Loving

Our history is full of blights. We've rectified a few such as how the LGBT+ community is treated as a whole and how the battle of the sexes may very well be coming to a sort of resolve. But such achievements aren't without their many bumps in the road.

Jeff Nichols' Loving is set within a time when discrimination was practically the norm for everyday life. Nowadays such attitudes would be met with disdain from (most) people but fifty, sixty years ago, that disdain would be aimed at those supporting the cause. (And sadly we still encounter such animosity today.)

Now Loving focuses on Richard (Joel Edgerton) and Mildred Loving (Ruth Negga), an interracial couple whose marriage would change history. Of course that in itself doesn't begin to describe the story Nichols presents. It's one of, quite simply, love.

As Nichols showed with his previous films, Loving doesn't need big dramatic moments from its stars to make it effective. (Nor does it need passionate love scenes to show how Richard and Mildred feel for one another.) After all, less is more.

Loving is, well, lovely. It's perhaps the human film of the year, an accomplishment most strives to achieve but fails a majority of the time. Because of the work from Nichols, Edgerton and especially Negga, it's a work that becomes proof that love conquers hate.

My Rating: *****

Midnight Special

As proven by his previous films, Jeff Nichols has showcased his abilities as a director. With only three prior films to his name, Nichols proved his status as a rising name in Hollywood. (And no, he has no relation to the director of The Graduate.)

So how has Nichols' latest film Midnight Special fared? Indeed it has themes previously featured in his earlier work but they're under a different light here. (And it's clear that Nichols got a bigger budget for this.)

Much like Nichols' previous feature Mud, Midnight Special is set within the backroads of America, itself a character in its own right. And like Take Shelter (another Nichols title), it has Michael Shannon encountering things of an otherworldly nature. Nut again there's more to the film.

In a way, Midnight Special could be viewed as a metaphor for raising an autistic child. You have to protect that child with caution, making sure their surroundings don't harm them in any way. Now you may not see the film in this light but others might.

But overall, Midnight Special is lacking compared to the one-two punch of Take Shelter and Mud. The majority of its heft is in the second third and even then it doesn't feel like much. Hopefully Nichols' next film will be a touch better.

My Rating: ****

Mud

Whenever an actor re-invents themselves, it can go one of two ways. The career re-invention fails spectacularly and the actor's career barely recovers from it. Or everyone's jaws drop from the career re-invention and the actor gets meatier roles as a result.

The latter is definitely the case with Matthew McConaughey. For the past decade, his resume consisted mainly of romantic comedies where him being shirtless was contractually obligatory. The mere thought of him as a serious actor was laughable. (Well, at least to those who never saw A Time to Kill, Lone Star or Frailty.) Then came the one-two punch of Magic Mike and Killer Joe last year, and that decade-long image of him died a painful death.

McConaughey continues his streak in Jeff Nichols' Mud. Here, he plays the title character, a man hiding from the law and bounty hunters. He's not a viciously violent man nor is he one being wrongfully pursued. He's fully aware of what he did was wrong but he did it for a sole reason: to protect his girlfriend Juniper (Reese Witherspoon).

The work from McConaughey is phenomenal, and the work from Witherspoon, Sam Shepard and Sarah Paulson also deserves a mention. But it's the work from Tye Sheridan (who plays the real leading role) that simply must be mentioned. You honestly don't find performances like that very often, especially from a child actor.

Mud is one of those films where one small mistake could derail the whole thing. Thankfully that doesn't happen. Not only does McConaughey prove that he can most definitely act with Mud, Nichols shows that he's one of the best directors working today. Seriously, go see Mud.

My Rating: *****

Take Shelter

Jeff Nichols' Take Shelter is a very intense film through its actors. Its depiction of descending into madness could be compared to that of Howard Hughes in Martin Scorsese's The Aviator and Col. Nicholson in David Lean's The Bridge on the River Kwai.

Michael Shannon has been in Hollywood for years, acting in bit parts and supporting roles. Thanks to his scene stealing (and Oscar-nominated) work in Revolutionary Road, he's now getting the recognition he deserves. Shannon's past roles always managed to garner the audience's attention. His work in Take Shelter proves that he can carry a film on his own.

Jessica Chastain has definitely made a name for herself last year as Hollywood's "it" girl. She bears resemblance to a Persona-era Liv Ullmann, and has acting abilities to match. Many of her thoughts and emotions are played across her face. Saying she has a promising future in Hollywood is an understatement.

Shannon and Chastain having differing acting styles yet they compliment one another. Shannon's style consists of him making his presence clear the moment he appears. Chastain rather let the audience acknowledge her presence then showcase her skill as an actress. And personally in regards to one scene, I'm not sure what left me more speechless: Shannon's meltdown or Chastain's reaction to it.

Take Shelter really lingers in your mind once the credits start to roll. It shows how obsessive one person can become in a certain situation. Oh, and AMPAS? You fail for not nominating two of the best performances of 2011.

My Rating: *****