Black Panther (2018) film review

Year: 2018
Running Time: 134 minutes
Director: Ryan Coogler
Writer: Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (based on the Marvel comics by), Ryan Coogler and Joe Robert Cole (written by)
Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Winston Duke, Sterling K. Brown, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker, Andy Serkis

Review by Debbie Zhou

The Marvel Universe has often plodded through a predictable chain of movies, but in comes the newest addition, Black Panther – a triumphant wake-up call to the primarily white-casting of the superhero genre. It marks a step in the right direction for Marvel, right off their more playful and thoughtful efforts with ambitious filmmakers, such as Taika Waititi in 2017's Thor: Ragnorok. This time, there's a more serious approach at play, and director Ryan Coogler confidently takes the reins with a wholehearted embrace of African cultures and experiences, and empowers his protagonists with agency and a unique story.

Black Panther places T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) as the newly-appointed King of the African nation, Wakanda, following his father's death. As King, T'Challa is given the powers of Black Panther, deriving from the alien metal vibranium. This special metal is engineered into the entire country, providing them with ultra-modern advanced technologies which enables the population to power their cities – that not even “progressive” Western first-world countries could imagine.

This is a vision of Afro-futurism in its sheer beauty. The scale of Coogler's invention onto the Marvel stage derives not only from the epic landscape and technological wonder of Wakanda, but his meticulous attention to detail. He focuses on the smallest elements which evoke a sense of identity to the Wakandan people – down to the intricacies of African dress, rituals and music (the heavily-percussive and vocal score by composer Kendrick Lemar stands out); it ultimately fuels a prideful connection to a culture that we are rarely gifted the chance of seeing on our screen in such magnitudes.

And there are some fantastically crafted sequences that come from this total encompassing image of diversity, crafted by Rachel Morrison (she is the first female Oscar-nominated cinematographer). The action sequences are shot with rapid intensity, and in particular – a casino scene stands out in its fluidity, through its use of tracking shots. Here, the female protagonists, Nikia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Okoye (Danai Gurira) , are empowered through their fierce movements – the framing and focus of the story becoming integral to fully owning their characters as T’Challa’s true allies and warriors. Shuri (Letitita Wright), T’Challa’s younger sister, is also a nice addition to his circle – whose innovation and intelligence powers the use of vibranium in astonishingly new ways.

The story's antagonist is Erik Killmonger (played by the always reliable Michael B. Jordan), although Klaw (Andy Serkis) sets the stones for the brooding villain to step his feet into Wakanda. But in this Marvel story, T’Challa’s sole dilemma is made more complex: it doesn’t derive purely from a need to defeat a villain, he also faces the challenge of living up to his Father’s legacy and questioning whether change is necessary.

Killmonger is one of the more interesting villains Marvel has created, and Coogler actively attempts to reflect the underlying social and racial problems of America through his character. By incorporating the African-American experience, there's a bitter anger that dictates Killmonger’s actions; the exclusivity of vibranium means that those marginalised in other societies cannot access it. But while the contextual settings hands him over the perfect justification for his acts, Killmonger is quickly tossed to the side as a one-note villain (a Marvel trope) in the third act – where his actions become tyrannical, and his unreasonable abuse of power makes his personality lose nuance and authenticity.

Still, with Black Panther – Coogler has presented us with a section of the Marvel universe that reduces its white characters into supporting roles and instead, elevates its black protagonists on a platform which enables them to fight for their beliefs and their cultures. And for that ground-breaking act, it is most likely the best Marvel film yet.

7/10

The Jungle Book (2016) film review

Year: 2016
Running Time: 105 minutes
Director: Jon Favreau
Writers: Rudyard Kipling (book), Justin Marks (screenplay)
Cast: Neel Sethi, (voices) Ben Kingsley, Bill Murray, Idris Elba, Lupita Nyong'o, Giancarlo Esposito, Scarlett Johansson, Christopher Walken

The Jungle Book is now showing in cinemas everywhere and is distributed by Walt Disney Studios.

Originality is a dying concept in Hollywood with cinema complexes flooded by remakes and sequels. In a world where this is now an accepted notion, it is important to still see a point of difference in order to appreciate a film in it's second production run. Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book has done this and more.

