Take Shelter
Dir: Jeff Nichols
2011
*****
Although our protagonist is frightened that he may be succumbing to paranoid schizophrenia which runs in his family, I believe the real subject matter in Jeff Nichols' brilliant 2011 drama Take Shelter is about male paranoia. I believe it's the best film on the subject since David Lynch's Eraserhead and a brilliant statement on the complexities of what is expected in modern society, regardless of how easy or hard certain aspects of living are becoming. It can often feel like a big storm is coming and just maybe one is. I believe my suspicions of it being predominantly male paranoia are only backed up by the emotionally powerful climax. Michael Shannon is utterly convincing in the role and deserves praise for it, Jeff Nichols is one director to watch. I thoroughly enjoyed Take Shelter, it is intense and utterly mesmerising, definitely one of my favourite films of 2011 and one of the first great films of the decade.