Based on the semi-biographical play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue by Tarell Alvin McCraney, Moonlight is the story of the life of a man told in three different period in time as a boy, a teenager, and as a young adult as he copes with his sexual identity and his troubled family life and environment. Written for the screen and directed by Barry Jenkins from a screen story by Tarell Alvin McCraney, the film is a coming-of-age story that is told in an unconventional style that play into a boy’s growth into a man. Starring Trevante Rhodes, Andre Holland, Janelle Monae, Ashton Sanders, Jharrel Jerome, Naomie Harris, and Mahershala Ali. Moonlight is an evocative and ravishing film from Barry Jenkins.
Set largely in the Liberty City ghettos of Miami, the film follows the life of a young boy named Chiron who would later endure all sorts of struggles with his identity and environment in the course of three different periods. It’s a film that play into these different periods in Chiron’s life where he lives in the ghetto trying to survive yet is facing a much bigger prejudice for the fact that he might be gay. Barry Jenkins’ screenplay uses a simple three-act structure to play into Chiron’s life as the first act is about the adolescent Chiron as he’s called Little (Alex Hibbert) with the second act is about him as a teenager (Ashton Sanders), and the third act where he’s an adult (Trevante Rhodes). The first act has Little meet up with this drug dealer named Juan (Mahershala Ali) who finds him at an abandoned crack house after being chased by bullies. Juan would be a guide to Little as he teaches him how to swim and lead his own path in life despite the verbal abuse and neglect he gets from his mother Paula (Naomie Harris) who is becoming a crack addict.
The second act has the teenage Chiron feeling lost both in his direction and in his identity where he is bullied by a schoolmate in Terrel (Patrick Decile) and whatever money Juan’s girlfriend Teresa (Janelle Monae) gives him would often go to his mother to support her addiction. The second act also play into Chiron’s friendship with Kevin (Jharrel Jerome) as they were schoolmates when they were kids as it would lead to some revelations for Chiron but also heartbreak. The third act is about the adult Chiron living in Atlanta where he takes the nickname Black that Kevin used to call him as he’s a big-time drug dealer with a sense of uncertainty until he receives a call from the adult Kevin (Andre Holland) that would force him to return to Miami.
Jenkins’ direction doesn’t exactly go for anything that is stylistic other than a few flowing hand-held camera shots yet it does manage to maintain a sense of beauty through its approach to grittiness. Shot on location in the Liberty City section of Miami with a few parts of the film shot in Atlanta, Jenkins’ uses the location as an important area that is known for its crime and drug culture while it’s a world that has great demands for kids and adults to be tough. For Little, it’s a bigger hurdle in not just being black in the ghetto but much more dangerous in being a young African-American kid in the ghetto who is gay. There are wide shots in Jenkins’ direction yet it’s more about creating a mood through the compositions he is creating as well as these events that would shape the life of Chiron. One notable scene at Juan’s home with Teresa is where Little asks about being called a faggot where it is presented with a simplicity but also with some low-key dramatic tension. Even as Juan is forced to realize the faults of masculinity among African-Americans as he also has to deal with the fact that he’s played a part in Little’s troubled relationship with his mother.
The second act has Jenkins take on something far more unpredictable but also in its approach to violence where the teenage Chiron has to take a stand but also see the horror of how much his mother’s addiction has become. There is also this moment on the beach as the scenes of the beach are this recurring symbol of serenity and peace that Chiron craves for. Even in the first act where Juan teaches Little how to swim as it’s this world that he can escape into while the second act has him and Kevin in an intimate scene that would mark a major change in their friendship. The film’s third act does feel more up to date but Jenkins would also change the tone a bit into something that is looser but also with elements of stylish images that play into Black’s sense of longing. Even as his meeting with the adult Kevin play into not just nostalgia but also regret into the life he was accepted for who he is. Overall, Jenkins crafts a majestic yet intoxicating film about the life of a boy becoming a man in three different parts of his life.
