Shame (2011)

Directed by Steve McQueen
Written by Steve McQueen, Abi Morgan
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan
Music by: Harry Escott
Language: English

Rating: 4/5

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Listing this movie in this blog might look like a mistake, as Shame, a 2011 British drama directed by Steve McQueen and starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan, has nothing to do with BDSM. Still, I thought it was important to include this movie as well: Shame is in fact a "must watch" movie for everyone who is interested in investigating sexuality, human mind or both and in the age of Tinder, which has completely changed the way we interact with each other, this movie tells something to us all.

The whole movie is about sexual addiction and its effects on the private life and the affective sphere. And here is the first interesting aspect: a man is the protagonist of the story. This obliges the spectator to see things from a different perspective, far from the stereotypes of female hypersexuality, which - for obvious reasons, I would say - use to be the preferred one whenever film-makers try to investigate the world of sexual addiction (just think of Lars von Trier's Nymphomaniac, for example). 

Shame is then a lustful, elegant movie about satyriasis where the main role is well tailored to its occupant, Michael Fassbender, who previously worked with McQueen in Hunger - the "couple" seems to work well together.

A second interesting aspect: unlike Nymphomaniac, which I promise to comment one day on this blog, Shame is not simply the mere sequence of explicit scenes reflecting the protagonist's sexual addiction. Shame - as the title suggests - focuses on the psychological impact of sexual addiction and actually shows how it affects the protagonist's life. At work, with family (Carey Mulligan is here the main character's sister: together they represent a good example of dysfunctional family), in intimate relationships (Brandon, the protagonist, is unable to maintain his erection when emotions and affection are involved; can only satisfy his needs if having detached rough sex with occasional sexual partners). 

Kinky spectators will probably find the movie boring, as it does not display that much in the end - just some encounters with sex workers, a threesome and an occasional gay experience - but the underlying, constant sexual tension together with some stylish scenes could keep you aroused most of the time. Not a masterpiece, but definitely worth watching.

Irréversible (2002)

Directed by Gaspar Noé
Written by Gaspar Noé
Starring: Monica Bellucci, Vincent Cassel, Albert Dupontel
Music by: Thomas Bangalter
Language: French

Rating: 4/5

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Irréversible is probably one of the bravest and most original French movies of the past 15 years but unfortunately it is destined to be remembered for the controversial rape-scene, not for its unquestionable merits. The movie can boast of an excellent cast (Bellucci-Cassel - at that time still married), an interesting soundtrack (Thomas Bangalter is one half of the internationally acclaimed Daft Punk) and an experimental structure (something here reminds both the early Christopher Nolan and David Fincher).

Irréversible follows Marcus (Vincent Cassel) and Pierre (Albert Dupontel) as they try to find the one who raped and brutally beaten into unconsciousness Marcus’ girlfriend, Alex (Monica Bellucci). 

The movie is divided into thirteen scenes presented in a reverse chronological order. This is probably the the best and worst aspect of the whole movie. In fact this non-linear narrative introduces some original elements but at the same time makes impossible to create a sort of climax, with the result that the most intense scenes - the one at the gay BDSM club and the rape - are displayed at the very beginning and in the middle of the movie, respectively. As the end of the movie approaches, Irréversible gets boring and loses tension, this is the reason why it is not possible to rate it 5/5.

For the two scenes mentioned above the movie has been labeled as "unwatchable" but it should definitely meet the taste of many BDSM lovers (at least those who are not easily impressed). For example, the scene in the gay BDSM club is epic: here everything looks confused and claustrophobic, the twirling camera movements accidentally show men having rough sex, involved in sadomasochistic practices or even self-fisting; the controversial rape scene is on the other hand somewhat "chaste" - the camera lies in front of the two actors but there is nothing explicit in it, the act itself and the violence after the rape make the scene brutal. Paradoxically, it was enough to capture all the attention of the critics on that part only. Underrated.