Oscar Buzz: ‘Moonlight’: To Be a Black Gay Man in America

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

It's a decent film... by no means a GREAT film. I felt the whole "Brokeback Mountain" storyline was a bit too forced, especially the 3rd act being totally rushed. I would of preferred it being more strictly a conflict between dealing with his crack whorish mother, Cottonmouth's being his adopted father figure despite him being slightly responsible for his mother being a crack whore, and struggling to find his own identity which leads to him becoming a homosexual. And I believe it TRIED to do it, but drops the ball by making it a gay love story instead being strictly a black person dealing with finding his identity (which in this film never was fully resolved).

Except it didn't try to do this at all, in fact it tried to do the opposite (and succeeded in doing so). Chiron's character arc took place in a scrapbook, rather than a summarized, causation tale of why he came to be who he is. It doesn't proselytize why he and black males in general deal with masculinity in the manner that they do, it just gives us a window and mirror to look out/through from; and the moral, social and existential dilemmas that we are faced with, without spelling them out to us.

 

[pickles]

Damn

That review was great.

I am still thinking about this movie.

I love how all those back shots of him walking are intentional. He has been alone his entire life, walking from school, eating at school, even coming home, taking baths, eating by himself. All alone from when he was a kid to a teenager, and whenever someone would talk to him, it would be just hate.

I dunno, the ending made sense to me.

I wish more coli brehs would open their minds and watch this movie.


ETA: This movie deserves the Oscar for Best Picture but it might not get it because and because La La Land looks like a favorite.

 

[FlyRy]

This movie deserves the Oscar for Best Picture but it might not get it because and because La La Land looks like a favorite.

I will say La La Land brought me more joy than any movie this year. I watched it like

After I came home from Moonlight I curled up in the fetal position next to my wife like

 

[Ayo]

struggling to find his own identity which leads to him becoming a homosexual. And I believe it TRIED to do it

"Leads him to be homosexual"...? Is that how it works? Homosexuality is genetic. No amount of hard knock life is going to make me attracted to the same sex Breh. Not how it works. Either you got it in you or you don't.

But back to the movie

You wanted a narrative and that's not what the director set out to do. I get it...the first act was promising. We could have had another Menace II Society or another Boyz N The Hood. But if that's what you wanted then you went to see the wrong movie.

I went in to see the movie without knowing anything about it. Completely blind. So after the first act ended...and the second act started...and Chiron was still soft, I was a little disappointed. When I found out that his father figure had died I was even more disappointed. I'll admit it. But it's at that point that I realized I was watching something unique. I wasn't watching your typical 'growing up in the hood' trope filled Hollywood jaunt through one of the 5 Burroughs or South Central LA. And from then on out I appreciated it more.

Moonlight is a character study disguised as a coming of age movie. Giving us snapshots of this guys life as a boy, a teenager, and as a man. It is exactly what it is and nothing more. There's little to no subtext. No reading between the lines. No powerful prose. Not much symbolism. We are left to feel for Chiron through his facial expressions, words and actions.

Also shout out to the director for showing how easy it is for the 'good kid' to be put into the school to prison pipeline. I feel like that little bit of commentary went unnoticed with everyone I've talked to about this movie.

 

[Supa]

That review was great.

I am still thinking about this movie.

I love how all those back shots of him walking are intentional. He has been alone his entire life, walking from school, eating at school, even coming home, taking baths, eating by himself. All alone from when he was a kid to a teenager, and whenever someone would talk to him, it would be just hate.

I dunno, the ending made sense to me.

I wish more coli brehs would open their minds and watch this movie.


ETA: This movie deserves the Oscar for Best Picture but it might not get it because and because La La Land looks like a favorite.

I watched the other day and enjoyed it. Very good film. Kevin seemed to be the only friend he ever had.

 

[pickles]

I watched the other day and enjoyed it. Very good film. Kevin seemed to be the only friend he ever had.

I meant shots of his back (upper) not lower ()

 

[MIAlien]

OK, funny thing is he produces his own movies. The way the issue is framed it's like it is a conspiracy or something.

Let Dave Chappelle explain...

 

[patscorpio]

The third act was funny as shyt to me..nikka went from a soft nikka to a straight up OG that traps..my nikka Algernon even had to say something about it lol

 

[FlyRy]

The third act was funny as shyt to me..nikka went from a soft nikka to a straight up OG that traps..my nikka Algernon even had to say something about it lol

Breh looked like 50 Cent

 

[Birdie]

I'll watch this garbage on putlocker to see the poison they're trying to inject into my people. The fact this did better than Birth of Nation is disturbing and a disgrace.

 

[MartyMcFly]

Dope flick. I didn't come away from it thinking it's great but I came away thinking it was really good and deserves the accolades it's getting and hopefully will get. Gorgeous movie with great acting and a lot of subtext as others have mentioned. It's a movie that is clearly a directors movie as every thing about it seems like Barry Jenkins had a say in absolutely everything. Loved the use of orchestra music as each act came to a close, and the portrait slice of life aspect. It is about masculinity in our community but also economics and social norms and what's expected from us as black men. Ending made complete sense as it seemed to be the one time he came to grips with who he was and what he was about.

Acting was great across the board, and again it just looks great. Script was on point as well. Movie has stayed with me for a while

 

[Cattle Mutilation]

Just finished watching it. Was pretty good, but a 99 on Metacritic is a bit high

 

[Houston911]

Movie was good, but I wasn't blown away

Did I miss something?

@Gil Scott-Heroin @CHICAGO

 

[GoldenGlove]

The third act was funny as shyt to me..nikka went from a soft nikka to a straight up OG that traps..my nikka Algernon even had to say something about it lol

The part in the diner where he played the song that reminded him of Chiron had me damn near dying breh



shyt was so unintentionally funny

 

[GoldenGlove]

I'll watch this garbage on putlocker to see the poison they're trying to inject into my people. The fact this did better than Birth of Nation is disturbing and a disgrace.

Moonlight is the gayest movie I've ever watched (even tho it wasn't that graphic with the homo shyt)... but it was better than Birth of a Nation easily IMO.