Jordan Peele's Nope

[chris.g]

Hard disagree. The reasons Peele chooses to tell these stories and how to tell them are obviously very important to him as a creator and I've thoroughly enjoyed every single one of his feature films. I also think it's kind of funny that you're trying to dictate what and how he designs his films. That kind of inadvertently earmarks by itself the themes of exploitation and erasure that are literally central to Nope.

Ehh feels like he has his own head too far up his *** with this in Us that it kinda soured me for Nope, only to end up really liking it. I'm not dictating what and how he should design his films, I'm just an audience member. I just wonder if we'll get a horror picture in his movies where the antagonist isn't an obvious metaphor for something but rather a subtlety.

I also disagree with compaints about the ending. It feels so emotionally perfect and conceptually it all makes so much sense storywise I don't see how I could personally hate it.

You do you, I do me. But even then, I know I'm not the only one who felt the ending was lacking. I know Peele left a lot on the cutting room floor though.

 

[CoryLevy91]

Ehh feels like he has his own head too far up his *** with this in Us that it kinda soured me for Nope, only to end up really liking it. I'm not dictating what and how he should design his films, I'm just an audience member. I just wonder if we'll get a horror picture in his movies where the antagonist isn't an obvious metaphor for something but rather a subtlety.

I would never in a million years describe Peele as having "his own head too far up his ***" but you indeed do you. Personally I hope he never stoops to shoveling out schlock just so its easier for audience members to digest. That's what we have Blumhouse for, after all.

You do you, I do me. But even then, I know I'm not the only one who felt the ending was lacking. I know Peele left a lot on the cutting room floor though.

Of course. As well, I know I'm not the only one who loved the ending and thought it was superb!

 

[jseal777]

We are getting dangerously close to the dreaded “elevated horror” argument and we all probably have better things to do.

 

[CoryLevy91]

We are getting dangerously close to the dreaded “elevated horror” argument and we all probably have better things to do.

I've never liked the term "elevated horror". Horror is horror is horror. Whether it's made for $3000 and shot on video or is nominated for Best Picture of the Year (I equally despise when people try to claim a horror movie is a "thriller" but I guess that's another topic). I love Peele's films but I also love Friday the 13th Part VIl: The New Blood, in which Jason faces off against a telepathic girl. That move doesn't have a lick of meaning or subtext to it but damn is it a fun ride.

I wasn't trying to bash horror movies that don't have deeper meaning or symbolism in them by any means outside of a cheap shot at Blumhouse (they make money by sneezing, they'll be fine). I was moreso highlighting that Peele's thought provoking films that are rich with meaning are amazing horror films in my eyes and I don't want that to change. I also wouldn't even really categorize Peele's offerings in the same subset that usually gets referred to as "elevated horror". Peele's films offer more fun and tackle more real life present topics while films like Hereditary, etc. are usually more serious affairs that tackle more abstract ideas and themes.

 

[Jerroddragon]

I want to get Dan's thoughts but it sucks that super Pets beat NOPE on its second weekend

I've seen it twice so done my work but seems like it's not going to make as much as his other two films

 

[Skold]

I cannot stop thinking about the birthday party scene. It is just so brutal, but leaves it all to your mind.

Chimps are brutal animals, and rip faces off of their "foes". I wonder if that was based on this.

Spoiler

Mary Jo's face and the mom's gurgling lead me to believe that this is what it did.

I do love the shot choices, letting me relive the worst horrors I can think of rather than seeing it.

This actually happened to me during the

Spoiler

digestion

scene. I had read about it, but imagined far worse. Kind of disappointed about it now.

In any event, great movie, and one I'll be watching again soon!

 

[OhHaiInternet95]

Went into the movie with no expectations and after hearing lots of mixed reviews, I have to say this is my favorite of Peele's films. That being said - I mean no disrespect by this - Peele has yet to completely blow me away to a point I find him a little overrated. I liked Get Out, very much disliked Us, but thoroughly enjoyed Nope. It is (IMO) his darkest film and the abduction sequence was one of the coolest moments in horror mainstream media I've seen in a long time; probably the most uncomfortable I have felt since Hereditary. My friend did have an opinion I must reiterate though - the film has a great 1-2 punch, but never went for the knockout. There is definitely something missing about this movie that doesn't let me separate it on a class above others.

Strangely enough, I find a lot of this movie's thematic elements to have a lot of parallels to Scream 4 and it really makes me curious how Peele considers Carpenter as his favorite horror director when time and time again I see heavy influences from Craven across all his major motion pictures. That said, I felt those thematic elements hit harder here.

My main dislikes though come from Peele's emphasis on ensuring that the audience look for a deeper meaning behind the movie, which while yes, is the root of horror, also does not need to be necessary in order to make his movies thought provoking or all the more effective. Drawing back to Scream 4, I believe Craven hits it hard there - examining whether revisiting our past traumas are worth the fear if we're doomed to repeat the mistakes that lead up to them, such as a town so fixated on celebrating a terrible culture that is the only reason for Woodsboro being famous - whereas Peele is not subtle about this message and does not know where to take the story after emphasizing this message.

Keke Palmer is a standout as was Kaluuya, who while a bit more monotone, has more emotion in his body language's ability to act and restrain his character which contrasts Palmer's happy-go-lucky attitude.

A very interesting movie with very interesting choices, albeit leaving more to be desired out of not just the movie's supernatural antagonist, but perhaps a proper climax that does not feel so sudden or devoid of weight when compared to the larger scope of the film's central macguffin.

This is about my thoughts as well. As someone (mostly) sick of endless sequels and remakes, I strongly respect and am rooting for Peele, but I would qualify two of his movies as "pretty good" and one as "meh."