Apr 01, 2016 jeff nicholss latest film, midnight special, is a beautiful, sad, striking work of cinematic art. Midnight special is a 2016 american science fiction film written and directed by jeff nichols, and produced by sarah green and brian kavanaughjones. Nichols directing a sciencefiction themed film after the southerngothic dramacomedy mud just seemed so surreal. Listen to and download the music, ost, score, list of songs and trailers. I still, however, dont really get how the title works into movie outside of the end credit song being midnight special by creedence clearwater revival but oh well. After watching midnight special upon its release, i instantly fell in love with the film. They are members of a very advanced society traveling to earth in order to study humanity. In essence, midnight special is a variation on the tale of mary and joseph, with kirsten dunsts character of roys exwife filling the former role, and by extension, the film is a sort of fable. It was selected to compete for the golden bear at the 66th berlin.
It is nicholss fourth fulllength film and his first studio production. The premise involves the ageold science fiction theme of hidden worlds. Ending explanation for the movie take shelter taylor holmes. Mar 17, 2016 all 26 songs from the midnight special 2016 movie soundtrack, with scene descriptions. Midnight special ending song hd audio blu ray source. Mar 18, 2016 in the end, thats what i take away from midnight specialthe power of visual storytelling.
A father and son go on the run, pursued by the government and. But after the events in midnight special, im not particularly interested in engaging with that question. Midnight special is a unique blend of chase flick and. Starring michael shannon, kirsten dunst and adam driver, this film examines the intricacies of the media, faith and widespread panic in a wholly cinematic and beautiful way with an epic twist of science fiction which would get the carl sagan seal of approval. Warner bros initially set the film for a release on november 25, 2015, but in july 2015 moved the date back to march 18, 2016. Memorable quotes and exchanges from movies, tv series and more. The weird thing is, the kid in the backseat of the car has glowing eyes, and midnight special is a scifi filmbut you almost wish it wasnt. It is images from the film that pass through my mind mostflames falling from the sky, a father carrying his child, the shaking of grass as something is about to happen, and the jawdropping finale.
This would be a very night shyamalan type of ending. If you havent seen the film but would like to see the result of the poll click here. The 90minute program followed the friday night edition of the tonight show. Rentals include 30 days to start watching this video and 48 hours to. Behind the astonishing midnight special ending its very easy to say, well, jeff couldnt quite connect these dots, director jeff nichols told buzzfeed news. Smart storytelling, odd ending in midnight special movie. Jeff nicholss gripping cosmic thriller has it all a superb cast, gritty realism and a finalact. By the time we reach the ending, the emotional connection still hasnt been made and given the tearjerking finales of the films that midnight special is so clearly. Splendidly spinetingling in parts, and altogether wondrous in the rest, midnight special ranks as one of 2016s early picks for best film of the year.
It is a very well made movie but seems to have fallen into the hidden movie crypt, especially if you are from asia. The film midnight express did lasting damage to turkeys reputation. Theres an extremely strong chance that midnight special ends up as the best sciencefiction film of 2016. The film takes you through the struggles of this family as they try to cope with the dreams and the effect it is having on their reality. Midnight special blending grassroots character detail with a healthy dash of paranormal intrigue, jeff nichols puts an original spin on the road movie. Midnight special is a film that you could pick apart and form many conclusions and alternate meanings to the many events in the film. Michael shannon and jeff nichols american fables collider. Parents need to know that midnight special is a scifi drama that writerdirector jeff nichols made to help process his feelings of becoming a father. The overall concept it laid out during the first half of the film vanished somewhere in the middle, taking with it the buildup of intrigue and mystery.
But the origin of the films ending is grounded in an. A father and son go on the run, pursued by the government and a cult drawn to the childs special powers. It is images from the film that pass through my mind mostflames falling from the sky, a father carrying his child, the shaking of grass as something is about to. In the opening scene of midnight special, two armed men sneak a boy out of a motel room and into a customized 72 chevelle before peeling off into the dusk. What does the ending of the movie midnight special mean. The films strengths and they are glorious strengths are entirely grounded in the smallest. The midnight special is an american latenight musical variety series originally broadcast on nbc during the 1970s and early 1980s, created and produced by burt sugarman. This video includes a short 30second skit before diving into unraveling the ending and other scenes. The film midnight special is a distinctive and brilliant telling of a mysterious tale. It is thus awkward for me to suggest that it would maybe be better if it was less of a sciencefiction film. Mar 16, 2016 midnight special is a wellcrafted science fiction mystery akin to the seventies classic, close encounters of the third kind. What does the ending of the movie midnight special mean, if.
Midnight special 2016 ending explained video thanks to foundflix for creating and posting this video. Apr 03, 2016 overall id say midnight special was a pretty good flick, a solid b. Midnight special is a wellcrafted science fiction mystery akin to the seventies classic, close encounters of the third kind. Mar 24, 2016 in essence, midnight special is a variation on the tale of mary and joseph, with kirsten dunsts character of roys exwife filling the former role, and by extension, the film is a sort of fable. If youve seen the film, please rate it at this poll. Why that midnight special ending makes perfect sense. The light in his eyes at the end is a play on the song of the same name midnight special.
This is a movie, written by a screenplay author who was newly married, and was finally pulling his life together. Theres a scene at the end, the last shot in fact, im not going to spoil, thats meant to send us out of the theater wondering. The midnight special in the song is, strictly speaking, a train, but its also a symbol of redemption, one of many that decorate the manycolored garment of american folklore. With michael shannon, joel edgerton, kirsten dunst, adam driver. All 26 songs from the midnight special 2016 movie soundtrack, with scene descriptions. The film midnight special is a sequel to the 1985 film. Midnight special can be divided into two halves separated by an abrupt plot shift that robs the film of its potential. The fact that nichols went with the secular variant of the song, is telling for his filmmaking approach. The film midnight special is a sequel to the 1985 film cocoon. Smart storytelling, odd ending in midnight special. In the film cocoon we have a race of aliens who are beings composed of light.
