A film that needed to be made.

Rating: 9/10 (30 April 2014)

Amazing historical drama about Solomon Northup (Ejiofor), a freeborn African American man kidnapped and sold into slavery. The atrocity of Northup's story within the atrocity of slavery itself makes 12 YEARS A SLAVE a film that needed to be made. Emotionally difficult to endure and excellently acted, with not a single cast member holding the film back in any way. McQueen's trademark of long takes should put this one at the top of the list of any aspiring directors or cinematographers out there; however, there are a handful of shots that linger on close-ups with seemingly no other purpose than to force the characters' feelings on the audience even though it had already been successfully established moments earlier. Although well-acted, the A-listers playing minor roles is a bit unnecessary, not unlike fellow Best Picture Winner THE HURT LOCKER. Still, definitely worthy of Best Picture. Based on Northup's memoir of the same name.
***½ (out of four)