up for air. What's most impressive as oppose to her other work in Nicolas Winding Refn's Drive earlier this year and her nominated work in Lone Scherfig's An Education, is Mulligan endures and persists Sissy with tenacity and bravery. I hope Oscar can recognize greatness as it walks across their screens this year because Mulligan is the truth. Shame delivers in not only the essence of indomitably but in unique semblance of a raw and illuminating piece of cinema. It likely will be one of the dark gems audiences and critics wish they embraced from 2011. Read more reviews @ The Awards Circuit (www.awardscircuit.com)

Steve McQueen made a real impact in the film world with his powerful debut Hunger. But like with musicians, there is always the risk that a director's second film will not live up to the high expectations the first effort sets. Yet McQueen has a good go with his dark exploration of human character in Shame. Brandon (Michael Fassbender) is a successful and well off man living in New York City. He is also a sex addict who constantly picks up women, hires prostitutes, views internet * daily and masturbates at any given opportunity. It affects his day to day life and he lives a lonely existence. His life is made more complex when his singer sister Sissy (Carey Mulligan), a woman with obvious problems, crashes at his place. She interferes with his life, including sleeping with his boss, David (James Badge Dale) and sets Brandon off to tackle his addiction. Brandon is depicted as a really despicable character, but he is a man struggling with an addiction. There is a number of sexual scenes throughout Shame, but there is no eroticism as Brandon explores more depraved and disgusting acts and his life spirals out of control. Shame plays as a drug addition movie, similar to Requiem for a Dream as someone struggles to give up something hazardous. Fassbender offers a powerful performance as a dark, sinister man with strong interplay with Mulligan as he becomes threatening towards her. Compare him to Mulligan, a much more brittle character, on the edge for different reason. She gives a heartbreaking performance as a woman who does not know how to do deal with problems and has a sadness in her eyes. Their scenes were enhanced by McQueen's direction, using hand held cameras to follows Fassbender and the conversations stick to one point, making you feel like you are really watching them in a voyeuristic matter. This makes the movie more tense as the tone changes in an instant. McQueen employs a grainy filter, giving Shame a dark, grim look which is perfectly fitting considering the atmosphere of the movie. The visuals have a similar feel and tone as other gritty and grim New York set films such as Taxi Driver, Midnight Cowboy and American Psycho, all of which follow the horrible underbelly of the city. He has shown that he is a great actors' director, but McQueen also had some great visuals, such as a long tracking shot of Brandon jogging and Brandon watching two people having sex in their apartment. There are many moments in the movie that have little dialogue, relying on Fassbender superb abilities as an actor, particularly key in the beginning and during a long montage of Brandon wandering alone in New York, playing like a scene in the great novel Last Exit to Brooklyn. This is a movie about Brandon's continuing descent and self-sabotage and Fassbender should hopefully gain an Oscar nomination to back up his award buzz in Europe. Shame continues McQueen's reputation as being one of the best emerging directors around, sticking to his no holds barred, brutal style which keeps a stage play quality to the presentation. Shame is tough, but worthy just for Fassbender's performance and keeps to a tradition of grim New York based film. Please visit www.playeraffinity.com

Masterpiece? Really? I had expectations after seeing the trailer and having seen Fassbender play in other movies, but boy was I disappointed! Not by the actors, even though I thought Carey Mulligan was better in other movies, Michael Fassebender is actually the only good thing I kept from the movie. Thhe story doesn't go anywhere in my opinion. McQueen only gives glimpses of few things that are abandoned right away like his relationship to his colleague, his family past, his sister (wasn't it the center point of the movie, to have a situation where she disturbs everything? she's not present enough for me). I would have preferred to have shorter or fewer sex scenes (all the sex showed does not serve the story that much after a while we've seen it all!) and more deeper views on Brandon's relationships. I don't mind to see a dark movie (actually I usually appreciate it), or a slow movie where it's more about contemplating, getting close to the characters to feel what it's about. But "Shame" didn't get me at all, I was just glad when it was over, a bit mad to have paid a ticket, and very disappointed.

If you want to know how filmmaker Steve McQueen feels about his protagonist, look no further than the title of this film. Michael Fassbender gives an interesting, strong performance as a sexual addict. He has an equally damaged sister, played by Carey Mulligan. And that is the extent of what you learn about the principals in "Shame." And while anti-heroes can make intriguing leads, there needs to be some character development to make you want to watch these people for two hours. What's shocking about the climax of "Shame" isn't the characters actions, but the fact that as audience members we've long since given up caring about them. Director McQueen uses virtually no dialogue, instead relying on visuals and sound. So despite the subject matter, abundant nudity, occasional violence, it's all very clinical and detached. Viewers are to make their own minds up about the characters and if, in the end, Fassbender is starting to make a recovery. However, the film is shot is such a dystopian fashion, it's pretty clear how the filmmakers feel about him. Perhaps if the film was a documentary this lack of empathy and detachment would be powerful. However, as a pretense to be serious drama this film is like a bad hook-up, leaving you wondering why you wasted your time.

This was not an easy film to watch and even less easy to reflect on. However, I thought it was a great film. Original and brave. The acting was totally convincing and the theme important and challenging. The repeated reminders of the hypocrisy of our society regarding sex and violence were clever and uncomfortable. I was very disappointed, but not surprised, that this film received no recognition at the awards ceremony. Normally, "sex, sells" is written on the heart of all promoters. But not in this case, as it is not at all titillating. A genuinely adult film (not the usual meaning). Fine performances from Michael Fassbinder and Carry Mulligan.