Dallas Buyers Club (2013)

Dallas Buyers Club gained a lot of momentum prior to the Academy Awards. I hadn't seen the movie yet, so I didn't know what to expect and what gave to all of the publicity when other films were in the midst of garnering attention. It seemed as though Buyers Club simply stole the air from The Wolf of Wall Street and Matthew McConaughey snatched the Oscar from Leonardo DiCaprio.

The plot to this film follows a homophobe who has been diagnosed with AIDS. Seeking a cure, he finds it in his heart to accept others who share his condition, specifically one member of the gay community played by Jared Leto. Finding a way around the system, McConaughey's character navigates his way around the system to establish the Dallas Buyers Club to get medication to AIDS victims.

Through character development, the audience is satisfied by the conclusion of the film to see how hardship changed a man for the better. McConaughey's performance was superb; however, I felt as though Leto's was even better. Both won an Oscar for their work, so there is no great injustice here. The difference that set apart the two performances was that McConaughey seemed to be his regular self, just more involved within the film while Leto submerged himself into a unique and difficult role. 

Every now and then, a movie comes along that allows an actor to win an Oscar by doing something different that appeals to the Academy. This film on the surface about AIDS and also about transformation presented two of these opportunities that were thoroughly executed. Conclusion: Worth A Watch ("Alright, alright, alright")

Rating: 8/10

12 Years A Slave (2013)

12 Years A Slave is the best film I have seen in the '10s of the 21st Century. The decade is still young, so you may think that this doesn't mean much, but it does. As a film, it is a work of art, crafted by the masterful hands of Steve McQueen. The characters are perfectly performed, highlighted by Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, and Lupita Nyong'o's career defining performances. The fact that this film  only won three Academy Awards is a tragedy in and of itself. 

12 Years follows the improbable story of Solomon Northup, a freeman living in the north who is captured and sold into slavery in the south. Solomon uses his talents as a well educated man to manage a less cruel living with his Master Ford. Once sold into slavery again, Solomon must reside on the Epps plantation, run by the wicked and cruel Edwin Epps. These two existences in slavery seem different, as Solomon is allowed to entertain his master with his violin but sent to the cotton fields by the next master; however, theses existences share the same root. Both Master Ford and Epps are flawed and twisted characters. Though Epps acts on the urges to whip and rape whomever he pleases, Ford is evil in the sense that he cannot bring himself to do what is right since his will is too weak. From talking with people who have seen this movie, this is the one of the few points that some people seem to have missed from the film.

Overall, I think that the story of Solomon Northup had to be told. It's a painful reminder of a brutal chapter in our history; however, it is a necessary one to learn from. McQueen's craft and the excellent acting performances added another, higher level of cinema to this film. I believe that everyone should watch this movie. It examines human character, by looking at the great injustice, lack of will, willpower, and hope that any person can demonstrate. Conclusion: Must See

Rating: 9.25/10