There's a moment that lingers when the credits roll after 12 Years a Slave. A silence enveloped the audience as we absorbed the magnitude of this extraordinary piece of cinema. I can't speak for what others were feeling, but I sense the quiet showed just how powerful an experience everyone had watching this story. British director Steve McQueen has made the best Hollywood film about slavery in America. It is not sweeping, or epic. Entirely the opposite, this harrowing story of the worst of humanity is deceptively simple and straightforward. It portrays the raw brutality, fear, and back-breaking suffering of a slave's existence in the antebellum South; without resulting to demagoguery. 12 Years a Slave is an essential film for all to see.

Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) was a free born black man in 1841; Saratoga Springs, New York. He and his family lived on a small farm that they owned. He was educated, a tremendous violinist, and was very well regarded by his white neighbors. Northup lived as good a life as possible for a black man at that time. While his wife and children were away, two circus performers convinced him to play with their troupe in Washington D.C. He was wary at first being so close to the South, but the money promised and the demeanor of his newfound friends overcame any misgivings. On the night of the last show, he was taken to celebrate. Not accustomed to heavy drinking, Northup passed out in the arms of his compatriots, only to wake up in shackles the next day. He had been sold into slavery. What follows is a searing odyssey of survival. He's beaten into submission by a slave trader (Paul Giamatti) and forced to take the name of Pratt. He would be killed if he ever uttered his real identity.

First sold to the William Ford (Benedict C*mberbatch) plantation, Northup, now known as Pratt; raises susp*cion of being literate. Slaves who could read and write were dire threats to the plantation class. After being nearly killed by the plantation overseer (Paul Dano), Ford sells Northup to Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender), an exceptionally cruel owner of a large cotton plantation. Epps prided himself on the ability to break 'nigg*rs'. He believed it was his God given right to tame blacks and put them in their rightful place in society's underclass. Epps was despised by his wife (Sarah Paulson), who knew of his relations and fawning adoration for a slave girl named Patsey (Lupita Nyong'o). I won't get too much into the events at the Epps plantation. That must be seen to really feel the weight of the film.

McQueen's genius in depicting Northup's time at the Epps plantation is to show it in a way as straightforward as possible. We sorely feel the diminishing of Northup's spirit as he is completely broken. A slave's life was akin to that of a mule or any other beast of burden. You were worked until you died. If you did not work to the expectations of the master, any kind of punishment could be doled out. Whether they were beaten, starved, or made to take part in bizarre theatrics; anything was possible. Epps, who respected Northup's skill as a violinist, forced him to play in these elaborate dances. Epps would drink while watching his slaves curtsy, bow, and dance for his entertainment. Then pull Patsey out of her shed for his pleasure, which everyone knew was happening.

Cruelty aside, McQueen goes to great lengths to show what Northup's day was like. Slaves were fed scraps, lashed for not meeting daily cotton quotas, and lived like rats crowded into shacks. One of the most striking scenes in 12 Years a Slave was a sexual encounter Northup had with another slave woman, surrounded by other sleeping slaves. This was especially forbidden, as slave owners only wanted their slaves to selectively breed. Spectacularly engrossing, yet difficult to watch, once again the direct manner of these scenes is the greatest strength of the film.

The acting performances in 12 Years a Slave is the finest of 2013 so far. Ejiofor and Fassbender are superb as the leads. The slave and master portrayal is some of the best character interaction I've ever seen on film. Lupita Nyong'o is an absolute lock to win the Oscar for Supporting Actress. Her performance is so brilliant and haunting; it still affects me to think of Patsey's tale in this awful story. Michael Fassbender and Steve McQueen worked together previously in Shame and Hunger. These were McQueen's first films and while good, were not too remarkable in my opinion. 12 Years a Slave is a giant leap in filmmaking for McQueen. He will undoubtedly be nominated for director here. I cannot wait to see his next film.

12 Years a Slave was published by Northup 1853 after his liberation from the Epps plantation. It was pivotal to the national discourse on slavery at that time. A previous adaptation of his story was done by Gordon Parks in 1984, but is incomparable to the mastery of McQueen's film. Audiences have seen slavery depicted throughout the years, from Haley's Roots to Tarantino's pulpy Django Unchained. But I guarantee they have not seen it nearly as unflinching and pointed. 12 Years a Slave is a masterpiece. It deserves every accolade awarded and will resonate for years.