From a Boy to a Man, a Life Presented in Three Stages

Alex Hibbert (left) and Mahershala Ali in "Moonlight"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com 

Coming-of-age stories have some of the most lasting effects on the viewer.  Watching a character grow into the person they set out to become is the type of narrative that holds the abilities to connect with any audience.  In some form or another, we see ourselves in these characters and can’t help but look for any parallels they may have with our own lives.  

This is something we have the opportunity to see in director Barry Jenkins’ sprawling and dramatic chronicle, “Moonlight.”  You may have heard an abundance of feedback about the movie from some prominent film festivals earlier in the fall, and there are reasons why.  Between its searingly emotional story and quiet, yet explosive performances, your 2016 moviegoing won’t be complete until you see this film.

Chiron (Alex Hibbert) is a shy, young African-American boy living with his neglectful mother (Naomie Harris) in a rough Miami neighborhood.  He soon becomes attached to Juan (Mahershala Ali) a tender and fatherly crack dealer, and his caring wife, Teresa (Janelle Monáe).  As Chiron goes on a journey from adolescence to adulthood, several personal events will occur that will lead him on his path into the man he’s meant to become.

The role of Chiron is played by three actors at different stages of his life: Hibbert portrays him as a child, Ashton Sanders portrays him as a teenager, and Trevante Rhodes portrays him as an adult.  Despite three actors playing this role, it’s miraculous to see each of their portrayals be in sync with each other when depicting Chiron’s persona.  It’s something that reminded me of Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood,” where the main character was played by one actor and filmed for 12 years of his life.  Although this technique isn’t used in “Moonlight,” the ability for these actors to all get in Chiron’s mindset to the same successful degree, from when we first see him as a child to when he becomes an adult, almost has the feeling of Jenkins using the same actor for the entire movie.  Even though Chiron is a withdrawn individual throughout most of the film, Hibbert, Sanders, and Rhodes are superb in showing us hints of his desires to be the person he wants to be, giving us some hope for him as he goes through the hardships of his home life and school life.  This is a movie about a young life unfolding, and this trio of actors does a tremendous job in staying in sync with the essence of the main character.

Mahershala Ali’s performance as a father figure to Chiron is one that provides the viewer with a sense of comfort and protection, which is something Chiron needs.  The interactions between these two characters help provide the foundation for Chiron’s confidence in emerging from his shell, with Juan imparting wisdom onto Chiron to give him the boost in confidence he needs.  The gentleness and warmth of his persona draws us and Chiron into how he views the world, making Juan the person that Chiron needs and deserves in his life, and Ali’s performance gives you the reassurance that Chiron’s life may just turn out all right.

Naomie Harris doesn’t hold back when playing Chiron’s mother.  She makes us infuriated by her character’s inattentiveness towards her son who needs her love more than anything, but we also understand she is the way she is because of her exposure to the troubles of her neighborhood.  So, despite being upset with her, we are still able to sympathize with her, and the final scene between her and Chiron solidifies those sentiments because, just like her son, she wishes to be a different person, and this adds a whole other dynamic to their mother-son relationship.

The screenplay by Jenkins is divided into three sections, each one depicting a different stage in Chiron’s life.  Each of these segments takes up about a third of the movie, but within those thirds, we are thrust into Chiron’s journey with such intimacy that we learn so much about him, despite the movie not even being two hours long.  Although this is one of those stories that may seem relatively simple on the surface, there’s a lot that’s going on in Chiron’s head, and he lets his feelings out little by little as he grows older.  The narrative builds his life on moments that are emotionally liberating, all of which are punctuated with such an honest examination of someone who’s trying to emerge into the person that he ultimately wants to become. 

Through a wonderful use of quietness and close-ups, Jenkins’ direction makes you feel the emotional charges that are occurring between his characters, whether those charges be filled with happiness, anger, love, hatred, or anything else.  He brings us close to the hardships that permeate Chiron’s life, yet manages to always provide us with a sense of hope that Chiron will have an opportunity to break away towards something better.  With “Moonlight,” the viewer is given the chance to step side by side with Chiron, placing them on the type of journey you won’t get in any other film this year.

