12 Years A Slave

With award nominations coming in all over the shot and an avid interest in slavery, I knew that '12 Years A Slave' was going to be a great film for me. It wasn't just the story however, that kept me hooked. Some clever direction and some great cinematography, exceeded all my expectations of the film and actually, allowed me to like it for different reasons as to those I expected prior.

Solomon Northup is a violinist, a free man, who lives with his wife, son and daughter in New York. He is offered a job as a musician in a travelling circus troop by two white men. As he celebrates his acceptance of the role, he drinks until the early hours with the two men and wakes up only the next day, bound in chains in a cell. Overnight he has become a slave. He is smuggled onto a ship, sold at auction and shifted from slave owner to slave owner for twelve years. Twelve years of longing, despair and desolation. And yet, he did not give up trying, as the film transpires.

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One thing I noticed, was how director, Steve McQueen lingered on certain shots. For example, we are forced not only to witness the devastating circumstances that Solomon Northup finds himself thrown into, we are also forced to witness his wholehearted pain. The camera lingers on all shots that follow an emotional revelation, or the crushing of hope, or a shocking moment, so that we MUST sit and watch a man brush so closely with giving up, with hopelessness. We have nowhere else to watch and so as tears fill Chiwetel Ejiofor's eyes, as they stream down his face... they are finding their way down our cheeks too.

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I simply did not expect such an inspiring performance from Chiwetel Ejiofor. I cannot wait for his next film 'Half of A Yellow Sun' - a book I've had my eye on for some time now. He is an actor that does not need physicality to act well. His facial expressions alone are enough although, we soon see a man who held his back straight as a free man, to a man who hunches his shoulders as a slave. He tells a story through his eyes but although we need no more than this, he delves into his inner thoughts and portrays a man simply destroyed overnight.

collider.com

Another inspiring performance came from supporting actress Lupita Nyong'o - and if she does receive an award for Best Supporting Actress then I can't think of anyone who deserves it more - it would be a travesty. She too, portrays the utter brokenness of a woman so tragically well. The moment that wins it for me, was prior to the most horrific scene I've ever witnessed, when she returns from the nearby farm, with soap. She is so passionately disgusted with herself, with the way she looks, the way she smells. She no longer sits in fear of her master but throws her disgust towards him. She WILL be clean. When she begs Soloman to take pity on her and kill her, as she herself is not strong enough to commit suicide, we are thrown alongside her into the rivers of despair. The current is too strong for us to bear. Solomon refuses to help her, but that does not mean we do not shed a tear.

What follows, is as I said, one of the most horrifying things I have seen. Not just because it is graphic violence - but because I know that it actually happened. That a white man held his whip and laughed as he did this to his slaves. That he did this, then went inside to his sons and daughters and they laughed too, as others begged for their lives and wept for others. Perhaps picturing this made it worse for me. It was when Solomon raised the whip himself, that I was angry. I realised after a while that he accepted the whip so that he could hit her gently, to save her pain. The violence that follows was something I could scarcely open my eyes to. Solomon is forced to whip her harder, opening her skin deep causing blood to splatter across the ground as Patsey's eyes rolled back in pain. Again, I could not, CAN NOT, believe that humans are capable of doing this, to other humans. McQueen gives us all time to consider this, to witness the suffering, to question it, to be shocked by it. His camera shot is not moving away. It's clever work.

There were other performances that deserve a mention also. Paul Giamatti appears out of character as a heartless slave buyer who splits up a mother from her children. Benedict Cumberbatch's appearance as a kindly slave owner - an oxymoron if ever there was one - was a role that at least gave an inch of humanity back to history. Although, when he failed to help Solomon, knowing full well he was a free man, a violinist and that he did the right thing is standing up to his jealous and pubescent overseer (Paul Dano). Here, Solomon at least gained some strength and we thank Ford for that.

jsonline.com

Then, Michael Fassbender, meaner and more volatile than we've ever seen him. The moment that showed his ability for me, was when he approached Solomon in the middle of the night about his betrayal of letter-writing. We are afraid of what he will do, as his unpredictable and extreme nature have become so apparent to us. I found my heartbeat raising as I watched. Then came Brad Pitt as the travelling handyman, whom Solomon confided in and learned to trust. It is the ultimate test of his humanity, once we find out he does not agree with slavery, when Solomon tasks him with contacting his friends whom he knows will free him. After thinking about it long and hard, as Solomon stares deeply into the void of desperation, he agrees. And thank God he does.

moeatthemovies.com

The end of the film is almost something we'd stopped believing would happen - although the title of the film tells us it will. Steve McQueen's shots of lingering despair, outpours of emotion and pain and the crushing of hope every time it springs from the ground, leave us paralysed from optimism. When a carriage pulls up and a man steps out and calls out 'Solomon Northup' we almost expect him to walk away again. Instead, another man gets out of the carriage and Solomon recognises him immediately as his friend, running to him. The men take a hold of him, he climbs into the back of the car and Solomon is driven away to safety, as Patsey falls to the floor in despair of losing him. Bass had kept his promise, he had alerted his friends, and his friends had saved him.

