Shame

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(2011)

Genre: Drama

Director: Steve McQueen

Writers: Steve McQueen, Abi Morgan

Producers: Iain Canning, Peter Hampden, Tim Haslam, Lisa Jordan, Tessa Ross, Emile Sherman, Bergen Swanson, Robert Walak

Synopsis: 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. -- (Written by Fox Searchlight Pictures)

Cast:

• Michael Fassbender
• Carey Mulligan

IMDb - Shame

A Dangerous Method

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(2011)

Genre: Biography/Drama

Director: David Cronenberg

Writers: Christopher Hampton, John Kerr

Producers: Tiana Alexandra, Martin Katz, Stephan Mallmann, Richard Mansell, Marco Mehlitz, Karl Spoerri, Thomas Sterchi, Jeremy Thomas, Peter Watson, Matthias Zimmermann

Synopsis: Seduced by the challenge of an impossible case, the driven Dr. Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) takes the unbalanced yet beautiful Sabina Spielrein (Keira Knightley) as his patient in A Dangerous Method. Jung's weapon is the method of his master, the renowned Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen). Both men fall under Sabina's spell. -- (Written by Sony Pictures Classics)

Cast:

• Keira Knightley
• Michael Fassbender
• Viggo Mortensen
• Vincent Cassel

IMDb - A Dangerous Method

Prometheus (jhunterfilmreview)

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(2012)

Genre: Sci-Fi/Thriller/Adventure

Director: Ridley Scott

Writers: Jon Spaihts, Damon Lindelof

Producers: Michael Costigan, Michael Ellenberg, David Giler, Walter Hill, Mark Huffam, Teresa Kelly, Nikolas Korda, Damon Lindelof, Ridley Scott, Tony Scott

 

Nominee

Synopsis: Ridley Scott, director of Alien and Blade Runner, returns to the genre he helped define. With Prometheus, he creates a groundbreaking mythology, in which a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a thrilling journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race. -- (Written by 20th Century Fox)

Cast:

• Noomi Rapace
• Michael Fassbender
• Charlize Theron
• Guy Pearce
• Idris Elba
• Logan Marshall-Green

IMDB - Prometheus

jhunterfilmreview: Upon hearing that a new Ridley Scott sci-fi film was imminent, I immediately found it difficult to control my excitement. I am a huge fan of the Alien saga - particularly Alien, Aliens and Alien: Resurrection. Then I saw the cast, and I instantly knew this would be one of, if not the most anticipated film for me this year. After conducting a little research on this exciting new motion picture, I discovered that Prometheus was to be a sci-fi/thriller and a sort of 'quasi-prequel' to the Alien saga. Furthermore, the film was to boast an amazing cast including two of my favourite female actors; Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, Babycall), and Charlize Theron (Monster, Æon Flux, Young Adult). 

The film is set in the year 2089, where the protagonist Dr. Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and a team of scientists discover ancient cave paintings which match other artefacts from several unconnected ancient cultures. They interpret the pattern as a map and sort of invitation from humanity's forerunners, the 'Engineers'. Peter Weyland's (Guy Pearce - Memento, L.A. Confidential, The Hurt Locker) Weyland corporation funds the creation of the scientific vessel 'Prometheus', and the expedition to follow the map to distant moon LV-223. While the ship's crew travels in stasis, an android named David (Michael Fassbender - Shame, A Dangerous Method, Inglourious Basterds) monitors their voyage. Arriving in 2093, the crew are informed of their mission - to find the Engineers, but to avoid making contact without the permission of mission directer, Meredith Vickers (Charlize Theron).

Prometheus is an extremely ambitious project which I feel may have suffered from the pulling of (and often relying on) the strings of anticipation a bit too much. Not only this, but the film's main weakness is its screenplay. Written by John Spaihts and David Lindelof, it somewhat fails to develop some key characters and aspects of the narrative, leaving a lot of its big questions unanswered.

Ok so the film is not perfect…but there are SO many amazing and jaw-dropping aspects which make it a thoroughly entertaining sci-fi flick. For one, the production design and visual effects are beyond stunning. Production designer Arthur Max led the film's design crew. His team were tasked with deconstructing the art direction and visuals of Alien, and reverse-designing them for the chronologically earlier setting of Prometheus. The film was shot using 3D cameras throughout, almost entirely on practical sets, and on location in England, Iceland, Spain and Scotland. The out-of-this-world (pun intended) 1,300 digital visual effects shots are the works of a combination of different effects studios, including Moving Picture Company and Weta Digital. Prometheus also features a number of compelling performances from its cast. Particularly Michael Fassbender as the scrupulous Weyland android, David.

If I had to pick my favourite scene, it would be without a doubt the intense surgery scene featuring Rapace. The emotional intensity that she brought to what is intentionally an absurd sci-fi scenario, felt real, gritty, grounded and horrifying. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this highly ambitious and visually stunning film. Due to its occasional scripting hiccup however, I recommend it only to those who aren't opposed to a little 'Why?' in their sci-fi.

I give this film 8 stars.

X-Men: First Class

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(2011)
Genre: Action/Adventure

Director: Matthew Vaughn

Writer: Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, Jane Goldman, Matthew Vaughn, Sheldon Turner, Bryan Singer

Nominee

Synopsis: Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-MEN. (Written by Twentieth Century Fox)

Cast:

• James McAvoy
• Michael Fassbender
• Kevin Bacon
• Jennifer Lawrence
• Rose Byrne
• January Jones
• Nicholas Hoult
• Zoë Kravitz
• Oliver Platt
• Hugh Jackman
• Rebecca Romijn

 

IMDb - X-Men: First Class 

Fish Tank

 My Score:

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(2009)

Genre: Drama

Director: Andrea Arnold

Writer: Andrea Arnold

Synopsis: Mia, a foul-mouthed, stroppy fifteen-year-old, lives on an Essex estate with her tarty mother, Joanne, and precocious little sister Tyler. She has been excluded from school and is awaiting admission to a referrals unit and spends her days aimlessly. She begins an uneasy friendship with Joanne's handsome, extrovert Irish boyfriend, Connor, who encourages her one interest, dancing. What could go wrong? (Written by donminifie-1)

Cast:

• Katie Jarvis
• Michael Fassbender

IMDb - Fish Tank