Director: Steve McQueen (Shame, Hunger)
Writer: John Ridley (screenplay), Solomon Northup (autobiography)
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Brad Pitt, Paul Giamatti, Quvenzhané Wallis
Synopsis: In the antebellum United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.

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DIRECTION

Steve McQueen does it again, and this time on a much larger stage. Anyone reading this knows how beloved this film has become by now. Since mid-September when 12 Years A Slave won the increasingly meaningful People’s Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), we’ve heard nothing but how important, amazing, and brutally well-done it was. Most American moviegoers had to wait until November to see it, so the hype definitely increased expectations. The story of Solomon Northup has never gotten a lot of attention from Hollywood, perhaps because of the controversial nature of the story. So when Steve McQueen set out to tell this incredible tale of ‘there and back again’, he knew the importance of doing justice to Solomon’s autobiography which etched his story into the annals of time. McQueen’s films possess a glossy, candid, atmospheric tone to them which aided 12 Years tremendously in being able to relate to what was on screen. The timing choices McQueen makes allow for a heightened effect that shots and scenes have on the viewer. Sometimes it feels like McQueen holds on a shot for minutes, and the thoughts and ideas that these scenes provoke make all the difference in how it ultimately comes across. The sheer beauty of shots of the sky and land where our story takes place provides nice gaps between scenes in a way that allow viewers to digest events but also prepare for what may come afterward. McQueen is able to get a slew of great performances as well as tell a coherent, thrilling, and horrifying story regarding America’s past. It’s a movie which holds a lot of material you might wish to look away from, but the viewer should not concede to these temptations. In all, McQueen delivers in every single area of direction, and gives us one of the best films of 2013. When you talk about the future of Hollywood and the future of the film industry, Steve McQueen has to be in that discussion after what he has delivered in Hunger, Shame, and now 12 Years A Slave.

Grade: A+

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SCRIPT

The story of Solomon is told in such a way that gives the viewer credit. Sometimes Ridley gives us the beginning and end of an event but lets us fill in what happened between the edges, and this plays to the strength of the way McQueen is allowed to use time for craftsmanship as opposed to the filming of dialogue or moving from shot to shot very quickly. At 134 minutes this is no short film, but it does fly by. It seemed to me that just enough story arcs are introduced and explored that it keeps the viewer engaged at different levels consistently throughout the movie. The material we are dealing with here is incredibly heavy, and it feels like everyone involved realized that. Never are there moments of cheesiness or sentimentality where there should not be. This, to me, is the difference in a great films and a good film. A comparison that came to my mind was from earlier this year in Lee Daniels’ The Butler, a movie that I enjoyed but clearly got the royal Hollywood treatment and included many heavy-handed and contrived methods of engaging the audience. 12 Years opts for the honest approach and uses its performances and characters to deliver the emotional onslaught of this story. At times the dialogue drew out verbal reactions from my audience, and it certainly pressed down on me as I was locked into my seat. The level of talent involved in delivering a script like this is enormous, and Ridley will be awarded for his efforts in the coming months and years.

Grade: A+

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PERFORMANCES

Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Solomon Northup, the violinist who is kidnapped and forced into slavery. Ejiofor delivers what many would call a masterful performance, and seems like a veteran actor. Holding his own in scenes with many great actors which include McQueen-favorite Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, and Benedict Cumberbatch, this performance is easily my favorite of the year so far. Ejiofor captured the ocean of emotions Northup goes through, and deals with scenes of every kind with striking eloquence. To say he carried the film would be a slap in the face to the efforts of so many others here who were also great, but were it not for the perfect casting of Ejiofor and the heart he puts into this character, the film would not affect the viewer anywhere near the level it does. Props to all of the supporting cast members as well, especially Lupita Nyong’o and Paul Dano who have extraordinary impactful characters and moments to deliver on. I loved seeing Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) involved in this film as well, playing one of Northup’s daughters. Aside from Ojiofor though, the most memorable performance will definitely be Michael Fassbender’s Edwin Epps, slaver of Northup in the latter half of the film. While perhaps not as entertaining as Leonardo DiCaprio’s Calvin Candie, Fassbender delivers a much more hateful performance and personifies the evil of what slavery was when it came to relationships between whites and blacks. There’s not a bad performance in 12 Years A Slave, and this adds to its luster.

