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Nope

Nope: Devouring the Hollywood Dream

October 25, 2022 by Steve Norton Leave a Comment

No matter how good your work may be, you will always be judged by your greatest achievement.

Such is the case with filmmaker Jordan Peele. Having established himself with the gold standard of modern day, elevated horror with 2017‘s Get Out, Jordan Peele quickly became the hottest genre director in recent years. Comparisons to Alfred Hitchcock and other greats have been well-earned for his work as he continues to provide exciting horror entries that speak to the black cultural experience in the modern era. The problem is, of course, is maintaining the accolades. 

While his follow-up films and projects have proven to be incredibly well-executed and intricate puzzle boxes worth unlocking, they are inevitably going to be compared to the film that sent a shock through the system. (In some cases, one can compare Peele’s current career trajectory to that of M. Night Shyamalan who, after crashing through the door with The Sixth Sense, has found it difficult to escape from the legacy of that first film.) Now, with the release of Nope, Peele again has created a solid piece that entertains and challenges his audience. 

But, as unfair as it is to say, it’s simply not as good as Get Out. 

Nope tells the story of OJ and Emerald (Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer), two Hollywood horse-trainers who live a quiet life in the desert of Agua Dulce in California. Having inherited the family business from their deceased father, the siblings have found the business to have fallen on hard times. Forced to sell off their horses gradually to Ricky (Steven Yeun), a local owner of a theme park, the two ponder what will become of their homestead. However, when they encounter a mysterious ship in the sky, the two join forces to get footage of this otherworldly encounter as a way to make their mark on history.

Leading the film may be solid performances by recent Oscar winner Kaluuya and Yeun but, unquestionably, Nope feels like a star-vehicle for Keke Palmer. Bounding around the screen with endless energy, Palmer is the fire cracker that lights the fuse of Nope and keeps it burning. There is simply an energy and enthusiasm about her performance that one can’t help but be drawn towards. Hers is a character that is not only often funny but frequently, the strongest voice of reason as well, creating a character that it feels more than an amalgamation of a collection of horror tropes.

In a lot of ways, Nope is a more intricate film than Peele’s previous two efforts as it makes use of its metaphors far more subtly than its predecessors. Whereas Get Out and Us had a clear, social conscience, Nope feels much more like a large-scale, popcorn flick. Certainly, this is not a problem… Except for those nasty expectations that have been established already for Peele’s work. Unfortunately, for many, this left Nope to be seen by many as more confusing film, despite the high praise from critics (mostly) across the board.

Although Nope works as an entertaining and fairly straightforward piece, it also feels like there’s something more to be discovered within it. Even without the clear social impetus of Peele’s other films, it’s relevant, sharply written, and entertaining and its own right. Set on the outskirts of Hollywood, Nope is an scathing look at our obsession with fame and notoriety. In an influencer-driven culture such as this, everyone seems to have an interest in cashing in their chips in the Hollywood game. OJ and Emerald fight tirelessly to unlock the mystery of the skies, not out of the sense of wonder, but out of a desire to catch their ‘Oprah moment’. Despite the trauma that he experienced in his youth, Ricky builds a shrine to his legacy within his office while Holst yearns to leave his mark with the ‘perfect shot’. (Even the fact that Kaluuya’s character is named ‘OJ’ brings to mind the infamous ‘Trial of the Century’ of the mid-90s.) 

In this film, everyone is fighting for their five minutes of fame as they look for their chance at immortality. But, even though Nope celebrates the Hollywood dream, it also cuts against it as well. Characters such as Ricky have been left scarred by their experiences with fame but still they clamour for it. In this way, dreams of stardom are seen to come at a price (even a deadly one). 

On the disc, features are surprisingly sparse for such a large release. As a result, there are few episodes to get excited about, generally. (Although ‘Call Him Jean Jacket’ has a surprising level of depth into the design and sound design for the creature itself.) Nevertheless, it’s also worth noting that the film looks stunning in its 4K release as the film’s visuals absolutely pop on the television screen. Although the film is meant to feel immersive on the big screen, the colour and scope translate well at home. In each scene, the dryness of the desert or (apparent) serenity of the sky look stunning, drawing the viewer into film’s scope. (“We wanted the sky to feel like the water in Jaws,” Peele’s team notes.)

But, no. If Get Out is the standard, Nope doesn’t make the grade. But, sometimes, the brass ring simply can’t be the expectation. On it’s own, Nope is a highly entertaining ride that’s worth saying yes to, even if it doesn’t match the standard of Peele’s best work.

Get Out is available on 4K, Blu-ray, DVD and Digital on Tuesday, October 25th, 2022.

