Today’s Prayer Focus
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Oscar®Oscar® Winner for Best Picture, Writing of Adapted Screenplay, and Actor in a supporting role

Moonlight

also known as “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue,” “Luz de luna,” “Ay Isigi,” “Holdfény,” “Luz de Luna,” See more »
MPA Rating: R-Rating (MPA) for some sexuality, drug use, brief violence, and language throughout.
Moral Rating: Not Recommended
Moviemaking Quality:
Primary Audience: Adults
Genre: Gay Drama Adaptation
Length: 1 hr. 51 min.
Year of Release: 2016
USA Release: September 2, 2016 (festival)
October 21, 2016 (limited)
November 18, 2016 (limited)
January 27, 2017 (wide—1,104 theaters)
DVD: February 28, 2017
March 3, 2017 (wide—1,564 theaters)
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Relevant Issues

POVERTY—What does the Bible say about the poor? Answer

poor in the Bible

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bullies and how they affect young people

illegal drug use and dealing drugs

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prostitution

CONSEQUENCES—What are the consequences of sexual immorality? Answer

fornication

lust

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Homosexuality

GAY—What’s wrong with being gay? Answer
Homosexual behavior versus the Bible: Are people born gay? Does homosexuality harm anyone? Is it anyone’s business? Are homosexual and heterosexual relationships equally valid?

What about gays needs to change? Answer
It may not be what you think.

Read stories about those who have struggled with homosexuality

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Featuring Alex R. Hibbert (Alex Hibbert) … Chiron as a child named Little
Ashton Sanders … Chiron as a teen
Trevante Rhodes … Chiron as an adult named Black
Jaden Piner … Kevin at age 9, Chiron’s closest friend
Jharrel Jerome … Kevin age 16
André Holland … Kevin as an adult
Mahershala AliJuan
Naomie HarrisPaula
Shariff Earp … Terrence
Duan Sanderson … Azu (Duan 'Sandy' Sanderson)
Janelle Monáe … Teresa
Herman 'Caheei McGloun (Herman “Caheej” McCloun) … Longshoreman
See all »
Director Barry Jenkins
Producer A24
Plan B EntertainmentSee all »
Distributor A24

Obvious agenda

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Here’s what the distributor says about their film: “A chronicle of the childhood, adolescence and burgeoning adulthood of a young black man growing up in a rough neighborhood of Miami. The film presents three stages in the life of the main character. It explores the difficulties he faces with his own sexuality and identity, including the physical and emotional abuse he receives as a result of it.”

This is the first LGBT film, and the first film featuring an all black cast, to win the Academy Award for Best Picture. Mahershala Ali is reportedly the first Muslim to win an Academy Award for acting.

Violence: Heavy / Profanity: Extreme / Sex/Nudity: Extreme

See list of Relevant Issues—questions-and-answers.


Viewer CommentsSend your comments
Positive
Positive—The movie’s language is harsh and offensive however it’s a story about the journey many find themselves on in life. So the repeated use of the N-word and other terms, while I don’t recommend it, it does fit.

The movie highlights the humanity of people we tend to dismiss as less than. People who make mistakes in life are still human. People who are attracted to their own gender are still human. They have dreams. Their lives matter. They have stories and we understand them better if we are willing to listen as they tell their stories. That’s the gold we find if we dive into this movie. Warning there is a clearly visible straight sexual intercourse scene and a not visible, fully clothed, gay sexual encounter scene.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 5
Marc Gold, age 50 (USA)
Neutral
Neutral—Before seeing this movie, I thought this movie got an Academy Award because of the subject matter. After having seen it, however, even though I’m a Christian who’s not supposed to like it, I must say it was a good movie. I don’t know if that’s such a good thing though, considering the fact that the lifestyles being portrayed in this movie are morally reprehensible to Christians, and an abomination to God.

I started watching this movie, thinking I was going to see a gay propaganda movie. What I saw instead was the life of a young boy who turned into a man, and the struggles he went through in life. His main struggles were being neglected by a drug addicted mother, having no dad around to teach him how to be a man, having different men in and out of his house sleeping with his mom, and living in poverty.

All of this was compounded by his also having gay tendencies, and because of that, being targeted on a daily basis by other boys. If you see this movie, be prepared to see a gay kissing and fondling scene, and a hetero sex scene from the back.

There is also lots of profanity and heavy use of the “N” word.

Even though I was surprised to see that this was a good movie, I cannot recommend it to anyone who is spiritually very sensitive. To me, this movie has a “Boyz in the Hood,” or a “South Central” feel to it. The only difference is that one of the main characters happens to be gay.
My Ratings: Moral rating: Extremely Offensive / Moviemaking quality: 4½
Frank, age 48 (USA)

PLEASE share your observations and insights to be posted here.

Movie Critics
…perverse homosexual desires. …it promotes a strong Romantic, homosexual, feminist, godless worldview that attacks traditional views of masculinity, includes a lot of foul language and asserts that blacks live in a racist, sexist, anti-homosexual society. …
Ted Baehr, Movieguide
…“Moonlight” is a well-made movie with an obvious agenda. …isn’t just filled with problematic content: It gives us a message counter to what we believe God tells us. …
Paul Asay, Plugged In