12 Years A Slave

Tali: 12 Years A Slave tells the incredible (true) story of Solomon Northup, a free man living in the North who is kidnapped and sold into slavery. While this movie was good, it was also certainly not good. There are a lot of scenes in this movie that made me uncomfortable. But that is obviously the idea - if you aren't sitting in the theatre squirming in your seat, perhaps you are missing the point. Compared to previous Hollywood narratives of American slavery, 12 Years A Slave makes us see things different: Solomon had previously experienced and lived in freedom, and that made us root and weep for him just that much harder. Lupita N'yongo and Michael Fassbender were both very incredible in their roles, too. 82/100.

**I feel it is particularly important that you head over to Bitch Magazine and scroll down to read what bell hooks and Melissa Harris Perry have to say about this film, coming from a perspective that Leo and I cannot emulate.

Leo: This movie was really well-done on all counts. My reservation probably has nothing to do with the quality of the film. It had everything that a white person could imagine would have happened in the years of slavery. That is, though, my only complaint. I'm a white person and I sort of feel myself feeling "good" or that I can empathize (I guess Jewish people can empathize if anyone....but I digress) with slaves and their families. But the truth is it sort of sickens me that people, including myself, think that they are somehow better people for seeing this movie. Reminds me of Kony 2012 and that dumb shit. Onto the actual movie though, it was incredible from every film related standpoint. All of the slaves were exceptional actors and Michael Fassbender in particular stood out as the best supporting. Leometer: 89/100.