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Midnight Special (2016)

Midnight Special is about a boy with special powers and a father that will go the distance to keep him from the government and cult that want him for his abilities.

Jeff Nichols is becoming one of my favorite new directors. I saw Mud, a film written and directed by Nichols, back in 2012. The way Nichols sets up scenes and writes characters makes for a very interesting and different take on the superhero genre. Each character feels different as if they have personality. This is something I find lacking in films today.

Michael Shannon plays the boy's father Roy and through and through he's phenomenal. Shannon has become used to playing the villain in movies and it's good to see him play the good guy for once and a while, see The Shape of Water, 99 Homes, and Kangaroo Jack. The interactions he has with his son are heartwarming and the dialog is perfect for a scared father.

Before Stephen King's It, I saw Jaeden Lieberher in this film as the young boy Alton. That and St. Vincent were one of the reasons I knew Stephen King's It would be good. This young actor is destined to continue his career in Hollywood as long as puberty or fame doesn't mess him up.

Adam Driver is also in this film as an antagonist. He plays a government employee from NSA who is searching the nation for him to find out why he can decode top-secret messages through radio waves and satellites. There are scenes in which Driver will make you smile because his character is so well written that he can bring out that in his acting. Another reason why Kylo in the new Star Wars is such an interesting character is that Driver can act.

Result: A (Very underappreciated and unwatched movie)


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