twelve years a slave – Smaller Pictures

One of the most revolutionary film directors to emerge this century so far is Steve McQueen. A Turner Prize winning artist who has turned his attention to feature films, McQueen’s realistic and fearless approach to exploring serious topics such as domestic abuse and slavery as well as taboo subjects such as sex addiction. When it comes to mcQueen, nothing is off limits and he isn’t afraid to expose the realities of the film’s subjects. He is also the first black filmmaker to win the Acaemy Award for Best Picture for 12 Years a Slave. I also think he should have been rewarded the Best Director Oscar as well although Alfonso Cuarón did a great job with Gravity.

Given the current landscape, I think it is now more important than ever to highlight the talent and calibre that people of colour bring to the film industry. The film industry is so important when it comes to representation and sadly, it just isn’t where it should be. Film is a fantastic medium to express personal stories, provide escapism and bring relevant topics and subjects to the forefront as point of discussion. I thought it best to take a look into McQueen’s amazing filmography and do a ranking of his films. There are only four films but each one is a standout in their own right so as usual, it will prove to be a challenge.

Here are my mini reviews for each McQueen film follows by the ranking:

Hunger (2008)
McQueen’s feature debut stars Michael Fassbender as IRA protestor, Bobby Sands, who takes part in a hunger and no-wash strike. This is a fantastic debut for McQueen and deservedly won him a BAFTA for Special Achievement by a British Director, Writer or Producer for their First Feature Film. We watch as Sands figuratively and literally begins to fade away as he becomes the symbol for the strike. McQueen doesn’t hide the dirtiness and the discomfort in watching Sands lose the majority of his weight to the point where he can’t function. Technically, the film appears simple but it is comprised of many brilliant shots, one in particular being a 17 minute non-stop conversation between Sands and Father Moran (Liam Cunningham). By bringing a minimalist and realistic angle to the film, it actually exemplifies the horrors of the strike. Hunger put both McQueen and Fassbender on the map and it made way for the former’s unapologetic point of view approach to filmmaking.

Shame (2011)
For his second feature, McQueen reunites with Fassbender who plays Brandon Sulliven, a business executive who has an addiction to sex. Much like Hunger, McQueen does not flinch away from the realities that sex addiction has. There is nudity, both male and female, in abundance as well as underlying issues of family conflict and self-harm. This is not a film to be watched lightly as it is even more uncomfortable than its predecessor but it talks about a topic that people consider taboo. It also explores classism and the idea of the untouchable rich white male. During his usual work day, Brandon religiously watched pornography on his computer and when this is discovered, it is automatically assumed that his intern is the one who has been downloading and watching it. The idea that someone like Brandon couldn’t be associated with sex addiction is an idea that McQueen rejects in Shame. Brandon surrounds himself with sex to avoid the fact that he is lonely and unfulfilled.

12 Years a Slave (2013)
The film that propelled McQueen to the major awards circuit, 12 Years a Slave is possibly the most explicit and “real” feature film about slavery in mainstream cinema. Based on the memoir of the name same by Solomon Northup, a New-york born black man who was kidnapped and sold as a slave in Louisiana. Northup is played by Chiwetel Ejiofor with Lupita Nyongo’o as fellow slave Patsey and Fassbender in his third McQueen film as slave owner Edwin Epps. It’s a star-studded cast but what McQueen does so well is focus so much on the characters and their development that the audience forgets which actors they are watching and it becomes almost documentary like. McQueen does not hold back on the brutality that the slaves face and it goes beyond daily beatings as we see Epps rape Patsey and Epps’ wife feel resentment for Patsey rather than her husband. It’s a film that demands conversation and McQueen refuses to allow the film to be whitewashed or edited to appeal to white audiences in the way that films such as Song of the South does.

Widows (2018)
The latest feature film released by McQueen is an amazing tour de force starring Viola Davis as Veronica, a woman recently widowed after her bank robber husband, Harry (Liam Neeson) and his cohorts are killed when their car blows up. Veronica along with the other widows of the men who died must work together to get some money that is owed to a crime boss. The team comprises of Veronica, Linda (Michelle Rodriguez), Alice (Elizabeth Debicki) and Belle (Cynthia Erivo) and it’s so empowering watching such a huge film led by women and more importantly such a diverse cast of women. Anyone who claims that women cannot lead a film because it doesn’t bring in money is mistaken as the film was a critical and commercial success. What makes the film so engaging is how well-rounded each of the women are. We get a grip of their backgrounds in a few scenes and yet the audience understands their story and motivations to get the money. Even when Belle, who wasn’t one of the original widows is brought into the plot, is introduced, her backstory as both a beautician and babysitter is made clear highlighting her struggling financial position.