Cinematographer James Laxton does incredible work with the film’s cinematography as its usage of naturalistic and colorful lights for much of the film’s daytime exterior scenes is matched with its usage of filters and stylish lights for the interior/exterior scenes set at night. Editors Nat Sanders and Joi McMillon do amazing work with the editing as its usage of slow-motion and other stylish cuts play into the drama with Sanders doing the film’s first two acts while McMillon does the film’s third act to create a different tone for each section. Production designer Hannah Beachler, with set decorator Regina McLarney and art director Mabel Barba, does excellent work with the look of the home that Juan and Teresa live in as well as the different homes Chiron would stay in.
Costume designer Caroline Eselin does fantastic work with the costumes as it is largely casual with the exception of the school uniforms that Little would wear along with some of the clothes that Paula wore. Sound editors Joshua Adeniji and Benjamin L. Cook do brilliant work with the film’s sound as it help convey the atmosphere of the location along with the sound of waves in nearby location as it brings a calm to the dramatic moments of the film. The film’s music by Nicholas Britell is phenomenal for its rich and mesmerizing orchestral-based score with lush string arrangements that play into the drama and chaos that Chiron endures for much of his life as it’s a score that is devastating yet serene in its presentation while music supervisor Maggie Phillips creates a soundtrack that mixes hip-hop and soul music from artists like Aretha Franklin, Boris Gardiner, Goodie Mob, Barbara Lewis, Erykah Badu, OG Ron C, and DJ Candlestick.
The casting by Yesi Ramirez is great as it feature some notable small roles from Patrick Decile as the teenage Chiron’s bully Terrel, Shariff Earp as one of Juan’s dealers in Terrence, and Stephon Bron as a dealer for Black. Janelle Monae is fantastic as Teresa as Juan’s girlfriend who is a maternal figure of sorts for the young Chiron as she is also someone who is stern yet reveal the things that Chiron needs to do to be a good person in life. Naomie Harris is brilliant as Chiron’s mother Paula as a nurse whose addiction to crack leads to neglect and abuse on Chiron as she is also someone that is desperate and full of hate while becoming remorseful in the film’s third act. Mahershala Ali is amazing as Juan as a Cuban-born drug dealer who becomes a father-figure to Chiron as he also becomes troubled by Paula’s addiction while he also deals with some of the issues he’s created for the people around him.
In the role of Chiron’s friend Kevin Jones, the trio of Jaden Piner, Jharrel Jerome, and Andre Holland are incredible in their respective roles as the child, teenage, and adult versions of the character with Piner as the young Kevin trying to help Little be tough and cool. Jerome provides a charisma and coolness to the teenage Kevin as someone trying to be accepted in school but also make a discovery of his own in his friendship with Chiron. Holland’s performance is more reserved as a man trying to live a good life where he is somewhat content with where he’s going while being concerned about who Chiron has become.
In the roles of Chiron, the performances of Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, and Trevante Rhodes are phenomenal in their portrayals of this young boy who would become a man with Hibbert displaying a troubled innocence as the young Chiron in Little as he doesn’t say much but manages to convey so much through his face. Sanders’ performance as the teenage Chiron has elements of restrained but also a melancholia as someone struggling with his identity and being bullied where this emergence of rage would come out. Rhodes’ performance as the adult Chiron known as Black is low-key in its emotions as someone who is trying not to think about the past but also cope with his experiences in life as well as deal with his own loneliness and regrets in his life.
Moonlight is a tremendous film from Barry Jenkins. Featuring a great ensemble cast, gorgeous visuals, an entrancing music score and soundtrack, realistic settings, and a touching coming-of-age story told in three different periods in time. It’s a film that explores a man trying to come to terms with his identity as well as the world around him as a boy, teenager, and a man as it’s told in a rich and intoxicating style. In the end, Moonlight is an outstanding film from Barry Jenkins.
