The Brother from Another Planet

(John Sayles, US 1984, 108 min., 35mm)

First Contact. Sayles is a master of telling diverse American stories with empathy and humor. This early charmer uses the POV of a true alien immigrant. From the outset, the Brother (Joe Morton) is assailed by a multiplicity of language, music, and symbols—the cultural overload that is Manhattan. The Brother settles into a Harlem dive bar, where his inability to speak makes him a sounding board for community opinions. His electro-telekinetic powers employ him as a video arcade repairman until white intergalactic slave traders attempt a repatriation.