If there's anything I look for when hunting for a good indie film, if the topic applies, it's a combination of LGBTQ inclusion and proper representation. I value a movie that not only conveys the oftentimes unkind reality of living as an LGBTQ person but also remains true to the character without stereotyping them beyond recognition. Where the director appears to lose the understanding of such a frequently misunderstood and misjudged community.

"Moonlight," thankfully, did not plunge like a derailed roller coaster full of terrified passengers into the depths of confusion and misrepresentation.

IMDB describes the film as "a chronicle of the childhood, adolescence and burgeoning adulthood of a young black man growing up in a rough neighborhood of Miami." We follow Chiron in three stages of his life as he navigates the confusing worlds of homosexuality, drug addiction, and identity. I went into it without knowing anything about it and was honestly nonstop crying for 90% of the film; I immediately connected to his isolation, his feeling of being "outside" the accepted norm, though he doesn't at first understand what makes others perceive him as different.

The cinematography coupled with the soundtrack, which is a combination of an original score and assorted artists, worked to compliment the scenes in which they emerged, speaking volumes about the silent conversation that happens when music becomes a shared experience (hint hint, the diner scene!).

I felt that "Moonlight" stayed trued to the LGBTQ experience through the unique angle of a non-white, underprivileged youth. Does he find someone to love who loves him in return and helps him maneuver through life? Or does he have to suffer the burden of being completely closeted forever?

I will say that the ending was not one that I expected, but after sitting with it for over a week, I've come to really appreciate it for what it is. Instant upset is not the best response; give it time to process and try to unwrap a deeper meaning. It won an Oscar for Best Picture for a reason!

"Moonlight" shed light on a part of LGBTQ culture that I will never understand: the intersection between black masculinity and societal expectations of what exactly that means, especially when it comes to self-identity and love.