Although it is not the longest filmography, McQueen has proven why he is one of the most exciting filmmakers working today. I have included discussions of each of the films above when talking about Michael Fassbender and Viola Davis’ best roles which you can read here and here, respectively. I think that only demonstrates McQueen’s talent as director that he is able to create career-best films for his stars. His ability to create characters that are well-rounded is flawless and he has only demonstrated improvement as we go from a single standout performance in Hunger to four equally developed characters in Widows where he allows women to take the lead.

Here is my ranking of McQueen’s film:

1) 12 Years a Slave (2013)

2) Widows (2018)

3) Hunger (2008)

4) Shame (2011)

Do you agree with my ranking? Which McQueen film is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below!

One of the best actors working today without a doubt is Michael Fassbender. Born in Germany and raised in Ireland, Fassbender’s career has gone strength to strength showcasing his range from small-budget indies to massive blockbuster franchises. Garnering critical and commercial acclaim winning a slew of awards including the Venice Film Festival’s Volpi Cup for Best Actor (for Shame) as well as two Academy Award nominations for Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (for Steve Jobs and 12 Years a Slave, respectively). Fassbender never fails to push the bar and standout in whatever film he is. He has worked with a variety of huge directors such as Steve McQueen, Quentin Tarantino, Ridley Scott and Danny Boyle to name a few and is currently working on Taika Waititi’s new film Next Goal Wins.

There are so many performances that I could list but I managed to compile a list of my top favourite performances which I think are the best of the best. Hopefully if anything, this list will demonstrate the range that Fassbender displays from an Irish activist on a hunger strike to an English soldier in World War II to an American billionaire. He has really established himself as one of the most exciting method actors working in Hollywood today.

Without further ado, here are my top 5 Michael Fassbender performances in chronological order:

Hunger (2008)

The role that catapulted Fassbender to the A List is not one to be overlooked. The first collaboration between Fassbender and Steve McQueen already shows the fearlessness that they both have in their filmmaking and the roles that Fassbender chooses to take on. Fassbender plays IRA member Bobby Sands who takes part in a hunger strike for 66 days and also participates in a no-wash strike. The film also marks McQueen’s feature debut and won him the Camera d’Or at Cannes Film Festival. McQueen’s minimalist direction combined with a character driven script includes an incredible 17 minute shot in which Bobby is challenged to end his protest by Father Moran (Liam Cunningham). What Fassbender does so well in this film and his subsequent performances is his ability to pull off performances that are memorable but not over the top. What Hunger does is allow the focus to be on the performances of the actors because the film doesn’t have bells and whistles and special effects. Fassbender’s performance earned him a British Independent Film Award for Best Leading Actor and it’s easy to see why. His preparation for the role is evident in his dramatic weightloss pre-production. Hunger proves to be a great start when looking at the filmography for Fassbender as it shows his willingness to pick good roles and his dedication to method acting.

Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Following his stellar lead in Hunger, Fassbender starred in Quentin Tarantino’s fantastic revenge thriller Inglourious Basterds which is a fictional retelling of Nazi-occupied France during the peak of the War. The cast is led by Brad Pitt as Aldo Raine, the leader of the Basterds and stars Christoph Waltz in an Oscar-winning dazzling supporting turn as SS Officer Hans Landa, the latter of which was the major talking point for critics and audiences alike and with good reason. ANother brilliant aspect that comes from this film is Michael Fassbender’s small role as Leiutenant Archie Hicox, an English soldier drafted to France to assist the Basterds with their plan. His role is only short-lived in the film but what he lacks in screentime, he makes up for with charisma. Fassbender is memorable as the quick-witted soldier as he struggles to fit in with the others who are hellbent on revenge. The scene in the underground bar remains one of the best Tarantino moments and it’s largely thanks to Fassbender’s control of the character. As expected in a Tarantino film, the characters are larger than life and it’s clear that Fassbender is enjoying playing Hicox. As mentioned before, this is only a small role but it is a rewarding point in Fassbender’s career as it shows he can standout in a star-studded cast.

