Welcome to Queerty’s latest entry in our series, Queerantined: Daily Dose. Every weekday as long as the COVID-19 pandemic has us under quarantine, we’ll release a suggested bit of gloriously queer entertainment designed to keep you from getting stir crazy in the house. Each weekend, we will also suggest a binge-able title to keep you extra engaged.
The Breathtaking: Moonlight
What more can we say about Moonlight, director Barry Jenkins‘ sensual, moving drama of awe-inspiring beauty? The film follows a boy named Chiron at three phases in his life. We first meet him as a young boy, suffering under the watch of his crack-whore mother. His mother’s dealer takes pity on him, and becomes the surrogate father he needs in his life. We see Chiron again as a young teen. His mother’s addiction has worsened, and he begins to have feelings for his friend Kevin. When we meet Chiron again as an adult, he’s become a drug dealer himself, though he still has feelings for Kevin, and decides to seek him out after years of silence.
Movies don’t get much better than Moonlight–the first queer-themed film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Actor Mahershala Ali also nabbed a Supporting Actor statuette for his performance as Juan, Chiron’s surrogate dad. Director Jenkins captures the beauty of Maimi with his camera, washing the film in rich blues and greens. The rest of the cast, which includes Naomi Harris, Trevante Rhodes, Jahrrel Jerome and Janelle Monae also deliver outstanding work. Unconventional, tender, and thoughtful, Moonlight proves a movie doesn’t need scenes of hardcore sex to be very, very sexy.
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Streams on Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, VUDU and iTunes.
Miles
I just have to say that I love Mahershala Ali. Everything he does is impeccable! I just watched him in Ramy season 2 and hw was as wonderful as ever.
Kangol2
This movie is exquisite. The way that it portrays desire, particularly between men who do not have a language for it and must figure one out, is masterful. I want to add that I do wish that there were more films about adult and mature openly gay, bi and trans people, among them Black LGBTQ people, in complex, loving relationships (of all kinds), reflecting the reality all around us. Moonlight captured one aspect of that reality in dreamlike, unforgettable fashion, and I hope that more aspects of that reality will reach the big screen soon.
HankHarris
One of the best films in recent memory, made on a tiny budget in a short period of time. It shows what talent and creativity can do. And that beautiful ending, his head on his friend’s shoulder.
jayceecook
For me this is another overrated film that I was so disappointed by. I wanted to like this movie. I wanted to love it. I rooted for it to win at the Academy Awards before I even saw it. But then after it hit Amazon Prime Video and I had the chance to watch it and my opinion changed.
I still don’t understand how this won so many awards including Best Picture. Mahershala Ali is a great actor but I don’t think he deserved Best SA. His role was borderline Judi Dench in Shakespeare In Love. Onscreen then off within a blink of an eye.
While I thought the 3 different time periods narrative was an interesting idea I found myself thinking it was the wrong choice here. Not because it’s a bad narrative device but because it felt like 3 different films instead of interconnected moments in time. This was only made more apparent after the 2nd act. The strongest part by far. I would have loved to have seen an entire film of those iterations of the characters. Those two young actors were amazing and shined brilliantly with the material they were given. I hope they have long prosperous careers in the industry.
I was almost bored to tears by the final act. Had it not been for André Holland I probably would have fallen asleep. That’s probably my main problem with the film. Started out strong, crescendoed into the film it should have been then came crashing down. While I applaud the film for being one of the first, if not the first, films showcasing queer black people, especially queer black men, I just think it crumbled under the weight of it’s expectations and hype. My hope is that this is just the beginning of more, better queer films showcasing black and brown characters and not a one hit wonder.
spacecadet
Loved it! It felt poetic and sensual and thoughtful. All of the actors brought their A-game and I liked the premise of the three linked time periods of Chiron’s life. The relationship between Chiron and his mother is heartbreaking, especially their last scene together. But my favorite part is the very end where Chiron and his reunited friend do this very subtle flirtation with the final satisfying scene of the two of them in a loving embrace.
hansniemeijer
also on your screens: black lgbtq+ lives matter