Grade: A+

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SCORE

Most of the time Hans Zimmer provides scores that guide the viewer in how to feel, but this time McQueen ordered a toned-down scoring of his film which results in a quieter, more subtle approach. There are still overarching themes and notes but what this score shows is Zimmer’s ability to react to a director’s intent and deliver a proper accompaniment.

Grade: A+

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Final Thoughts:

This is why I love the film industry. There is no experience like going into a theater and being shaken and worked over by the cinematic experience, and 12 Years A Slave delivers that for over two hours. The story of Solomon Northup may have been largely unknown for the last 150+ years, but by the end of this Oscar season, everyone will know who he was. In my theater and many others, the Mandela trailer was shown before 12 Years A Slave, and it featured quite the companion quote from Mandela in which he states that “people can learn to hate, but that also means that they can be taught to love.” This film has the power to change minds, and this film will be one for the ages. It is by far the best 2013 feature thus far from the acting and directing perspectives, and to miss this one is to miss out on what makes going to the movies special.

Special Note from Scott: 30 million people live as slaves in 2013, and tens of thousands still do in America. If you wish to learn more about modern day slavery, visit NotForSaleCampaign.org and inform yourself of what the world largely chooses to ignore.

Overall Grade: A+

Director: Alan Taylor
Writers: Christopher Yost (screenplay), Christopher Markus (screenplay)
Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins

Synopsis: Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all.

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DIRECTION
Alan Taylor, mostly known for TV, gets the directors chair for Thor: The Dark World and brings us Thor in some new and fun ways. This version of Thor is much more complex and darker than the first time we met the God of Thunder. The visuals are just as amazing and the main characters get a little more interesting. The camera work is solid, especially when shooting the aerial combat scenes we get. There’s also another great shot when we first see Loki and Thor together where Loki is being sarcastic and the camera work almost operates as another character. Not to mention, Taylor throws in some great cameos there. The pacing is very good and there’s a great mixture of Thor in action and dialogue that sets up the story. Some of what Taylor is doing can come across off as confusing, especially to new fans but overall what Taylor does is entertaining and fun.

Grade: A-

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SCRIPT
The story pretty much picks up right after The Avengers as Thor is now back in his realm making sure that all the realms are at peace. We are introduced to a new alien race that is an old enemy of Asgard. Their secret weapon is eventually found by Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and all the worlds collide (literally) as Thor and Odin try to find a way save Jane and destroy this secret weapon. At the same time, Loki is now in an Asgard prison because of his actions in The Avengers. However, after an attack on Asgard and a tragic incident, Thor must now rely on Loki to help him destroy the enemy. The conflicts created here are interesting and well explored. Much of the dialogue and scenes between Thor and Loki are very funny and well crafted, showing realistically what a brother-brother relationship looks like, but amongst Gods. The story is also very science-y and is heavy on the dialogue that is sometimes hard to keep up with. The main villain isn’t that interesting and isn’t explored enough to really care about much. Overall, it’s still a fun story and the gripping relationship between Thor and Loki keep it engaging.

Grade: B+

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PERFORMANCES
Chris Hemsworth has become a defining character in the Marvel universe and hammers down this character well (see what I did there). He’s fantastic as usual and brings a wittiness to the character we haven’t see much of yet. His action shots, especially with the Hammer are really good. Portman on the other hand is more hit or miss. The character could be written better but for what she’s doing she’s okay. Portman really didn’t want to reprise this role and it’s easy to tell in some scenes but overall brings it when it mattered. Tom Hiddleston is unbelievable as Loki. And by unbelievable, I really mean it’s hard to believe how believable he is as that character. He’s got all the charm and evilness that makes this a fun character. Anthony Hopkins is also great as Odin. I thought he was fantastic in the first Thor movie and again, he’s perfect as the Asgard King. The rest of the supporting cast, including the awesome Idris Elba, is very good even though they have little to do overall.

Grade: A-

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SCORE
This is perhaps the best Brian Tyler score yet. Tyler’s scores in the past haven’t been bad but they haven’t been stand out worthy either. Patrick Doyle’s score for the first Thor is really good and stands out on it’s own very well. Tyler doesn’t use the same themes here but the theme he does come out with is very good and brings a good element to the film. It’s not too distracting but it’s also fun to listen to inside and outside of the movie. Without giving anything away, I do want to mention there’s an Alan Silvestri theme that plays out in a cameo appearance that’s really awesome. The crossovers have even gone into the scores as well. I love it.

