Despite it coming out fairly recently and even garnering a decent amount of Oscar buzz, not enough people are talking about NICKEL BOYS!

Uniquely but very competently shot from a POV perspective, this film's cinematography certainly takes some getting used to, but if it works for you, it really works!

Rarely have I felt so completely immersed in a film, which is all the more remarkable as my lived experience couldn't be further from the lives and events displayed on screen.

And said events are anything but light. This film does not pull any punches in its subject matter, and rightly so.

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name, this film is set in the 1960s Jim Crow era and "chronicles the powerful friendship between two young Black teenagers navigating the harrowing trials of reform school together in Florida."

The plot is heavily inspired by the true history of the highly abusive and corrupt Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys.

The film is methodically paced, with almost every frame packed with meaningful imagery that tells a story and deepens the experience for those who pay attention.

Expertly shot, incredibly well-acted, and meticulously directed, this is easily one of the most impressive narrative feature debuts I've ever watched. RaMell Ross delivers a masterclass in visual storytelling and sticks the landing with an ending that will stay with you long after the film has ended.