Final Grade: A  

When Aliens Visit, a Linguist Works to Break the Language Barrier

Amy Adams in "Arrival"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com 

Over the course of the science-fiction genre, the concept of aliens coming to Earth has always been an enticing premise.  Whether they come to help, harm, or simply learn about our civilization, there’s a chance it will serve as a great story, if handled well.  One of the best aspects about films like “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” is how they offer a memorable sci-fi adventure while providing a thought-provoking story

After several rock-solid thrillers, director Denis Villeneuve now brings his latest triumph with “Arrival.”  It’s not often that we get a movie such as this in the sci-fi genre, but it’s a true gift when we do.  With a strong central performance, awe-inspiring visuals, and an intelligent narrative, this is the type of sci-fi movie that audiences deserve.

One day, a dozen alien spacecrafts land at various locations around the world.  Wanting to attempt communication, the military recruits linguist Louis Banks (Amy Adams) to decipher the aliens’ language, pairing her with theoretical physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner).  As their work progresses, they will soon realize the true motivations behind the aliens’ visit.

Amy Adams delivers another stunning and emotional performance.  While playing an intellectual who’s an expert in her field, Adams superbly shows the awe her character feels when confronted with such otherworldly mysteries, mirroring the audience’s sentiment of watching the grandness of the story unfold.  Throughout her screen time, the interest and dedication her character displays in her work keeps us invested in her scientific discovery and thrive on the thrill of learning about something extraordinary.  However, beneath all of this, there are pieces of something deeper within her performance, the details of which I don’t want to disclose due to possible spoilers, but it all adds to another rich showcase for Adams’ acting talent.

The screenplay by Eric Heisserer, which is based on Ted Chiang’s 1998 short story, “Story of Your Life,” is a superb adaptation of the source material and that rare instance where the film is as enthralling as the story on which it’s based.  The movie brilliantly displays Chiang’s themes of fate and time, which bring you to an ending that’s uncommonly and refreshingly affecting for a modern, mainstream sci-fi film.

While the short story was very detailed and technical when explaining the linguistic rules of the aliens, the film condenses that information, yet still retains the intrigue of how their language works.  It all serves as a different way in which to look at the aliens’ world without ever seeing it.  In the film, the learning experience through which the main characters go effortlessly draws us in as we witness the interactions between the humans and aliens when they try to understand each other, all of which gives us the feeling of looking through a window of a laboratory and watching a scientific breakthrough take place.

One of the major differences between the short story and film is how Heisserer injects the narrative with some commentary on the current state of the world.  Without giving too much away, the film touches upon the essential need for people to work together when in the middle of such a world-changing occurrence, and this is an encouraging and inspiring idea to have in a movie as we live through times of harmful division.  In the end, Heisserer not only captures the emotional spirit of Chiang’s story, but he heightens that emotion with the use of some political relevance.

Villeneuve has crafted a film that recalls the majesty, magic, and poignance of Steven Spielberg’s “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” as it carries similar elements of humans trying to communicate with otherworldly visitors and using ingenious methods to connect with these intelligent beings.  It all comes down to the importance of people coming together with the hopes of deciphering a grand discovery.  

Villeneuve is new to the sci-fi genre, but he brings his talent for capturing deep stories to “Arrival” and doesn’t let the visuals overpower the narrative, no matter how grand they may be.  After this film, Villeneuve has shown he can conduct himself well with sci-fi, so it’s safe to say we have a lot to be excited for when he directs the “Blade Runner” sequel, “Blade Runner 2049,” which will be released in October 2017.  After delivering masterful thrillers for his previous three films, Villeneuve will have much to contribute to the futuristic world that director Ridley Scott brought to the screen 34 years ago.  

“Arrival” is the type of sci-fi movie of which we need more, one with startling beauty, drama, gorgeous cinematography, and impressive special effects.  It’s one of those moviegoing scenarios where you come out of the film having gained much more than what you expected, and you can’t miss this opportunity to experience that.

