12 Years a Slave

Movie: 12 Years a Slave

Major Actors: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Taran Killam, Paul Giamatti, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Michael Fassbender, Sarah Paulson, Lupita Nyong'o, Brad Pitt

Rating: R

Best Audience: Adults only

Review:

The film "12 Years a Slave" is obviously a huge Oscar contender this year, and for good reason. It depicts the true story of a free man living in New York who gets abducted and sold into slavery. Historically, what happened to Solomon Northup happened to many others. The difference is that Solomon was able to escape and write a book about his journey.

One thing I liked about this movie was that it showed an accurate depiction of slavery void of sensationalism. As a matter of fact, director Steve Mcqueen did not even skim the surface of the horrors done to enslaved humans in that time period. The film shows beatings/whippings, rape, division of families, murder/lynching, and humiliation. It does not show the more sadistic forms of torture, which I won't even begin to list, due to my own inability to stomach those things.

The reason that I think Steve McQueen overlooked the more sadistic side: That was not the point of the film. The film focused more on the psychological struggle humans experience during slavery. If McQueen added a scene where a slave gets boiled alive (which happened), that would have taken the focus away from Solomon's internal struggle. Solomon had to constantly decide whether to keep his head down and do what he was told or fight for what he wanted. He was faced with that decision every day of his enslaved life, and he did not always make the same decision. Sometimes he fought; sometimes he knuckled down. One of the best quotes in this film was "I don't want to survive, I want to live." I felt like that line summed up the whole film.

I also appreciate the fact that this film does not perpetuate division between "whites" and "blacks." It emphasizes the oneness of humanity. Steve McQueen is certainly a directorial artist. The casting was excellent. So many good actors! Chiwetel Ejiofor carried the film. Michael Fassbender and Sarah Paulson were excellent villains. Paul Dano's character will absolutely make your skin crawl, and Lupita Nyong'o will break your heart.

You may want to emotionally prepare yourself before going to see this film, due to the intensity of the subject matter.

American Hustle

Movie: American Hustle

Major Actors: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner, Louis C.K., Robert Deniro

Rating: R

Best Audience: Adults only

Review:

American Hustle is loosely based on a true story. The story focuses on a con man and his mistress, who are blackmailed by an FBI agent to assist in an operation to bring down politicians and congressmen.

The thing I like about this story is how morally ambiguous it is. The FBI is trying to entrap congressmen into accepting bribes in order to make some high profile arrests. The congressmen are doing what they have to do in order to bring opportunity to their communities. The FBI is using con-men in order to trick them into committing crimes.

At many times throughout this movie, you will be confused about who is conning whom...and that is one of the great things about this film. No one in this film is really "likeable." You may like the characters at one point, then absolutely can't stand them at another point. But that is reality. No one is all good or all bad. We are all capable of both. This movie truly does capture the truth about humanity. Of course, Jennifer Lawrence possesses the power to steal the scene and she does, despite having a smaller role. David O. Russell, who gave us "Silver Linings Playbook" directed this movie as well.

But even a casual movie-goer can still enjoy this film. There is plenty of fighting, sex, and drama to entertain while the story provides some interesting observations about humanity.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Movie: Gravity

Major Actors: Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Josh Hutcherson, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jena Malone

Rating: PG-13

Best Audience: Older children, teens, and young adults

Review:

I saw this movie late on a Friday night. I was quite tired after getting off work. I fully expected to "accidentally" fall asleep. However, "Catching Fire" had other plans for me. Instead, it captured my attention all throughout the two and a half hours. I absolutely loved the Hunger Games series when I read through all three of them in less than a week in April 2012. The movie was almost exactly like the book, which is rare for film adaptions.

One thing I love about the books and the movies is just how human this story is. This story is not far-fetched or original...it has happened over and over in many civilizations. A government oppresses its citizens. Whenever those citizens show signs of malcontent, the government tightens its grasp. The tighter the government bears down, the more convinced the people become that they need to do something to change the situation.

And even though I sat through two and a half hours of this film, I STILL did not want it to end. Can't wait for the third! You do not have to read the books to see the movie...but you should see the first movie before you see this sequel.

Gravity

Movie: Gravity

Major Actors: Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris

Rating: PG-13

Best Audience: Older children and adults

Review

I found the movie "Gravity" to be quite excellent. I know a lot of critics of the movie did not appreciate the aspects of the movie that were unrealistic. However, I do not for a second believe the intent of this film was to show the audience what the experience of floating freely through space would be like. This movie is more like "Life of Pi;" it has a philosophical message. "Gravity" certainly moved me to think about things like basic survival vs. really living. So many times in this film, Sandra Bullock's character is faced with situations in which giving up would be much easier than even trying to survive. She doesn't have anyone left on the planet to even try to live for. It's just her...and her question of life or death. I definitely loved this movie.