Q

Jeff Nichols' Midnight Special is a throwback to smarter sci-fi

Rising director Jeff Nichols hasn't blown his first big budget on special effects. Midnight Special hits the high water mark for smart sci-fi.

Jeff Nichols' Midnight Special is a refreshing throwback to 80s classics like E.T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind  science fiction films that are as emotionally complex as they are visually stunning. 

The new film revolves around Alton, a young boy with mysterious powers, and the father struggling to protect him.

Nichols, a rising director, is known for smaller, critically-acclaimed dramas like Mud and Take Shelter. He joins Shad to discuss the dangers of directing for spectacle, and how fatherhood changed his wider perspective.

WEB EXTRA | Midnight Special is in theatres next week in the U.S. and the week after in Canada. For now, watch two clips below.