In 1841 a violinist and free man (Chiwetel Ejiofor) from Saratoga, New York, with a wife and two young children at home, was lured to our nation's capital under the guise of good paying work where he was kidnapped, sold up the river, and endured the titular hell on a New Orleans plantation until his deliverance. Based on a purportedly true memoir by Solomon Northrup, which was released just after Uncle Tom's Cabin and helped to inflame the slavery debate in the years leading up to the Civil War, 12 Years a Slave is an unflinching account of America's original sin by director Steve McQueen. I walked out of the theater with ambivalent feelings about the film, one being roundly heralded as "the definitive movie on the institution of slavery." First, following Shame we again have an unflagging excoriation of American society by a troupe of Brits. Secondly, even though 12 Years is impeccably crafted and beautifully acted by Ejiofor (it is so nice to see this long time supporter get a leading role he deserves) I'm not sure what it's function is: The movie is too brutal and visceral to be an entertainment. It is not educational, these lessons are familiar to anyone with some semblance of education. Lastly, it doesn't even work as some kind of cathartic experience. I found myself being kept at a distance from the material, as I anticipated the next act of violent cruelty, and couldn't even share in the emotional rewards it should have offered. There are also some lesser quibbles too, such as the arcane dialogue which the cast occasionally struggles with and a celebrity supporting cast which, even when the performances are good (Paul Giamatti, Benedict Cumberbatch), also serves to take you out of the movie. In the end I think we have to ask ourselves if this horrific reminder to times not so long ago actually tells us anything new about our past or present or is this really just a liberal guilt trip?

Brandon is a successful New Yorker, who has a good job, owns a posh apartment, and is viable to women. He is also a sex addict whose compulsory habits dominate every aspect of his life and prevent him from sharing intimate relationships. When his sister, an outgoing and unstable counter, comes to stay with him, Brandon's life begins to spiral out of control as his addiction become more drastically manifested and his sister's cries for help go unanswered. "Shame" reunites director Steve McQueen and Michael Fassbender from their whirlwind film "Hunger" and again features a brave and bravura lead performance. Fassbender manages to capture the pain and suffering of his "affliction" and bring sympathy to a largely despicable character. Carey Mulligan is excellent as well as his sister who provides a catalyst for his embarassment, anger, and past sufferings. With this his second feature, McQueen again directs with unabashed ferocity and the opening and closing segments are unquestionable cinematic achievements. My only complaint here is that it doesn't feel like an authentic portrait of an American lifestyle, but rather an outsider's take. Regardless, "Shame" is a piece of stellar filmmaking and courageous acting that is a punch to the teeth of tepid and prudish American studios.

In 1981, the British government is refusing to recognize the Irish Republican Army as a political organization and in response to this IRA inmates at the Maze prison in Belfast are staging a protest wherein they are refusing to wear prison clothes and bathe. As conditions worsen and the protests appears fruitless, prison leader Bobby Sands embarks on a hunger strike, heedless of his own life or the lives of his men. "Hunger" is the film debut of British artist Steve McQueen and it is a brutal exercise in pure simple, approaching each scene with a basic ferocity. The film stars the compelling young actor Michael Fassbender who has been so extraordinary in many recent films, and you can add one to the list as he portrays Sands as a stalwart and righteous soldier. The film is full of many unforgettable sequences including one where the British police are called in to quell the rioting inmates and begin to pound on their shields sounding some sort of war cry, or Sands' hunger strike which is shown in gruesome silent detail. Another remarkable sequence occurs near the film's midpoint where for approximately 15-20 minutes and with only 4-5 shots, a priest attempts to talk him out of his suicidal mission. "Hunger" is a film made by a man with confidence in his abilities, his lead actor, and his story. It is a remarkable piece of filmmaking.