Grade: A

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Thor: The Dark World is a great continuation in the Marvel Universe and it’s a better direction than Iron Man 3. It’s entertaining and the relationship between Thor and Loki is great. It’s a good step up from the first film and introduces some new characters. The average fan may have a hard time with this though and some elements are tough to care about but overall it’s still very enjoyable. Also, if you see it in 3D, there’s some awesome footage you’ll see of Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Overall Grade: A-

Director: Richard Curtis
Writers: Richard Curtis
Stars: Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy

Synopsis: At the age of 21, Tim discovers he can travel in time and change what happens and has happened in his own life. His decision to make his world a better place by getting a girlfriend turns out not to be as easy as you might think.

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DIRECTION
There’s not many times that I ridiculously disagree with critics (as a whole) because 60% on Rotten Tomatoes doesn’t even come close to how awesome Richard Curtis’ About Time really is. About Time is absolutely charming, very funny and explores the entire emotional spectrum really well. Curtis is very straight forward with his story but it’s massively engaging and entertaining. One scene involves a band playing at a train station, playing a lovely romantic song as the main characters come back and forth as time keep passes by. Curtis’ creative scenes like that stand out, create a fun environment and set the tone well. The actual time travel is uniquely done too and is used for great humor in many cases. Curtis’ use of music is done extremely well too and is really appropriate for the different emotional tones we get. This is easily the best Rom-Com of 2013 and is one to see.

Grade: A+

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SCRIPT
The story is pretty straight forward for the most part but does have some complexity to it later on in the story. The story centers around Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) who discovers the men in his family can travel back in time. And as a youthful man, love is the big thing on his mind. He moves from the countryside of England to the city of London where he meets Mary (Rachel McAdams) and everything changes. Tim realizes that he can uses his time travel to re-do things without many negative consequences, which is really convenient. But throughout the story, we do find that there are some negative consequences if he’s not careful with what he chooses as it does affect his future on some level. What makes this story brilliant, is that it’s not very Hollywood. This is where many critics miss the point. It’s too predictable that Tim would use time travel to do dumb things, mess up his life, bring in drama, but then fix everything at the end. That’s what we need again, right? Wrong. In fact, Curtis sets up those moments really well but instead we get a guy who learns to have fun with his time travel but he’s smart and knows exactly what he wants. It’s the straight forwardness you wouldn’t expect. Instead of it being filled with Hollywood drama, we get a story that’s fun, extremely hilarious, and emotional all at the same time. And it’s not just a love story. The love aspects blend so well with the father/son relationship story that is just riveting. This story is uniquely told by Curtis and ultimately it’s not about the time travel but how one can miss the important details that life can wonderfully make.

Grade: A

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PERFORMANCES
Easily one of the funnies performances of the year and wonderfully made for the actors to just have a lot of fun with what they are dong. Domhnall Gleeson is amazing as Tim. He’s the shy, awkward young man who doesn’t know exactly how to talk to women but knows that love is what he wants. He’s really believable as the character and he shines. He especially shines in scenes with Bill Nighy who plays Tim’s father. Gleeson and Nighy have some great chemistry and both bring some refreshing humor to the movie. Rachel McAdams is beautiful and while she doesn’t have as much to do, she’s great for the role she plays. There’s one specific scene where she tries on about 20 different dresses that’s just brilliant. Lydia Wilson who plays Kit Kat, Tim’s younger sister, and she’s really funny as the crazy sibling who brings life to the screen. All the rest of the supporting cast is great as well and only brings more humor and life to what this movie is trying to do. If you don’t have fun with this cast and story (critics I’m talking to you), then you’re really missing the point. Amazing.

Grade: A+

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SCORE
Nick Laird-Clowes doesn’t have a ton on his resume but here Laird-Clowes has some really great melodies that play throughout the film. His main theme is absolutely gorgeous and we hear it many times that just elevates this movie even further. Add to that, an amazing soundtrack list that is full of some really great songs that accompany the film tremendously. The music is crucial in many parts of the film that either bring fun or an emotional element that is really great. Go seek out the music, it’s really good.

Grade: A+

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FINAL THOUGHTS
About Time isn’t a movie about time travel. While it’s the main premise of the film, it’s really a film about relationships. Yes, perhaps time travel let’s them play out the way you want, but who wouldn’t want that? And who wouldn’t want to spend some more time with their father or people they love if they could? It’s the type of story that is just a lot of fun, filled with laughter and is what we all hope for. If you want a drama-filled heart attack, go watch The Walking Dead. About Time is perfect for what it’s trying to do.

