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Hunger, directed by Steve McQueen (no, not that Steve McQueen), is based on the last few months of IRA (Irish Republican Army) member Bobby Sands’ life in a British prison. He and his fellow-members demanded political status, and when denied despite several efforts, he decided to go on a hunger strike unto death. The most interesting aspect about the movie is that, despite never taking sides with either the British government or the IRA, or for that matter, the camera hardly ever leaving the claustrophobic prison setting, the movie has the ability to evoke strong reactions from its viewers – it is that lacerating and passionate a portrayal of the brutal struggle between the two sides. This stark, moody, intensely visceral, superbly paced and thoroughly engaging movie has made exceptional use of silences and long takes – in one brilliant maneuver, there is one single, static take where Sands and a priest engage on a lengthy dialogue over a plethora of cigarettes, which lasts a staggering 20 minutes! The movie, which doesn’t really have any plot per se, received a shot in the arm thanks to an absolutely terrific performance by Michael Fassbender (in the role of Sands), and great editing which managed to ensure a languorous pace while at the same time retaining the raw edge of the powerful script.
Director: Steve McQueen
Genre: Drama/Prison Drama/Political Drama
Language: English
Country: UK/Ireland
Bloody Sunday might not be a great work of art per se, but believe me, it’ll get your blood boiling. On January 30, 1972 – a day that will forever be etched in collective and popular conscience as ‘Bloody Sunday’ – the British army and paramilitary forces opened fire on a civil rights march and murdered 13 unarmed people including 9 teenagers! This dastardly and gruesome act of violence not only shattered any hopes of peaceful resolutions, it scarred a generation of people who started joining IRA in greater numbers than ever before. Filmed in cinema vérité style, with terrific use of mostly short and medium long takes, the movie brought in a kind of hot-blooded, in-your-face kind of immediacy that made this a gripping, angry, explosive, unnerving, visceral and a deeply provocative movie. Very well dramatized, the movie is at once a powerful look at the tragic events that unfold on the screen, and a strong John Lennon-esque statement against the arrogance and high-handedness of so-called ‘Democratic Governments’. The largely non-professional cast has been led from front by James Nesbitt, as Ivan Cooper, the man who had organised what was supposed to be just a peaceful protest march on that fateful Sunday morning. The confrontational style of direction and pitch-perfect editing are really laudatory.
Director: Paul Greengrass
Genre: Drama/Political Drama/Docu-Drama
Language: English
Country: UK/Ireland
Watching Once felt like a breath of fresh air for the simple reason that I didn’t have to be immersed in complex character studies, disturbing plot developments, and cynical humour in the quest for watching a good movie. A serendipitous and heart-warming tale of two gentle, lovelorn individuals and how they affect each other’s lives profoundly – he is a talented Irish songwriter who composes pieces of love and loss but never dreams beyond playing on the pavements of Dublin; she is a Czech immigrant who sells flowers and plays the piano during lunch time at a music shop because she can’t afford to buy one – the documentary-style musical is a charming piece of work. Devoid of any artsy pretentiousness and made on a shoe-string budget, Once strikes a chord (make that C Sharp) because of its simple, heart-felt portrayal of human emotions and of course, some truly well-composed songs. Given the storyline, it was tailor made for a dark, acid tale of self-destruction, or for that matter, a maudlin tear-jerker and sappy melodrama; hence the simplicity, understated humanity and the platonic friendship contained herein, but ripped off any overt sentimentalism or bitterness, is all the more touching, and I must add, appreciable.
Director: John Carney
Genre: Musical Drama/Romantic Drama
Language: English
Country: Ireland
