Aussie director Justin Kurzel, who is currently working on a movie adaptation of the Assassin's Creed video game franchise, made his arrival in Hollywood with a blistering take on Shakespeare's classic play Macbeth. It was a brave move for such a new director to take on a story that has already been adapted by the likes of Akira Kurosawa, Orson Welles and Roman Polanski, but Kurzel rose to the occasion with a film that has palpable dirt under its fingernails. Michael Fassbender's central performance is a stunning one, but seems less likely to secure him a Best Actor nod than his work in Steve Jobs, of which there will be more later. Without acting nominations, Macbeth might be a tough sell for a Best Picture nod, but it's one of the best films of the year and a genuinely fresh take on a well-worn story. The unrelenting grimness of his debut Snowtown kept Kurzel away from the hearts of Oscar voters, but more familiar material could be the key to putting him in the mix.
Freelance film journalist and fan of professional wrestling. Usually found in a darkened screening room looking for an aisle seat and telling people to put away their mobile phones. Also known to do a bit of stand-up comedy, so I'm used to the occasional heckle.