The film stars bella thorne, patrick schwarzenegger, and rob riggle, and follows a teenage girl with the disease, xeroderma pigmentosum, which prevents her from going out into sunlight. Pictures, and entertainment one handled uk distribution. Jeff nicholss midnight special buries itself in secrets and a brooding, lucid sense of ambiguity, and its exciting and unbalanced in equal measure. Carried by great performances although kirsten dunst is sorely underused and a truly hypnotic score, this scifi roadtrip genre mix has its heart and mind in the right place, both as a late70s80s homage and a familial drama, but all. The mulberry sky turns bluegray with twilight, and then pitch black. At the very end of unbreakable, the audience realizes weve been watching a superhero origin story all along. In general, what happened was that, for whatever reason, the boy is just more a part of that other world than he is a part of our world, and he goes to join his fellow glowypeople in the other world. A father, goes on the run to protect his young son, and uncover the truth behind the boys special powers. Midnight sun is a 2018 american romantic drama film directed by scott speer and written by eric kirsten, based on the 2006 japanese film a song to the sun.
Overall id say midnight special was a pretty good flick, a solid b. Aug 06, 2016 theres an extremely strong chance that midnight special ends up as the best sciencefiction film of 2016. Midnight special is not nichols first dabble with issues of faith and beliefs. To this cult, alton is the second coming, sent to save us. A lesser writerdirector would have used a bunch of boring exposition dialogue but starting with the audio of the local dallasfort worth commercials then going into the news story i thought was a good way to throw the audience into the story. It doesnt nearly reach that level of greatness, but is a good effort. The films strengths and they are glorious strengths are entirely grounded in. It premiered as a special on august 19, 1972, then began its run as a regular series on february 2, 1973. Here is a fun video explaining the movie ending for midnight special 2016.
In the end, thats what i take away from midnight special the power of visual storytelling. Night shyamalan film unbreakable, where bruce willis discovers he cant be hurt and samuel l. They all depict people who dont end up on film a lot, in a very specific wayin midnight special, the cop is dressed like a cop. Midnight special was backed and primarily distributed by warner bros. Nichols has yet to make a bad movie, and midnight special is not only within his usual style of excellencedespite that semiwonky ending its also his most accessible film to date. His film from 2011, take shelter, significantly ends with a shot that could either mean, in the literal sense.
In the end, thats what i take away from midnight specialthe power of visual storytelling. Superman mythology parallels with the birth of the christ child. Billy hayes writes about revisiting the place he was imprisoned, as chronicled in the doc midnight return. Mar 17, 2016 midnight special reminded me a lot of unbreakable.
The film stars michael shannon, joel edgerton, kirsten dunst, adam driver, jaeden martell, and sam shepard. Midnight special is the most recent offering from jeff nichols who brought us such delights as mud and take shelter. In every other respect, jeff nichols compelling scifi chase film is terse and elliptical, showing little and telling less. Well thats what happened and i chose to watch midnight special. Why midnight special director jeff nichols moved on. Midnight special should be added to his growing list of accomplishments, but for most people not glued into the genre, it may come off as disjointed and unfulfilled. By the ending of the movie, im guessing you mean literally the last two seconds. Jun 08, 2016 spoiler alert by the ending of the movie, im guessing you mean literally the last two seconds. Jeff nicholss latest film, midnight special, is a beautiful, sad, striking work of cinematic art. Both are beings with extraordinary abilities sent to earth, raised by normal human parents, and grow up to have a purpose to protect and save humanity. In prison, the inmates that received light from the train would be set free. A father michael shannon goes on the run to protect his young son alton jaeden lieberher, and uncover the truth behind the boys special powers. The driver hits a toggle switch wired behind the steering wheel, cutting off the headlamps and taillights. Take shelter presents itself as doomsday movie or some sort of psychological thriller related to that, when it could just as easily be seen as a film about the.
The film midnight special by jeff nichols is a sequel to cocoon. Mar 18, 2016 the midnight special in the song is, strictly speaking, a train, but its also a symbol of redemption, one of many that decorate the manycolored garment of american folklore. The following story contains major spoilers about the ending of midnight special. If unbreakable was shyamalan a reserved version of a superhero origin story, midnight special is jeff nichols doing the same to a spielberg movie. Midnight special is very particular about its cars, just as its very particular about its settingthe gas stations, motels, and workingclass suburbs of the bible beltand the cautious speech of its characters. I thought there were a lot of great nuanced moments like that in the movie. If unbreakable was shyamalan a reserved version of a superhero origin story, midnight special is jeff nichols doing the same to a.
It really captured the style and imagination of movies i grew up with like e. Mar 25, 2016 they all depict people who dont end up on film a lot, in a very specific wayin midnight special, the cop is dressed like a cop. Part scifi, part action, part chase, part religious, part speculation. When she meets a boy, she struggles to decide whether to. In general, what happened was that, for whatever reason, the boy is just more a part of that other world than he is a part of our world, and he go. Nichols has yet to make a bad movie, and midnight special is not only within his usual style of excellencedespite that semiwonky endingits also his most accessible film to date.
Angel or alien midnight special lets you decide i like. By and far the best superman film that warner bros. Apr 27, 2016 midnight special is nichols fourth film. Its the kind of film you shouldnt know too much about before watching the less you know, the more that ending will have you in the palm of its hand and all i can simply do is.
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