Far From the Madding Crowd

Thomas Vinterberg, 2015

IMDB

3/5

Madding Crowd can be simply described as a love story, but it's a story that doesn't really have simple love. It gets complicated. Based on the Victorian novel written by Thomas Hardy, it's a story that is centered around young heiress Bathsheba Everdene (Carey Mulligan). Bathsheba is surprised to find herself the recipient of a large inheritance part of which is a large farm plantation.

Carrie Mulligan is a pretty good fit for the role, possessing that adorable Carey Mulligan-like charm coupled with a confident seriousness that she has shown in Drive and Steve McQueen's under-rated Shame. Bathsheba is a independent character by nature, quick to break tradition as shown early on when she admits that she's resistant to become another man's "property" and eager to get her hands dirty on her farm. While she is on the receiving end of good fortune, the men that surround her are victims of misfortune. Shepherd Gabriel Oak (Matthias Schoenaerts) loses his entire flock in heartbreaking fashion early in the story. Neighbor and fellow wealthy person William Boldwood (Michael Sheen) has become lonely to the point of desperation in his life. He's been able to accumulate large wealth while poor in his pursuit of lasting romance. Sergeant Francis Troy (Tom Sturridge) is still licking his wounds over a wedding disaster.

Vinterberg is skillful in creating a compelling adaptation of the classic novel. Mulligan is engaging in the lead but still leaves the question hanging of whether or not she is the type of actress really fit for leading roles, or better in more secondary supporting ones. The film gives you a lot of the beautiful English countryside to gaze at. Vinterberg, as he also shows us in the still under-rated and exceptional The Hunt the he loves to shoot scenes in churches. It's interesting, there are subtle similarities in style in Madding and The Hunt, even though they are completely different types of stories. Madding Crowd is a hearty film and builds up to an emotionally tense climax that will certainly leave you reflecting on the events that occurred. 

Shame

Steve McQueen, 2011


3/5

          Brandon (Michael Fassbender) is a man living in New York in his mid-thirties. During the day he has a sleek office job. At night he scours the darker side of New York looking to feed his sex addiction. His all-consuming proclivity spills into every facet of his life. His steady routine becomes disjointed when his unstable sister shows up, unannounced and uninvited, to his small apartment to crash on the couch to try and get over a recent breakup.
          It's probably the most courageous role seen from Fassbender, who figuratively and literally exposes himself quite a bit in the film. His character Brandon is heavily flawed, but effectively draws sympathy as you see there is nothing fun about his disease and that its a ever-going struggle. Brandon is vulnerable, presumably dealing with issues that go back to his childhood. The tension between the two siblings is so evident you could cut it with a knife. Sissy (Carey Mulligan), Brandon's sister, clearly has issues of her own but doesn't have the domestic comforts that Brandon can escape to. Instead, her escape is to run to him but it's not well-received. You get the feeling that Brandon is not able to associate any interpersonal relationship with anything other than a lack of a control of his sexual impulses - therefore, he keeps his distance when it comes to anything else.
          McQueen has a seemingly mature and experienced approach to his film-making. Even though the film is very bleak and disturbing at times, it's very nice looking. McQueen relies on a lot of beautifully glowy night-lit shots of New York juxtaposed with the not-so-nice features. Some gorgeous modern-decor martini bars but contrasted with cold fluorescent lit steel subway cars. The day-time scenes are very deliberately overcast. This is not a film where you will see blue skies and sunshine, people holding hands while joyfully singing in the middle of Times Square.