What Favreau has done with the beloved classic is something which would have been deemed impossible years ago and even until recently the thought of a live action The Jungle Book could not have been taken seriously enough to imagine it being successfully carried out to the point of critical success. Yet, Favreau's vision has been executed gloriously with spectacular computer generated VFX landscapes and characters which connect on an emotional level as well being aesthetically pleasing.

Based on Rudyard Kipling's classic novel and drawing inspiration from the 1967 Disney film, The Jungle Book tells the tale of the man cub, Mowgli (played by Neel Sethi in his first starring role) who was found in the Indian jungle and raised by a pack of wolves as their own. When he is on the verge of becoming a man, he attracts the eye of the savage and feared tiger, Shere Khan (voiced by Idris Elba) who vows to take out his anger towards men on Mowgli. Fearing the worst, Mowgli's loyal protector, the panther Bagheera (Ben Kingsley) accompanies him on his journey back to the man village. Even though the strain is lessened by the new friendship with Baloo the bear (Bill Murray), the journey is not a safe one as Shere Khan is never far behind and other threats are waiting to take advantage of the seemingly helpless boy.

The Jungle Book is an astounding piece of cinema which showcases what CGI is capable of in 2016. There is only one piece of the film which is not computer generated and that is the character of Mowgli, but one could be forgiven for believing that the whole film was shot on location in the Indian jungle with the animals in their natural habitat. The result is absolutely stunning with visuals that are breathtakingly beautiful and at times agonisingly graphic as a result of their realism. It is important to keep in mind that the 1967 animated version of the film was overwhelmingly family friendly, but in real life the wilderness is unforgiving towards humans and animals are ruthless and unpredictable creatures. This is what Favreau has captured in his film and some scenes are rather tense and confronting due to the film's realistic view on nature and this may be unsuitable for younger family members.

Disney always does a fine job of playing homage to it's history and past projects. This 2016 version of the Kipling classic does contain elements borrowed from it's animated predecessor, but it's differences are refreshing and proof that in recycled ideas there can still be originality. What fans of the first Disney film will be appreciative of is the fact that there is still "The Bare Necessities" and "I Wan'na Be Like You" with just a tad of "Trust In Me" by Kaa. This new film is by no means as musical as the original, but manages to insert these iconic songs as a means of storytelling. Along with the obvious visual differences between the two films, there are also differences in the actual story and the ending to give an element of originality to a much told tale.

When we first meet Neel Sethi's Mowgli, one can see why he was cast in the much coveted lead and only human role in the film. Sethi has the cheeky and adventurous spirit which Mowgli is known for and his playful smile makes him instantly likeable. The Jungle Book is Sethi's first major role and although this is obvious at times, he does remarkably well considering he is taking on the always difficult task of being the sole player on the film set with no fellow actors to work off.

However, it is the animal characters who are the most intriguing and endearing which is an incredible triumph for Favreau as they are all purely a creation of CGI. It has always been a challenge of animated and now CGI characters to emotionally connect with a cinema audience and in this case, it is the animals that are actually more likable than Mowgli and definitely more captivating. It would seem that in this film there is an underlying theme that wasn't in the 1967 version, which is that of the environment and the threat to the natural habitat of these glorious animals. Man is seen as a greater enemy with the large part that fire or the "Red Flower" plays in the film. The Jungle Book is very much a reversal of roles from the real world. Animals are not acknowledged as, but appear to be the superior species while humans are the outcasts and while watching The Jungle Book, we are unknowingly seeing ourselves through the animals' eyes.

Again, it is a true triumph to feel so much and greatly relate to these characters purely created by CGI. Bagheera (as voiced by Ben Kingsley) and Baloo (Bill Murray) together are the two best friends anybody could ever ask for and compliment each other so well. Bagheera is a fiercely protective, commanding and strong character, but at the same time incredibly endearing and a beautiful creature. Baloo on the other hand is not as goofy as his Phil Harris voiced counterpart, but Bill Murray brings a more human feel to him and allows his humour to flow more naturally. The wolves can also be described as beautiful not just physically, but by nature and their pack is depicted as the perfect place for not just wolves to grow up, but any species and in particular, humans.

