12 Years a Slave [DVD] [2013]

Im so glad this wob best picture,its deserves it.im a huge steve mcqueen fan and must say this is his best film.if you enjoyed hunger,shame then you will love this film.Its very emotional to see a free man be kidnapped and sold to slavery,taken away from his family and freedom.touching story a must buy blu ray,you will not regret it.5/5

I love the movie it is a excellent movie very sad makes you think about it

12 Years a Slave portrays the vicious hell slavery was. Legally labeling fellow humans as "beasts" and mercilessly abusing them at will was shockingly normal. Sarah Paulson was especially chilling as the jealous wife. I was appalled at Paul Giamatti's corrupt evil trafficker. Solomon Northup's memoir was brought to life without sparing any injustice. Film buffs now have a new standard reference for realism of that era's common atrocities. Very hard but critical to watch. 12 Years a Slave was voted 2014 Best Picture. Remove the Southern accents & introduce a Mediterranean setting and you could easily tell the same type of story in ancient Rome or Sparta. But this horror story is American, all too true, and not a unique story. What is unique is Solomon's education & dedication in committing his survival to a shocking memoir. Solomon's story became an eyewitness to what has become a lost, now recaptured history. 12 Years a Slave demonstrates the power of film. Most would not think to seek a slave's memoir as compelling drama in the written word. On screen, indignity, humiliation, and evil become impossible to ignore. Lupita N'Yongo was perfectly cast as the Master's favorite. Under slavery, something as mundane as soap can change lives like a head-on collision. 12 Years a Slave is a remarkable cinematic achievement. I hope one day becomes a staple easy reference for discussing humans' inhumanity as Huckleberry Finn is now. Daniel J. Delph, Glasgow, Kentucky

"Mans' inhumanity to Man" - as good a film to highlight that premise as any I have ever seen. The story is utterly convincing as regards to being in the wrong place at the wrong time and it's consequences. The acting is stellar and completely mesmerizing transporting the viewer to another place and time in such a convincing manner that upon its conclusion the viewer has to check his or her surroundings just to be sure they are really in the 21st century. The director here has found a way to impart the film's lessons without bludgeoning you with it but rather enveloping you in it. A MUST SEE FILM for anyone's list and a MUST HAVE FILM for anyone's library.

Considering that this film currently stands as the 3rd lowest grossing best picture Oscar winner, I was worried that many viewers found reasons to avoid this film. I also chose to opt out of the theater experience, but purchased it the very day it arrived on the home market. I certainly see why it was avoided, its so unflinchingly realistic. Everything. Every aspect. This film does not let you avoid the brutalities that took place during the slave trade. However, every aspect of the film is done with an undeniable amount of mastery. The acting is superb. The scenery and locations are picturesque. The story, while simple, is filled to the brim with characters with extreme depth, love, horror, or indifference. I don't wish to give anything away for those who have not yet seen it, but do yourself a favor and purchase this. It's an instant classic. Regardless of how you feel about the subject matter, you'll be in awe of a film that really is at the peak of the craft. This will be in a cornerstone for future filmmakers to come.

This story is primarily about those 12 years a slave from the book Northup later wrote detailing the transition from free man to slave, the shocking living conditions and treatment of slaves in the south, and his own ordeal in the hands of three slave owners within a system of institutionalized captivity and abuse. His account provides a rare and incredible historic insight. The film is gritty, raw, real and details exactly how slavery "worked" in this country, including the many lines of defense to prevent escape, the extreme measures to deny freedoms, the ways slaves survived and did not, and the ill effects on the people committing or allowing such atrocities. This movie was a very interesting part of American History. The characterization of the actors was very emotional and heartfelt, with emphasis on how humans perceptions of self base on color of skin.

This film has had a great deal of publicity, so I don't think I need to describe the storyline. The acting is uniformly excellent. I've seen Chewitel Ejiofor in a wide variety of roles, from a drag performer in "Kinky Boots" to an assassin in "Serenity," and I've never once caught him acting. Lupita Nyong'o was stunningly good in her role, as were the other cast members. The film didn't shy away from showing the worst aspects of slavery, including the toxic effect it had on slaveowners's lives and relationships. My only negative comments are about the material from the book that was left out of the film or truncated: Solomon's life as a freeman before his abduction; his escape into the bayou and encounter with the native people; his relationship with Bass (Brad Pitt); and the time span between when Bass mailed Solomon's letter to New York and the arrival of the men who freed him (which seemed to happen overnight, when in fact it was several months). Not all of these are critical to the story, but excluding them compressed the perceived time frame more than I'd have liked. With any luck, there will be an extended edition that includes some of this material. I've often struggled to understand how we humans can do so much evil, and have perhaps assumed that I was incapable of it. What this film demonstrates is that any of us could be capable of horribly evil acts, given the right combination of upbringing and circumstances.

This movie definitely brings forth a truth that most find it easy to ignore rather than address, it is gut wrenching and strikes many nerves, certainly not for the faint of heart! Kudos and my hat off to the Director and Producers for bringing forth such a powerful and epic story which portrays the inhumane treatment and atrocities leveled against a nation of people that did not have the means or resources to defend themselves. Bottom line, this is a must see movie if you truly want to get an idea of why things must change! Excellent Movie!! Best Buy has the Blu-ray version which includes digital copy for mobile viewing.