12 Years a Slave (2013) - ★★★★½

Director: Steve McQueen
Writers: Solomon Northup (novel), John Ridley (screenplay)
Stars: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o, Sarah Paulson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Paul Dano, Brad Pitt, Paul Giamatti

12 Years a Slave is one of the most important films ever made. It has brought to life a terrible period of history that hasn’t been explored in such a way for a very long time. It’s a remarkably emotional film, that left me swamped with tears and feeling better for having seen it. It’s not quite the masterpiece I expected it to be, but it certainly deserves praise for being one of the best films of the past few years.

It is the true story of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), an educated free man who lived in Washington with his family. He is kidnapped and sold into slavery, where he ends up working on the plantation run by a ruthless owner, Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender). 

Sideways (2004) - ★★★★

Director: Alexander Payne
Writer: Rex Pickett (Novel), Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor
Stars: Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh

If Sideways achieved anything, it's that it made me want to drink wine... and lots of it! I'm not a wine enthusiast. In fact, I can't stand wine! There's a lot to say when a movie can make you crave something you've disliked for years. Oh, and I found it to be a pretty fantastic film too. The dialogue is really witty and realistic, as are the performances. To be perfectly honest, I don't 'relate' to this movie at all. I'm not middle aged, I've never been divorced, I don't like wine, and I'm not a struggling novelist. BUT, Alexander Payne did a marvellous job at revealing the life of a man who has been, and is going through these problems. It's both really entertaining, and painfully irritating. I didn't 'love' this movie, but technically it's a really well made film. Most critics think it's a masterpiece... REALLY? I don't think so.