The final scene is one, not anyone could keep a dry eye for. As Solomon meets his wife, two children AND a son-in-law and grandchild, we witness tears drop down the shoulders of his daughter as he holds her close. Not one of them asks what happened, they are all stunned into silence and emotion at the return of their father after 12 years without him.

So, as sentimental as you may expect a tale of slavery and freedom to be, it has it's moments that set it aside from other films alike. It forces you to think, to witness - it teaches you not to ignore. It also has some truly exceptional cinematography. Steve McQueen said that all of us should know about slavery. I believe he is right. Solomon Northup's tale, is true - but it is just the beginning. I don't recommend it to anyone with a nervous disposition or light stomach but to anyone who WANTS to see what rich Westerners did to slaves not so long ago - then I advise you have a watch.

A FREE MAN AND HIS FAMILY - urbanq8.com

SLAVES FOR SALE - davethenovelist.com

SLAVE OWNER FORD - telegraph.co.uk

IF A SLAVE DEFIES HIS 'MASTER' - coolercinema.blogspot.com

COTTON FARM - bfi.org.uk

TAKING ONE CHANCE AT FREEDOM - facebook.com/12yearsaslave

Anchorman 2

I was one of those people who missed out on Anchorman when it first became a hit in 2004. Everyone was talking about it and it claimed a huge following of people who, if Twitter existed then, would be exactly the die-hard fans who would break the internet.

When Anchorman 2 was advertised, thankfully, the internet did not break but I finally caved and bought Anchorman (2004) for myself. I thought it was ok, it was easy to watch over Christmas and Brick made my life. It does make it hard though, when I hate men like Ron Burgundy. His (and fellow cohorts) slightly misogynistic humour annoyed me. He certainly has his comedic moments, but Brick was my star.

So, I wasn't overly fussed about Anchorman 2 when it came out either. I went because I needed some comedy in my life and hoped that maybe the hype for the sequel, was a bandwagon I could easily jump on - and not nine years too late this time.

To no avail, Brick was once again my star. It didn't matter how many times I'd already seen the green-screen gag in the trailer, when Brick falls to the floor screaming 'Where are my legs, I have no legs Ron!'. It still made me laugh. Perhaps that was just appealing to me as I've recently been working with green-screen. The timing was also perfect.

The majority of the humour was at a good enough standard, not necessarily laugh-out-loud comedy but it kept me entertained. That was until the final scene when everything got hugely out of hand, with the introduction of too many news crews for the final showdown. I was ready for it to end - but on it went.

Jim Carrey, Will Smith, Kanye West, Liam Neeson, Kirsten Dunst, Sacha Baron Cohen, Nicole Kidman - the list of unnecessary faces continues beyond entertainment and instead just got well... boring.

Brick came to rescue once again though, with his timid romance, with the equally dim Chani (Kristen Wiig). The duo performed brilliantly in their comedic misunderstanding of life and everything in it. A particularly heart-warming moment was the date they spent together in the laundrette sipping on sodas and kissing "passionately".


So, to be honest, there isn't much more left to say. Steve Carrell and Kristen Wiig were the stars of the picture, even if they quite obviously were stifling laughter in some instances, probably due to a rather hectic shooting schedule for Wiig's other appearance in Walter Mitty, resulting in 'that'll do' take. It was good to finally sit through some comedy at the cinema, I just wish that the final showdown was kept shorter and that Ron Burgundy could have sorted out Jack Lime (sorry, Lame) a little sooner.

If you, like me, missed out on the first Anchorman bandwagon, then you won't be missing much by skipping the next one too. If something inside you however, feels inclined to follow up a viewing of the first film with the second, I suppose it won't be a completely wasted trip.