On the other side of the animals, the not so friendly characters may not create empathy with the viewer, but they do create tension and terror. Idris Elba's Shere Khan is terrifying and menacing. Nothing is scarier than a villain who's arsenal is part of his natural instinct. Yet in all the horror he evokes, he is still an incredibly beautiful and exotic creature to behold. It was a wonderful decision by Favreau to make Kaa the python a female rather than male, as Scarlett Johansson adds to the entrancing and alluring nature of the beast. She is another creature that is terrifyingly beautiful and one that those who afraid of snakes will maybe not enjoy seeing in 3D. King Louie (who has also been reimagined here as a gigantopthecus rather than an orang-utan) is a three way cross between his voice actor Christopher Walken, King Kong and Marlon Brando as he appeared as Colonel Walter E. Kurtz in Apocalypse Now. The result is incredibly intriguing, but also menacing and dangerous.

Jon Favreau's The Jungle Book is incredibly ambitious and therefore is a complete success with the way it has incorporated it's stunning use of CGI and managed to provoke depth and emotion in it's characters at the same time. It is a classic tale which has been respectfully enhanced with an entertaining and enjoyable film.

8/10

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) film review

Year: 2015
Running Time: 135 minutes
Director: J.J. Abrams
Writers: George Lucas (characters), Lawrence Kasdan, J.J. Abrams and Michael Arndt (screenplay)
Cast: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Domhnall Gleeson, Andy Serkis, Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyong'o, Anthony Daniel, Max von Sydow, Peter Mayhew

Could Star Wars: The Force Awakens have been anything but a success both critically and at the box office? With any other film the answer would have been that failure is always possible, but failure was never an option as far as The Force Awakens was concerned. With the incredibly high expectations placed on the new film and after a set of prequels which divided opinions, it was hard to imagine that the film makers wouldn't do absolutely everything in their power to make Episode VII the best film it could possibly be. While breaking box office records all around the world, The Force Awakens is an extremely solid and impressive addition to the Star Wars universe that fans will rejoice in as it gives further excitement to the upcoming films in the saga and remains respectable to it's predecessors.

Three decades after Darth Vader and his empire were destroyed in Return of The Jedi, there is a new threat to the galaxy by the name of the First Order who are trying to wipe the existence of the Jedis. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) has disappeared and his sister, Leia (Carrie Fisher) is desperate to find him. The missing piece of the map to where he can be found is hidden by the Resistance fighter, Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) in the droid, BB-8 just as the Resistance comes under attack by the First Order and the formidable Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). BB-8 comes across scavenger, Rey (Daisy Ridley) who together with the help of renegade stormtrooper, Finn (John Boyega) seek to escape those looking to harm them. The three find themselves caught up in a war with a family they have only heard rumours about, but find themselves involved in ways they could have never imagined.

In the best possible way, The Force Awakens is hugely glorified Star Wars fan fiction on the big screen and this is in no way an insult. J. J. Abrams has made no secret of his love for the franchise and has commented in the past on the way the first films shaped his film making. While there was early talk about how Abrams was too obvious a choice for director of Episode VII due to past projects, he was and still is the perfect choice due to his admitted inner passion for Star Wars which gives him invaluable knowledge about what is desired by the ever loyal fans and what is seen as respectful towards the past films. Yet, those who have not seen the previous six films are not ostracised by the story. However in saying this, it does help if one has seen at least one or two of the Star Wars films as there are references to the George Lucas told stories and of course to the characters themselves, especially Han Solo, Leia, Luke Skywalker and brief mentions of Darth Vader. There is also a feeling a deja vu of past Star Wars films (particularly A New Hope), which may be an annoyance for some.

The Force Awakens brings the intrigue back to the franchise with much discussion to be had afterwards that will continue till Episode VIII is released in 2017. Like Episodes IV and V, there are many questions left unanswered which is all tactical rather than careless. Unlike many other franchise films, Star Wars is not based on official existing literature where fans can read what will happen in the future films. So one can translate certain aspects of the film in numerous ways, but all will not be revealed until later films and therefore increases the intrigue of the film. The Force Awakens carries this intrigue throughout the whole film without any lulls or scenes which slow down the action or story. The value placed on every moment of the film and the anticipation of information this brings increases it;s suspense and unpredictability.

