Yes the second and third Pushers are really intense.
I'd say give it a chance. Stylistically they are very different.
As much as I would have loved to be the child of Anna Karina and Humphrey Bogart, sadly that is not the case (also, I'm almost positive they never met). I used to be really shy about acting and then I went for it in high school and never regretted it! It's not as scary as you would think. I mean, I still get nervous every time I get on stage but it's a fun nervous! I really, really LOVED Shame. It was extremely uncomfortable to watch in parts, but almost a good kind of uncomfortable. And Fassbender is just so amazing. I can't believe he did four films in 2011, and all great performances! I'm definitely excited to see what he does next since he is, as you say, still young.
Yup! Taking a whole class about Hitchcock, which I am super excited for, and an advanced production course. Hopefully after this production course, I'll be able to make a more firm decision about whether I want to direct film. You voice pretty much how I feel about Tinker, Tailor. Very well done, but seriously lacking something for me. And yes, LET'S TALK ABOUT SHAME.