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Embracing the dirty girl attitude. |
| I liked “Dirty Girl” because it was unabashedly fun. It was pro-gay rights, pro-female independence, and anti-religious persecution without it being about any of that. On the surface it was an ‘80s throwback with the teen kids embracing the “anything goes” attitude while their parents clung to their conservative values. Pack a suitcase, pop in a mixed tape and run away. | 2010 Directed by: Abe Sylvia Screenplay by: Abe Sylvia Starring: Juno Temple | |
| “Little White Lies” is a multi-relationship drama; one about love, loss and life. It has witty situations, witty lines, and a near-fatal accident. Oh yes, this is an attempt at the hard-to-write comedy-tragedy genre. Thankfully, it doesn’t really fail, but instead of being overly comedic or tragic, it plays out mostly dramatically. | 2010 Directed by: Guillaume Canet Screenplay by: Guillaume Canet Starring: Marion Cotillard, François Cluzet and Benoît Magimel | |
 |  Shameful characters learning about themselves and each other. |
| There’s a lot to be ashamed of in “Shame”. But are the characters actually ashamed of their actions? That’s an interesting question which the film attempts to answer. Brandon (Michael Fassbender) is a sex addict; Sissy (Carey Mulligan) is Brandon’s wayward sister and is a needy drama queen; David (James Badge Dale) is Brandon’s boss and is an offensive womanizer. These aren’t easy characters to like or even necessarily care about, but they certainly are compelling. | 2011 Directed by: Steve McQueen Screenplay by: Abi Morgan and Steve McQueen Starring: Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan | |