12 Years a Slave

Usually these quirky little blogs I write are meant to raise a smile and if I've done my job properly, entertain. They may even on rare occasions commit you, the reader, to the odd chuckle. However what you're about to read will contain no jest, merriment or light hearted fun poked at its actors or subject matter. 12 Years a Slave is not a film to be ridiculed. Nor is it a movie that should have cheap shots fired at it, just to raise a second-rate laugh. This is a serious film that deserves and demands attention. And as I'm sure the Oscars and Baftas are about to prove, it will draw attention to some remarkable acting, writing and directing.

12 Years a Slave tells the real life story of Solomon Northup, played superbly by Chiwetel Ejiofor, and his fight for survival, dignity and ultimately his freedom in a pre-civil war United States.  A free black man who is adducted in upstate New York and then sold into slavery. When the film starts we are introduced to Solomon as a devoted family man. A Father, a husband and a man of many talents including playing music. It is this gift of music that brings him to the attention of two men who enquire about hiring his services while his wife and children are out of town. Things go well at first but Solomon wakes up one morning, after having been plied with liquor the night before, in chains and his long dark journey begins.

The director of 12 Years a Slave, Steve McQueen, in what is only his third Hollywood film, has managed to deliver a raw and powerful film that at times is very hard to watch. The only other film that I can compare it to is Steven Spielberg’s “Schindlers List”. The subject matter for 12 Years is equally as powerful but has the added component of being graphic in what it shows you. There are three scenes that stand out in this regard. Scenes that I found myself wanting to look away from and wait until they were over. I forced myself to watch these images, not because I enjoyed them but I felt I had to. The first of these three takes place the morning after his abduction and it’s where Solomon is beaten, whilst manacled in chains, with a wooden paddle across his back. The camera is placed almost at ground zero the brutality of his is beating is forced directly at you. The second comes the repercussions of Solomon’s actions against a racist worker on a plantation in Louisiana. He has a noose placed around his neck and he is hung from a tree just high enough so that he can only just balance on his toes. This harrowing landscape is made all the more difficult due to his ground his feet can touch is nothing more than soft mud. Again the camera is used to pull the audience in and make you feel what’s being portrayed on the screen. To further the intensity of what you are obligated to observe there is no dialogue, no dramatic score just a single shot of Solomon struggling against the rope. The camera stays on this struggle against gravity longer than anyone will feel comfortable with and that may well be the point for doing so. The third and probably hardest of all to watch is towards the end of the film and comes in the form of Michael Fassbender’s sadistic Edwin Epps. Epps is the owner of a cotton plantation who uses the Bible and scripture as a way of justifying his merciless behaviour towards the slaves that he “owns”. One such slave, Patsy, played by Lupita Noyng’o seems to not only garner more attention from Epps but also has to suffer his all-consuming sexual brutality as well. This ultimately leads to Patsy’s destruction against the post. Being the coward that Epps is, he forces Solomon to start whipping her. Solomon has to reluctantly agree. Not only for his own safety but also for the safety and wellbeing of the other slaves. Solomon tries to inflict as little damage as he can but this only lasts temporarily as Epps takes over and begins to quench his blood lust. What follows is nothing short of harrowing and distressing. The viewer is given a front row seat to Epps violence, strength and ferocity. The screen bleeds red at times and the incisions the leather whip leave upon Patsy’s back leave a scar on the eyes.
Solomon’s salvation comes in the form of a chance meeting with Brad Pitts “Bass” who happens to be under the employ of Epps to help build a rotunda within the grounds of his plantation. Bass, a white man from Canada, believes that all men, regardless of race, creed or culture should be treated as equals. After some soul searching and the realisation that by doing so he could be endangering his own life Bass agrees to inform Solomon’s family in New York of his location so they may send papers down to free him. The film ends with a very emotional reunion with his with wife and children. His daughter, now married, presents with his first grandchild and he then starts the very long healing process towards leading a normal family life….

Along with the aforementioned Chitewel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender and Lupita Noyng’o, whom I suspect will all win Oscars the respective categories that their nominated in, this film also boasts other great actors, some of which aren’t afford much screen time but still leave thinking about their performance long after the film has finished. These include Paul Giamatti playing “Freeman”. An ironic name given that he’s responsible for the selling of slaves onto their respective new owners. Theres also Benedict Cumberbatch playing “Ford”. A plantation owner who actually shows Solomon great kindness at times, protecting him from a lynch mob and also rewarding him with a fiddle after Solomon helps increase working efficiency on Ford’s estate.

Everyone should make the time to watch 12 Years a Slave. Some of you won’t enjoy it and I suspect some of you may not make it through to the end. As I said earlier it is a hard watch at times but what it lacks in subtlety and visual shyness it makes up for as an ensemble piece of film making that is beautifully acted by its entire cast. Its cinematography is also one of 12 years stand out components. That coupled with powerful direction and a screenplay written by John Ridley that doesn’t pull any punches means 12 years will stay with you long after its credits roll and so it should.

