Mar 18, 2016 but midnight special is a chase movie, and like all chase movies it runs the risk of losing all narrative momentum once it arrives at a destination. Midnight special 2016 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. Movie of the year basically just means that its a movie that make you really think and consider what is going on in the film. Mud director jeff nichols aims to replicate spielbergian wonder with this tale of a boy with magical. The film, currently in limited release, is structured as an extended chase sequence between roy michael shannon and his son alton jaeden. 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. It premiered as a special on august 19, 1972, then began its run as a regular series on february 2, 1973. Ultimately his father risks everything to protect alton and help fulfill a destiny that could change the world. In fact, theres something rather effective about the buildup, as nichols shrouds his premise.
The song is historically performed in the countryblues style from the viewpoint of the prisoner and has been. Mar 21, 2016 midnight special was released by warner brothers shrouded in secrecy, with minimal advertising and trailers that only hinted at the plot and characters. Midnight special is the rare action movie that could stand a few more pauses for reflection, and the rarer jeff nichols movie that works more on. Part scifi, part action, part chase, part religious, part speculation. After watching midnight special upon its release, i instantly fell in love with the film. It is nicholss fourth fulllength film and his first studio production. Nichols based the opening action sequence in the movie on folktales of drug runners speeding down highways late at night at night with their lights turned off, wearing night vision goggles. The film stars michael shannon, joel edgerton, kirsten dunst, adam driver, jaeden martell, and sam shepard. Mar 21, 2016 even though nichols remains averse to defining concrete conclusions regarding midnight specials final minutes, it is clear that he personally sees his movie overall as a kind of allegory not. Midnight special goes off its own narrative cliff, capping a compelling story with a thirdact resolution so misguided thats its the dramatic equivalent of punching the gas and plunging into.
Opening with a child abduction and ending with a spectacular scifi. In the movies case, the midnight special is the little boy. Mar 15, 2016 midnight special has a tricky time of it trying to balance ambiguity with the grand reveals of a studio actionadventure which, as a warner bros. Mar 18, 2016 jeff nichols brilliant midnight special weaves relatable themes of parental responsibility and faith in that which is traditionally unexplainable into a scifi road movie, with echoes of john carpenter, steven spielberg, and stephen king bouncing throughout. In the scifi thriller midnight special, writerdirector jeff nichols proves again that he is one of the most compelling storytellers of our time, as a father, he goes on the run to protect his young son. What does the ending of the movie midnight special mean, if.
Jeff nicholss fourth feature film tries some interesting things, but loses. Midnight special ending song hd audio blu ray source. Its really up to the audience to decide what kind of experience they want to have, said midnight special writerdirector jeff nichols. If i even try to tell you what kind of movie it is crime story, road. The special effects were mindboggling, especially for an indie. The heartbreaking story that inspired jeff nichols to write.
Find out where midnight special 2016 is streaming, if midnight special 2016 is on netflix, and get news and updates, on decider. Midnight special was released in 2016 on friday, march 18, 2016 in limited movie theaters. Midnight special starring michael shannon, joel edgerton, and adam driver, follows a boy named alton and his father on the run from the government and a religious cult. Movies like midnight special if you like midnight special you are looking for suspenseful, serious and suspense movies about with chase, on the run, hostage, government, supernatural, family relations and supernatural ability themes of drama, mystery and scifi genre shot in usa or greece. The heartbreaking story that inspired jeff nichols to. In midnight special, its about how a child affects a father.
Apr 01, 2016 people want a spielberg movie and instead they get a nichols movie. The film stars michael shannon, joel edgerton, kirsten dunst, adam driver, jaeden lieberher, and sam shepard. Jeff nichols, the director of mud, talks about his new scifi movie, midnight special. Nicholss next film is decidedly different, a biopic about the landmark loving v. Does midnight special really live up to its spielberg. 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. The midnight special pistol petes midnight special during the 1950s folksong revival, a favorite at hootenannies and concerts was this texas prisoners song. A traditional folk song, leadbelly popularized it upon his release from sugar land prison in texas, where he could hear the midnight special come through. The midnight special was a steam locomotive train that passed the louisiana state prison. What is the meaning of the term midnight special in the. Midnight special is a 2016 american science fiction film written and directed by jeff nichols, and produced by sarah green and brian kavanaughjones. Quizlet is a lightning fast way to learn vocabulary.
