Lately I clearly haven’t had much of a life, as I have sat in the cinema many times and felt the need to share my experiences with you all. Here are the three films I loved the most in recent weeks. I advise you go and see them. Any of the three will change your life (and that’s not me being melodramatic).
First is 12 Years A Slave, a harrowing and profound film that really gives an insight into a piece of history that we all know exists but don’t dare imagine the extremities… well now you can. Chiwetel Ejiofor is an absolutely fantastic actor and his character, Solomon, gets under your skin and earns a place in your heart. I was crossing every limb I had for his survival and wanted to jump through the screen and bring forward the revolution of anti-slavery. Paul Dano (that chilling face from Prisoners) made me hate his character yet again. Lupita N’yongo also performs a stunning portrayal of Patsey, and the scene where she is stripped, tied to a tree and whipped is both heart-breaking and gut-wrenching. Even those terms are an understatement. I cried with both bitterness towards the slave owners and joy in the story of Solomon, and partly because of my ignorance to the devastating lives they lead. Thought provoking with outstanding acting.
Next up is a film that I will admit I was dragged to, as it didn’t really seem like my kind of film. I was, however, very wrong. The Lone Survivor, although advertised as a very ‘laddy’ film, gets you so attached to the characters that it truly made me sob when they took them all away from me. (Obviously the title of the film gives the deaths away, so I can’t be yelled at for spoiler alerts.) Mark Wahlberg gives yet another stunning performance as Marcus, but it is a shame that his fame has overshadowed the work of Ben Foster, who played Axe. The death of his character hit me more than any death of a character since I can remember, except perhaps Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino. The fact that this is also based on a true story really pummels it home and you can’t bear to think of the way these soldiers had to live. Traumatic, overly tear-jerking and chilling. I would go as far as to say this has made it onto my top 10 films.
Leaving the best until last, Nelson Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom. I wanted to see this film for so long, (see previous post) and can say with a huge smile that I was not disappointed. I am a HUGE fan of Idris Elba but was a little worried that I wouldn’t be able to see past my beloved Luther… boy, was I wrong. (That’s twice now. I hardly ever admit to being wrong.) A truly inspirational story and everything you could want out of a film: laughs, tears, and the willingness for Idris Elba to overcome all. I was in the same boat as Mr. Elba when he tweeted that Naomie Harris should have won an award for her role as Mandela’s partner. A film that I want to see over and over again, but I really should stop writing about because it’s going to look like I’m being paid to advertise it. Go and see it.
Reasons why... 