Barry Jenkins Films: Medicine for Melancholy – If Beale Street Could Talk - (The Underground Railroad (2021 Limited TV Series)) - (Mufasa: The Lion King)
© thevoid99 2018
Based on the Marvel comics series by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and the Miles Morales series by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is the story of a young kid who becomes a new Spider-Man as he juggles life as a kid and as the new Spider-Man while finding himself meeting other Spider-Mans including a different version of Peter Parker who would train his new protégé. Directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman with screenplay by Rothman and Phil Lord from a story by Lord, the film is an animated film that focuses on Miles Morales who tries to become the new Spider-Man as well as tackle an evil foe who opened multiple dimensions that would destroy the world. Featuring the voices of Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Lauren Valez, John Mulaney, Kimiko Glenn, Liev Schreiber, and Nicolas Cage as Spider-Man Noir. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an exhilarating and rich film from Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman.
The film revolves around a young teenager in Miles Morales (the voice of Shameik Moore) whose encounter with a radioactive spider gives him powers where he learns of a plot from a crime boss that eventually lead to other Spider-Mans from other dimensions to help Morales out and stop this crime boss. It’s a film that takes its simple premise that play into the idea of alternate realities and dimensions where this young kid has to take on the mantle of being the new Spider-Man despite his inexperience and insecurities following the death of the previous Spider-Man in Peter Parker (Chris Pine) during a battle with the crime boss in Wilson Fisk/the Kingpin (Liev Schreiber). The film’s screenplay by Rodney Rothman and Phil Lord follows the young Morales who is the son of a cop in Jefferson Davis (Brian Tyree Henry) and nurse Rio Morales (Lauren Valez) as he’s struggling to fit in as he’s attending this prestigious school in Brooklyn.
While hanging out with his uncle Aaron Davis (Mahershala Ali) as they do some graffiti art in the subway, Miles gets bitten by a spider as its effects would bring weird things as he tries to find the spider the next day where he encounters a battle between Spider-Man and the Kingpin. Due to the events that lead to Spider-Man’s death, Miles would meet a man claiming to be Peter Parker yet he’s from another dimension as Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) is a version of Parker who is out-of-shape, depressed, and down on his luck. They’re later joined by other versions of Spider-Man in Spider-Woman/Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), Spider-Ham/Peter Porker (John Mulaney), SP//dr/Peni Parker (Kimiko Glenn) and Spider-Man Noir who have all been sucked in from other dimensions by the Kingpin who has a grudge towards Spider-Man as he has some valid reasons for wanting to open other dimensions unaware of its dangers.
The direction of Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman is definitely stylish in a grand way where it play into not just different styles of animation but also providing many kinds of Easter eggs and references the comics and films relating to Spider-Man. With the aid of lead animators Julie Bernier Gosselin, Jeff Panko, Humberto Francisco Rosa, and Philip Rudolph, the direction has a style that is rich in its detail as well as the design of the different version of Spider-Man as Spider-Man Noir is presented in a black-and-white animated style similar to old comic books of the 1930s/1940s as well as film noir while Spider-Ham is presented in a hand-drawn animated style similar to Warner Brothers cartoons and SP//dr is presented in Japanese anime. The direction also allowed each version of Spider-Man be introduced in the style of a comic book where it doesn’t just establish who they are and where they come from but it allows Morales to get to know them just as he’s trying to understand his own powers that are different from the other Spider-Mans.
The direction also has this attention to detail in the way it presents New York City in its different settings as well as a city dealing with these weird glitches. The wide and medium shots capture the scope of the locations as well as the world that Morales and the other Spider-Mans would encounter including Fisk’s home lab where he also have other villains working for him. With the aid of production designer Justin Thompson, art directors Dean Gordon and Patrick O’Keef, and visual effects supervisor Danny Dimian, the look of the different dimensions and cities add to the richness of the film as well as how Morales view the world around him as he’s coping with his powers and the idea of what had been instilled in Spider-Man.
Even as his father is someone who admits to not being fond of Spider-Man’s vigilante ideas as it would later play into some of the chaos that Morales would get himself involved in during its third act. The film’s climax is extravagant in its presentation as well as the stakes as it play into Morales coming to terms with who he is as well as be the hero that his family could be proud of. Overall, Persichetti, Ramsey, and Rothman create an enthralling and touching film about a young boy who takes on the mantle of Spider-Man.
