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Brandon Sullivan (Michael Fassbender) is a private man, mid 30’s, business exec, living in New York, the perfect place to disguise his sexual addiction. All seems to be working and staying compartmentalized perfectly until his sister Cissy (Carey Mulligan) comes to live with him. Cissy’s invasion into Brandon’s lair is like a spotlight burning bright, exposing and exploring the many levels of shame we as humans carry surrounding sexuality. Powerhouse performances from both Fassbender and Mulligan smell of Oscar nods and Director Steve McQueen’s stylized use of long drawn out static shots forces the viewer to soak in the subtleties on many levels. Challenging material to navigate and give real feeling to, but there it is, with success, and with scenes and concepts that will stay with you and linger longer. Not an easy watch, but fascinating all the while, Shame is rated NC-17.

Crass and uncouth, but good guy at heart, Noah Griffith (Jonah Hill), is dead weight living on his mom’s dime. So, when his mom gets the opportunity to go out on a date and be happy for the first time in ages Noah steps up to be a sitter of three challenging pre-teens. But, before his stint is over, a manipulative girlfriend (Ari Graynor) turns the thumb screws and Noah jumps at the chance to help her. Unfortunately, this is a choice that will put Noah and the kids in contact with warped drug dealers, angry thugs, stolen diamonds, and a Bar Mitzvah, not necessarily in that order and in a loose homage to the 1987 classic Adventures in Babysitting. Edgy and sometimes offensive, it’s clearly a film centered around the new breed of humor that’s been festering for the last few years right in Hill’s strike zone; and, to his credit, it’s a hit. From absurd situations, fast jive talking, to cherry bombs in toilets we run the gamut here and I have to admit, as skeptical as I was to begin with, it actually works. Laughs are had, life lessons are learned, and everything gets wrapped up with a shiny bow. I guess you could call it the unconventional feel good film of the season. The Sitter is rated R.

Director Jason Reitman and Writer Diablo Cody team up to hopefully recreate the chemistry the two had on Juno. Mavis, a 30 something, former high-school prom queen, turned young adult novelist (Charlize Theron) returns home to Mercury Minnesota to try and win back the love and affection of her old high-school sweetheart, Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson). The catch, Buddy is now happily married and with child. Now it’s up to former classmate Matt (Patton Oswalt) to talk some sense into Mavis, but will she get it and just how far will she go? Interesting premise and plot, and of course Cody’s signature razor sharp dialogue make for some often difficult to watch but compelling moments. And, Theron is the perfect foil to creatively and convincingly deliver the acid, impressive. Unfortunately I can’t say I’m in love this go round. Wrestling with obsession and the inability to grow up are the driving forces, and we get a healthy dose of this, but, in several instances that which could have been moving and powerful just comes across as flat and just unconvincing. Overall, I’m left feeling the film starts rather slow, gets us halfway into the experience and then just kind of stalls out, which to an extent is intentional, I get that, I’m just not enamored by the allegory-esque nature. Makes for an interesting portrait, but not a masterpiece. Maybe a matinee, Young Adult is rated R.