Moonlight Review

Starring: Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders, Alex Hibbert, André Holland, Jharrel Jerome, Janelle Monáe, Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali

Moonlight is a heavy film. Watch the trailer, and you'll see that it's not a conventional coming-of-age story. Moonlight centers around a young African-American man in three stages of his life: his childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. The film itself is divided into three chapters and is very reminiscent of a play, of which it is based on. Chiron begins as a young boy living in rural inner-city Miami. His negligent mother is spiraling in and out of drug-induced stupors, leaving Chiron (who doesn't realize his nickname Little is a schoolyard taunt) to fend for himself. The kids beat him up and torment him for "being a fag", and he gravitates towards Juan, a local drug dealer who shows him kindness. The events that transpire in the years following show a young man struggling to accept himself and struggling with his identity. The two figures in his life: Juan, a mentor, and his drug-addicted mother, are masterfully contrasted in their tender and distant connections with the protagonist. While Moonlight addresses preconceived ideas about being gay and self-acceptance, it truly is about what it's like to grow up black in a community where the odds are stacked against you. It is a beautiful story, and while dull in areas, it is powerful and affecting all the same. Whether you identify with growing up poor, black, gay, or simply the pressures of being yourself, Moonlight finds a way to affect every viewer.

As far as acting goes, the three portrayals of Chiron (Little, Chiron, and Black) all make a strong impression. Personally, I feel the young Chiron was the most affecting. It's not pleasant to watch a small kid running for his life from bullies, and that's where this film opens. For such a small child, he painfully knows so much about his world. One of the most powerful moments is when he sits down with Juan and asks him if he deals drugs. Juan tells him the truth. He asks Juan if he gives drugs to his mom. Juan tells him the truth. He asks what "a fag" is and if he is one. Juan replies "No. You could be gay. But you don't gotta let nobody call you a fag." It's such a touching scene, and the simplicity of the moments between Juan and Chiron soon disappear. When he grows up,  his life becomes more complicated. Pursued by rumors of his sexuality, he's beaten up by his best friend. His dreams are haunted by longing for this friend and the sting of rejection. His mother is nowhere to be seen unless she needs money for drugs. A woman who was once "trying" is now seen as a disheveled mess, jealous of the love Juan's wife Teresa (played beautifully by Janelle Monáe) gives her son.

It is the final act that brings the film full circle. When Chiron becomes an adult, he becomes the same man Juan was. He was unable to escape the confines of his community and has fallen in the same hole. He's dealing drugs to people like his mother. He dresses with a bandana like Juan and wears grills in his teeth. By rejecting his mother and accepting Juan, he has basically become the amn. It is in this form, Juan has a lasting presence in the film, as he unfortunately dies off screen between parts 1 and 2. Mahershala Ali (Remy from House of Cards) does an exceptional job in this small supporting role. I cannot see him not receiving a nomination for his excellent performance. The same goes for Paula, played by Naomie Harris, who is the exact opposite. Her desperation for drugs blinds her to her child's needs. When the youngest Chiron is onscreen, we see her as a monster. Her behavior is robbing him of a normal childhood, and she is indifferent to his need for attention and love. As he grows up, we see her clean and begging for forgiveness. Paula is not a monster. She's not heartless like other portrayals of abusive moms. She is a product of drugs and bad decisions, and the bleak portrait of her helplessness is very powerful. The climax of the film is in the third act, where Chiron visits her in rehab. A shell of her former self, she looks for forgiveness, begging: "You don't gotta love me. But you're gonna know that I love you."

Moonlight is a coming-of-age tale that is very selective. My best comparison is Boyhood from 2014. That film is true to just about every kid growing up, and allows you to witness a child gradually becoming aware of the vast world around him. Moonlight is different. It is essentially about what it's like to be black, yet it somehow speaks to more than just skin color. The race and sexuality issues are able to illustrate a portrait of a man trying to feel at home in his own skin, yet still depict marginalized individuals. My only complaints for Moonlight are pace problems. It was often times a little too slow for me, and felt like it was moving at a snail's pace, especially in Act II. Occasionally I understood the choices, but at times I thought it needed to move more quickly. Anyways, if you want to see a surefire Oscar nominee, Moonlight will undoubtedly be in consideration, and I strongly believe it will get a lot of support. It's certainly a film that will make you think about your life.

Rating:

LEGACY REVIEW- Rocky (1976)

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith

In a new aspect of my blog, I will be writing a few "Legacy Reviews" per year. These will consist of films released either ten, twenty, thirty, forty (etc.) years ago. As this past Monday was the fortieth anniversary of Rocky starring Sylvester Stallone, I've decided to kick this series off with a classic. It's pretty much a coming-of-age movie at this point. Seriously, if you haven't seen Rocky, what are you doing with your life? And if you don't like it, you might need to watch it again.