Editor Robert Fisher Jr. does brilliant work with the editing in creating some rhythmic cuts that play into the humor and drama as well as some of the action and montages in the film. Sound editors Geoffrey G. Rubay and Curt Schulkey do amazing work with the sound in cultivating audio from cartoons and films relating to Spider-Man as well as sound effects that play into the action and adventure. The film’s music by Daniel Pemberton is wonderful for its mixture of orchestral bombast and hip-hop that play into the world that Morales lives in while music supervisor Kier Lehman provide a soundtrack that is largely driven by hip-hop from Post Malone, Nicki Minaj, Amine, Lil’ Wayne, DJ Khalil, Vince Staples, and many others as well as some playful Christmas music that the real Spider-Man had created.
The casting by Mary Hidalgo is great as it feature some notable small roles and voice appearances from Jorma Taccone as Norman Osborn/the Green Goblin, Lake Bell as the Kingpin’s late wife Vanessa, Marvin “Krondone” Jones III as the villainous Tombstone, Joaquin Cosio as the villain Scorpion, Zoe Kravitz as Mary Jane Watson, and Kathryn Hahn in a superb performance as Olivia “Liv” Octavius/Doctor Octopus as a mad scientist working for the Kingpin as she also hates Spider-Man. Lily Tomlin and Lauren Velez are fantastic in their respective roles as Aunt May Parker and Rio Morales with Tomlin being a mentor to the young Morales in his role as Spider-Man while Velez provides that maternal warmth as Morales’ mom who is concerned for her son’s growing pains. Chris Pine’s brief voice performance as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Morales’ universe is wonderful in displaying someone with confidence and care but also displaying all of the qualities to be Spider-Man while Stan Lee, in one of his final film roles, is a joy to watch as a vendor who provide some poignant words to Morales about what Spider-Man means to the world.
In the roles of some of the other Spider-Mans from other dimensions, Kimiko Glenn and John Mulvaney are excellent in their respective roles as Penni Parker/SP//dr and Peter Porker/Spider-Ham as different animated versions of the Spider-Man character with the former as a young girl with a machine-like android and the latter as a Looney Tunes-inspired pig who provide some silly gags. Mahershala Ali is brilliant as Morales’ uncle Aaron Davis as a man who encourages his nephew in expressing himself while also doing some mysterious things. Brian Tyree Henry is amazing as Morales’ father Jefferson Davis as a cop who isn’t fond of Spider-Man as he’s more concerned about his son’s education and potential as he has a great scene that play into the idea of loss and determination. Nicolas Cage is incredible as Spider-Man Noir as film noir-inspired version of the character who speaks in noir-based dialogue as well as provide some insight into the struggles that Morales is dealing with.
Jake Johnson is marvelous as Peter B. Parker/Spider-Man as a different version of the character from an alternate dimension who is down on his luck and is dealing with loss and failure as he tries to be a mentor to Morales in the hope he can find meaning as Spider-Man once again. Hailee Steinfeld is remarkable as Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman as another Spider-Man from an alternate dimension who befriends Morales where she understands his growing pains while being aware of what is at stake when it comes to the Kingpin. Liev Schreiber is phenomenal as Wilson Fisk/the Kingpin as a crime boss who is trying to create a machine to reach into other dimensions to kill other versions of Spider-Man in the hopes he can rectify things he’s lost and end Spider-Man. Finally, there’s Shameik Moore in a sensational performance as Miles Morales as a teenage kid from Brooklyn who is struggling with his new school and later the new powers he is given where he copes with the role he has to play as well as try to become the best Spider-Man he can be.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a magnificent film from Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman. Featuring a great ensemble cast, a riveting screenplay, a fun music soundtrack, and spectacular visuals that mixes all form of animation styles. It’s a film that isn’t just an adventurous animated film but it’s also a Spider-Man film that play into its themes while making it feel fresh and new. In the end, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an outstanding film from Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman.
