Review of Moonlight (2016) by John G — 07 Jul 2017

Moonlight tells the story of a young, gay man as he goes through life. The first act depicts his childhood, the second are his teenage years and the third is him as a grown man in present day. It is a brutally honest depiction of the LGBT struggle, especially for a young black man growing up in a largely conservative community effected by drugs and poverty. The subject matter is heavy, but it opens up a conservation that we NEED to have. Despite these very sad themes, there is a great deal of heart to Moonlight. It's hard to describe without spoilers but trust me it is there. Lastly I also want to point out that for those of you who are familiar with the work of Kendrick Lamar (specifically To Pimp a Butterfly) you'll notice artistic inspirations that Kendrick and Moonlight share. The first song heard in Moonlight is "Every Nigga is a Star" by Boris Gardiner, one of the main characters is listening to the song on his radio in the opening scene. In the first song of TPAB, "Wesley's Theory" the same piece is sampled at the very beginning of the song, its the first sound you hear when you listen to the album. There are other small details that both works share. Needless to say great minds think alike. The original soundtrack for Moonlight is especially powerful. Normally I'm not a fan of classical soundtracks in films (it's a little overdone) but Moonlight's classical OST is so uniquely well done that I would be idiotic not to make an exception. Cinematography is stylized and strong. Iconic scenes, beautiful colors and lighting make for sophisticated and detailed cinematography that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly symbolic.

Truly a legendary film.