'Hidden Figures' Review

Nominated For: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress; Octavia Spencer, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Hidden Figures is based on a book written by Margot Lee Shetterly that tells the true story of a trio of black women who worked at NASA and their contributions to the 1960s space race that have since been overlooked. I went into Hidden Figures somewhat concerned it would get too preachy with it's messages and wind up being a cliché bio-pic meant for television but thankfully it proved to be much more than that. 

Director Theodore Melfi is able to maintain a lighthearted tone while dealing with serious subject matter in regards to segregation and the screenplay Melfi pens alongside Allison Schroeder effectively incorporates the time period to convey the film's weightier messages. Hidden Figures finds itself juggling a lot with three major characters each getting a substantial arc, the various NASA missions, a romantic element, and a thing or two to say about segregation but the screenwriting duo don't allow the multitude of plot elements to ever overtake one another and strike a nice balance. 

The messages about discrimination are kept as a through line but never feel overbearing to the point where it entrenches on other story beats. The cinematography and editing were masterfully done by director of photography Mandy Walker and editor Peter Teschner and some other areas in which Hidden Figures shone was in the costuming and production design. 

The score composed by Benjamin Wallfisch, Pharrell Williams, and Hans Zimmer is incredibly fun and fitting for the time period with a '60s-'70s early pop vibe, however it feels like it was put together by the former and rarely felt Zimmer-esque. That's not to say I disliked the soundtrack but rather that when I listen to one of my favorite composers' pieces I'm typically able to recognize the artist who worked on it based on musical stylings. I can say that I would have never guessed that Zimmer worked on this since Zimmer's compositions are commonly epic and grandiose in nature. Contrasting that, Hidden Figures does have it's fair share of cliché moments that you will see coming from a mile away but they're few and far between and the material's elevated by the stellar cast. 

Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monáe, and Octavia Spencer are a terrific tightly-knit trio with charisma and standout moments aplenty. Henson demonstrates great range playing Katherine G. Johnson in a more reserved capacity as the shy, intelligent hard worker till she breaks and vents the characters' frustrations, an incredible scene that feels remarkably human and speaks to the struggles that accompany segregation. Monáe is the spunkiest of the group as Mary Jackson and Spencer is the wiser and older companion that's always thinking ahead.

Kevin Costner took what could have easily been a one dimensional caricature with the fictional NASA director Al Harrison (an amalgamation of NASA directors) and provides a more layered supporting portrayal. Costner actually delivers one of the best lines I've heard in recent memory when he says "Here at NASA we all pee the same color." Jim Parsons and Kirsten Dunst both play similar supporting roles in the narrative as prejudiced whites within NASA as Parsons' Paul Stafford comes across as a ridiculously mean Sheldon Cooper and Dunst's Vivian Mitchell evokes the stereotypical snobby superior.

Mahershala Ali dominated 2016 with screen-stealing work in both Marvel/Netflix's Luke Cage and critical darling Moonlight and his subdued role in Hidden Figures proved to be no exception (I'm considering Hidden Figures a 2016 release due to it's eligibility in last years awards race and the fact it had a limited release in late December, only recently expanding). Ali's screen time is limited but his presence is not as he plays the delightfully charming Colonel Jim Johnson with ease. 

Hidden Figures launched past my expectations thanks to a well-balanced script, capable direction, a fun soundtrack, and an incredible ensemble cast. Hidden Figures balances it's story arcs and solves it's problems with the precision of the most skilled mathematician resulting in a charming feature that uncovers a true story worth telling. 

Film Assessment: B+

'Moonlight' Review

Nominated For: Best Picture, Best Director; Barry Jenkins, Best Supporting Actor; Mahershala Ali, Best Supporting Actress; Naomie Harris, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Score.
Won: Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor; Mahershala Ali, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Moonlight follows the coming-of-age story of a reserved youngster who gets bullied on a day-to-day basis and his search to discover himself. Moonlight is similar to the vein of Boyhood where it seeks to explore making a path for yourself but a little less gimmicky considering Moonlight didn't take twelve years to make (and if you click on the Boyhood hyperlink, you can visit my original review that was actually one of my first and see how far my reviews have come... I plan to revisit those down the line in some Recollection Reflection Reviews). 

Barry Jenkins writes and directs Moonlight based on the screen story penned up by playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney that splinters Chiron's life into three parts entitled "i. Little", "ii. Chiron", and "iii. Black" in correspondence to how he identifies himself at that respective stage of life. Jenkins manages to put forth a screenplay that doesn't share too much information with the audience, leaving them the responsibility to infer and fill in blanks and gaps left in Chiron's story, but also walks the fine line of showing significant events that aren't cliché and how those shape Chiron. 

Cinematographer James Laxton utilizes some great hand-held camera work and luminescent lighting to capture picturesque images that fit Chiron's story like a glove with both intensity and intimacy while Nicholas Britell's sweeping orchestrations paired with vulgar pop songs also hit the mark of auditorily juxtaposing Chiron's blissful and visceral experiences. 

Alex R. Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, and Trevante Rhodes each portray Chiron in different phases of his life as Little, Chiron, and Black respectively and each manages to bring a slightly different take on the same character that remains true to Chiron as he's grown. Hibbert plays the shy child, Sanders gets to grapple with teen angst and emotional instability, and Rhodes puts up a hardened exterior that's been built up by childhood trauma but underneath that maintains the soft-spoken demeanor of Little and Chiron's sensitivity. Each actor adds another layer on top of the younger predecessor's work amounting to complex showing from young talent (Hibbert and Sanders) and incredible turn from Rhodes.

The film's supporting cast bestow a solid foundation for the three actors playing Chiron including Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, Naomie Harris, Jaden Piner, Jharrel Jerome, and André Holland as the father figure and neighborhood crack dealer, sweet supportive mother figure, troubled mother, and three phases of the love interest respectively. Ali in particular stands out and I wouldn't be surprised to see him scoop an Oscar nomination for his work here.

Moonlight is certainly a well-made character study and performance piece that thoroughly examines identity, development, and black culture, but didn't personally resonate with me, and as a result, I was neither invested in the characters or the story at hand. Moonlight will likely appeal to a wide audience who find common ground with the protagonist, but the film's simply wasn't my cup of tea.

Film Assessment: B