Rocky is essentially a perfect film. Anyone who has read my blog knows that in my earlier days, I may have prematurely rewarded a "perfect" rating a few times. It takes a long time to think over a film, and sometimes you do not notice a film's faults the first time. Rocky is one of my favorite movies. This being said, I have not seen it so many times that it blurs me to faults. The faults simply are not there. This is because it's so simple. The cast and crew are not trying to produce a great, awe-inspiring classic film. This is why it's so surprising that Rocky became just that. Rocky Balboa is an American hero, who achieves a version of the American Dream. In the beginning of the film, he lives hard, but he's faltering. His career is going nowhere. I've seen so many movies with this introduction, and in walks a character who's depressed and longs for better life. Rocky is always positive, and just dreams of a simple life with the clerk at the pet store. And isn't that the American Dream? Rocky dares to tell the story of a boxer who just wants the simple life, and won't give up in his journey to pursue it.

This past week, I wrote my term paper for my History of Film class on Network, a 1976 film that depicts the terrifying stakes of broadcast news, and the blurring of the business and entertainment industries. With such a complex and relevant message, it was rewarded with Academy Awards for Best Actor, Actress, Screenplay, and Supporting Actress. But Best Picture of the Year went to one Italian Stallion- Rocky. The early 1970s were dominated by the end of Vietnam and the Watergate scandal. There was an abundance of negativity in American culture, so America needed the escape that Stallone and crew presented. America needed a movie that was inspiring.

As far as the acting goes, there really are only three characters with development. We really do not get the chance to explore Apollo Creed or Paulie in this film. First I'll talk about Mickey. Burgess Meredith looks like he's on his deathbed (I was shocked to see he lived another twenty three years) yet he has so much spark and enthusiasm. Mickey is a firecracker. If you've seen any sports movie post-Rocky, there's probably a grizzled old trainer. Mickey set the stage for every single trainer in popular culture. Now to Adrian. Adrian has so much character development, unlike most we see today. She's a nervous girl, hiding behind her glasses in a pet store. Rocky swoops in to save her from her "disease called being shy", and he's successful. We see her blossom into a free-spirited individual who's not afraid to speak out and jump for joy with pride in Rocky. As for the Italian Stallion himself, Stallone knocks it out of the park. He carries his performance with such slyness, it's no mystery where he got his nickname. Rocky is always one-step ahead, and he fights for goals. What's even more admirable is how different Rocky is from a lot of boxing and sports movies after. Many sports movies focus on an "unreachable" goal. Rocky has that. But many heroes fight for personal goals. They're trying to prove something to themselves. I honestly feel like Rocky's just doing it for Adrian. He loves fighting, but he loves her more, and he's just doing what it takes to reach that goal. While the belt might be nice, he's after the girl.

As for the other aspects of the movie, the script (written by Stallone) is air-tight. That's because it's not complicated. It has a few characters, and a basic plot that everyone can identify with. And the action scenes are fantastic. The famous training scene will inspire anyone watching it. "Gonna Fly Now" is an instant classic warm-up song. And the fight between Creed and Rocky is also very tense. The stakes are high. What's brilliant about the ending is that he doesn't win. We all hope he'll come out the winner, and he achieves something arguably harder. He goes the distance. He makes it to the end with Apollo Creed. It's a clever message that we don't need to win. It's about going the distance. Also, that ending scene where Adrian weaves through the crowd to say she loves him is one of my favorite movie scenes of all time. There's so much emotion. So I'd be crazy if I didn't give Rocky 10/10 stars. Don't worry, I'm not crazy. It's perfect because it doesn't try. It's a simple script, a simple idea, with simple characters. That allows Rocky to fill the hearts of all who watch it.

A personal request for my review was to also rank the sequels and give advice on which ones to skip. I'll be honest, I haven't seen all of the films. But here I go anyways.

1. Rocky (1976)- I just spent paragraphs explaining this so I shouldn't have to again.

2. Rocky II (1979)- I really like Rocky II. It doesn't quite reach the heights of the first one, but it's a surprisingly stable sequel. I enjoy how they explore Rocky's relationship with Adrian post-wedding, and his illiteracy. Plus the re-match where Rocky finally wins is amazing.

3. Creed (2015)- This is the newest film, which stars Michael B. Jordan as Apollo Creed's son who goes to an old, grizzled Rocky to learn to fight. Stallone gives a performance to rival the original, winning the Golden Globe and getting an Academy Award nomination for his tragic performance as a man who wants to erase his past, yet feels an obligation to the son of his rival. Plus, it has an interesting portrayal of inner-city African-American living that is a poignant afterthought.

4. Rocky Balboa (2006)- This is the revival of the franchise. It's not great, but it's leagues better than I heard 4 and 5 were. While his grief and depression aren't as strong as they are in Creed, we see Rocky Balboa right after Adrian's death. He fights, but doesn't care because he's so broken. That final scene, where he visits her grave and says "Yo Adrian, we did it. We did it." will break your heart. It's this tenderness that made me enjoy Rocky Balboa.

5. Rocky III (1982)- It's far from great. It's campy, and it's phoning it in a little too much. Hulk Hogan? Mr. T? It's far from bad, but it lacks the originality that the previous two had. Granted, I haven't seen this film in a long time, but I wasn't wildly impressed. The Eye of the Tiger scene is awesome though, and I give points for that.

