Grade: B
12 Years a Slave, in my book, didn’t have too many aspects that distinguished it or elevated it above any other film of its kind, but it was fine. I found that most of the time, it just “sat there,” yet it had its moments. I loved the beautiful locations and the sound/foley work. (Are we really supposed to notice these things in a movie like this?) As for the trio of Oscar-nominated performances, I was most affected by Michael Fassbender, who I hated more than any character I’ve seen in a movie this year. It is filled with a handful of supporting performances from familiar faces, such as Quvenzhané Wallis (“Hushpuppy” from last year’s Beasts of the Southern Wild), Paul Giamatti, Benedict Cumberbatch, and has a most surprising cameo from one of the last actors I’d expect to see in something like this, or with a role this small. His initial appearance was jarring to me, yet he was very effective in his two scenes. I was touched by the final scene, and how a plot point that may sadden and anger most people was handled with such grace by the protagonist. And weren’t the last 5 spoken words in the film just beautiful and perfect?
Grade: B
Film Reviews by Mark 
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