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This week, we watch the best picture winner about the true story of Solomon Northup, a free black man from New York who gets abducted and sold into slavery. This movie is brutal and important, and should be on the short list of films that everyone from this country must see. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Lupita Nyong'O, and Michael Fassbender all put in career best performances. 12 Years a Slave (2013), directed by Steve McQueen.
This week, we watch the film that is not only largest box office success of Wes Anderson's career so far, but also received a fair number of Oscar nominations, including one for Best Picture. The cast is stacked, the shots are symmetrical, the effects are a combination of miniatures, stop motion, projected live action on matte paintings - all of the styles we've come to love from Wes. Its might not be the film to turn the nay-sayers, but it certainly gives fans a lot to enjoy. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), directed by Wes Anderson.
This week, we watch the first film of Inarritu's "Trilogy of Death", where three brutal stories are told before and after a car accident. Filled with extreme, realistic violence (most of it involving dogs), it is good knowing before going in that no animals were hurt during the making of this very effective drama. Amores Perros, directed by Alejandro Inarritu.
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