Moonlight
First screened in October 2016
Director: Barry Jenkins. Cast: Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, Trevante Rhodes, Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Jaden Piner, Jharrel Jerome, André Holland, Janelle Monáe, Patrick Decile, Shariff Earp, Duan Sanderson, Edson Jean, Larry Anderson, Tanisha Cidel, Stephon Bron. Screenplay: Barry Jenkins (based on a screen story by Tarell Alvin McCraney and his unfinished script In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue).

Twitter Capsule: Black men, queer and not, claim space at the unlikely cross of Malick, Wong, Denis. Focused, elliptical, frank, oceanic.

Second Capsule: Certain Men, but all the same man—or are they? Southern brothers on heavy-hearted quests yield not sociology but poetry.

Third Capsule: The Hours of black masculinity, so delicate, heartbroken, beautiful, and deep. And the world that produced it has gone.

VOR:   Peak "VOR," partly because it fills huge representational gaps, partly because it takes such aesthetic risks, especially because it does both.



Photo © 2016 A24/Plan B Entertainment

Not yet reviewed in full. Grade: A–


Academy Award Nominations and Winners:
Best Picture
Best Director: Barry Jenkins
Best Supporting Actress: Naomie Harris
Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali
Best Adapted Screenplay: Barry Jenkins and Tarell Alvin McCraney
Best Cinematography: James Laxton
Best Film Editing: Joi McMillon and Nat Sanders
Best Original Score: Nicholas Britell

Golden Globe Nominations and Winners:
Best Picture (Drama)
Best Director: Barry Jenkins
Best Supporting Actress: Naomie Harris
Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali
Best Screenplay: Barry Jenkins
Best Original Score: Nicholas Britell

Other Awards:
Chicago International Film Festival: Audience Award (Narrative Feature; tie)
Screen Actors Guild Award: Best Supporting Actor (Ali)
Independent Spirit Awards: Best Picture; Best Director; Best Screenplay; Best Cinematography; Best Film Editing
New York Film Critics Circle: Best Director; Best Supporting Actor (Ali); Best Cinematography
Los Angeles Film Critics Association: Best Picture; Best Director; Best Supporting Actor (Ali); Best Cinematography
National Society of Film Critics: Best Picture; Best Director; Best Supporting Actor (Ali); Best Cinematography
Boston Society of Film Critics: Best Supporting Actor (Ali); Best Ensemble Cast
Chicago Film Critics Association: Best Picture; Best Director; Best Supporting Actor (Ali)
National Board of Review: Best Director; Best Supporting Actress (Harris)

Permalink Home 2016 ABC Blog E-Mail