Moonlight

Today is observed New Year's Day for me, so I took the chance to cross another Oscar hopeful off my list, Moonlight.

I really didn't know much about Moonlight other than the fact it has Oscar buzz. Turns out, I kinda like going into a movie not knowing what to expect. Moonlight is the story of one boy, told in three parts at three different ages and times in his life. This boy goes by Little, Chiron, and Black. It's interesting that he defines himself by what others choose to call him other than his given name of Chiron. This boy is struggling with his identity and what it means to be himself. He has few constants in his life.

Casting was integral to this film, and it knocked it out of the park. Even Chiron's friend Kevin is wonderfully cast as his adult self. And that's important. These characters experience a lot, and I needed to be able to "see" that it was still the same person when they interacted. It was more than just the physicalness of the actors; it was their mannerisms and the way each of them showed Chiron's inner self in the same way.

I don't want to give much away, but I think this film was quiet and beautiful.