6. Rocky IV (1985)- Skip Rocky IV. Just do it. I didn't even make it through the film. I don't remember much except that I hated it and it ended the franchise for me. Dolph Lundgren is hamming it up in a ridiculous role. Brigitte Nielsen is a pretty awesome fighter but her character is also ridiculous. The film doesn't know whether to be funny or serious, and it ends up being laughable. This killed Rocky for me.

7. Rocky V (1990)- Didn't see this due to the mess that is Rocky IV. Heard I didn't miss much

If you're trying to have a marathon, go 1, 2, 3, 6, 7. Omit 4 and 5. You'll thank me.

Doctor Strange Review

Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Michael Stuhlbarg, Benjamin Bratt, Scott Adkins, Mads Mikkelsen, Tilda Swinton

Doctor Strange is the second movie in "Phase 3" of Marvel's Cinematic Universe, that started with Iron Man all the way back in 2008. Ever since 2012's The Avengers shattered records and re-invigorated comic book heroes like Hulk, Black Widow, and Thor, Marvel has been steadily expanding its brand. While first focusing on comic book royalty like Captain America, they recently dove into cult territory by adapting the Guardians of the Galaxy to screen. That effort proved ridiculously successful, so now we have Doctor Strange making his debut appearance. Doctor Strange uses magic, in a weird blend of Batman Begins and Harry Potter. In a year of underwhelming superhero movies (Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad, even Civil War in my opinion) Doctor Strange hopes to be a breath of fresh air. I will agree, it's very refreshing. While so many movies are rushing team-ups and world-building, it's nice to just see an origin story, and a man become a hero onscreen. Stephen Strange is one of the best surgeons. The problem is that his ego controls his life. He believes he is infallible, until he gets in an accident that leaves him unable to perform. A hint leads him to Western Asia, where he studies with a monk known as The Ancient One to gain his power back, and power beyond his wildest dreams. For the most part, Doctor Strange is a success. I had a great time. As it started to sit with me, I began to realize that like Strange, it was not perfect.

The first thing I must praise is the casting. This is the most high-caliber cast of any Marvel movie I've seen. Oscar-nominees Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Rachel McAdams lead the film with Oscar-winner Tilda Swinton in a key supporting role. Add Mads Mikkelsen as a wicked villain, and you have a great cast of characters. While Cumberbatch grounds the role with his steady (no pun intended) performance, it is Swinton that makes the movie. Her performance as The Ancient One, an age-defying monk that opens Strange's eyes is some of the best acting I have seen in a superhero movie. Not only does she sell her monologues and presence, she probably has the best action sequences in the entire film. Her assistants are played by Wong and Ejiofor. Wong literally plays a character sharing his name, which is quite funny. It fits, because Wong is the comic relief. You would be surprised though, that Doctor Strange is actually hilarious. I laughed really hard throughout. Ejiofor's performance was less consistent, but I cannot deny the gravitas he brings to his performance. As for Mikkelsen, he was a good villain. Marvel has this problem where none of their villains make an impact. I call it "The Loki Complex", in that none of their villains can match their first one: Loki. Unlike Ultron or Malekith (bet you don't even know what movie he's from, that's my point) Mikkelsen's character does seem like an actual threat to Strange. While supervillains often feel threatening to humanity or the world, it is important to establish a personal connection with the hero. Marvel can't see that. The Joker is so terrifying because he scares Batman.

I have two big issues with Doctor Strange. It is too derivative, and too confusing. The scene I have pictured above is from a fight scene where realities are being combined. The effects are magnificent, and the gravity-bending action is awesome to watch. However, it is almost exactly like the scene from Inception where the city folds into itself, just with more action and less of a point. As Inception is one of my favorite movies, I take issue with the fact that this just seems like a rip-off, with nothing new added but a few more skylines. This may also sound random, but I could not stop thinking how much this resembled Kung Fu Panda. That underrated film is about an unteachable pupil, who seeks to learn from an all-knowing teacher, to one day be able to wield a magical artifact. Things get complicated as the teacher's defected former student, believed to be the Chosen One, wants to steal the artifact for himself. That description fits both Kung Fu Panda and Doctor Strange. It's nowhere near a crime, and is a great theme, but it is simply sloppy writing.

Then comes the confusion. I'm all for complexity. After all, Inception is one of my favorite movies. I honestly feel that the writers of Doctor Strange had no idea where it would end up. At the conclusion, instead of a feeling of triumph shared with the hero, I felt perplexed. What is Marvel thinking? Why are they going in this direction? When will someone explain what an Infinity Stone is? Isn't the MCU complicated enough without sorcery and magic? A viewer should not be left with that many questions. Questions are a great technique for franchise film. They leave the viewer wondering, and install anticipation for the sequel. Even films like Gone Girl make use of questions to add a sense of dread for the characters' futures. But a movie should never make you question what you just watched.

I think you should try out Doctor Strange because there is a lot it has to offer. It has great acting, great visuals, and a sense of wonder that is too rare at the movies. But if you do not fancy over-complicated plots and a general sense of confusion, it's probably not your movie. A warning to people on the fence about 3D. To me and the group I went with, we all found the 3D to be too much, and sickening at points.

Rating: