Oh The Shame!

Shame
2011
Directed by Steve McQueen
Full production details on imdb

minigraph:

a subtle and understated tale of modern isolation and need. beautifully atmospheric tragedy with perfect, sorrowful score.

McQueen's second feature as writer director is an intense and atmospheric tale of isolation. An adult tale in more than one sense it is a window into a rare intersection of the lives of estranged brother and sister Brandon (Michael Fassbender) and Sissy (Carey Mulligan). Both lost and alone, their lives teeter on the edge of sanity, both with needs and cravings, struggling to maintain normal human relations.

Black Swan

It is easy to be snobby about Darren Aronofsky's recent mainstream offering Black Swan. Particularly in comparison to his earlier works - it doesn't have the edginess of π or the daring desparation of Requiem for a Dream. It's about ballet dancers. Competitive, bulemic girls. Creepy coreographers. Stereotpyes, or at least exaggerations, for which it has rightly received criticsm from the dance community.


The dance communtiy has also praised it. It was possible such a film could alienate the very world it attempts to portray, and there was some scepticism at the casting of an actress to play the role of a ballerina. Keen to allay any fears, the production saw Natalie Portman spend half a year training as a dancer, and she received praise for her performance, both as an actor and as a dancer. The supporting cast were less than impressive when it came to dancing, but Black Swan is a film, not a ballet, and acting is the skill required. Dancing is secondary. If you want fantastic dancing, go and see Swan Lake.

"It's a sign of a good film when you can't wait for it to end..."

Originally said in sarcasm, the title of this post rings painfully true with one of the three shorts I saw at this month's Duke Mitchell.