Box of Moonlight (1997)

Sadly Over-hyped

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

This film was in my queue for far to long. I loved every bit of this film. The combination of Sam Rockwell and John T. make such great chemistry together that it shocks me that they haven't been in another film since this one. John is realizing that he is getting older and goes on an adventure to rediscover his youth and instead he finds a Kid who is strange and lives off of the land and owns only half a house and the other half he is working on. The description sounded kind of weird on Netflix but when I watched it, it was a strange but touching film. It involved one weird subplot about a priest who became a killer. But other than that, and absolute perfect movie.

Great performances in this hidden gem by Turturro and Rockwell. One message I loved in this movie is that magic can be captured in the most unexpected places. This perhaps comes out most prominently in the final scenes, where Al is leaving Bucky. The scene takes us in a panoramic view of Bucky's residence underscored by the emphatic guitar introduction to 'Blues before Sunrise.' We then are reminded that the place where Al has found himself, beauty, and friendship is a dilapidated mobile home, littered with what on first sight might appear as a junk pile--but in fact this place is truly something magical. The movie brilliantly reveals that a box of moonlight can be captured in the most unexpected places and circumstances and with the most unexpected people. Break down the walls of conditioning that tell you what is right and wrong, beautiful and ugly, and you too will capture a little moonlight in a box.

One of my favourite Films of all time. Top notch performances all round especially turturro and Sam rockwell.Sad,funny,inspiring and always entertaining this is a film that stays in your mind forever and one to watch over and over again.The Cinematography is sublime, while the screenplay is spot on.For Film fans who like their films with a great story .Not for the blockbuster merchants.In short : A Classic.Do yourself a favour and rent this movie out.Tom dicillio at his best.

Could be spoilers.I loved this film, but then again I liked the Real Blonde and Living in Oblivion. I think you have to be the right kind of person to watch this film, someone who likes to watch something that can really happen and how people find moments of epiphany in very simple acts and objects. Like the Box of Moon Light, life is what you make it, you can see the box full of something, or think catching moonlight in a box is stupid, but that means that are two kinds of folk out there.The characters are interesting as the main character tries to find a lake area he once had fun at as a child. He finds the lake polluted and as he leaves, he helps a guy with his car and then the adventure starts. The director has a way of making the normal seem quirky and I enjoy that.The video box on this one is a bit misleading though and says it is a romantic comedy. It is more of a road picture with much road. It is more about The Kid and Al's friendship than it is about Floaty and other romantic interests. Plus, I don't think Catherine Keener or Dermot Mulroney clocked in enough scene time to be on the box when Sam Rockwell wasn't. The movie, up to the last 10 minutes or so, is about Al and The Kid.Or yeah and I kept laughing myself silly seeing those huge flash cards Al's son has. He tells him to get some flash cards and they are HUGE. I was like, "wow, those are some insanely large cards you got there son!"Little things like that, the deer in the car with Al, Doris the key lady, etc, make the film very charming. Worth a few watches, as are all of DiCillo's movies. 9/10 for me.