Nicky's Family - Documentary

I have been waiting to see this documentary for some time. Sir Nicholas Winton, known to some as 'The British Schindler', saved over 600 children from Nazi persecution in the years leading up to and during, the Second World War. He spent time at home in London and in Czechoslovakia compiling documents containing the names and photographs of these children and raising funds, in order to find them families in Britain who were willing to take them in, giving them the right to travel across Europe, to safe territory.

Kindertransport (www.ccj.ork.uk)

The documentary itself, is exemplary. Perhaps because we know it is a remarkable true story, or perhaps it was because I was sat among a full audience of people who live within minutes of Winton's Maidenhead residence. Whatever the reason I felt so touched, is truly testament to a brilliant man and his story.

Nicholas Winton (www.radio.cz)

The documentary follows Winton's life from his occupation as a stock-broker, about to embark on a ski-ing holiday in Switzerland when the phone rings. It is his ski pal, letting him know that he can no longer meet with him. Instead, he must go to Czechoslovakia to help those in need. With that, Winton changes his destination to Czechoslovakia. Here, his operation begins. He writes letters to foreign ministers, embassies, MPs, prime ministers, presidents and others in power to take pity on the Jewish children of Czechoslovakia and offer them sanctuary. At first, all refuse. Palestine, France, America - they have all closed their borders.

Finally, Winton manages to send 25 children on a plane to safety in Switzerland. This was the beginning. Britain then opened its doors and Winton steps up the pace. Over the years that followed he aided over 600 Jewish children in their escape from Nazi persecution.

With the arrival of the Second World War, Winton joined the RAF and continued his life as if nothing of consequence had taken place. It was not until 2008, when winton's wife found a scrapbook in their attic, containing all of the photos and documents of the children, that Winton shared the story of what he had done.

Here comes the part that gets me. After all his efforts, Winton was convinced it was 'just something I did', anyone would have done it. The point is, that they didn't. It seems Nicholas Winton's wife understood the true value of his efforts to save these children and sent the scrapbook to TV show 'That's Life' in 2008. The video below moved me in ways I cannot explain:


The children that Nicholas Winton saved have gone on to have families of their own. There are now over 5700 within what they call themselves, Nicky's family. It is incredibly moving to know that mothers and fathers, broke their own hearts with the immensely brave act of parting with their children, in the hope of a better future. There is a short clip, of a survivor surrounded by his family who describes that the rest of his family, perished within the gas chambers. He shares the realisation that, it would not have been until that point, at the time that mothers and fathers walked to their deaths, that they would truly realise the significance of the act they had done. They had sent their children away and that meant, that their children survived. It is the most heart-breaking yet, inspirational act that I can imagine.

There may have been some conflicting aspect ratios, as is the norm when dealing with archive reels, and some rather blue and red looking archive footage but the content is so good you forget to notice it beyond the first clip. The story so powerful - that you are fighting more to hold back tears than criticism at minor details.

The documentary closes with a premiere performance in Czechoslovakia dedicated to Nicholas Winton and 'The Winton Programme' that encourages people across the world, to help those who cannot help themselves. It has seen aid spread to Cambodia, to China, to the elderly, to the disabled and further. Nicholas Winton is now 104yrs old and still actively helping others, particularly within the elderly home he set up in hometown Maidenhead. He may be getting on in terms of age, but his legacy of helping others, is something that will be young for a very long time.

'If it is not obviously impossible - then there must be a way of doing it'
Nicholas Winton

If you do get the chance to see this fantastically inspiring documentary, then please do. We are not just an audience, we are part of the story. He passes the baton, to us.

I Neknominate You!

'Neknominations' have been taking youtube and society by storm. It's a trend that is deemed more important than exercising, or eating breakfast. It has become an internet sensation consisting of intelligent human beings consuming things like fish-heads, raw eggs and urine. Now I have nothing against entertainment but what I find utterly inconceivable is that videos like 'Neknominations' can escalate in mere minutes to hundreds of thousands of views - whilst videos like this one, go almost unnoticed. This is not a review, but it is something I feel strong enough to write about.

This is Russia, 2014. We have seen violence like this before. It begins with humiliation, it progresses to organised hate crimes carried out by groups, it becomes a believed ideology. It is absolutely disgusting that this is happening now, today. In OUR society. Have we not learned from atrocities of the past?


If it isn't a video of a dog running into a glass door or someone throwing up a milk-coloured rainbow, the world doesn't care.

