BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 » 12 Years a Slave

gently69 · January 16, 2014 3:55 pm

Yes, at the Metropolis we watched The Hobbit The Desolation of Smaug. I am going to the Rex in Bonn. I work there and they have a screening in the afternoon. As the Odeon does. Just had a look. Both cinemas, Rex and Odeon, seem to have the same owner. Apart from the colour their web pages are identical.

Mattlocked · January 16, 2014 3:59 pm

I don't find it ANYwhere nearby, not even Hanover. It's a shame.

tonnaree · January 16, 2014 4:02 pm

Mali wrote:
12 Years a Slave is nominated for 9 Oscars

http://oscar.go.com/nominees

All of them well deserved. *standing ovation*

TeeJay · January 16, 2014 5:12 pm

gently69 wrote:
Yes, at the Metropolis we watched The Hobbit The Desolation of Smaug. I am going to the Rex in Bonn.

Actually, I don't like the Metropolis much. Only go there if the movie I wanna see isn't showing in OV in Düsseldorf. Curious to see what the Odeon is like. Hope you have fun! (Or, well, as much "fun" as you can have watching a violent movie.)

SolarSystem · January 16, 2014 6:21 pm

gently, are you going to watch it with subtitles? I usually don't really need them that much, but in this case I was quite grateful that they showed it with subtitles in Berlin. It's not really slang (at least I think it's not), but nevertheless it sometimes was hard to follow.

gently69 · January 16, 2014 7:39 pm

Yes, it is with subtitles. Had it also with The Desolation of Smaug. Though it will be a little bit difficult to follow... reading German and listening English but certainly helpful.
Are you going to watch it once more? Or was it enough in Berlin?
I wonder how it is going to affect me.

@TeeJay
Enjoy it too... as much as possible...

SolarSystem · January 16, 2014 9:18 pm

Ah, good then. I have to admit that I would have been a little lost without subtitles at times.
I'll see it again on Saturday with my boyfriend. He wants to see it and I really also want to see it again. There are scenes that aren't easy to take, and the atmosphere is quite forbidding and unbearable in a lot of scenes. But I'm absolutely fine with seeing it again. (And I'm sure I missed a few things, after all the circumstances that evening were a bit... unusual. )

Davina · January 18, 2014 8:55 pm

Hoping to see it this Tuesday. Cannot wait although I know it will be traumatic at times.

gently69 · January 20, 2014 6:16 pm

Oh hell... what a film. First time since "Schindler's List" that I'm that impressed. Very emotional all way through... and Benedict? His part a little bit longer and they couldn't have avoided a award nomination.

Last edited by gently69 (January 20, 2014 6:18 pm)

tonnaree · January 20, 2014 6:38 pm

That's part of Benedict's brilliance. It doesn't matter how big or small the roll he commits to it heart and soul.

gently69 · January 20, 2014 6:42 pm

Yeah, he convinced me too. But for a nomination it seems to be to short.

Last edited by gently69 (January 20, 2014 6:43 pm)

tobeornot221b · January 20, 2014 10:26 pm

I've seen a great movie - concerning the acting performances, the cinematography and the music.
But I wasn't quite happy with the characters. Though everything was focussed on the main characters - long shots and close ups - I didn't learn much about their backgrounds and their motivation - apart from the stereotypes: "He's a slave, I paid for him and I can do with him whatever I like."
All the violent parts - especially the constant whippings - became too much after a while and ceased to have a deeper effect on me.

On Brad Pitt's first appearance there was a murmuring going through the audience, whereas at Benedict's first sight my inner murmuring must have been even louder. Yes, his role is quite small (Ben's Mr Ford is one of the "better" baddies), but - call me biased - he was the only one (apart from Chiwetel Ejiofor) who you could read his inner struggles from his face.

Harriet · January 20, 2014 10:32 pm

So would you recommend seeing it?

tobeornot221b · January 20, 2014 10:37 pm

Harriet wrote:
So would you recommend seeing it?

Yes, in any case. (If you have the opportunity - choose the OV.)
I'm sure it will win several Oscars. My bet is on Chiwetel Ejiofor. He's absolutely great in his role.

SolarSystem · January 21, 2014 5:25 am

tobeornot221b wrote:
On Brad Pitt's first appearance there was a murmuring going through the audience, whereas at Benedict's first sight my inner murmuring must have been even louder. Yes, his role is quite small (Ben's Mr Ford is one of the "better" baddies), but - call me biased - he was the only one (apart from Chiwetel Ejiofor) who you could read his inner struggles from his face.

I agree. Ford is definitely one oft the most interesting characters, if not the most interesting character in the film. He knows it's wrong and tries to do the best he can, but at the same time he doesn't want to hear about the truth. But it would have needed people like him to change the situation.
And Benedict did an amazing job with this small role - but that doesn't surprise us, right?

gently69 · January 21, 2014 6:29 am

I wonder what it would have been like if Benedict had played the "bad baddie". Well IMO Michael Fassbender did a good job... his role was an angry somehow disenchanted man and he was convincing. But I think Benedict would have done it .. more colourful. Back to facial expressions. When Michael was furious... he just was it. I'm sure Benedict is able to show the rise from calm to furious much better. I want Benedict to play a bad baddie some day. I would like to know if he is convincing or if I am still looking for the "heart" in that role.

SolarSystem · January 21, 2014 6:55 am

Hm, I actually like very much what Fassbender did in this role. At times it was a bit one-dimensional, but that certainly has to do with the writing and not with Fassbender's performance. I think he's a brilliant actor - not quite as brilliant as Benedict, though.
But it's funny, gently, because the other day I said to my boyfriend that I really, really can't wait for Benedict to play a real baddie. And I mean: really bad. Khan was bad, but just not bad enough. I was rooting for him the whole time.

Last edited by SolarSystem (January 21, 2014 6:55 am)

gently69 · January 21, 2014 7:17 am

Yes, Benedict just played baddies with a heart... somewhere. I want him to play a character some day I am really able to hate. I also want him to convince me in this way.

EDIT: To be honest, Solar, I never noticed Michael Fassbender in a film before.

Last edited by gently69 (January 21, 2014 7:32 am)

SusiGo · January 21, 2014 8:45 am

gently69 wrote:
Yes, Benedict just played baddies with a heart... somewhere. I want him to play a character some day I am really able to hate. I also want him to convince me in this way.

EDIT: To be honest, Solar, I never noticed Michael Fassbender in a film before.

So you did not see "Atonement"? The one film in which he plays a real scumbag?

gently69 · January 21, 2014 9:15 am

This is one of the DVDs at my shelf waiting to be watched.