Midnight special is uneven, but just successful enough to suggest that theres room in contemporary scifi for more positive, contemplative films. Midnight special is a breathtaking display of visual storytelling, confidently. If youre not carefulmeaning, if you expose him to sunlight, which is not too. Midnight special blending grassroots character detail with a healthy dash of paranormal intrigue, jeff nichols puts an original spin on the road movie. Asked in romantic movies, horror and suspense movies, tv and movie music what halloween movie was the song midnight special in. On the one hand, its about a father and a son bonding, while its also equally a roadtrip, scifi thriller too. The midnight special is a passenger train from houston. In midnight special, on the run with a highly unusual child. They also appeared in the hbo tv series boardwalk empire 20102014, and have appeared in two stage plays. Midnight special was released by warner brothers shrouded in secrecy, with minimal advertising and trailers that only hinted at the plot and characters. Some of the movie s story ideas may seem very familiar, but its more about emotions than special effects or thrills. A father goes on the run to protect his young son, alton, and uncover the truth behind the boys special powers. Alton meyer is a boy unlike any other in the world with bizarrely powerful abilities and strange weaknesses.
Midnight special 2016 where to stream and watch decider. The title comes from the refrain which refers to the midnight special and its everloving light sometimes everliving light. Nichols drops us into the middle of a chase and demands us to pay attention and figure out whats going on. Their films together include blackbird 2007, the missing person 2009, return 2011, mud 2012 and midnight special 2016. Midnight special is a traditional folk song thought to have originated among prisoners in the american south. I have people who really love my movies and hate my endings.
Which isnt to say that theres not some initial promise. Midnight special is a slow burning mystery of a film. So it was with great anticipation i went to midnight special. The blockbuster masters films were about a fathers legacy, how his actions present or not impact the life of the child. The midnight special was a sign of death, if the light shone into your cell it meant you would be taken up and released to your maker, by your death. All 26 songs from the midnight special 2016 movie soundtrack, with scene descriptions. Burt sugarmans midnight special legendary performances on from 19731980 with bonuses. By the ending of the movie, im guessing you mean literally the last two seconds. The midnight special chords by creedence clearwater revival. Jun 08, 2016 spoiler alert by the ending of the movie, im guessing you mean literally the last two seconds. Creedence clearwater revival the midnight special lyrics.
The midnight special in the song is, strictly speaking, a train, but its also a symbol of redemption, one of many. The song is historically performed in the countryblues style from the viewpoint of. Mar 17, 2016 all 26 songs from the midnight special 2016 movie soundtrack, with scene descriptions. By the way she wears her apron, and the clothes she wore umbrella on her shoulder, piece of paper in. Dark and grainy, set on rural backroads, i felt like i was in a low budget 70s movie.
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. Thoughts on the title of nichols midnight special 2016. The lyrics of the creedance clearwater song are about. The song refers to the passenger train midnight special and its everloving light sometimes everliving light. Midnight special, the fourth film from popular indie director jeff nichols, feels like the offspring of steven spielbergs two scifi classics, e.
This is a film that generates much of its suspense through genre sleight of hand. The song refers to the passenger train midnight special and its everloving light. What midnight special is, and why many viewers didnt get it. Mar 12, 2016 in the scifi thriller midnight special, writerdirector jeff nichols proves again that he is one of the most compelling storytellers of our time, as 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. It takes elements from science fiction, action and thriller films from the past and combines them into a subdued film about a fatherson relationship, as well as an unexpectedly subtle exploration of the nature of faith. Jonathan romney caught the film at its premiere in berlin. So many modern blockbusters err on the side of handholding, underlining their. Midnight special may be nichols first studio film, but hes still tracking lives out of balance. Well, you wake up in the mornin, you hear the work bell ring and they march you to the table to see the same old thing aint no food upon the table, and no pork. Jaeden lieberher and michael shannon in midnight special.