As the video shows above, violence against LGBT communities in Russia is unprecedented, irrational and completely unacceptable. Those who we would turn to in a time of need, turn their backs upon 'gay' people in Russia. The police ignore it, the government encourage it and WE must act to prevent it. Sexuality is not something that can be, or needs to be cured. What DOES need to be cured is the absolutely repugnant belief in an ideology that sets out to harm these innocent people in ways we would not believe possible in modern society.

Many of my friends cannot watch the video above all of the way through. Seeing indirect clips of forced self-rape and inexpressible humiliation is too much for most of us to bear. Yet, in Russia today, there are those who are forced to endure it, with no repercussions for the perpetrators.

And just in case anyone reading this feels as though it is nothing to do with them - it is not YOUR problem to solve. I share this poem, written by Martin Niemoller following the Nazi rise to power in the early 1900s:

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-- Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me--and there was no one left to speak for me.

So yes, this may not be a review of a film, but it certainly expresses a need for us to review ourselves, and review society. This CANNOT GO ON. I urge you to share this video - in fact - I NEKNOMINATE YOU - To do all you can to make others aware of just HOW BAD things are and to help in any way possible to shame anyone who shares such an ideology, as the despicable human beings featured torturing innocents in this video.

Let's hijak the #neknominations twitter hashtag. All those on twitter please tweet the following: For #LGBT #humanrights in #Russia : I #neknominate you! ……http://watchinabitotheatrenstuff.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/i-neknominate-you.html … … RT to shame the perpetrators and encourage swift action!

Who will you nominate to do the same?

Also catch the new UK documentary to be broadcast on the Channel 4 series Dispatches this week as it reveals the violent intimidation meted out to gay and lesbian people in Russia by hate groups Occupy Paedophilia and Parents of Russia.
'The Hunted', will be shown on Wednesday at 10pm and shows how gangs use the internet to lure potential victims to meetings, where they are forced to perform humiliating acts under the threat of violence.

Outnumbered - Series 5?

I'm not quite sure how, but they managed to pull it off. We can no longer rely on the fact that Karen is ridiculously clever for her age, nor that Ben's ridiculously stupid ideas come from a manic child - they have all grown up. It seems almost yesterday that we were watching hyperactive primary school kids. Though, 'Outnumbered' seems to succeed in holding it's comedic values at the centre of family life and it's this that makes it an easy and satisfying watch.

THEN & NOW

In episode 1 we see Karen struggling among her school peers and relentlessly attempting to convince her parents to hire a thermal imaging camera to seek out her lost hamster. Jake gets a tattoo and is ridiculed by all at the fact it looks like a spider and Ben, decides it is his life's calling to act as Spartacus in his school-play.

With ongoing bickering between mum and dad and considerable wit from the children, episode one lives up to our expectations. It may not be as 'laugh-out-loud funny as previous series but it maintains exactly, the situations our families find themselves in everyday. I too set my alarm clock early, to fool myself into a lie in. My main woe at work behind the bar is that moment I touch the surface and sparks fly up my arm from static. We all enjoy that little moment that Karen gets her own back on 'high-horse, lactose-intolerant' Esme, as she eats her ice-cream. They may all be visibly older but thankfully, its charm remains.

'Outnumbered' is back next Wednesday at 9pm on BBC1.

National TV Awards 2014

It's been a bit of a mental week for me, so apologies for the lack of reviews! But here we go...
Wednesday 22nd January - The National Television Awards. Only this time, I wasn't just watching in front of the TV. For the second year running I had the opportunity to work as part of the production team.

NTA Rehearsals

This year saw me step-up from being a runner and work as a Production Assistant, taking charge of the endless amount of seat-fillers needed to ensure that the floor looks full on camera. It makes it a bit tricky when Coronation Street win an award and leave over 30 seats free for me to fill with elegantly-clad, members of the public. I felt quite sorry for all those that had to listen to my voice all night, shouting over the arena noise, to instruct them on where to go and what to do. I couldn't hear a thing on the radio for the same reason, but what a great night! Full of all the adrenaline that comes with live shows!

Ant & Dec's Landmark Award Selfie

This year, I was responsible for all those entering on stage right, which gave me quite the view! Perhaps the best view, was for the Landmark Award when everything had calmed down a bit and I had got into my stride, co-ordinating those going in and out. And who can forget the view of that glorious selfie from Ant & Dec after 25yrs in the industry?! Even I was a little choked when they were struggling to hold it together! What a highlight!

