12 Years a Slave was perhaps the most emotionally devastating film of 2013. It's gorgeously shot, peppered with fantastic performances, and immensely heartbreaking for much of its runtime. As brutal and heartbreaking as the film can be, it all works at showing us Solomon Northup's story, and by the end of the movie we've gone through all of these struggles with him, seen his spirit and humanity shattered over the course of the film, and all hope evaporated. The film's final scene, which shows Solomon finally reunited with his family after twelve years, is both immensely uplifting and overwhelmingly heartbreaking. Because the film was so keenly and sharply focused on Solomon, his reunion with his family is something we've been wishing for since his abduction. And as sad as it is that he and his family have lost so much, it's immensely satisfying to see him back home under their loving embrace. And that's it! 10 more of the most satisfying movie moments of 2013. What did you think of the list? Were there any memorable moments I left out? Let me know in the comments below, and be sure to follow me on Twitter @JimLovesMovies.
James is a 24 year old writer and filmmaker living in Portland, OR. He attended college for graphic design and writes for various sources on the web about film, television, and entertainment.
You can view all of his work on his website, www.thereeljames.wordpress.com
