I personally really enjoyed this movie as it was great at portraying the mental health issues the main character (Arthur) was dealing with as the contrast between scenes was very noticeable and impactful. For example, some scenes seemed more calm and almost eerie as they were slow-moving compared to some of his more hectic and rapid scenes, making Arthur seem out of control and manic in some cases making it scary for the audience as we don’t know what he will do next but it also allows the audience to make their own assumptions about what the Joker is capable of.
Memorable scene: In my opinion this movie had a lot of amazing scenes, however my favourite scene was the staircase scene when Arthur was first introduced to the audience as the “Joker”. I enjoyed this scene because it was a huge contrast to the first time we saw him on the same staircase (gloomy and dark) contrasting with the ‘iconic’ staircase scene with the Joker looking happier (singing, dancing and bright colours).
I think that some of the films from the table such as ‘The breakfast club’ and ‘A bug’s life’ (films I categorized as mainstream) have many different features to them which make them be considered ‘mainstream’ such as being easy to watch and follow along, suitable for a wide age range and also being loved by the audience as they are entertaining and sometimes even relatable.
Critical score: 7/10 I found the film had a good concept as we watched Chiro through three stages of his life (child, teenager and then an adult) I feel this was mostly executed well apart from the jump between being a teenager and adult as Chiro became unrecognizable which became confusing. Similarly, the plot was also harder to follow but I still enjoyed this film more compared to Joker as I think there was a better emotional connection to the characters and many people relate to Chiro compared to Arther.
Stand out scene:
I picked this scene of Chiro waking up from a nightmare about the traumas of his childhood. This scene is significant as it is the first scene of the movie portraying Chiro as an adult and being unrecognizable to his teenage self. Additionally, I think this scene portrays a powerful message that despite being grown up and the person his younger self would’ve wanted him to be he is still haunted by his experiences through childhood.
I rated this movie a 6/10, but I still enjoyed it. The cinematography really stood out to me. One memorable moment was when Chiron runs across the grass—the camera mimics the frantic movements of a child, which I think adds a personal touch to the movie, helping the viewer understand the child’s perspective better. Another technique that caught my attention was the lighting, particularly in the scene where Chiron’s mother stands under a pinkish light. It really highlights the power she has over him and the impact she has on his life. The social issues the movie touches on are incredibly powerful and add depth to the characters, delivering a meaningful message that really speaks to people. While I don’t want to take away from the importance of that message, there were times when I felt overwhelmed by the fast-paced nature of the story. However, it was still a deeply impactful film.
This scene was the most memorable for me. The way the waves moved felt like they were reflecting the bond between them, highlighting how special the moment was. The waves washing over the camera was also an interesting touch.
Thoughts: In comparison to Joker, Moonlight delivers on all aspects that dragged it down in my initial ranking. Moonlight does a fantastic job of using sound design to drive its story, by having the child and teen parts of the story mostly tonally isolated, illustrating how alone and empty Chiron feels in his adolescence. In his adulthood, sound features a lot more prominently, and his environment feels more lively and cluttered compared to his past, showing how he’s moved on from the struggles of his childhood and he’s gained control of his own narrative. Moonlight does a much better job than Joker in dialogue, as where I found some of the dialogue in Joker to feel artificial and stressful, Moonlight’s dialogue flowed beautifully and enveloped me in the setting of each and every part of Chiron’s story. My biggest gripe with Joker was how it was paced, having a clunky first half and a rushed ending, and Moonlight greatly improved on my pacing issue, spending just enough time on each shot and segment of Chiron’s life. Each shot felt impactful and important to the story because it did not feel as if the scenes were dragging on or even rehashing the thoughts and feelings Chiron had already displayed. Heavy themes were displayed across the entire film, themes of substance abuse, homophobia, peer pressure, and the struggle of being black in America. I think the film masterfully navigates these themes and tackles them tastefully whilst also giving an insightful view into each issue, culminating in a fantastic piece of film that will forever be used as an example of some of the best political storytelling to come out of the 21st century.
Favourite scene: What’s a faggot?
