Much like how Ryan Gosling’s Blue Valentine seemed to be getting tons of heat for getting a controversial NC-17 rating, it looks like Steve McQueen’s Shame is getting the same amount of press. The film, starring X-Men: First Class star Michael Fassbender, is getting quite a lot of eyeballs due to its graphic nature. Here’s a rundown of the film’s premise.

Brandon (Michael Fassbender) is a New Yorker who shuns intimacy with women but feeds his desires with a compulsive addiction to sex. When his wayward younger sister (Carey Mulligan) moves into his apartment stirring memories of their shared painful past, Brandon’s insular life spirals out of control.

Who wouldn’t want to see Fassbender as a tortured sex addict? Certainly not the members of the MPAA, that’s for sure. The movie is set to be complete Oscar bait for the coming award season, so you’re going to want catch this trailer before it becomes the talk of the water cooler group.

Check it out after the jump, and catch Shame in select theaters on December 2nd.

Breaking news coming in today as Ryan Gosling is currently finalizing the deal with Warner Bros. to take the lead in the upcoming remake of the 1976 classic Sci-Fi thriller Logan’s Run.

Rumors have been abound for years on this project and who will take the lead, but it looks like the Warners and producer Joel Silver have found their Logan 5. From Deadline.

Warner Bros is finalizing a deal with Ryan Gosling to reunite with his Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn on Logan’s Run, the remake of the 1976 futuristic drama about a man who tries to outrun a mandatory death sentence that awaits  all 30-year old’s. After a distinguished run in mostly independent films, Gosling’s making the jump to a studio tent pole. Production starts in the fall.

The true meaning of that quote is fully realized in this haunting anti-love story. Blue Valentine is a stark, quiet film that packs an emotional punch you won’t soon forget. Featuring terrific performances by Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling, the film examines the demise of a once promising relationship.

As the movie starts out, it is obvious that Cindy (Williams) and Dean (Gosling) have seen happier days.  Cindy seems to be quietly simmering with hatred when she interacts with Dean.  She’s utterly defeated, and when Dean tries to use his boyish charm to engage her, she won’t succumb.

Cindy mentally checked out of the marriage long, long ago. By the time Dean actually realizes that, we see him make some feeble attempts to salvage what they once had.

I was surprised at how much trouble I had narrowing down my top ten movies this year.  My top 20 were all very close, but here are the movies that I ultimately enjoyed the most. I readily admit that I did not see near as many foreign films as I would have liked, but by the time I cover most of the mainstream fare, there is simply no time left.

Honorable Mentions: Fair Game, Tiny Furniture, Greenberg, Cyrus, The Tillman Story, The American, Mother and Child, Scott Pilgrim.

10. Waiting for Superman
This Documentary was equal parts frustrating, inspirational, and heartbreaking. Director Davis Guggenheim (No End in Sight) sheds light on the dismal state of our public school system. He follows the plight of several children who live in various geographic regions who are placing all of their hope for an decent education into lottery systems for charter or private schools. Guggenheim relies on their compelling stories for a narrative, while interspersing lots of graphics and cartoons illuminating some pretty harrowing statistics.

There has been plenty of heat on the MPAA as of late. Cult horror director Adam Green (Hatchet, Frozen) recently had trouble with the organization giving his sequel to Hatchet an NC-17 rating, which is the financial kiss of death at the box office. They did the same with an upcoming Weinstein film starring Ryan Gosling titled Blue Valentine.

Upon receiving the NC-17 rating, The Weinstein Company filed litigation against the organization for an appeal to get their film down to an R-rating. This was a classic tale of Davey (a small studio) going up against the MPAA’s Goliath. The good news? They won.

News has just been released that TWC has won the appeal against the MPAA and the rating of Blue Valentine will get modified back down to a standard R. This is pretty historic for the industry, considering that nobody ever goes up against the MPAA and lives to tell the tale. It looks like the brothers Weinstein are now the exception to that rule.

This could very well change the face of how MPAA does things, as indie directors like Adam Green now have a case against the way the organization runs things. Consider this an official turning of the tide.

Check out the details in the full press release after the jump. Blue Valentine is expected to hit limited theaters on December 31st.

The AFI Fest 2010 (presented by Audi) has just announced its gala screenings, and a tribute to The King’s Men director and cast. The centerpiece galas will include the following films.

Abel directed by Diego Luna.  Synopsis: A strange, alluring fable of a disturbed child attempting to become his own father. Cast includes Christopher Ruíz-Esparza, José María Yazpik, Karina Gidi, Carlos Aragón, Gerardo Ruíz-Esparza, and Geraldine Alejandra.

Barney’s Version directed by Richard J. Lewis. Synopsis: A wise and witty tale of a seemingly ordinary man who lives an extraordinary life. Cast includes Dustin Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Rosamund Pike, Minnie Driver, Rachelle Lefevre, and Scott Speedman.

Blue Valentine directed by Derek Cianfrance. Synopsis: Flooded with romantic memories of their courtship, Dean and Cindy use one night to try and save their failing marriage. Cast includes Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams.

Casino Jack directed by George Hickenlooper. Synopsis: Notorious lobbyist Jack Abramoff finds himself in bed with mafia assassins in this fact-inspired film. Cast includes Kevin Spacey, Barry Pepper, Kelly Preston, Rachelle Lafevre, Jon Lovitz.

The Company Men directed by John Wells. Synopsis: Bobby Walker is living the American dream when corporate downsizing forces him and two co-workers to re-define their lives. Cast includes Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Maria Bello, and Rosemary DeWitt.

A special ensemble tribute to The King’s Speech will also serve as a gala screening. Director Tom Hooper and actors Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush will be in attendance.