It’s hard not to go the way of double-entendres and full-frontal flippery when describing this movie – especially since Fassbender is pretty darn good looking and this role is a far cry from his turn as Magneto in X-Men: First Class (which I happened to like by the way). But in truth, Shame is very raw and depressing, and Brandon’s addiction is way more sad than sexy. So I wouldn’t want to mislead you into thinking this indie is even remotely mainstream in its appeal. It’s just not. And even if Fassbender’s performance is potentially Oscar-nomination-worthy, I think the risqué material makes it highly unlikely that the Academy will go all Portman on him. I think the “three-way” at the climax of the movie (oops – shame on me) may have gone a bit over the top. That said, if you liked Black Swan, I suspect you’ll like Shame as well. Just pick your movie-mates carefully, or wait until it comes out on DVD or pay-per-view.

If only we could roll the Gibson clock back a few years – to perhaps around the time of Braveheart or even Signs – then this is the type of indie movie/role that would have garnered the actor quite a bit of critical or even mainstream acclaim. I suspect, however, that Gibson’s personal crazy train is too far out of the station for that to happen. But for those who do choose to cut Gibson a break, or support Jodie Foster, or simply want to see a good psychological drama, then The Beaver is out there for ya.

Now, to the story itself: Gibson plays Walter Black, a toy executive, husband and father who’s become so mired in depression that suicide seems the only way out. But in his darkest hour, Walter finds solace and salvation in a hand puppet – a beaver that he imbues with an Irish accent. The two become – quite literally- inseparable. When he’s talking through the beaver (much as a ventriloquist might with a dummy alter-ego), Walter is confident, successful and happy again. His wife, played by Foster, tries to be supportive of Walter and his “prescription puppet” but it’s a daily struggle, filled with frustration, hope, and despair. The relationship between Walter and his two sons also plays into the drama, which delves into the hereditary aspects of depression and the physical and emotional manifestations of a pained existence. It sounds like heady stuff – and the whole beaver-puppet thing seems just plain weird – but in the end, the pieces fit.

The Beaver reminded me of the quirky 2007 indie Lars and the Real Girl with Ryan Gosling. Remember, Lars falls in love with a blow-up doll he bought off the Internet? That sounded preposterous too, but the film was surprisingly good. Same goes for The Beaver. Thankfully, it’s not an overly heavy or dark psychological drama (I don’t particularly like those). The Beaver has some light moments and quite a few poignant ones and is ultimately well-directed, well-acted and oddly compelling to watch… if you can forgive Mel his instability off-screen. It’s a tall order, I know.

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

Robin Wright Penn plays Pippa Lee, a middle-aged woman who’s married to a much older man (Herb, played by Alan Arkin) who decides the couple should live out their remaining years together in a staid retirement community in Connecticut. The change of scenery leaves Pippa with way too much time to ponder who she is and how she got there. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn that Pippa has not always been the picture of elegance and respectability that she is today. Blake Lively plays the younger, wilder Pippa who broke free from a pill-popping mother and largely absent Christian minister father to make her own way in the world. Her life settles down when she meets and falls in love with Herb (Alan Arkin with a lot more makeup and hair), a successful New York publisher who takes Pippa under his wing and molds her into the seemingly content wife, mother, friend and neighbor that everyone has come to know and love.

The movie was written and directed by Rebecca Miller (daughter of playwright Arthur Miller and wife of British actor Daniel Day Lewis) who also wrote the novel it’s based on. If it’s true that you write what you know, then Ms. Miller may have had quite the interesting childhood. But I digress…

This movie is about relationships, expectations, appearances, and searching for (though not necessarily finding) one’s ‘true self’. It features strong supporting performances from an all-star cast that includes Maria Bello, Winona Ryder, Julianne Moore and Keanu Reeves. It all makes for a bittersweet chick flick that is less fun, but more intellectually stimulating than its bigger box-office cousin, It’s Complicated.