Midnight special is a breathtaking display of visual storytelling, confidently rendered by someone who understands the power of cinema. Midnight special, while superbly acted and paced at just the right speed, has a bold message to deliver for humanity, however, most of the journey through the two hours of run time is watered down. Midnight special is an intriguing genre exercise that mostly succeeds. It really captured the style and imagination of movies i grew up with like e. Mar 16, 2016 jeff nichols candidly admitted that he was inspired to write midnight special after his own son nearly died at a tender age, and the fear of losing him completely paralyzed the filmmaker. Sep 28, 2015 the film worked as a universal allegory on the collapse of society through this fictitious setting. The midnight after showed that this apocalyptic tai po was what hong kong became after 1997 and the desire to stay or leave is very much a reflection of the hong kong experience and hong kong identity. Midnight special starring michael shannon, joel edgerton, and adam driver, follows a boy named alton and his father on the run from the. There were other movies released on the same date, including the divergent series. Lead belly the midnight special lyrics genius lyrics. The chase is joined by the fbi, a sympathetic national security agency analyst played by adam driver, and meyers emissary, doak, played by bill camp. Even in shotgun stories, a film about adult brothers abandoned by their father and their war with the fathers other family, is more about the aggressive masculine response to an emotional situation than it. But midnight special is a chase movie, and like all chase movies it runs the risk of losing all narrative momentum once it arrives at a destination. Contrary to popular belief, midnight special is a spiritual movie, turned scifi, turned.
Jan 02, 2018 the midnight special was a steam locomotive train that passed the louisiana state prison. Its light shines into the sugar land prison in texas. There was real joy in experiencing the movie for the first time. This time, shannon who has appeared in every nichols film, plays a father in crisis. Everything you need to know about midnight special movie 2016.
Let the midnight special shine a light on me let the midnight special shine a light on me let the midnight special shine a light on me let the midnight special shine a everlovin light on me yonder come miss rosie, how in the world did you know. Well thats what happened and i chose to watch midnight special. Midnight special is a good test runroaring, dark and captivating, toward something new. What movie was the song midnight special in answers. The song is historically performed in the countryblues style from the viewpoint of the prisoner and has been covered by many artists. Everything you need to know about midnight special movie. The lyrics of the creedance clearwater song are about the woes of a african american man who has been imprisoned for gambling and fighting. Midnight special 2016 soundtrack complete list of songs.
Its not the greatest of films, but it held my interest for the entire movie and thats a good thing. The script breaks or bends some rules of conventional narrative but otherwise is so tight you could use it for a drum solo. Million sellers the midnight special behindthescenes booklet. In the middle of the night, his father, roy, spirits him away from the isolated cult that practically worships him and is determined to regain him at all costs.
Why that midnight special ending makes perfect sense. What does the ending of the movie midnight special mean. In the scifi thriller midnight special, writerdirector jeff nichols proves again that he is one of the most compelling storytellers of our time, as 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. Behind the astonishing midnight special ending its very easy to say, well, jeff couldnt quite connect these dots, director jeff nichols told buzzfeed news. To be honest, theres not really all that much cgi in the movie we tried to do as much practically as possible, which is.
Midnight special is the fourth feature by jeff nichols, the arkansasborn writerdirector who has rapidly established himself as an inventive, independentminded talent with a firm belief in old. Behind the astonishing midnight special ending buzzfeed. Contrary to popular belief, midnight special is a spiritual movie, turned scifi, turned spiritual again. Theres always a lot of coming and going in my movies, and i feel like in midnight special i got to lop all.
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