Shame (2011)

Fassbender’s second collaboration with Steve McQueen is a deeply explicit look at sex addiction. Fassbender plays Brandon, a high-living bachelor living in New York who is constantly having sex with prostitutes and masturbating in his workplace where he holds an Executive position. Brandon’s addiction is initially his lifestyle. Just like any other addiction, he is subconsciously engaging with sex in any way he can. The film documents the downward spiral Brandon experiences as his lifestyle begins to fall apart with the arrival of his self-harming sister, Sissy (Carey Mulligan) who stays at Brandon’s apartment as she has a few gigs as a lounge singer in the City. Sissy is openly lonely and upset, longing to bridge the broken relationship with her brother who has deluded himself into believing that he is not alone because he is constantly engaging with sex in some way or other. It is the slow-burning realisation that he is alone and that he is incapable of forming “real” connections that make way for Brandon’s downfall. The film earned an NC-17 rating in the US thanks to its explicit scenes which includes Fassbender appearing full-frontal. In an industry where full female nudity has become normalised, there is still a stigma around showing full male nudity. This role is understandably challenging and uncomfortable but Fassbender gives everything to the film. Brandon is deeply flawed and is looking for the puzzle piece that is missing in his life. Fassbender won a second British Independent FIlm Award for Best Lead Actor for his performance. It’s not the lightest film to watch by any means but it is an unafraid look into a common topic that is taboo in a very realist way.

12 Years a Slave (2013)

The third and (to date) latest collaboration between Fassbender and Steve McQueen is an adaptation of the memoir of the same name by Solomon Northup, a New York-born man who is kidnapped and sold into slavery in Louisiana in 1841. Featuring Chiwetel Ejiofor as Northup, Fassbender portrays plantation owner Edwin Epps, a despicable and inhumane person who takes pleasure in beating and raping the slaves who work for him. Fassbender is truly terrifying as Epps and the performance gives goosebumps due to his unpredictability. The scene in which he demands Northup whip Patsey (Lupita Nyong’o) and then proceeds to violently do so himself to a point where she almost dies is horrific to watch and shows a fearlessness in Fassbender’s performance. He is clearly not afraid to go the extra mile and show Epp’s evilness while keeping complete control of the character. This performance shows a different side to Fassbender’s range that we have not seen before, even in his previous antagonist roles. Epps is a man void of compassion and embodies evil incarnate. Thanks to McQueen realist and relentless direction, Fassbender successfully shows this and really gets under the skin of the character and presents this to the audience in a way that no filmmaker has done before. Everyone in the cast does justice to Northup’s story, especially Ejiofor, Nyongo’o and Fassbender, garnering awards attention for each. Fassbender was nominated for his first Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.

Steve Jobs (2015)

My favourite Fassbender performances sees him take on the titular character in this Danny Boyle biopic. Fassbender practically becomes the Apple CEO and co-founder as we follow Job’s life from the launch of the Mac that lead to his firing ending with the launch of the iMac which is seen as his Apple comeback. It is such a subtle masterclass of acting that you forget that you are watching an actor. He perfects the accent, the mannerisms and manages to create a deeply complex character that allows the audience to form their on opinions on the man. Aaron Sorkin’s script is a brilliant foundation that Fassbender takes and adds that extra dimension to the film. It is his command of the screen that constantly grabs the audience’s attention and elevates the film to something more than a biopic. The film also features a strong supporting cast led by Kate Winslet, Seth Rogan and Michael Stuhlbarg but it is Fassbender’s lead turn that will leave a lasting imprint long after the film’s ended. The scene in which Jobs and Steve Wozniak (Rogan) argue whether the former should acknowledge the Apple II team in his speech at both computer launches. Jobs is clearly a highly intelligent man but his stubborness and pride hinders him and makes him appear alien and detached from those around him. Fassbender was deservedly nominated for the whole round of major awards and, in my opinion, I think he should have won because the performance is top tier. However, this was the year that Leonardo DiCaprio won all of the awards for his brilliant turn in The Revenant which made the competition one of very high standards.

It’s clear that Fassbender thrives in an environment where he is given challenging and different material. He clearly is wanting to consistently show more range and depth by starring in different genres and working with varying directors and budgets. He is an actor who wants to challenge topical taboos and portray characters who bring discussions among critics and audiences alike. I know that there are tons of performances I could have included such as his performance as Connor in Fish Tank, Magneto in the rebooted X-Men franchise and the titular role in Frank but each of the films I listed are the real standouts in terms of him pushing his range and his charaterisations. I look forward to seeing him in Waititi’s new film and what roles he takes in the future. hopefully this will include a film that sees him sweep the major awards that he is long overdue.

What are your favourite Michael Fassbender performances? Let me know in the comments below!