12 Years a Slave

I’m calling it right now. Chiwetel Ejiofor is going to win the Best Actor Oscar this year. Hell, they might as well just give it to him now. 12 Years a Slave is one of the most powerful, brutal, haunting movies that I’ve ever seen. It’s definitely one of the best (if not THE) movies this year. Everyone walking out of the theater, myself included, was speechless and amazed at what we saw.

12 Years a Slave is based on the true story of a man named Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man from New York with a wife and two children. He is tricked, drugged, and sold into slavery. It shows his struggle to survive and the people he encounters along the way.

The movie is directed by Steve McQueen, whose previous films include Shame and Hunger (both of which also included Michael Fassbender). Everything about his directing is flawless- the beautiful cinematography, the way the scenes were edited together, and the powerful performances he was able to get out of each actor. This was the first slavery movie I can remember where you actually got a feel for what life was like for these poor people. It was absolutely horrific and heart breaking. *SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT* There was a whipping scene in particular which looked and sounded so real that all of us in the theater literally jumped in our seats and gasped.*END OF SPOILER* Steve is a truly talented director and I look forward to seeing more of his movies in the future.

Every actor, I felt, was perfectly cast, especially Chiwetel Ejiofor. The way he was able to show such wide range of emotions was unbelievable. Watching him on screen had me in tears several times.

Another standout performance was Michael Fassbender as the cruel (and that’s putting it mildly) slave owner named Edwin Epps. Michael, from what I’ve seen in interviews and other appearances, seems like a nice guy but his performance in this makes you hate him so bad. That just shows you what a talented actor he is. He’s another one that could get an Oscar nomination. Infact, I wouldn’t be surprised if this movie got nominations in almost all the acting categories. Particularly for supporting actress. *SLIGHT SPOILER ALERT* There’s a subplot involving Epps and one of his slaves named Patsey, played by newcomer Lupita Nyong’o. How she was able to portray such raw emotion I’ll never know. Her scenes are so powerful but at the same time difficult to watch. This actress will definitely be one to watch in the future.*END OF SPOILER*

I seriously can’t think of a bad performance. The rest of the amazing cast includes- Benedict Cumberbatch, Dwight Henry, Paul Giamatti, Sara Paulson, and Brad Pitt. Brad was actually a producer on this movie as well. He (Brad) doesn’t have much screen time at all but his role is VERY important.

The music is beautiful as well. What can I say? I have a thing for movie scores. I probably have more of them on my iPod than anything else. Hans Zimmer, whom I’ve always been a fan of, provides the score that perfectly fits with each scene. I got goose bumps listening to it.

So do I recommend this movie? Absolutely.  I think it’s a must see. But I’m giving this recommendation with a warning- if you have a weak stomach or heart problems this movie is NOT for you. I’m being serious. I have a pretty strong stomach but even I felt nauseous and had to turn away from the screen several times. I look at this movie the way I look at Schindler’s List- a cinematic masterpiece that everyone needs to see, but it’s so depressing that you’ll probably only watch it once.

Rarely does a movie make me walk out afterward and keep thinking about it days later. 12 Years a Slave is one that I can honestly say has no flaws. I’m looking forward to seeing how this movie does during awards season.

My Rating: 10/10