12 Years A Slave (2013) Review

There hasn’t been a film like this in quite some time. One where there is no negative criticism I can give to its direction, writing, performances, music, costumes, production design. Everything about this film is simply perfect. It’s not always easy to write a review for such a film. I feel I must limit the review to a certain length but there is not enough I could possibly say to express my admiration and respect for such a profoundly moving and well-made film. If I could I would go on for an inordinately long time about it.

Based on the book of the same name the film tells the true story of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man living in upstate New York who is kidnapped by two men and sold into slavery. His name is taken and replaced with Platt. Taken against his will to the south he is first sold by Theophilus Freeman (Paul Giamatti) to William Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch) who is by all accounts a good, kind man despite being a slaver. After an incident with an overseer (Paul Dano) Solomon is resold, for his protection, to one Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender). Epps is the polar opposite of Ford. He is a sadistic, brutal drunk. He has no qualms about treating his slaves how he sees fit including whipping and beating Northup and a young slave named Patsey (Lupita Nyong’o) who is the “favored” slave of Epps. Northup eventually, after many failed attempts, is able to get a letter to friends in the north with the help of a sympathetic Canadian (Brad Pitt) and is re-granted his freedom.

Every single performance in this film is flawless. Ejiofor’s subtleties are all there in his face. He hits every single note and emotion required perfectly creating a truly powerful, emotional and exquisite performance. You believe every second and see every thought the character has because of this. The final moments of the film in which he is re-united with his famliy are among the most angry, heart wrenchingly powerful moments I have ever seen. Fassbender is especially terrifying. He throws himself into the role and is captivating in every sense of the word. The man’s ability to perform so well with his eyes is something I haven’t seen since Claude Rains. He continues to impress me and is always at the top of form. This is no exception. Nyong’o (in her film debut) proves she has the acting chops to keep on par with Ejiofor and Fassbender. She creates a character that is both hopeful and broken. She will have a very long and successful career with performances like this one.

Director Steve McQueen is proving himself a master of the uncomfortable. His style is to force you to watch a series of horrific acts and he pulls no punches. He is a director who wants to make you uncomfortable and never gives the audience an emotional release until the end of the film. This is something that reminds me of the work of Stanley Kubrick. It’s not disturbing for the sake of being disturbing. It’s difficult to watch because he wants to make you uncomfortable. This man is an artist and one of the best directors working today and his films affect the audience in ways I am sure they are not prepared for. I certainly was not prepared to be reduced to tears as I was when the lights came up.

This is the best film of the year. Unflinchingly brutal and honest but an important film and essential for anyone and everyone.

★★★★

Muppets Most Wanted (2014) Review

I have always considered myself a Muppet fan. I love the films (yes even Muppets from Space) and shows and merchandise and characters and on and on and so forth. This film is the first time I have felt a resounding disappointment in something that bears (pun intended) the name. I truly wanted to like it but, as the film unfolded with only chuckle-inducing jokes, a slew of unmemorable songs and twenty cameos per minute, I found I simply could not. Sigh.

The film begins quite literally where The Muppets left off. If you recall the last thing seen before the credits was a firework display with the words “The End” shown in bright, colorful letters. The characters have just wrapped up filming their big comeback. They discuss what they should do next. Some say they should break up again while others want to keep performing for the audience of extras (who consequently left immediately). Ultimately they decide to make another movie. A man name of Dominic Badguy (Ricky Gervais), appears to the Muppets and informs them that he wants to manage their group on a world tour. They of course agree and begin preparing for this undertaking. The only problem? Dominic is actually (as his name suggests) a bad guy. He is the number two man to the number one criminal in the world Constantine. Constantine is a frog who bears a striking resemblance to Kermit with the addition of a mole on his cheek. He’s specifically a thief who has been locked up in a Russian Gulag run by a feisty and affectionate guard named Nadya (Tina Fey). He escapes from the prison and makes Kermit switch places by painting his mole and gluing one to Kermit. Kermit of course is arrested and taken to the gulag. Now how Constantine escapes from the Gulag is unclear as Nadya makes it clear to Kermit that she has seen every prison escape movie ever made and therefore escape is impossible but I digress. Constantine convinces the other Muppets that he is, in fact Kermit. They set off on their world tour, with the destinations carefully chosen by Dominic and Constantine. All the while there are chased by an Interpol officer (Ty Burell) and Sam Eagle (here playing a CIA agent) while Kermit remains trapped in the Gulag, forced to partake in a talent show under the orders of Nadya. I won’t reveal anything else as this is a (mostly) spoiler-free review.

The film has, I believe, more cameos than any other Muppet production. I counted no less than sixteen. It’s true that The Muppet films have often employed cameos but here they  are so wall-to-wall that we never have a chance to let them all sink in before the next one. This defeats the purpose of cameos. It should be of someone you recognize and give you a laugh. The average audience member may not recognize Frank Langella or Chloë Grace Moretz in their roles but that’s only because they go by so fast that you are left thinking, “I know that was a cameo but who was it?”

I have never laughed at these characters less. In fact I found myself only chuckling a few times. I can’t remember all the times I did but there were no fits of hearty laughter so common in something with the Muppets. Sadly many of the jokes simply fall flat. I’m not saying that it is bereft of humor but I expected to be laughing nearly constantly. Something I did when watching The Muppets or Muppet Treasure Island. I wanted to so much throw my head back and laugh to the point of annoying other audience members. This is perhaps what is most distressing. The fact that I couldn’t do that.

I mentioned earlier the songs being unmemorable and unfortunate. Of the six original songs, all written by Bret McKenzie, I couldn’t hum a single one. It is a sad day when the best songs in your musical come from other musicals (such as “I Hope I Get It” from A Chorus Line) or movies (like “My Heart Will Go On” from Titanic). When they re-did “Rainbow Connection” for The Muppets it worked. It played on our nostalgia to create a heartfelt moment. Here the redone song is “Together Again” from Muppets Take Manhattan. It feels out of place and doesn’t make me feel the same way as when I first heard it. That being said the way that the songs are presented is actually fairly clever and entertaining even if the songs themselves are not.

The Muppet franchise has bounced back from worse so I have no reason the believe it won’t do the same after this film. Was it the worst thing in the history of things? Not necessarily and I acknowledge that, had my expectations not been so high, I may have enjoyed it but why lower my expectations? It fails to live up to the quality of previous entries but then again it freely admits that it’s not as good. I just wish it didn’t celebrate it.

★★