Final Grade: A

Once a Neurosurgeon, Now a Weaver of Spells

Benedict Cumberbatch in "Doctor Strange"
Photo Credit: Imdb.com

Back in May, the Marvel Cinematic Universe commenced Phase Three with the pivotal chapter, “Captain America: Civil War.”  Despite the major events of that film, the phase, thankfully, didn’t feel like it began too big, too soon.  That’s because there are still so many aspects of the wider story to introduce, and we know there are many exciting things that have yet to come in future installments as we get closer to the two-part “Avengers” finale.  At this point, Marvel has something big to add to their expanding narrative: the use of magic.

In director Scott Derrickson’s “Doctor Strange,” he’s tasked with bringing a film that’s visually different from what we’ve seen before, a movie with a heightened sense of the supernatural.  Although the film is sometimes hindered by the usual issues of certain Marvel films from the past, it’s still a visual treat anchored by a piece of casting perfection in the titular role.

Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), is a renowned neurosurgeon who sustains career-ending injuries in a serious car accident.  Feeling lost, he goes on a journey of healing to Nepal, where he comes across a group of individuals who train in the mystic arts to defend Earth against threats from other dimensions.  Under the tutelage of the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton) and one of her fellow sorcerers, Karl Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), Stephen is given the opportunity to learn their powers.  When sorcerer Kaecilius (Mads Mikkelsen), sets out to release an otherworldly force, Strange will have to use his newly honed abilities to combat this evil.

It’s obvious that Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance draws considerably from his work on the BBC series, “Sherlock,” which turns out to be wonderful for the character of Doctor Strange, as both of these roles has Cumberbatch playing someone who has boundless intelligence and a humorously snarky and sarcastic attitude.  Because of this, Cumberbatch’s persona in the role practically mirrors that of another actor who plays a Marvel character, Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man in the “Iron Man” films, which will be a tremendous duo to watch when they meet up for the “Avengers” finale.  With his performance, Cumberbatch proves to be one of the best additions to the ever-growing cast of the MCU.  

Going into this film, you know it’s going to be Cumberbatch’s show, but there are still a couple of other supporting cast members who get their own memorable moments, particularly Swinton and Ejiofor.  However, in the case of Rachel McAdams, who plays surgeon Christine Palmer, has enough chemistry with Cumberbatch, her character isn’t as developed as it should be and will hopefully be developed into a more in-depth role that suits McAdams’ talents, instead of the character being mostly a love interest.

As is an issue with several films of the MCU, the main antagonist is rather forgettable.  Mikkelsen only gets a couple of scenes with actual dialogue, and then a majority of his screen time is him engaging in fights against Doctor Strange.  With the intense villainous role he had 10 years ago in the James Bond film “Casino Royale,” I was looking forward to him turning in another memorable performance as an antagonist.  However, much like Christopher Eccleston’s Malekith in “Thor: The Dark World,” there’s evidence of a better performance lurking beneath, but Mikkelsen isn’t given much of a chance to shine through.  The villains should be allowed to give as big of an impression as the heroes, especially if you’re going to get talented actors and actresses to portray these villains.

The screenplay by Derrickson, Jon Spaihts, and C. Robert Cargill, which is based on the characters created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, can’t help but use the typical Marvel formula; which is kind of letdown because given how this film expands the concept of magic and the supernatural in the MCU, this would have been a great opportunity for Marvel to highlight that change of route by deviating further from their usual blueprint.

On the plus side, the narrative still serves as a competent introduction to Doctor Strange’s character, giving us an insight into his intellect and ambition to master his new abilities after losing the ones he gained after years of practice, and this makes him a character I’m looking forward to seeing in future sequels.

Director Derrickson hasn’t made many big-budget films in the past, as he’s mostly been involved in the horror genre with inexpensive films like “Deliver Us from Evil,” “Sinister,” and “The Exorcism of Emily Rose.”  However, with “Doctor Strange,” he assimilates well into the MCU, delivering some very imaginative action sequences.  And while the story itself seems conventional in terms of what we’ve seen from Marvel, Derrickson doesn’t shy away from going weird with the imagery, providing us with psychedelic, kaleidoscopic visuals that are some of the best Marvel has offered in any of their films.

While “Doctor Strange” isn’t quite the break from formula I was hoping from Marvel, it does look like it has the potential to become more out-there in future sequels.  If Marvel is able to do this, I’m sure the next spell Doctor Strange casts will be even greater.

Final Grade: B