As is to be expected, The Force Awakens takes full advantage of what is available to films with spectacular budgets in 2015. The film launches straight into high intensity action and establishes itself early as a visually extravagant piece of work that admirers will be easily besotted by. The action sequences are extremely impressive with the combination of incredible CGI, powerful sound and expert cinematography. John Williams returns to provide the soundtrack once again for Episode VII and although his work is as strong as it consistently is, it doesn't have the same iconic feeling as his previous Star Wars work (yet).

The casting decisions made for The Force Awakens are seemingly safe choices as they cover all bases to make sure that they cannot be criticised for any reason. Yet here safety pays off with some stunning performances by all involved. They may not be Oscar winning performances, but each actor portrays their character to the very best of their ability and pulls everything from the role that they can. Daisy Ridley emerges from being a relative unknown to giving a wonderful and strong performance as Rey. The film itself had a tremendous opportunity with Rey, as movie lovers this year have been calling for more strong female characters in film and they have absolutely made the most of this opportunity. Rey is a young woman who does not rely on anybody else for anything (regardless of whether they are male or female) and has no hesitation fighting for what she wants. However, she is not a forced character in that she is not the typical action woman associated with strong females in film, particularly those in such a genre as Star Wars is in. Rey does possess the same strong will as Leia did in the previous films, but perhaps in a more physical sense than Carrie Fisher's Leia. However, while there is much love for the female power of Rey, it is a shame that Gwendoline Christie's Captain Phasma doesn't have the right amount of screen time to have the same sense of power in the film and is rather a wasted opportunity.

As for the male side of the Star Wars casting, there are solid performances all around. John Boyega makes his entrance into the Star Wars universe and feels particularly 2015 while doing so with a modern sense of humour and use of language. He works well with Ridley and Harrison Ford and easily liked among audiences. Adam Driver as Kylo Ren has a tremendous presence about him and Domhnall Gleeson also shines as General Hux, although one would love to see more of the formidable character during Episode VII. Harrison Ford is also as heroic as is remembered and his presence is adored.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a success in every way and not just in figures at the box office. It remains extremely respectful to it's older relatives and an absolute treat for those loyal fanatics, yet has the potential to attract new loyalists to the fandom.

8.5/10

Academy Award 2014 Predictions as Movie Critical Heads To Hollywood

Today marks the official beginning of Oscar Week 2014. This time of the year is always very exciting for film enthusiasts. Even if you don't consider yourself a movie buff, it is still the day when you sit down and pick your favourites to barrack for in the night of nights and discuss who is wearing what best.

It is with great excitement that we announce that Movie Critical is once again heading to Hollywood to be part of the excitement! Over the next week we will be posting photos of Hollywood Blvd. as it gets ready for the night and other exciting events. Last year we had a great time being at the centre of the Academy Award universe and we are expecting this year to be even better. We are leaving Sydney for Los Angeles today so the coming days will see lots of Oscar here at Movie Critical!

Before we leave, we can't talk Oscars without predicting who will take home the big awards on the night. Here are the nominees for each of the big awards and our predictions as to who will win these awards come Sunday night.

Best Motion Picture Of The Year

Nominees
The Wolf Of Wall Street
American Hustle
Nebraska
Captain Phillips
Philomena
Dallas Buyers Club
12 Years A Slave
Gravity
Her

Prediction - 12 Years A Slave
Steve McQueen's haunting and confronting film about a free man who was sold into slavery, 12 Years A Slave  will be hard to beat. The film is exceptionally well rounded with a solid screenplay, brilliant performances, amazing cinematography and beautiful musical score, as well as being emotionally driven and very powerful.


Best Achievement in Directing

Nominees
David O. Russell- American Hustle
Alfonso Cuaron- Gravity
Alexander Payne- Nebraska
Steve McQueen- 12 Years A Slave
Martin Scorsese- The Wolf of Wall Street

 

 

Prediction- Alfonso Cuaron Gravity

Alfonso Cuaron's Gravity truly is an incredible achievement in direction. While the film really only stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, Cuaron had to direct as though in zero gravity in space with the aid of CGI and mechanical apparatus'. Gravity maintained a high level of tension for the entirety of the film. An ambitious film and exceptional directing achievement.

