CB - Early on in Shame, the bracing and uncompromising new film from British auteur Steve McQueen, Carey Mulligan's troubled character Sissy sings the world's slowest rendition of Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York." She's impeccably dressed, singing as part of a gig at the exclusive Boom Boom Room high above the flashy Meatpacking District in Manhattan, and her older brother Brandon (Michael Fassbender) has come to see her perform for the first time in what seems to be a long while. She's a beautiful woman perched at the top of the greatest city in the world, and yet by the end of her dirge-like performance of the iconic song, it's clear she's miserable, completely annihilated by the ambition that Sinatra's song so ebulliently describes.
"We are currently in an odd film awards season where three of the biggest powerhouse talents of the year (any of which would have deserved a win in their category) didn’t even garner a measly nomination. We’re talking, of course, about Ben Affleck for Best Director, Leonardo DiCaprio for Best Supporting Actor, Quentin Tarantino for Best Director. And that’s not even mentioning the absences of Kathryn Bigelow, Tom Hooper and freak’n Christopher Nolan. Why??? We shout to the heavens in vain. How in the world does the director of “Beasts of the Southern Wild” nab a nomination instead? What were the voters snorting when they ignored Leonardo DiCaprio (AGAIN, no less!) for what should have been as much of a slam dunk win as Anne Hathaway’s for Best Supporting Actress? Especially considering this is DiCaprio’s best “performance” to date?? This wasn’t that hard, Academy. This wasn’t as stellar of a year as, say, 1939 or 2004. No, this should have been pretty simple.
This year offers ple...
Jeremy of We Got This Covered wrote, "Michael Fassbender stars in Steve McQueen‘s NC-17 rated drama Shame, a story about a man and his addiction to sex. It’s not the easiest film to sit through, but it’s definitely worth it in the end. Shame is Michael Fassbender‘s most enduring performance yet and he couldn’t have done it without Steve McQueen‘s raw and revealing directing. Shame is relentless and cold, but it’s a commanding film that shows you that not everyone wants to see a mindless action flick; some people are willing to emotionally invest themselves into flawed, but real characters, with dark pasts and not so bright futures."
Sticky Trigger Entertainment writes; "All in all, I am finding it very hard to fault Shame. The performances all round are nigh on perfect, particularly for the unforgettable Carey Mulligan who could have benefited from a little longer on screen. But the film seems to excel in every department, from the unspoken depth of the characters to the stunning direction and performances. Shame is a celebration of everything right in drama."
