MOONLIGHT
Imagine a world where La La Land actually won the Academy Award for Best Picture over Moonlight. It is one of those rare, breathtaking pieces of cinematography, covering themes of sexuality, family, identity and most importantly, masculinity. It follows the story of one boy, separated in three chapters, “Little,” “Chiron,” and “Black.” Acted by three separate but extraordinary actors. We see the dangers of a world and how sexuality is an almost taboo topic in the black community. But we also see the love of an adoptive family, and the growth of self-love of the protagonist.
t2 trainspotting
“First, there’s an opportunity. Then, there’s a betrayal”
Unfortunately, Danny Boyle’s long-awaited sequel to the 1996 cult classic didn’t quite live up to my very high expectations. However, it is a nostalgic trip down memory lane with the right amount of weary, anxious energy which made the original.
I was ecstatic when I discovered that the sequel was to be based on another Irvine Welsh novel ‘Porno’ – But unfortunately it was too loosely based for me. This would have been the perfect opportunity to integrate a stronger female cast; rather than a total focus upon Rentboy’s mid-life crisis that sees his drawn back into Edinburgh’s muggy underbelly.
raw
RAW’s promise of a twisted concoction of sexuality and violence is definitely lived up to. It’s a horrifically depraved take on the classic ‘coming of age’ sub genre. It starts of as you would expect it to – Here we have Justine, a young naïve girl who’s ultimately going to “find herself” at university (or in this case, at a veterinary college). You just don’t expect the cannibalistic tendencies to be the defining aspect of her personality that she discovers after flying the nest.
But it’s the films stark presentation of womanhood that really caught my eye. It toys with the notion of the darkest avenues of human behavior and places them center stage. Yes, RAW’s primary concern may be blood, guts and gore but Justine’s transition from preyed to the vicious, self-assured predator by the films climatic end. It undoubtedly opens up room for discussion of femininity and encourages its audience to think about how they see themselves.
FILM
FILM & T.V.