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

 

Nominees

Christian Bale- American Hustle

Bruce Dern- Nebraska

Leonardo DiCaprio- The Wolf of Wall Street

Chiwetel Ejiofor- 12 Years A Slave

Matthew McConaughey- Dallas Buyers Club

 

 

Prediction- Matthew McConaughey Dallas Buyers Club

It's shaping up to be the year for Matthew McConaughey. Although he has tough competition from Chiwetel Ejiofor and Leonardo DiCaprio, McConaughey has had a superb run with his choice of films and with Dallas Buyers Club he is at the top of his game and fans and peers alike are responding. His portrayal as Ron Woodroof was brilliant and completely intriguing.

 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

 

Nominees

Amy Adams- American Hustle

Cate Blanchett- Blue Jasmine

Sandra Bullock- Gravity

Judi Dench- Philomena

Meryl Streep- August: Osage County

 

 

Prediction- Cate Blanchett Blue Jasmine

This category has pretty much been a one woman race from the start of award season. Cate Blanchett plays an extremely unstable and disturbed character in Blue Jasmine and did so perfectly. There has been talk of late by many that her chances for the Oscar have been derailed by the Woody Allen controversy, but the Academy surely acknowledges that Blanchett has nothing to do with these happenings and shouldn't be punished for giving the best performance of the year in one of his films. Blanchett is a certainty for this one..

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Rolw

 

Nominees

Barkhad Abdi- Captain Phillips

Bradley Cooper- American Hustle

Michael Fassbender- 12 Years A Slave

Jonah Hill- The Wolf of Wall Street

Jared Leto- Dallas Buyers Club

 

 

Prediction- Jared Leto Dallas Buyers Club

Like Blanchett, Jared Leto is pretty much a sure thing to take home this award. After a six year hiatus from film, Dallas Buyers Club has been the comeback from heaven for Leto.  His performance as the transgender Rayon was incredibly natural and avoided all cliché and stereotypes. Although McConaughey was incredible and will more than likely win the Oscar in his category, Leto overshadowed McConaughey whenever he was on screen and the film was at his best when he was involved.

 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role



 

Nominees

Sally Hawkins- Blue Jasmine

Jennifer Lawrence- American Hustle

Lupita Nyong'o- 12 Years A Slave

Julia Roberts- August: Osage County

June Squibb- Nebraska

 

 

Prediction- Lupita Nyong'o 12 Years A Slave

This is the category that is presently creating the most interest as it seems to be a race to the finish for both Lupita Nyong'o and Jennifer Lawrence. Nyong'o has taken home the Screen Actors Guild Award while Jennifer Lawrence has won both the Golden Globe and the BAFTA. Yet, it seems hard to go past Nyong'o. She was heartbreakingly exquisite in 12 Years A Slave and deserves the award. However, Lawrence was certainly fun to watch and isn't far behind Nyong'o...if she is at all.



 

 

12 Years A Slave (2013)

Year: 2013
Running Time: 134 minutes
Director: Steve McQueen
Writers: Solomon Northup (novel), John Ridley (screenplay)
Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael K. Williams, Lupita Nyong'o, Michael Fassbender, Sarah Paulson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brad Pitt, Paul Giamatti, Paul Dano

12 Years A Slave will be released in Australian cinemas on the 3oth January 2014 and is distributed by Icon. Now showing in the USA and the UK. Please see local guides for details on times and locations.

!2 Years A Slave is without a doubt the most powerful feature film of the year. It has everything one would associate with a perfect film and potential award winner as it is completely unforgettable and immaculately made. As a result of it's perfect direction by Steve McQueen and incredible performances by all the actors involved as well as a wonderful adapted screenplay, the film is overwhelmingly emotionally powerful and honest in the most brutal way. It is a painful, but wonderful cinematic experience which consists of so many best achievements for the 2013 year in film.

 Based on a true story, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) is a free man from upstate New York who lives a happy life with his wife and two children. When he ventures to Washington DC with who he believes to be two businessmen interested in his talents on the fiddle, he is abducted and sold into the slave trade in the deep south. His first master is the sympathetic Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch) who treats Solomon, who is now known by his slave name of Platt, with respect, but after giving one of his paid workers, Tibeats (Paul Dano) trouble, he is sold to notorious hard man, Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender). Epps is known for "breaking" his slaves and when questioned by those who advise him otherwise such as Bass (Brad Pitt), he insists that he will do whatever he wants with his property. Soloman exhibits an incredible amount of strength and resilience to make sure her survives long enough to see his family and be free once again.

