12 Years a Slave

12 Years a Slave
Video Review

by    |  

And now for something a little different: A video review! Dork Shelf's own Brandon Bastaldo takes a look at Steve McQueen's slavery drama 12 Years a Slave starring Chiwetel Ejiofor and Michael Fassbender.

12 Years a Slave Review

by    |  

There’s no doubt in my mind that 12 Years a Slave will go down in history as a landmark film. Never before, and quite possibly never again, has the issue of African American slavery and the still present pain and anguish been this viscerally and brilliantly realized. Its effect is provocative, much like gazing into an unattended open wound that never quite heals itself, but rather reaches a point of stasis beyond which things couldn’t possibly get any worse no matter how awful a situation may be.

Interview: Steve McQueen, John Ridley, & Henry Louis Gates

by    |  

Dork Shelf talk to director Steve McQueen, writer John Ridley, and historical consultant Henry Louis Gates about their work on the powerful drama 12 Years a Slave, the history behind free African American turned forced slave Solomon Northup’s life, how the story came to the filmmakers, if they thought the truth of slavery being depicted on screen would be too much for audiences to handle, what Ridley found most painful about the writing process, and why McQueen believes cinema is the greatest of all art forms.

TIFF 2013: 12 Years a Slave Review

by    |  

12 Years a Slave Special Presentation Director: Steve McQueen A mere capsule review at festival time could never do justice to McQueen’s powerful masterwork that’s not so much an excellent piece of filmmaking, but a landmark cinematic achievement. While no one left alive today could possibly ever be able to relay the atrocities of America’s […]

The Dork Shelf Guide to TIFF 2013

by    |  

Here it is! Your one-stop guide to all of our reviews, interviews, and features for anything and everything involving the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival. Keep checking back throughout the day as new reviews, interviews, and features are being added all the time!

First slate of films announced for TIFF 2013

by    |  

The first batch of films for this year's Toronto International Film Festival were announced this morning - including opening night film The Fifth Estate - and here's a look at what cinephiles have to look forward to starting this September the 5th.