As someone who is LGBTQIA+, This scene resonated deeply with me, as it encapsulates the scared and depressing thoughts that go through the head of a young child having to deal with homophobic attack. This scene really impacted me because of the sudden nature of the conversation, and coupled with the movie’s pre-established use of silence and pauses, really shocks audiences. “Faggot” is such a strongly taboo’d word, and it’s use to break the silence shot right through me when first watching, and it fully engaged me with what Chiron was trying to navigate at that time. Mahershala Ali and Janelle Monae do a fantastic job of playing these authority figures in Chiron’s life, and their performances in this scene act as my highlight of the movie. The nuanced expressions that Juan displays when trying to formulate answers to Chiron’s questions do an amazing job of portraying the relationship between a parent and a child dealing with homophobia.
Thoughts: I really enjoyed the pacing of the film, how it was split up into three time periods: Child, teenager, and adult. The usage of colour grading and camera work paid off largely, making the storyline enticing for the audience, making us want to keep on watching as it told an important story of real-life issues such as racism, homophobia, and drug usage. One issue I had was that the child and teen casting were perfect, but the adult casting of Chiron felt out of place.
Memorable scene: I chose this scene because it managed to convey the harsh reality of living with a parent who’s an addict, the disdain shared between Chiron and his mother; I’d also like to note that there was no dialogue at all, just silence and music to cover up the noise when his mother yells at him just after.
I have given Moonlight a 7/10 because sometimes I was lost in the film as I did not think it was clear to what had happened.
I did like the overall movie because it had a good story and the scenes I found beautiful. I also like the message the film was trying to get across to the audience of how hard it may be for a quiet gay kid living in a rough part of the city. It also shows the problems wit abuse and drugs in family’s. This links to the photo at the top of the screen as in the photo his mum had been shouting at her son and was on drugs. Later on in the movie you can see the effect on drugs for the mum.
Monaco represents his understanding of film in multiple ways. In his book he expresses that film holds a close relation to many other media aspects such as; novels, painting, photography, television and even music.
Monaco starts off this chapter by explaining the historical significance of poetry, and astronomy and other human creativities have had on the culture.
Monaco explains that if we were to arrange the arts on a spectrum based on their levels of abstraction then film would cover a broad range of other ideas because of its relation to other art forms mentioned above (photography, painting, music, etc). Film started off as a medium to record other arts but quickly turned into the anomaly that we know as “cinema” today.
Cinema holds the ability to visually tell you a story and take you on a journey of emotions and experiences. The music used in films influences every watcher’s experience and is timed perfectly to match the story to create a narrative within itself.
Cinema has the ability to commentate on society with the evolution of genres. Many people look towards film as a way of understanding the world around them. One notable example (personally) is taxi driver, in this film we see how loneliness and isolation can drive society to insane means of being noticed
David Monaco’s term “The Spectrum of the Arts” refers to a framework for understanding the different forms and expressions of artistic activity, ranging from traditional visual arts (such as painting and sculpture) to more contemporary, interdisciplinary, and digital forms (like multimedia installations, performance art, or interactive media). By using the term “spectrum,” Monaco likely emphasizes the wide range of creative expression and the continuous, interconnected nature of these various art forms, rather than seeing them as distinct, isolated categories.
In this sense, art is viewed as a broad continuum, where boundaries between disciplines are fluid, and artists are free to blend different mediums and methods. This perspective encourages an appreciation of art that values diversity, innovation, and the evolving nature of creative practice.
It’s a concept often linked to modern and postmodern views on art, which resist strict definitions and classifications, emphasizing that art can manifest in many different forms and settings.
This film had some amazing things in it, such as the amazing performances by all three actors to make it feel like the same character throughout the film. I also liked how the film portrayed what its like to grow up in a ‘rough’ neighbourhood, as well as its commentary on several different social issues and themes, such as drug dealing and discrimination towards homosexuals in African American neighbourhoods. Furthermore, the way they built relationships, and the verisimilitude of the film was very good. In addition, the director’s use of framing was very good and addedto the realism of the film. For example, the scene in the first act when he’s in the sea with Mahershala Ali’s character makes you feel like you’re in the sea with them and experiencing this intimate with them, which is very immersive. However, I did feel as if some parts of the first act were unnecessary and didn’t really add to the world building or message of the film, and there was a slight disconnect between the second and third act.
Memorable Scene
The most memorable scene/shot for me is when he is walking through the hallway of his school and is about to smash a chair over his bullies’ head. The long tracking shot that the director uses really conveys the anger that this young adult has after being beaten up by someone he thought was his lover.
