Remember to always be yourself. Unless you suck.
- Joss Whedon
Knowing what I know, and working where I work, I'm very much on the fence of fully supporting the notion that we should all be ourselves. Sure, living a life that isn't yours seems to be nothing short of tragic, but have you spoken to some of these motherf--kers walking the planet these days? They're terrible human beings. Like, the absolute worst. And trust me, anytime someone announces that's just the way I am, it's usually code for I'm an unapologetic dickhead, and I could quite honestly give a f--k about you or anyone else.
So, again, I'd like to support you being you...but, uh, like my man Jospeh Hill Wheldon says, not if you're a shitty person.
As the main character of the Oscar-winning Moonlight, Chiron isn't a shitty person, but instead appears to be a good person dealt a shitty hand (perhaps the shittiest of hands, frankly). The film, broken into distinct acts, chronicles Chiron's life at three pivotal moments: adolescence, high-school, and adulthood. In these stunningly captured scenes, we're given a window into the broken life of a little boy as he tries to navigate the depths of poverty, drug-addiction and homosexuality.
Alone.
While not quite the relentless gut-punch that was Manchester by the Sea [review], Moonlight instead breaks your heart just as quietly, but on a much larger scale. For Lee, it was essentially a singular incident that ruined his life. But for Chiron, his life is a mess for countless reasons, any of which could destroy a little kid. But piling them all together? It's so f--king one-sided, it's not even funny. And what's worse, it's likely a situation that is mirrored all over this godforsaken country. Hell, even if Chiron didn't have narrow-ass shoulders, the weight of the world this young man carries would still drive him straight into the warm ground of southern Florida.
But it doesn't, actually, as somehow, through the knee-deep muck of a youth spent in survival mode, Chiron makes it through. Sort of. He may have become the thing he hated most, sure, but one gets the feeling that it was simply the means to an end. Like playing make believe for twenty years. Which was probably worse than all the other shit he went through combined, but there may be light at the end of the tunnel...
Looking back (it's been a couple of weeks), I whole-heartedly appreciate the story that Barry Jenkins crafted and told, as it's an extrememly moving film. Obviously, it shattered my heart at times, but despite what I've written here, Moonlight didn't really stay with me. It didn't quite resonate as much I thought it would.
The performances are all excellent, and as ugly as the subject is, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more beautiful film. I'm not sure if anything is necessarily missing from 2017's Best Picture winner (uh, obviously not, officially speaking), but I actually enjoyed all the Oscar-nominated flicks that I saw more than Moonlight [note: I didn't see Lion or Hidden Figures]. Maybe it was just too intimate, too small, or maybe it had a slightly familiar aftertaste, or maybe I'm just a heartless, racist, homophobic jackass.
Speaking of things we've all come across too many times (ignorant dickwads, that is), here are the Yays and Boos. Luckily, on the opposite end of the terrible person spectrum, lies one quietly badass fella going by the name of Mahershala Ali. Dude, this guy? Incredible.
BOOOOOOooOO!
- Joss Whedon
Knowing what I know, and working where I work, I'm very much on the fence of fully supporting the notion that we should all be ourselves. Sure, living a life that isn't yours seems to be nothing short of tragic, but have you spoken to some of these motherf--kers walking the planet these days? They're terrible human beings. Like, the absolute worst. And trust me, anytime someone announces that's just the way I am, it's usually code for I'm an unapologetic dickhead, and I could quite honestly give a f--k about you or anyone else.
So, again, I'd like to support you being you...but, uh, like my man Jospeh Hill Wheldon says, not if you're a shitty person.
 |
| No lie, this one gets my vote for top 5 posters ever. |
Alone.
While not quite the relentless gut-punch that was Manchester by the Sea [review], Moonlight instead breaks your heart just as quietly, but on a much larger scale. For Lee, it was essentially a singular incident that ruined his life. But for Chiron, his life is a mess for countless reasons, any of which could destroy a little kid. But piling them all together? It's so f--king one-sided, it's not even funny. And what's worse, it's likely a situation that is mirrored all over this godforsaken country. Hell, even if Chiron didn't have narrow-ass shoulders, the weight of the world this young man carries would still drive him straight into the warm ground of southern Florida.
