Aesthetics and substance are two entirely different things in cinema. You could have a film that is bracingly inventive in its visual approach but fall flat in its narrative ambitions. Ditto the reverse, a visually flat film with a well-realized narrative. The latter is usually worth a recommendation, but the former can be problematic, even when you have a film as visually accomplished as Joe Talbot’s “The Last Black Man in San Francisco.”
Read moreOverpraised Barry Jenkins Set to Direct Alvin Ailey Biopic
It’s great living in a world where a director like Oscar winner Barry Jenkins has the ability and freedom to make any movie he damn well wishes to make. After all, the man is visually gifted, especially in his talent for immaculately conceived close-ups. However, I can’t say the substance in “If Beale Street Could Talk” and “Moonlight” warranted all those over-the-top raves from critics. There was something lacking in the rather simple ‘Beale’ story and ‘Moonlight,’ despite an absolutely enveloping first two acts kind of fell apart for me in its last third. Alas, I am still very much anticipating Jenkins’ fourth film [via Deadline] which will have him team up with Fox Searchlight for an as-of-yet untitled film based on the life of choreographer Alvin Ailey.
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