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Review of ’12 Years a Slave’ by Vassar Student David Lee

November 15, 2013 By Thelma Leave a Comment

Ejiofor (left); Fassbender (photo credit Weinstein Pictures)

Ejiofor (left); Fassbender (photo credit Weinstein Pictures)


It is difficult to watch Director Steve McQueen’s “12 Years a Slave” without looking away from the screen every so often. Lynched, murdered, raped, sold, traded, and owned: these are verbs we never want to associate with human existence. But it’s undeniable that these acts are a part of our legacy as Americans. And it’s utterly painful. It doesn’t play into our national denial, like “Lincoln,” by marginalizing the black experience by lionizing white political leaders, or like “Django Unchained” by reimagining the past as a Spaghetti Western. McQueen (“Hunger,” “Shame”) mounts horrifying images of the shredded backs, twitching feet, floating bodies, and chained limbs atop another to give a glimpse into the lives of slaves lived in constant fear and oppression. With strong performances by the incredible Chiwetel Ejiofor in the title role, Lupita Nyong’o, and Michael Fassbender among many, McQueen delivers one of the greatest films about American slavery and the need to own up to our checkered past.

Filed Under: Criticism, Movies & TV, Oscar Race Tagged With: 12 Years a Slave, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong'o, Oscars 2014, Review, Slavery, Steve McQueen, Vassar

The TIFF13 Countdown Continues – 4 Days – “12 Years a Slave” Trailer

September 1, 2013 By Thelma Leave a Comment

It’s way too early to talk about Oscar frontrunners, but Steve McQueen’s “!2 Years a Slave” brought the house dawn at the Telluride Film Festival (and started an uncomfortable discussion pitting McQueen against Lee Daniels). The fact-based Antebellum drama stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Brad Pitt and Michael Fassbender. Under the watchful eyes of “Shame” director McQueen, Ejiofor plays an African American freeman kidnapped from Upstate New York and sold into slavery. cue the trailer:

Filed Under: Movies & TV, Oscar Race Tagged With: 12 Years a Slave, Brad Pitt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Oscars 2014, Steve McQueen, TIFF

’12 Years a Slave Trailer’ – the year of the African American Actor Oscar Contender

July 16, 2013 By Thelma Leave a Comment

With this trailer, it’s clear that this is a landmark year for African American males vying for Oscar.

Add Chiwetel Ejiofor (“American Gangster,” “Salt”) to the list as the title character in Steve McQueen’s period Oscar contender, as the following trailer reveals:

Others on the list?

Oscar-winner Forest Whittaker for “The Butler”

Michael B. Jordan for “Fruitvale Station”

Idris Elba for “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom”

Any additions to the list? Help a sista out.

Filed Under: Celebrity, Movies & TV, Oscar Race Tagged With: African American Actors, best actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Forest Whitaker, Idris Elba, Michael B. Jordan, Oscars 2014

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