One of the best films this year, definitely the front runner in the Best Picture race and other races this Oscar season

Rating: 10/10 (18 November 2013)

12 years a slave is hands down the best film I've seen this year. Steve McQueens best work yet. In my opinion this film just nudges Gravity to second in the best picture race so far, still waiting for the much anticipated releases of "American Hustle", "The Wolf on Wall Street", "Saving Mr. Banks", and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty".
Chiwetel Ejiofor gives his best performance yet(definitely Oscar worthy) playing Solomon Northup, a freeman who is kidnapped into the slave trade. He brought emotion and courage to the screen while leaving the audience on their toes predicting what he was going to do next.
Michael Fassbander also gives an Oscar worthy performance playing the antagonist, Edwin Epps, a drunken repulsive plantation owner. While Solomon brings the innocence and desperation to the movie Edwin brings the intensity and evil to the movie. These two powerhouse actors create the perfect contradiction and it simply makes the movie great and brings it off the screen into the audience.
Along with Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbander are Lupita N'Yongo, Benedict Cumberbatch,Brad Pitt,Paul Dano, Sarah Paulson, and Paul Giamatti make up the star studded cast. The way Steve McQueen directed the movie this cast barely shares screen time and there is no interference between their talents. The most intriguing performances, aside from the leads, (Chiwetel, Fassbander,and Nyongo'o) were from Paul Dano and Brad Pitt they stole the lead when they were on the screen. Paul Dano plays the very racist, abusive Master Tibeats who usually spends his time hitting the slaves. Paul shares the screen with Benedict Cumberbatch they are also a perfect combination and contrast of good and evil. Brad Pitt plays the hardworking, humble Bass who travels around North America working on construction. Brad shares the screen with the two leads, Chiwetel and Fassbander, which he stabilizes the conflicts between the two and the topic of slavery.
Throughout the film the recurring conflict is between good and evil, and what is right and wrong, all on the topic of slavery and Solomon's unusual, tough situation. Steve McQueen and the writers blended it in with the characters very well.
Along with the great acting, directing, and writing there is the music that compliments of every aspect of the film perfectly and Hans Zimmer is also deserving of an Oscar.
To wrap everything up 12 years a slave is a great movie it completely caught me off guard and it should be the big name floating around on Oscars night. The star studded cast is perfectly gelled with the directing of Steve McQueen and the writing by John Ridley. I would recommend this movie to anyone that likes to be entertained and appreciates the aspects of movies.
10/10 great film