Theory Thursday: Hans Zimmer's Score for "12 Years a Slave" was Unnecessary

Scene from 12 Years a Slave

Welcome to a weekly column called Theory Thursdays, which will be released every Thursday and discuss my "controversial opinion" related to something relative to the week of release. Sometimes it will be birthdays while others is current events or a new film release. Whatever the case may be, this is a personal defense for why I disagree with the general opinion and hope to convince you of the same. While I don't expect you to be on my side, I do hope for a rational argument. After all, film is a subjective medium and this is merely just a theory that can be proven either way. 

Nothing But the Best: "12 Years a Slave" (2013)

Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave

Welcome to the series Nothing But the Best in which I chronicle all of the Academy Award Best Picture winners as they celebrate their anniversaries. Instead of going in chronological order, this series will be presented on each film's anniversary and will feature personal opinions as well as facts regarding its legacy and behind the scenes information. The goal is to create an in depth essay for each film while looking not only how the medium progressed, but how the film is integral to pop culture. In some cases, it will be easy. Others not so much. Without further ado, let's start the show.

A Few Thoughts on the Academy Awards Ceremony: The Good

Steve McQueen

In order to best explore all sides of the 86th Academy Awards Ceremony, I have decided to split my opinions up into two posts: the good and the bad. We'll begin with the good, as any given year is not without its charm. For starters, there wasn't any major upsets for those predicting the top dogs. While this means that it limits the bickering for most of the ceremony's legacy, it does mean that the Academy has done something right and the results will now be tested by time. Of course, there is much else to be said from speeches to performances to the overall presentation. Even if this year's ceremony had a lot of downsides, it definitely had a lot of great memorable moments.

What Happened to "12 Years a Slave"?

Chiwetel Ejiofor

It seemed like since its debut director Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave was bound to sweep the Oscars. It was a powerful film about a dark time in America's history told through thought-provoking images that haunted the viewer. With performances by Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, and newcomer Lupita Nyong'o adding depth of unprecedented nature to the story, it seemed like it was bound to win everything and anything that stood in its path. With less than two weeks until the big ceremony however, things are starting to paint a different picture. Is the film's prestige too much of an issue, as it has allowed the conversation to grow stale and move onto other films?

A Closer Look at the Best Supporting Actress Nominees

Continuing this year's sense of ragtag nominees in the supporting categories is the Best Supporting Actress category. Where the lead categories feel like competitive locks with numerous outcomes, this category feels less assured. It isn't that any of their roles are necessarily lackluster, but more that all of them, save for Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle) come to this film without any strong bias backing them. With three of them being first time nominees, it makes the race a little more interesting and raises curiosity on if they can transcend the rookie chances and beat the veterans.

Review: "12 Years a Slave" is a Quintessential Film About Slavery

Chiwetel Ejiofir

Once in awhile, a film comes along that almost seems to become bigger than its subject. Something that becomes so hyped that it almost feels like a cherished relic before it even hits theaters. After impressing audiences at TIFF, director Steve McQueen's latest 12 Years a Slave appears to be part of that select few. It seems bizarre that a film from the creator of Hunger and Shame, two morbidly bleak stories, could become an Oscar front runner and turn in a film that is arguably already one of the classics. His adoration for the novel by Solomon Northup and desire to bring to life a point in American history that tends to get overlooked brought together not only one of the best movies about slavery, but probably one of the best films of the decade.

"12 Years a Slave" Impresses Tiff and Raises Oscar Buzz Potential

Left to right: Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o, and Chiwetel Ejiofir

This past week saw many already put the stamp on what is going to be the Best Picture winner this year.With such high praise, many critics who attended the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) were privy to seeing one of my most anticipated movies of the Fall: director Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave. While it has also given many other reveals on potential nominees (including the critically panned August: Osage County), this is great news not only from the standpoint of the director, but for the season to come. It may make the season dull, but to know that we already have a front runner suggests that Oscar Buzz season is starting off just right.