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Dome Pondering Movie Review: Moonlight (2016)


What is it about? 

The following of a young black gay man from youth, through adolescents, and into adulthood inMiami, Florida. 

Who is in it? 

Mahershala Ali - Juan

Trevante Rhodes - Adult Chiron

Ashton Sanders - Teen Chiron

Favorite Scene: 

After getting jumped, Teen Chiron ices his face, and is then determined. The camera pans behind Chiron as he marches into school, into the classroom, picks up a chair, and blasts it across the back of a student who has been bullying him to end act II. 

Favorite Quote: 

"At some point, you gotta decide for yourself who you're going to be. Can't let nobody make that decision for you."

Review: 

Do I even have to go into depth on Moonlight? Like, really? Do I? for the sake of completing the review, Moonlight was awesome. Fantastic. Tremendous. Everything an Oscar-award winning film is and should be. 

Of course, even more interesting is the fact that this film only required $1.5 Million to make. As always, I'm a huge fan of small budget films and of independent films, and was glad to see this get the huge upset. 

For me, the beautifully written scenes and how the acts compliment the overarching story is great, but Moonlight has a tremendous ability to use camera angles and the lighting to really add to the story and the whirlwind that is Chiron's life. 

And of course, there is the obvious social issues wrapped up in the film. Of course, the understanding of LGBT issues, but there are also underlying factors around youth of color, socioeconomics, drugs, and mass incarceration. 

I don't want to give away too much in the event you haven't yet seen it, but at the same time, there isn't much needed to say. Go watch Moonlight! 

Review: 5/5
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