Oscar Watch: 'Shame' red band trailer teases

Posted Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at 2:31 PM Central

by John Couture

This year's Oscars race is just starting to heat up and one film that is providing most of the steam is Shame. As you probably recall Shame is the NC-17 movie that is causing more than a few Oscar ripples with its strong performances.

It seems that the big question come nomination time will be if the Academy will be able to accept (or overlook) the film's mature subject matter and recognize Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan's amazing performances. Or will history repeat itself and give these worthy performances the traditional snub for sexual content?

Given that the birth of my first child is imminent, I won't be able to see this movie in theaters, but from what I've seen through the trailers and today's red band trailer release, it is a powerful movie that does need to be seen. I applaud Fox Searchlight Pictures and the filmmakers for sticking to their guns and bringing this movie out uncut.

Now, it's up to us to support their bold decision by going to see it and the Academy to get over their self-imposed stigma and take the performances on face value. Maybe then, movies released in the future will be more prone to take this route and not immediately capitulate to the MPAA.

Shame opens in theaters this weekend.