Movie #9: Moonlight

-

Moonlight


Date Watched: 06/22/24

Format: Streaming on TV via Max

Not what I expected....

Directing (⭐⭐⭐⭐):

Overall pleased with the direction.  I had a feeling it was going down the wrong path with some of the camera movement and angles in the beginning, but it did get reigned back in.  Each section of the film had it's own unique feeling.  Well done.

Writing (⭐⭐⭐⭐):

Being a straight white male, I didn't know what to expect.  That is kinda why I was never in a rush to see this film in the first place.  I was pleasantly surprised at the emotional connection I felt with all (3) main characters.  Again, well done.

Acting (⭐⭐⭐):

Yes, it was a job well done by the leads.  Unfortunately, Ali's time was cut short.  Everything else felt forced for me.  Harris could not pull off here character very well, in my opinion.  Balance it all out to an average group of performances.

Wildcard (⭐⭐⭐):

I will rarely say this, especially amongst Oscar winning films, but this movie was just too short.  Because of the timeline, each section was cut way too early.  I really needed more of the 1st and last 3rds.  30 to 45 min and it would have been perfect.

Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda:

Well, I mean, La La Land did for a few minutes there and probably could have taken everything.  Since I did not see Moonlight prior to the awards that year, it felt disappointing at the time.  Now, however, I do see how it won.  I really enjoyed Arrival and Hell or High Water.

Ranking:

1) Forrest Gump (Movie #5) 20⭐

2) Gone with the Wind (Movie #1) 17⭐

3) On the Waterfront (Movie #3) 16⭐

4) Moonlight (Movie #9) 14⭐

5) Amadeus (Movie #4) 13⭐

6) Shakespeare in Love (Movie #2) 13⭐

7) Rain Man (Movie #7) 12⭐

8) Wings (Movie #6) 10⭐

9) Midnight Cowboy (Movie #8) 9⭐

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Movie #3: On the Waterfront

-
On the Waterfront Date Watched:  05/20/24 Format:  Streaming on TV via Prime Video "I coulda been a contender!" Directing  (⭐⭐⭐⭐): Kazan did a wonderful job of bringing you into the Jersey shore.  You felt part of that time and that environment.  Some of the more action-packed scenes were a little rushed but overall, a very good job. Writing  (⭐⭐⭐⭐): A sign of a good writer is bringing you into a story you know nothing about and making you want to learn more about it after the movie was over.  The struggles of the Jersey longshoremen is nothing we can understand in today's United States (thankfully).  It says something that the story was still so impactful to me 70 years later.  Well written. Acting  (⭐⭐⭐⭐): I have a feeling as I go through more and more of these films, I will keep on coming back to Marlon Brando as one of the best performances in any Best Picture winner.  From the opening scene to the last one, he wore his emotion on his sleeve.  It was unfortunate that
Read more

Movie #5: Forrest Gump

-
Forrest Gump Date Watched:  05/30/24 Format:  Streaming on TV via Fandago at Home Going into the challenge, it was only a matter of time before we ran into a movie like Forrest Gump.  There are a few movies on this list that I already consider perfect.  Obviously, they still deserve another watch which I will happily do.  The true task will be when I try to rank these "perfect" movies of mine. Directing  (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐): Rural and costal Alabama.  Washington DC.  The Vietman war.  Hospitals, plantations, shrimp boats, and cross country trips.  Robert Zemeckis had to do it all with this movie and I feel he executed perfectly. Writing  (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐): Like Zemeckis, the writing had to cover so much ground.  You had to grow with characters and their environments across three very unique decades.  The humor was on point and did not distract from the emotional rollercoaster of this great film. Acting  (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐): Unlike a lot of other features I have watched so far where we had either a great suppo
Read more

Movie #2: Shakespeare in Love

-
Shakespeare in Love Date Watched:  05/17/24 Format:  Streaming on TV via Max "Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?" Directing  (⭐⭐): The movie really fell short here, in my opinion.  I don't think there was anything special with Madden's direction.   Writing  (⭐⭐⭐⭐): I like what Norman and Stoppard did with this movie.  The story is original but still ties into the Shakespeare stories we know.  I did not find much wasted on this script, both action and conversation wise.  The only reason perfection was not achieved was due to the language the actors used.  It was this odd mix of period and Shakespearean.  It was a distraction at times. Acting  (⭐⭐⭐): A tale of two extremes.  An amazing supporting cast and two leads that just did not work for me.  Rush, Wilkinson, Dench, Staunton, and Firth.  I would watch this movie with this cast all day long.  I will continue to scratch my head about Fiennes.  Paltrow just reminded me of Claire Danes throughout the whole movie.  25 ye
Read more