Moonlight

[+ oldNbusted]

It might be helpful to understand that the playwright, Tarell Alvin McCraney, and the director, Barry Jenkins, who adapted the screenplay, grew up in Liberty Square in Miami, and Jenkins shot scenes on the streets there, both their mothers struggled with addiction and McCraney's mom died from AIDS. McCraney has said he knew someone like the Juan character in his childhood, and Jenkins father died when he was 12, so I don't believe this is a case of appropriation, perhaps some routine composition.

 

When I saw the film in Nov, I had seen PBS Newshour segment and the trailer, I usually don't read reviews until after I've seen a film since I find they tend to give too much away or bias my impression, so I was not aware of any 'buzz' if there was any at that time, so my positive impression was about as natural as it could have been, it blew me away, I don't have any doubts about the artistic merit and sincerity of the work. If artists can't tell some version of their own stories, even if some would prefer not to face the unpleasantness that might reveal, I think it would be a poorer world. I'm glad this film exist, it has enriched my world.

[+ Cash4Trash]

The brilliance of Moonlight is that you could make the exact same movie in the meth addicted Ozarks with a white cast. It's truly a universal picture.

[AndreFuture]

The brilliance of Moonlight is that you could make the exact same movie in the meth addicted Ozarks with a white cast. It's truly a universal picture.

 

And no one would make the sweeping generalization that it portrays white people as violent, drug dealers or drug addicts

[Rod Hagen]

Gorgeous movie. I would say see Moonlight and then see Elle. Both main characters are victimized, both rise above the victimization. But both rise in their own time. Elle isn't another revenge piece like "I Spit On Your Grave" even though it's directed by a man who'd be perfect for a second "I spit on your grave" remake,. It's really a fantastic film. My 3 favorites this year were Moonlight (I have a couple SMALL problems with it) Manchester (crushingly sad, also funny) and Elle. Elle is my favorite. Holyshit, it's the guy who made Robocop and Showgirls! And now he's made a brilliant film. I shouldn't be surprised, Basic Instinct, though pulpy, demonstrates great skill. Anyway, here's Elle

 

 

And YES see Moonlight. It's not over rated.

[+ quoththeraven]

Gorgeous movie. I would say see Moonlight and then see Elle. Both main characters are victimized, both rise above the victimization. But both rise in their own time. Elle isn't another revenge piece like "I Spit On Your Grave" even though it's directed by a man who'd be perfect for a second "I spit on your grave" remake,. It's really a fantastic film. My 3 favorites this year were Moonlight (I have a couple SMALL problems with it) Manchester (crushingly sad, also funny) and Elle. Elle is my favorite. Holyshit, it's the guy who made Robocop and Showgirls! And now he's made a brilliant film. I shouldn't be surprised, Basic Instinct, though pulpy, demonstrates great skill. Anyway, here's Elle

 

 

And YES see Moonlight. It's not over rated.

I didn't realize Verhoeven had a new picture out. I haven't even heard about Elle. I dislike that Basic Instinct uses the depraved bisexual trope and the ending can be a little confusing, but I love it anyway.

 

*goes to check listings*

[MikeBiDude]

I watched Moonlight last night, courtesy of my Netflix-DVD plan. I liked it, good stuff, moved me.

 

I didn't see enough of the "Oscar" best picture nominees to compare...but not sure Moonlight would be best picture IMHO.

[+ Cash4Trash]

Paterson was a very good movie that was ignored.

[nynakedtop]

I watched Moonlight last night, courtesy of my Netflix-DVD plan. I liked it, good stuff, moved me.

 

I didn't see enough of the "Oscar" best picture nominees to compare...but not sure Moonlight would be best picture IMHO.

I needed to see Moonlight twice to really appreciate it.... LaLa Land was bizarre to me - a movie that everyone is talking about but no one will remember in two years -- so I was pleased with the award!

[Andy2]

I, too, was pleased that Moonlight won the Oscar. Its refusal to sugar-coat the lives of its protagonists, and its refusal to offer a conventional "happy ending," were pluses from my POV. My friends of color were divided: most liked it a lot, some found it hit too close for comfort.

 

LaLaLand: I really enjoyed it, raves for Emma Stone, meh for Ryan Gosling. But not Best Movie--not serious enough maybe? Best Song should have been Emma's audition song. Blew me away.

[longtime lurker]

I watched Moonlight last night, courtesy of my Netflix-DVD plan. I liked it, good stuff, moved me.

 

I didn't see enough of the "Oscar" best picture nominees to compare...but not sure Moonlight would be best picture IMHO.