But it doesn't, actually, as somehow, through the knee-deep muck of a youth spent in survival mode, Chiron makes it through. Sort of. He may have become the thing he hated most, sure, but one gets the feeling that it was simply the means to an end. Like playing make believe for twenty years. Which was probably worse than all the other shit he went through combined, but there may be light at the end of the tunnel...
 |
| He may not look like it, but this little dude can eat. |
The performances are all excellent, and as ugly as the subject is, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more beautiful film. I'm not sure if anything is necessarily missing from 2017's Best Picture winner (uh, obviously not, officially speaking), but I actually enjoyed all the Oscar-nominated flicks that I saw more than Moonlight [note: I didn't see Lion or Hidden Figures]. Maybe it was just too intimate, too small, or maybe it had a slightly familiar aftertaste, or maybe I'm just a heartless, racist, homophobic jackass.
Speaking of things we've all come across too many times (ignorant dickwads, that is), here are the Yays and Boos. Luckily, on the opposite end of the terrible person spectrum, lies one quietly badass fella going by the name of Mahershala Ali. Dude, this guy? Incredible.
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| Listen up, Little. This guy knows what he's talking about. |
Yaaaaaaaay!
- Man, if Juan accurately portrays how modern drug-dealers handle themselves, I really gotta get some new friends.
- Oh, and his lady? Soooo fine. Damn, Ms. Harris. Damn. (oh, and she's an incredibly nice person, too).
- It's kind of cliche at this point, sure, but the swimming scene is so beautiful, so touching, you know? I'm sure film professors jizz all over themselves with this bit.
- Sorry, School Lady. We ain't hearing none of your shit today.
- Speaking of, I am definitely not an advocate for fighting in school (even if there's about a half dozen kids I'd like to fight myself), but that retaliation move? Holy. Shit.
- Man, I don't know what to say about Kevin. Like...he was basically a good dude and a good friend, uh, forever, but that's also what makes him so f--king terrible, too. Still, in this film, he ends up with a Yay.
- As is their 'unplanned' tryst on the beach. Sure, it doesn't exactly help either of them in the short term, but...long term? Well...
- And finally, that selesai scene was just about perfect. Really nothing more to be said...
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| I guess it's a start...but c'mon, Ken. That's it? |
- Get his gay ass! These f--king punks...
- Hey Mom, are you really in a position to pull your boy away from a friendly fist bump? Uh, I don't think so.
- Thankfully, I missed the day in school where we all whipped out and compared wieners. Is this really a thing? Guys, a little help here....?
- Shit. Outisde of the time Freddy almost grabbed Nancy's bidness, this flick takes the cake for worst bubble-bath ever.
- The faggot question/conversation destroyed me. Poor dude, has no idea what it means...or, even worse, he does.
- I could probably do about twenty bullets on Chiron's high school days, but I'll just boil it down to two:
- those dudes that are always messing with him...
- and the way Kev handles peer pressure
- While I thought the transition from kid to teenager was handled well, I was initially shook when I saw the adult version of Chiron. Who's this baby 50-Cent looking motherf--ker? I guess we all tend to overcompensate as adults for the demons of our youth, but damn, dude. Took that shit a little too far, no?
- And I also gonna boo the fact that I was convinced that Juan was Little's/Chiron's father, too. Fine, it probably doesn't make any sense...but I still think it could have worked. And the real reason I'm pissed about this? Had they been together, Ali would have had some more screen time, dammit.
- Not to be a dick, but...I thought this flick ended at least three times. And every time it kept coming, my enthusiasm waned just a little bit more.
- And finally, the idea that someone, anyone, can live their entire life and never be in love/be loved is unfathomable. This poor kid, struggling in every single way imaginable, couldn't even afford something that's inherently free. Absolutely tragic. No one deserves such a life.
But if everyone deserves love (and to be loved), does that apply to the rotten f--kers that litter this film? Does Chiron's drugged-out mom deserve love? What about the bullies in high school that torment a poor kid just for being gay? Should they be themselves? Or are they just that way as a result of a lack of love in their own life?
Honestly, I don't even know. I'd like to say that everyone deserves to be loved...but I just can't.
That's the just way I am.