Overall Grade: A+

Director: Destin Cretton
Writer: Destin Cretton
Stars:Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr.
Synopsis: A 20-something supervising staff member of a foster care facility navigates the troubled waters of that world alongside her co-worker and longtime boyfriend.

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DIRECTION

Going into this film knowing nothing about it aside from the praise that it has garnered this year, I had no expectations aside from a story about a foster home with the female lead being played by Brie Larson. Granted, that’s interesting enough to get me into the seat, but as the credits appeared and ‘Destin Cretton’ rolled past as both the writer and director, I had to believe that this one came from the heart. Later I found out that this was Cretton’s second feature-length film and it was based on a short with a title of the same name that he released a half-decade ago in 2008. The intense realism dealing with what the result of childhood neglect produces was enough to make me uncomfortable, stressed out, but at the same time evoked the thoughts of why cinema is so fascinating and transcending. I recently quoted Kent Jones from a Criterion booklet in which he says that cinema is a response to the world and that movies and film are a distraction from it. Well, I’d say what Cretton has done here qualifies as cinema. The world we live in is ever-changing and full of misconceptions and miscommunication. The issues at hand in the film are not only dealing with neglected children but other major issues as well. At times I was afraid Cretton would try to solve these big issues or come down one way or the other on them, but what makes this a special piece of cinema is that it is a response to all of those things. The viewer is asked to make conclusions but not after being challenged to think about them through devastatingly tough situations and characters. The direction here was key, and the success of the film is what makes me pencil in Destin Cretton as someone to watch in the future.

Grade: A

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SCRIPT

Cretton’s script is bold, straightforward at times, but filled with many movie moments which rank among this year’s best for me. One particularly disturbing scene involving Brie Larson is so masterfully executed that I have to believe it comes from Cretton’s own life or those close to him. That’s how believable most of the film was for me. Anyone who has dealt with neglected children or adults who come from homes where they weren’t given the love they deserved will identify with at least one of these situations, if not all of them. The dialogue and lines never felt unrealistic to me and Cretton seemed to know his characters well, perhaps since having so much time to deal with them from the previous incarnation of this story, or maybe Cretton’s real life aids him here. I’ll be interested to hear the story behind the story.

Grade: A

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PERFORMANCES

Brie Larson finally has a breakthrough performance. I’ve been waiting for her to get a role where she could shine, and this was the one. Larson is consistent, precise, and flexible in a myriad of ways. Dealing with intimate relationships with both adults and children, Larson fills a role that plays much differently on the surface than in the layers peeled back as the film progresses. John Gallagher Jr. is absolutely outstanding as her co-worker, and there is a host of supporting cast members who deserve a lot of credit. It felt like this was a team of actors instead of individuals. It truly seemed as if these people were all working together to tell a story that meant a lot to them. Special recognition should go out to Kaitlyn Dever and Keith Stanfield who play two of the older children in the facility and who have crucial roles in the film’s success. For this film to work, everyone had to be perfect. It’s not a home-run story if you can’t relate to it, and I believe that even if you are lucky enough not to know what these situations are like, these actors will get you as close to them as you’ve ever felt.

Grade: A+

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SCORE

In keeping with the theme of what seems to be a strong team effort, Joel P. West provides the music in the film. He has worked previously with Cretton on an unreleased film called I Am Not A Hipster, and he provides a clear, full, pleasurable accompaniment to what we see on screen.

Grade: B

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Final Thoughts:

There’s no way words could describe how much this film meant to me on a personal level, but as a piece of work it deserves much more attention than it has gotten thus far. It’s finally crossing the $1 million mark this weekend, but that’s a crying shame. This would work with mainstream audiences. Word of mouth has been positive and there is hardly any negative press about it, but for whatever reason it isn’t getting the attention it deserves. Go out and see this, and if your local theater isn’t playing it, ask them why not. This is not a film that deserves to be overlooked.

Overall Grade: A+

Director: Gavin Hood
Writers: Gavin Hood (screenplay), Orson Scott Card (based on the book Ender’s Game by)
Stars: Harrison Ford, Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld

Synopsis: The International Military seek out a leader who can save the human race from an alien attack. Ender Wiggin, a brilliant young mind, is recruited and trained to lead his fellow soldiers into a battle that will determine the future of Earth.