Spider-Man Films: Spider-Man - Spider-Man 2 - Spider-Man 3 - The Amazing Spider-Man - The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - Spider-Man: Homecoming - Spider-Man: Far from Home - Spider-Man: No Way Home - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - (Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse)
© thevoid99 2018
Based on the non-fiction book by Margot Lee Shetterly, Hidden Figures is the true story of female African-American mathematicians who worked at NASA where they would provide the numbers for the right flight trajectories for the Mercury space missions in the early 1960s. Directed by Theodore Melfi and screenplay by Melfi and Allison Schroeder, the film is an exploration of the small number of people whose contribution to the 1960s space race to be as important as those that flew into outer space. Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons, Glen Powell, Mahershala Ali, and Kevin Costner. Hidden Figures is an enchanting and exhilarating film from Theodore Melfi.
Set in 1961 and 1962, the revolves around a trio of African-American women who work at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia for NASA where one of the women would find the right mathematic problems for flight trajectories for the upcoming Mercury space missions during the 1960s space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Though these three women try to deal with the work they have to do at a time where everything is segregated at the time as men and women work at different buildings with African-American women having to work in one different side of the building with white women. They all have a role to play in order to beat the Russians in the space race as they’re having a hard time catching up with them. The film’s screenplay by Theodore Melfi and Allison Schroeder does have a straightforward structure as it play into the obstacles the mathematician Katherine Goble (Taraji P. Henson), the aspiring engineer Mary Jackson (Janelle Monae), and supervisor Dorothy Vaughn (Octavia Spencer) face.
Yet, the script focuses largely on Goble who is a widowed mother of three girls as she is a gifted mathematician since she was a child yet is still undervalued until she is transferred to work with the Space Task Group led by Al Harrison (Kevin Costner) who would see what Goble has to offer. Still, she has to cope with the fact that she has to run half-a-mile to go to the bathroom since the closest one is only for white women until Harrison makes the decision to get rid of the ideas of segregation by knocking down a “colored only” sign in the women’s bathroom. While Goble would also have to endure the fast-paced world of getting results as well as deal with a supervisor in head engineer Paul Stafford (Jim Parsons) who is trying to impose his superiority over Goble. The script also showcase what Jackson and Vaughn go through as Jackson would work with Karl Zielinski (Olek Krupa) whom he sees as someone with potential and would encourage her to get her engineering degree.
For Vaughn who has been taking on the role of acting supervisor for her team, she still has to deal with her supervisor Vivian Mitchell (Kirsten Dunst) who tells Vaughn what she needs to do though she’s unaware that Vaughn would be the one to figure out the new IBM 7090 supercomputers and how they work. There is also a subplot as it relates to Goble’s personal life as she falls for a military officer in Jim Johnson (Mahershala Ali) who would eventually become her husband which would help bring some happiness to Goble just as she’s starting to find fulfillment in her professional life.
Melfi’s direction doesn’t have a lot of stylish visuals in order to capture a moment in time where it was an era of civil unrest as well as this sense of change emerging. Shot largely at the Morehouse College in Atlanta, the film opens with a look into Goble’s life when she as a child and how she became this unknowingly gifted child that could do math problems beyond anyone’s expectation. While Melfi would use some wide shots including some key scenes set in space, much of the film would have Melfi employ more straightforward shots to play into Goble and the need to do her work and stand out among many. Even as she would wear colorful dresses while the rest of her co-workers are seen wearing white shits and a black tie. The wide shots that Melfi creates in some of the buildings show that sense of disconnect between blacks and whites and their roles in NASA but it eventually becomes more intimate once they start to realize the value these women have for NASA.
Melfi would also play into light-hearted moments as it relates to some of the individual moments that Jackson would go through as she would file a petition to be allowed to get her engineering degree as well as Vaughn taking a library book that would allow her to understand the IBM machine. The film’s climax which revolves around the mission with John Glenn (Glen Powell) who has taken notice of Goble’s work and wants her to do the math as he sees her as someone of immense value. Though Goble at first isn’t part of this mission, Harrison realizes that everything they have been relying on with the IBM show some discrepancies in the calculations forcing him to have Goble at his side. It all play into what one person could do and make a small but important contribution to the space race. Overall, Melfi crafts a compelling and riveting film about three women whose small contributions to the 1960s space race would make a major difference for themselves and everyone else.
