"Under the Same Moon" Proves Cinema is an Art Form!

            Under the Same Moon eloquently tackles immigration, the dangers children that immigrate illegally face, the post traumatic stress it provides, and depicts child labor in agricultural workplace in the U.S. The dangers a child may encounter when immigrating by themselves is present, it’s easy to see how then can fall victim to child trafficking. 

While the film encompasses immigrating into the U.S. by crossing the border, it can’t help but pull the emotional strings along the way through such a humane story. With the separation of families committed by immigration agencies being such a hot topic nowadays, the film resonates more today than it did yesterday.

            The film starts off with a lead character waking up from a nightmare. She leaves her son with her mother in her homeland in search of better opportunities for them. The ten year old sets off to cross the border illegally to reunite with his mother. 

While making his way to L.A, the lead character, Carlitos, follows his friends to work, he works besides them picking fruit, and experiences the unhealthy conditions migrant workers in agricultural workplaces face. The child actor delivers an amazing portrayal. It’s staggering to believe that in a country like this, a 12-years-old can work in agriculture on a farm if a parent has given permission according to osha.gov.

            The ill feeling produced by abuse of power is made present by an employer refusing to pay her maid her last week. Kate del Castillo gave an incredible performance. One was able to view how torn she was at every moment between what she wanted, and what was best for her son in the long run.  

With the separation of families committed by ICE being more exposed nowadays, the film reflects a growing group of people’s fear. It’s absurd to see how some become a casualty in an inhumane protocol that begs revision. Even more ridiculous is to deport a young adult that was brought to this country as a toddler, sending them to a country they may be completely foreign towards- as is the case of Juan Manuel Montes. 

            Under the Same Moon will make you shed a couple of tears, and understand the struggles that some parents must face when immigrating to another country, it correlates with subject of immigration in the U.S. I definitely recommend this film, it offers an intense humane story that will make you shed a couple of tears. Every character adds something, no one is flat, and the cast is superb at every moment. Under the Same Moon proves cinema is an art form!

"Sorry to Bother You," but You Have to Watch this Movie!

            Where to begin? The amazing way it imitated the clustered feeling working in a call center gives, the commentary on cellphone manufacturing companies using child labor in the Congo, and how detached from reality some insanely rich CEOs may be. The film tells the story of a call center employee who succeeds in his job by imitating a white person’s voice. The story takes place in the near future, not so far, managing to keep it credible. “Sorry to Bother You,” exemplifies how giant corporations screw their employees over, literally. 

            The setting is very well designed. Having hundreds of people in small cubicles fill a moderate office space, they brought to life the clustered feeling working in a call center gives. This film demonstrates how even the most soul-sucking job becomes bearable because of certain coworkers. 

            “Sorry to Bother You” uses the characters it contains to comment on hot issues. The commentary that stood out the most was that of cellphone manufacturing companies using child labor in Africa to obtain essential elements. Keeping recent reports of children mining cobalt for batteries in the Congo, the message this film sends hits deeper.  

            The time this film takes place in enables certain elements of the movie to be absurd, giving way to comedic relief. Some characters may appear odd and actions implausible, but with it taking place in the future, anything is possible.  This amazing comedy is so well constructed, it takes the comment it wants to make, and portrays it in an enjoyable form that truly resonates. 

This dark comedy portrays insanely rich CEOs as so detached from reality, that they treat their employees as guinea pigs. Lakeith Stanfield did a great job in leading this story forward, and Tessa Thompson provided a nice yin-and-yang effect, giving way to great chemistry on screen!

            Check the movie out when you can, and give it time to simmer, it took me a good twenty-four hours to realize I actually liked it. So again, sorry to bother you, but please watch this movie!