Hunger.
I watched Hunger last night, and oh god, I just, oh god. Let me just sob in this corner for a while until i'm emotionally half-okay, at least.
Steve McQueen is so talented, really just brilliant. The first half hour of the film doesn't really even have dialogue, yet it still rips apart your soul.
The macro shots of the bloodied knuckles, the cigarettes, the snow, it's just beautiful.
The Bath Scene where you see Bobby/Fassy properly for the first time, I just lost it. I was just sitting there crying, I had to psychically muffle my own sobbing. I had my hand over my mouth, just so that I didn't wake anyone up. Honestly, Michael Fassbender is just incredible. I always knew he was a good actor, but the sheer emotion in this film that he displays is just, god, I don't even have a word for it.
I've never seen a film use dialogue in such an interesting way, it's really unique to have close to an hour of little-to-no dialogue, then have an intense continuous shot lasting for quite some time with nothing but non-stop quickly spoken dialogue, then have another long amount of time with hardly any. I don't know why, but I found that really interesting. A lot of films rely so heavily on dialogue so to see one use it in such a different way was really good.
The film is so intense, there's not another word I can think to use, just such an intense experience. You can't just sit and watch the film and say 'Oh, that was good,' - you really just feel the film. I know that sounds silly and cliche, but really, you do. It's like Steve McQueen just punches you in the gut, again and again, and just when you think all the shock has stopped there's another blow, emotional or physical. Just, god, you just really feel everything in the film.
There were moments, when watching the film, I thought I was going to be sick, like honestly, physically sick. Not because of the visuals, but the emotion and brutality of the whole thing. I don't know how to express it, it was just a lot to handle. I've seen films with gore, and more intense subjects and such, but the way McQueen just grabs your heart and rips it up - that's what gets you. The way Bobby just stares, no recognition for anything else, that's what gets you.
There were times I thought about just leaving the room, because the movie was just too much. The movie was amazing, don't get me wrong, I loved it. But just, I don't know what it was about the film that just got me and made me feel so much.
I spent most of the film in constant tears, every single time they showed Bobby [Fassbender] I'd just start crying again. I just lost it, every time he had a bruised and black eye or blood spitting from his mouth, I'd just start shaking. I didn't mean to, but I would. I'd be shaking, and sobbing. The look on his face, the way Fassbender shows so much emotion through just the cold, hopeless, helpless, broken look in his eyes, it's just incredible. It really is a combination of Fassbenders acting, and McQueens directing that makes this film work, I'm not surprised McQueen got Fassy back for Shame.
The look of Fassbender's face when he's talking about the foal in the river is just goddamn, I really don't know a word for it, but that was just beyond amazing.
The short scenes that are just a macro shot of something, and the one sound on repeat, are just amazing.
I keep saying 'amazing, amazing, amazing' but seriously, watch that film, and tell me otherwise.
Oh jesus christ, though, the scene that had me out-loud bawling, is the scene where Bobby is in the bed, and throwing up. Oh jesus christ, I just lost it. I was actually honestly whimpering, and there were tears literally just running down my face. For a second or two, I swear I couldn't breathe. Just something about that scene, the look on Bobby's face, the way this man changed so much, but at the same time, he was still Bobby. I just, oh my god, Michael Fassbender, you are one talented man.
So tl;dr Hunger in phenomenal. I really can't wait to see Shame now. Fassbender and McQueen again? This will be beautiful and amazing.