12 Years A Slave is the film of the year.

Rating: 10/10 (4 November 2013)

12 Years A Slave is about a free black man named Solomon Northup, from upstate New York, who gets kidnapped and sold into slavery. The film follows the mans journey to survive and get back his freedom.
I haven't seen a film quite like this before. It's one that doesn't let back on the cruelty and torture that was brought upon slaves in the 1800′s. It's wasn't comfortable to watch at times, but that was the point. You aren't supposed to think slavery is a light topic. 12 Years A Slave is a film that will bring tears to your eyes. They aren't treated this way, but most of these slaves are innocent. Families torn apart to serve others and who get tortured when something wasn't done right or they look at their superiors the wrong way..
The performances were breathtaking. Chiwetel Ejiofor was just brilliant as Solomon Northup, a man who is fighting to survive and get back to his family. You can feel the mans heartbreak and fear just by his facial expressions. That's what makes a fantastic actor. Michael Fassbender, who plays a cruel plantation owner, was also very good. There wasn't a moment where you didn't hate him. Newcomer Lupita Nyong'o was also fantastic and Brad Pitt made his 5 minutes of screen time as powerful and meaningful as he could. He played a Canadian Carpenter who felt strongly about the topic of slavery, and who gives a great speech about his feelings late in the film. Pitt plays the more sensible type in the film, and his performance will bring you to tears when you feel a sense of relief knowing there's a character with a heart like his.
Hans Zimmer has to be one of my favourite composers. His music can break your heart, get your adrenaline pumping or keep you smiling. His music added to the heartbreak of the film. When tears are rolling down your eyes, it's hard to stop from crying out loud when his score comes on. I don't usually comment on a soundtrack, but Hans Zimmer was a fantastic choice for this film.
The film length is perfect. I understand people can't sit through a 2 hour and 20 minute film, but with a film like this, it's great because of the impact the runtime has. You get to feel and see the pain that the slaves have. Needless to say, this film has taught me a lot about history, and how to treat people. To people who are looking for a light fun film, than 12 Years A Slave is not for you. Don't walk on thinking this is going to be all light and fluffy, because I can assure you, it's not for the light hearted. Slaves are being tortured and mistreated in the most brutal ways and you sometimes have to turn away or cover your eyes, but as I said, that's the impact the film is supposed to have on you.
Needless to say, I loved 12 Years A Slave. It was a film that is great for a History class to go and watch. It's a great topic of conversation and will make us think twice about the way we treat people. 12 Years A Slave is the film of the year, but I know, with a year ending soon and still a lot of Oscar films to come, there's still a lot to look forward to. You get a rare type of film every few years. A film that will win a deserving amount of Oscars or will make you want to scream when they don't. This film is that film.
Grade: A+