Twitter Review:
12 Years a Slave is a hard film to watch but a necessary requirement. Thought provoking and graphic, chilling and bold. Must see.
#Oscars

Useful Links:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2024544/fullcredits?ref_=tt_cl_sm#cast
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUQNjfhlREk

The Desolation Of Smaug

Hello dear reader, a couple of Saturdays before the Yuletide festivities kicked in and certain shops, who will remain nameless, started putting Easter eggs on their shelves I went and saw the new Hobbit film. Now for lots of different reasons I shan't bore you with, including one about a Microsoft windows update that made my keyboard ornamental as opposed to functional and another that centered around me ridding the world of dark chocolate and beer, I have been unable to commit pen to paper or in this case, fingers to keys and jot down what I thought of the film. I will now remedy this alarming oversight with a short, concise and as ever entertaining review of said film.

It starts unusually, not where we left off but with a flash back to Bree and a meeting in the prancing pony about six months before the start of the first film "An Unexpected Journey". This powwow takes place between Magneto & the Vicar of Dibleys hubby, sorry Gandalf and Thorin. They are discussing what to do about the pesky dragon that's taken up residence at Erebor and how, if ever, the dwarves will ever get to go and home. Apparently the metropolitan line just doesn't go that far. During this meeting the Arkenstone is brought up. This unique gem, that either runs on Duracell batteries or Magic (it's never really made clear in the film) will help the dwarves reclaim their home. I’m not sure how it’s supposed to work but I think it’s along the same principles as the "one ring." You know, whoever holds the stone, with great power comes great responsibility, greedo shot first, put your hand against the screen, we're not in Kanas anymore, gas mark 6, he's not the messiah he's a very naughty boy kind of deals. 
It’s during this meeting that it’s decided that a thief will be required to help get this gem back, which is where Bilbo comes in.
Just a quick aside. As and when you watch this film keep your eyes peeled as the very first person you see on screen, doing a splendid impression of bugs bunny, is the one and only director of the piece Peter Jackson. 

The film then takes us back to Bilbo "The Burglar" and this company of twelve dwarves. The bakers dirty dozen of Middle Earth if you will, still heading towards what can only described as the biggest branch of Ernest Jones I've ever seen. 
For those of you who haven't read the Hobbit I can say only this. You need to stop whatever you're doing and fix this literary omission right now. It belongs up there with the classics like Hamlet, A tale of two cities and the majestic George's marvellous medicine. 
For those of you who have you'll know what's coming. This includes (spoiler alert) a bear that's a man, who happens to hate Dwarves but hates Orcs even more. A wood that even Gandalf thinks twice about entering. A necromancer, which as far as I can tell is the equivalent of a Middle Earth Sith Lord. Also on display is Stephen Fry playing the Lord of Laketown. A role he plays to perfection.

This film seems to flow a lot more smoothly than its predecessor. There was a lot of talk, when the announcement came that Peter Jackson was taking a three hundred and thirty'ish page novel and then stretching out over three instalments, that it would make it very thin on the ground when it came to plot and story but with the inclusion of the appendices from other Tolkien books thrown in for good measure Mr Jackson seems to have pulled it off. Even bringing some characters back from The Lord of the Rings trilogy has paid off. It's a credit to the screenplay and its direction that a film that clocks in at two hours and 40 minutes feels like a movie half its length. In fact when the credits started to roll I had to look at my watch to double check the time. 

Now I can and will say that you get a lot more bang for your buck in the way of action with The Desolation of Smaug. There are some truly amazing set pieces here, including an arachnophobics worst nightmare brought to life. Made even more jolting if there happens to be a set of 3D glasses perched across your nose. An escape from the elves in barrels that puts any ride at Chessington World of Adventures or Alton Park to shame and a battle under the mountain that involves one of the biggest games of side and seek you're ever likely to see. 
My biggest issue with the film and I am really “nit picking” here is that Smaug doesn’t really get desolated at all. In fact the film ends with him basically getting the upper hand over everyone. I suspect given the effort that’s been put in to bring him to life, and I’ll be honest here you won’t see a better CGI dragon this side of the trilogies conclusion, Smaug will have a big part to play in the last film “There and Back Again.” This would be a big departure from the book as he kicks the bucket, hops the twig, expires, sleeps with the fishes, has bought the farm, gone belly up and also died about two thirds of the way through the novel. It’s actually Smaugs death causes the fight for the treasure and the battle of the five armies.  In closing I’ll say this. If the first film put you off and you felt disappointed (I know I did) this one redeems the franchise very well and would definitely be worth your time, money and trouble to go and see it.   

Twitter Review:
Smaug plays it smug. Watson plays with his ring and the mountain has more gold than Big Mac has Calories in it
#DragonsBarrels&Burglars

Useful Links:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001392/?ref_=tt_ov_dr
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPVWy1tFXuc