Film critics responded with universal and rapturous praise -- when "12 Years A Slave" debuted at the Toronto Film Festival last month. "'12 Years a Slave' will win best picture," Vulture's Kyle Buchanan declared. Audiences "struggled to express their overwhelming admiration," EW reported, while most critics wondered whether the historical drama would go down as one of history's best.
For Brad Pitt, who stars in and produced "12 Years a Slave," it's "one of those few films that cuts to the base of our humanity," the actor told NBC's Ann Curry this week.