Midnight Special (2016, dir. Jeff Nichols)

Midnight Special often defies understanding and explanation.  It doesn't pander to you, constantly dictate its meaning, nor assume its audience can't labor over what they see.  This is what makes it so intriguing, engaging, and rewarding.

It is surprising and mysterious.  It is a sci-fi movie with a child named Alton (Jaeden Lieberher) as its central protagonist.  He is a child who possesses other-worldly powers and it isn't until the end that the extent and nature of these powers reveal themselves, though even then, not completely.  There is a cult-like church group built up around the child's abilities and at the film's beginning, the biological father (Michael Shannon) has kidnapped him.  What unfolds over the next hour and a half are often unexpected, always riveting.

Midnight Special is a film that demonstrates imagination and intelligence.  The special effects are nice to look at, as is the cinematography.  The acting is strong and the direction by Jeff Nichols is fine too.  Nichols last directorial effort was Mud starring Matthew McCaunaghey and that was a fantastic film.  This film is great too and shows that the director/writer has wide-ranging vision and an eye for intriguing stories and compelling characters.