 

The scene with "Little" Chiron asking about the word "faggot" with his adopted "father figure" and girlfriend reminded me of a past Best Picture of long ago, Gentlemen's Agreement (1947) with Dean Stockwell discussing the word "kite" with daddy Gregory Peck. I would rank both films as "very good" but not necessarily "excellent" social dramas that want to add a little progress to "average" viewers' thinking.

 

I liked Moonlight, but I don't think it was a ground-breaker among Best Pictures in the same way as, say, Midnight Cowboy (a very unlikely winner but Hollywood was in such a financial hole in 1970, thus so desperate to change its image, and note that it was bracketed by two more traditional choices, the preceding Oliver! and the succeeding Patton). You don't even know the main character is gay since he doesn't do much apart from off-camera mutual touching on the beach until the final scene of the movie and even that is implied rather than depicted. When Crash defeated Brokeback Mountain, it was obvious the latter film was too "strong" for homophobic audiences (not that we saw a whole lot there apart from kissing and sound effects suggesting anal in a tent). This film was really just the story of an urban boy struggling who happened to have desires towards another boy. Therefore, those repulsed by Brokeback Mountain will be much more comfortable with this one. It is a sad situation that any gay activity in a mainstream movie still has to be subdued, unlike all of the hot and heavy heterosexual action we see all over the place, but the Academy can only take limited risks.

[+ BigRic]

Holyshit, it's the guy who made Robocop and Showgirls! And now he's made a brilliant film. I shouldn't be surprised, Basic Instinct, though pulpy, demonstrates great skill.

 

Hey, I like Starship Troopers!

 

Seriously, if you haven't gripped any of Verhoeven's films done back in his homeland prior to coming to the U.S., do so. Spetters. Turkish Delight. Soldier Of Orange.

[+ BigRic]

Here is a link to the PBS NewsHour coverage from Nov.: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/1980s-miami-triple-crisis-growing-black-gay-poor/

 

Love the McCraney comment in response to the interviewer's (problematic) question (around the 6:00 minute mark): "I'm shaking my head because I had it 10 years ago and couldn't get it made."

[+ pitman]

Hey, I like Starship Troopers!

 

Seriously, if you haven't gripped any of Verhoeven's films done back in his homeland prior to coming to the U.S., do so. Spetters. Turkish Delight. Soldier Of Orange.

I agree re Verhoeven. His record in Hollywood is a mixed bag, but I love ROBOCOP. Brilliant satire. Have not seen the sequels, but the original is spot-on.

[nynakedtop]

Not to in any way deviate from the theme of this thread, but....

 

there was, I think, in 2015 a wonderful small film in the tradition of Moonlight called Tangerine that I saw a few times and loved....

 

http://www.magpictures.com/tangerine/

 

dealing with trans-persons in a seedy LA setting....

 

Award-worthy? Don't care.... Viewing-worthy? Absolutely!

[+ pitman]

Not to in any way deviate from the theme of this thread, but....

 

there was, I think, in 2015 a wonderful small film in the tradition of Moonlight called Tangerine that I saw a few times and loved....

 

http://www.magpictures.com/tangerine/

 

dealing with trans-persons in a seedy LA setting....

 

Award-worthy? Don't care.... Viewing-worthy? Absolutely!

Thanks for the reminder! Have not yet seen TANGERINE, but it is on my bucket list. And going a little further off topic, TANGERINES (plural) is an excellent Estonian-Georgian film that came out about the same time. Highly recommended

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangerines_(film)

[nynakedtop]

Thanks for the reminder! Have not yet seen TANGERINE, but it is on my bucket list. And going a little further off topic, TANGERINES (plural) is an excellent Estonian-Georgian film that came out about the same time. Highly recommended

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangerines_(film)

Tangerine is a must see, seen by me.

Tangerines is a must see, not seen by me, but about to be via Amazon Prime....

 

Thank you - you gave me this film and Lumumba, so far. Appreciate it.

[+ oldNbusted]

I agree re Verhoeven. His record in Hollywood is a mixed bag, but I love ROBOCOP. Brilliant satire. Have not seen the sequels, but the original is spot-on.

 

Speaking of satire, on the Showgirls VIP edition DVD and Blu Ray releases there is a commentary track that I highly recommend called The Greatest Movie Ever Made: a commentary by David Schmader. The only downside is you have to have first watched the movie straight, so to speak. So much insight and commentary, but perhaps my favorite is when he says they should remake the movie with a boy lead, Mario Lopez. I'd buy that for a dollar!

[+ oldNbusted]

So, it turns out I'm not the only person who likes the score from Moonlight...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3xK405DgPc