12 Years A Slave is an incredible and heartbreaking tale of one man's fight for freedom in the slave trade. Flowing at a perfect pace where nothing feels rushed and nothing feels left out makes the film consistently captivating and allows for a great deal of attachment to take place between the viewer and the characters on screen. McQueen's film is extraordinarily memorable for it's incredible tale of the fight for freedom and it's welcomed but full-on intensity.

The film itself does not sugar coat the issue of slavery and gives perhaps one of the most brutally honest cinematic looks at slavery in pre-Civil War in the deep south of America. While films such as 1939's Gone With The Wind has given us a slightly distorted or best possible outcome look at slavery in the past where the masters are sympathetic to and treat their help well, 12 Years A Slave looks at the true terrors many had to go through. The film is extremely graphic in certain scenes and this can be very upsetting for some and extremely uncomfortable to watch. A great deal of the ways which the slaves are treated in the film are not censored in any way, shape or form and will upset and dismay many viewers. Yet, you feel true appreciation for Steve McQueen not holding back and wanting to show people this terror to give them a real perspective of what slavery could be like. The film is so powerful in the way that it makes you feel shocked, disgusted and heartbroken, but you are also overcome with how beautiful the film surrounding the hard emotions are.

Although visually confronting at times, 12 Years A Slave is just a pleasure to the eye. There are some absolutely stunning shots of the Louisiana plantations and their surrounds of the cotton fields, bayou and woods. The amazing sunset shot over the top of the trees and the scenes which naturally such as these are accentuated by the amazing musical score. The score itself gives such an impact and as the same haunting music appears throughout the film, it starts to increase emotion more each time each time you hear it.

Chiwetel Ejiofor is magnificent as Solomon Northup. He completely personifies the character and changes as the film goes on as a result of his circumstances. Although you see a man who is being worn down by what he is going through, you also see a man with an incredible amount of spirit and so much fight left in him despite what he is going through. One of the most powerful moments in the film is when the camera is on Ejiofor as he sits and looks around the plantation and at one moment he looks straight down the lens of the camera and it is as though he is really looking at you personally and pleading with you to help him.. It is an amazing moment because looking into his eyes you forget that this is an actor and is really a man of unfortunate circumstances looking for help from anyone who will listen.

Newcomer Lupita Nyong'o is absolutely incredible in her first film appearance as slave girl and object of Edwin Epps' affections, Patsey. She is another character who has an incredible amount of strength in her. Although she does have a death wish as she believes it is her only way out of that way of life, she is still full of life. It is such a sweet scene where you see her in the field making her own dolls, as you see the young girl who is still there and dreaming of happiness. Her final half an hour in the film is just overpowering and heartbreaking. She is a true star and if Patsey is anything to go by, her future career is going to be legendary.

Michael Fassbender gives a perfect performance of such a complex character. Epps is absolutely brutal and a real monster, but there is something else there. It is almost as though he struggles to maintain his brutality and has moments when he is on the verge of giving into being sympathetic, but pulls himself back into believing that his slaves are his property and that he must do what he can to make his assets work for him. There is no denying that he is evil, but his evil is felt greater in some scenes than others. Fassbender is so interesting to watch and every scene he is in brings both a sense of dread and a sense of intrigue. The scene between him and Ejiofor chasing each other is a great piece of cinema and the two have a great chemistry in the oppressed slave and tough master relationship.

Sarah Paulson, who plays Epps' wife, is also very good. Her character also has many layers which are to be examined when deciding what type of a woman she is. Like her husband, she has her moments when she borders on sympathy, but feels she has to reason to make it seem like she isn't sympathetic. Of course, she isn't sympathetic towards Patsey and here she demonstrates how fiercely loyal she is towards her husband by sticking around even though she threatens to leave. Paulson is quite scary at times and another very charismatic character. Benedict Cumberbatch also does well and Brad Pitt's performance is brief, but very effective.

Steve McQueen's 12 Years A Slave wants to show everyone the extreme hardships and horrors those in the slave trade had to endure, and that being free in the north didn't mean you were always free from danger. Intense and beautiful, 12 Years A Slave will be praised and remembered for years.

9.5/10