MONSTERS AND MEN

This filmmaking debut by Reinaldo Marcus Green shines a powerful light on social injustices experienced by ethnic minorities at the hands of law enforcement. Split into three parts, the film explores the aftermath of a white police officer shooting an unarmed black man, and how it affects in turn a passerby (Anthony Ramos), an African-American cop (John David Washington) and a high-school student (Kelvin Harrison Jr.). These ripple effects are distant from the main event, yet Green elicits heartfelt performances that aid the delivery of a crucially relevant message. Matt Looker