The Rarest Of Movies

Rating: 10/10 (13 February 2014)

Very occasionally, a movie comes along that outshines anything else released. This is one of those movies. 12 Years A Slave is in a different class from any other films I have seen in a very long time. The storytelling is rich in characterisation and emotion, and once again, Steve McQueen pushes the viewer (and cast) beyond their comfort zones. But it is with such great directorial skill, he compels us to watch even the most brutal of sequences. People find it hard to watch, and some find it impossible to watch, but I challenge you to watch it without becoming emotionally attached and to ignore the beauty of this modern masterpiece. Once again, McQueen brings out the very best of Michael Fassbender like no other director has yet achieved, and he produces equally performances by all the cast, especially Lupita Nyong'o, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano and Paul Giamatti (I could easily go on to name most of them!). But it is Chiwetel Ejiofor who steals your attention and forces you uncomfortably deep into the depths of your seat as he turns in the best performance of his career so far - by far. He is a revelation on screen that makes me want to watch Dirty Pretty Things, Kinky Boots and American Gangster all over again. It deserves Best Picture, Director and Actor at the Oscar's, lets hope it wins them!