Cinematographer Mandy Walker does excellent work with the film’s cinematography from the usage of colors for many of the exterior daytime scenes as well as how some of the interiors are lit including some of the scenes set at night. Editor Peter Teschner does terrific work with the editing as it is largely straightforward with some rhythmic cuts to play into the drama. Production designer Wynn Thomas, with set decorator Missy Parker and art director Jeremy Woolsey, does brilliant work with the look of the offices and labs as it play into the environment the characters work at where it starts off that is a bit oppressive but then warms up once everyone is on the same page. Costume designer Renee Ehrlich Kalfus does amazing work with the costumes from the colorful dresses many of the African-American women wear at work and off work as well as the clothes that the white men/women wear which are a bit colorless to display their buttoned-down look.
Visual effects supervisors Chris and Mark LeDoux do fantastic work with the visual effects for the scenes set in outer space including the film’s climax during John Glenn’s Earth orbits. Sound designers Wayne Lemmer and Derek Vanderhorst do superb work with the sound in the way rockets sounded as well as the sparse elements in the way chalk and typewriters would sound. The film’s music by Hans Zimmer, Pharrell Williams, and Benjamin Wallfisch is incredible for its mixture of Zimmer and Wallfisch’s orchestral music to play into some of the low-key elements of the drama without anything bombastic as well as some of the soul-based music created by Williams who would also compile the film’s soundtrack to feature a lot of the music of the times including some of the soul music that was emerging during those times.
The casting by Victoria Thomas is great as it feature some notable small roles from the trio of Saniyaa Sidney, Ariana Neal, and Zani Jones Mbayise as Katherine’s daughters, Aldis Hodge as Mary’s husband, Donna Biscoe as Katherine’s mother who watches over her granddaughters, Karen Kendrick as the younger version of Katherine’s mother, Lidya Jewett as the young Katherine, Kimberly Quinn as Harrison’s secretary Ruth, Olek Krupa as the Jewish-Polish scientist Karl Zielinski who encourages Mary to get her degree as he sees value in her, and Glen Powell in a terrific performance as John Glenn who realizes the value in Katherine’s gift for mathematics as he sticks with her results rather than what everyone says. Jim Parsons is good as Paul Stafford as a head engineer who gives Goble problems to work on and not realizing what she could do as he is forced to accept what she’s able to offer.
Kirsten Dunst is fantastic as Vivian Mitchell as a supervisor who supervises all of the women while having to deal with Vaughn whom she knows is qualified but often tells her about the rules as it’s a low-key yet effective performance. Mahershala Ali is excellent as Jim Johnson as a military officer who woos Goble as he is fascinated by what he does and wants to be there for her. Kevin Costner is brilliant as Al Harrison as the Space Task Group director who takes notice of Goble’s work and realizes her value while making changes that he feels is necessary for everyone including Goble whom he realizes is a much smarter person than everyone else. Janelle Monae is amazing as Mary Jackson as a mathematician who aspires to be an engineer as she has something to offer as a famed scientist realizes that and gives her the chance to get her degree as it’s a performance full of charisma.
Octavia Spencer is incredible as Dorothy Vaughn as an acting supervisor who heads the African-American women’s section who is trying to get promoted while she would be the one person to figure out how the IBM machines work giving her the chance to be valued by everyone. Finally, there’s Taraji P. Henson in a phenomenal performance as Katherine Goble Johnson as the gifted mathematician who knows any kind of problem needed as she is the smartest person in the room that no one is aware of while dealing with some of the demands in her work as well as the need to be there for her daughters as it’s Henson in one of her triumphant performances to date.
Hidden Figures is a spectacular film from Theodore Melfi. Featuring a great cast, a rapturous story, gorgeous visuals, and a joyful music soundtrack. It’s a film that showcases people whose small contributions to something monumental would prove to have a lasting effort as this true story of these three women isn’t just inspirational but also prove that even those behind the scenes matter. In the end, Hidden Figures is a sensational film from Theodore Melfi.
© thevoid99 2018