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DIRECTION
Gavin Hood is back at the helm for his first big feature since the atrocity that was X-Men Origins: Wolverine and I must say, it’s a huge improvement. Hood brings us the essence of Ender’s Game and the heart of the book along with some astonishing visual effects. His pacing is a bit quick and we do lose out on some of the intimacies that made Ender’s Game, the book, so incredible. However, the tone Hood sets is familiar and the visual layout is nothing short of amazing. The first scene we get an intense glimpse of an invasion and from there Hood never lets up on the gas pedal. Hood does a good job of letting his actors take control of the characters and we see the main skeleton of the story come to life. There are some main elements that make this story stand out and the execution of that wasn’t perfect but it’s good enough for what Hood is trying to do. Overall, while we lack the complexities from the book, the film visually displays the main themes and story well. Great comeback for Hood.

Grade: A-

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SCRIPT
The part where Hood stumbles is within the script itself. The script had many, many re-writes and with the help from an “uncredited” Orsen Scott Card, Hood and the studios finally got his blessing on the story. Just like any other movie that’s based on a book, you can’t get everything into a two hour movie and it’s no different here. But Hood does manage to get the main course and themes that defines Ender’s Game. The story is the usual arch of aliens invading Earth but from there the story becomes much different than the usual sci-fi movie. The world sets up the International Fleet that will protect Earth at all costs. This includes taking the youngest and brightest minds and developing them to be the best commanders for war. Ender Wiggin just happens to be the brightest of them all. For the film, we don’t get the backstory of his family much and we lose out on a crucial relationship between Ender and his sister Valentine. But through voice overs and emails, we get some sense of it. There are heavy themes that are explored really well, including the morality of using children for war, committing genocide, guilt and doing what’s right no matter what the situation is in front of you. It’s not as complex as the book, but we get enough of it to make the movie work. Overall, Hood give us the outer shell as we lose out on the rawness and emotional weight that makes the book amazing. And the quick pacing leaves us with just the main course, but it’s good enough that you still leave fully satisfied.

Grade: B

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PERFORMANCES
Harrison Ford as Colonel Graff was really good. As someone who’s short, a war veteran and someone who’s lost his wisecracking abilities, Ford was the perfect cast. Especially given the direction he takes characters now-a-days, he handled it really well. Let’s just say his Han Solo days are way behind him, but he’s effective here for who the character is. Asa Butterfield was slow to start and is hard to believe as this young hero at times but he really comes into his own, especially toward the third act of the film. The quick pacing doesn’t help him a whole lot since he has to win you over really fast with almost no backstory. It’s a difficult challenge but overall he does a good job. You gotta love Viola Davis. Davis plays the more emotional Major Gwen Anderson who battles with the morality of what the military is doing and brings a great presence. Do I ever need to talk about Ben Kingsley? Of course he’s good. His role is very limited and I can’t speak of his role much without giving away spoilers but he’s good. And Hailee Steinfeld is amazing as Petra and delivers that character as well as I would of liked to see from that character from the book. She was incredible and the chemistry she had with Butterfield was really compelling. On a quick side note, Moises Arias, whom I really loved in The Kings of Summer, does a pretty descent job playing Bonzo, who is polar opposite of his character in The Kings of Summer.

Grade: B+

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SCORE
Freaking Steve Jablonsky! I love, love Jablonsky and his score here is absolutely perfect. It’s not going to overwhelm you as a theme you’ll remember forever but it’s the perfect balance of intensity, theme and subtleness, which is exactly what this film needed. While the book is massively popular, it’s not the biggest franchise in the world yet and it didn’t call for a big, overpowering score. However, we do get some of that in the more intense scenes and it magnifies that intensity well. Some other scenes were more subtle and Jablonsky, who has experience in horror and comedy, is able to bring that range that’s needed for those scenes as well. Plus, he has some nice touches of Transformers in here which I personally love. It’s a great blend with many ranges that is perfect for what Ender’s Game needed.

Grade: A

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FINAL THOUGHTS
Ender’s Game is a fun, dramatic look that is different and unique for most sci-fi movies. While it follows the basic trope of alien invasion, it quickly turns into a moral dilemma that involves some heavy and complex themes. And while Ender’s Game, the movie, doesn’t quite hit all the intricacies of the book, it gets the main pieces enough that you can enjoy the film for what it was. If you like the book, you will have some issues with it but you can still enjoy it. It actually could of been interesting in IMAX or 3D too.

Overall Grade: B+