12 Years A Slave!!!!

12 Years A Slave.

When it comes to true life stories their is one film this year that will really hit hard and leave a big impression on many people. That film is of course '12 Years A Slave', the true life story of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) a free man and father abducted and forced into slavery.

From the very start of when he is taken you are shocked by the intense violence that is forced upon him, a wooden panel is struck multiple times on his back causing immense pain and only stops when it shatters into pieces. From then on in the film is pretty much none stop and shows every single dark harsh corner and bright white lights that darken and illuminates the slaves lives.

Northup of course moves from plantation to plantation, first in the care of William Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch) he becomes close to him and Ford eventually gives him a violin for him to play. Scuffling with John Tibeats (Paul Dano) and attempted to be hung he is moved into the care of Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender) a man stating that scripture allows him to abuse his slaves. While in his care he meets a young woman Patsey (Lupita Nyong'o) who is Epp's favourite as she picks the most cotton from his cotton field crops. 

Struggling to get through to any of his masters Northup tries to tell his story and state that he is a free man and it is a big mistake but to no avail. He never gives up and carries on with life in the knowledge that one day he will be a free man again and be reunited with his wife and children. All of the slaves endure constant abuse, fights break out and in some harrowing scenes they are whipped until their back is blood red and cut right open. 

For a film that is of such dark and at times harrowing to watch on screen you can also see the hope, the light and the determination of Solomon Northup. Every aspect of his life is shown, his family life, his life on the plantation and how he remains hardy and never loses heart to his final release. You really do go through the motions with Solomon, you cringe and wince at his abuse, you root for him during his own motivational speeches and you smile and nearly cry at his final freedom and meeting of his family after nearly over a decade of being a slave. 

It is a truly impressive and emotional film that is a film to certainly stand the test of time, people will talk of this film in years to come and state it as a true story of slavery and adversity. It truly does deserve to gain such high accolades, Ejiofor and Nyong'o stand out and really do bring out their characters with such ease.

9/10.

Lincoln!!!!

Lincoln.

When it comes to biopic films their are many in which I can re-call that stand out in my mind: Walk The Line (Johnny Cash), Milk (Harvey Milk) and Goodfellas (Henry Hill) are just three that stand out to me. Lincoln is another biopic film that stands out and portrays the last four months of the life and times of the 16th President of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis). 

The film starts with a scene of war as men fight in the muddy fields, as gunshots and swords fly everywhere it's a challenge of survival. Soon enough two black men are speaking to Abraham Lincoln about themselves and how much less pay they get than the other white soldiers they fight along side. Soon enough we see Lincoln talking with his secretary of state about trying to abolish slavery and get it into the constitution as part of the 13th amendment before he is sworn in as the President of the United States.

As the film progresses you see his republican fellow supporters fight in the house of congress to convince fellow republicans and more importantly turn democrats to agree with the amendment as well. As democrats are offered positions of power after the presidents inauguration, one by one they are all slowly turned to agree with the 13th amendment. As the civil war rages on Lincoln is told by his secretary of state William Seward "It's either the amendment or this confederate peace, you can not have both". With this dilemma Lincoln must make a decision, bring about a treaty to stop the war and save lives or abolish slavery forever, he has to choose which one. 

With the president getting to mere hours away from the vote in the house of Congress and in need of more votes, Lincoln gives one of his most poignant, powerful speeches in the film saying "I am the president of the United States clothed with immense power. You will procure me these votes" . As a new day dawns in the house of congress and the fist ever black people enter the house and sit in the public gallery, the votes are cast and the fate of all slaves is about to be settled, but what will happen?

The film itself is very thick and it requires all of your attention to understand what is going on and to follow the main story narrative of the film. As the film progresses you become immersed and start to become emotionally involved as you route for the right thing to happen. Of course the main guy himself Lincoln played by Daniel Day-Lewis is just incredible, there are times when you see an actor portray someone from history and then you see Daniel just become the person. He plays him with such dignity and respect that he just becomes and alluring charismatic person to watch and to inspire you. At times you forget that it is an actor on screen as you truly do think you are watching a real documentary of Lincoln on screen. 

Sally Field plays Lincoln's wife Mary Todd Lincoln and she does it with such poise and emotion as she advises Lincoln on his appearance to the people she is a great asset to Lincoln. Tommy Lee Jones who plays  Thaddeus Stevens is a great addition as he uses his sharp tongue and intellect to cut down any doubting democrats and does his best to support Lincoln. He plays Thaddeus as a funny yet very intelligent man and is a great addition to the film and brings some welcomed comedy to some scenes as well.

I have to say I was daunted at first by the sheer length of the film but once you become immersed in the film you forget about time and just become hooked into the film. The only let down I can see is the amount of little speeches and story's that Lincoln tells his fellow delegates and people as it soon amounts up and slows the film down too much. 

What has been created is a great biopic film that touches upon the human spirit and mind and how we can do better in life and make a change if we want to. A truly witty, dignified, immersive portrait of a man who changed the lives of so many people for the future.

9/10.