Camera Rehearsals

Although this was my second year, this time I was in the Arena all day and got a chance to learn even more from all the rehearsals. I sat among an array of happy heads (celeb faces on sticks) for the purposes of camera line-ups for all the nominees and pretend winners. I even got a chance to rehearse my future NTA acceptance speech a few times, when filling in for celebs during the rehearsal. Might have to wait a while for my own though!

I have to admit, the day was made even better by the hug I got from the lovely Dermot! ;) And he is...lovely. He made sure to speak to every one of the choir from Educating Yorkshire, banter with the cameramen and runners and just generally make rehearsals a delight. Not demanding, not rude just...lovely! WHERE'S HIS AWARD?!

Musharaf: 'YES, YES, YES'

A massive moment for me was when Educating Yorkshire won 'Best Documentary Series' -rightfully so! Mr Burton ironically quite speechless managed to needlessly bend to the mic and mutter in a very Wallace & Gromit-esque way...'this is crackers', whilst Mr Mitchell thanked all of the hard-working teachers across the country that don't get the recognition that they deserve. That moment however, we were all waiting for, came right on cue. Musharaf, that timid stammering boy who found it hard to even tell people his name, strode forward to the mic with confidence and simply shouted 'YES, YES, YES'. Our Educating Yorkshire experience was made complete by that moment! TwoFour truly found a killer cast and couldn't have hoped for a better story than Musharaf!

Watching back the programme, I feel we needed a hundred more seat-fillers, for when too many of our gracious winners hit the bar early. However, with an event so huge, that has been and gone in two days as if they were never there, what a show to behold. Sam Bailey is lovely too I might add, having a bit of banter with us all about her absolute need to meet Danny Dyer. She has an amazing voice too! As does Michael Bolton, whose tone echoed around the arena effortlessly, and melted us all to the ground.

I feel the NTAs are a nice reminder of who want to be like in the industry. I want to be like Sam, like Dermot, Ant and Dec and like all those who gave gracious speeches and meant it. I will always have time for the people around me, and it's nice to know that the majority of celebrities share that too. Yes alright, there are a lot of drama queens who don't and who refuse to be held back by runners telling them they can't walk across the shot but I was a little overwhelmed with the job we'd done and those I found myself among. Strolling around the after-show party was surreal last year and it certainly didn't get any less so this year!

Massive shout out of the show though, goes to 'Call the Midwife' who totally should have got an award. Aside from that, the last thing anyone wants to do at a party is pose for a photo with a randomer but Helen George was lovely when I told her I've never really had a programme to sit down happily with my mum and my grandma to watch. Call the Midwife has become that for me. So, especially for my mum and my grandma, here's a massive shout out from myself and Helen!

The NTAs are always full of new challenges for the production team and I've loved it for the past two years! Here's (hopefully) to next year, when maybe Coronation Street will spare a thought for everyone else when they decide to sweep all the awards!!!!


Huge thanks to Indigo TV also!

'Call the Midwife' is back!

As much as I love 'Call the Midwife' mainly because the clothes and customs of the era fascinate me, I have never warmed to Chummy like many others have. It just seemed to me as though Miranda Hart was acting as herself once again, just with a slightly heightened vocabulary.

However (and this is a rather large however), her appearance in Episode 1 of the new series opened my eyes to the acting ability of the nation's beloved Miranda. As she sprawls upon the floor with a panting soon-to-be-mother she is faced with a difficult birth, as the baby's shoulders become stuck. As she manoeuvres mum and baby, we see the panic in her eyes and when the baby is born she massages the child's back encouraging it to breathe. As it wails, I saw a Chummy I have not seen before. She cries.

Suddenly all of that moping, itching around the house sewing cushion covers and baking pies, make a lot more sense. Chummy is lost, and the delivery of the baby has reminded her what she has been missing. It is quite satisfying to watch as Chummy looks herself in the mirror to place her midwife hat upon her head. Poplar is back to normality.

Another great moment for the opening to the season is the appearance of Sister Monica Joan. All to often we all swipe aside the knowledge of our elders, as we put it down to superstition and old wives tales - or just nonsense. Sister Monica Joan, renowned for her off balance persona and confused mind emerges from episode 1 as the saviour no-one expected.  I am a lover of words and truly adore it when Sister Monica Joan speaks in tongues through the books she has read. The fact that she saves the day, sees a fitting return of Nonnatus House to it's former glory, in a new location.

With the welcoming of Princess Margaret to the community hall, the girls are most certainly back and Poplar is set to thrive in the coming series! Who's getting married next... like that one's hard to work out.