Filed Under: DVD, Reviews, VOD Tagged With: Daniel Kaluuya, Jordan Peele, Keke Palmer, Nope, Steven Yeun

GIVEAWAY! NOPE on 4K Combo Pack!

September 23, 2022 by Steve Norton 2 Comments

We’ve got a giveaway for you that’s scary good!

Thanks to our friends at TARO PR, we’re giving away 2 4K combo packs of Nope.

Directed by Jordan Peele, Nope tells the story of two siblings who run a horse ranch in California only to discover that something wonderful and sinister in the skies above, while the owner of an adjacent theme park tries to profit from the mysterious, otherworldly phenomenon.

In order to enter, simply like/share this post on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and name one of the other films directed by Jordan Peele.

Winners will receive a 4K Combo pack of Nope!

All entries must be received by 11:59pm on Saturday, October 22nd, 2022.

Filed Under: Featured, Film, Giveaways Tagged With: Daniel Kaluuya, Jordan Peele, Keke Palmer, Nope

Back to School Catch-Up Catch-All

August 24, 2022 by Matt Hill Leave a Comment

Back to school time is always busy and full of new beginnings. In this new episode of the Your Sunday Drive podcast, we get together (for the first episode since June!) to catch up and have a catch-all conversation about all things related to this time of year.

In the end, we reflect on how easy it is to be anxious at times like these… and how good it is to be able to cast our anxieties on God.

Note: When we say catch all, we mean catch all 🙂 Topics include: What’s new at the Church in Drive, cancel culture, book bans, education in general, sharing back-to-school photos on Facebook, how we create community even when it’s more challenging, how college kids are still kids, how there’s a sweet-spot agewise for politicians, the Forward party, avoiding the ditches of extremes, Randal Rauser and Progressive Christians Love Jesus Too, grammar quibbles and the constructedness of language, the new football season and the Big 10 going “coast to coast” (like Space Ghost), 1177 B.C., The Old Man, Better Call Saul, Nope, Everything Everywhere All at Once, chilling and doing bird stuff, etc. etc.

Come along for Your Sunday Drive – quick conversation about current events, politics, pop culture and more, from the perspective of a couple of guys trying to follow Jesus.

Hosts: Matt Hill and Nate Polzin. Presented by the Church in Drive of Saginaw, MI, as often as possible. Please visit churchindrive.com and facebook.com/thechurchindrive

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: better call saul, book ban, cancel culture, Christian, culture, education, Everything, everywhere, Football, Nope, Podcast, politics, religion, school, sports

Nope: Say Yes to Nope

July 22, 2022 by Jason Thai Leave a Comment

Jordan Peele has come to dominate the comedic horror genre. 

Bursting out of the gate with Get Out and Us, Peele has established himself as one of the great voices of this generation. Now, with the release of Nope, Peele continues his trend of creating original and inventive sci-fi horror that subverts them our expectations with thought-provoking surprises. 

Set on a vast secluded desert range in California, Nope tells the story of OJ and Emerald Haywood (Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer). After their father is killed in a freak accident, the two siblings are left to deal with the horses that they train for use in Hollywood films. However, mysterious things keep happening on the ranch. The power goes out, horses go missing, and debris falls from the sky. However, when the OJ and Emerald suspect that there’s an unidentified flying object in the sky, they become determined to get photographic evidence of this alien ship and prove to the world that there are life forms that are Not On Planet Earth.

Anchored by a tremendous cast, Nope is more than just pure spectacle. Featuring solid work from Steven Yeun, Michael Wincott and Brandon Perea, the film feels almost plausible due to the strength of their work. Nevertheless, the best performances comes from Kaluuya and Palmer. Having worked together on Get Out, Peele understands how to bring out the best in Kaluuya and that is certainly the case here. As the heavily burdened OJ, Kaluuya brings a confidence to the role that grounds the film. However, at the same time, Palmer absolutely shines as well, bringing a liveliness on screen that contrasts Kaluuya’s gravitas. 

Classic sci-fi films often identify aliens as technologically-advanced sophisticated beings and, without spoilers, Peele brings his own unique spin to the genre. In this way, Nope is also a great love letter to old school Hollywood filmmaking, and acknowledges the role of the black community within that space. However, while both Get Out and Us have contained messages about social injustice within the Black community, Nope takes a slightly different approach. By using sci-fi tropes as his backdrop, Peele creates a film which both celebrates and satirizes our obsession with celebrity culture.

Although their family has been involved in Hollywood for generations, the Haywood family remains relatively unknown in the world of movie-making. When they realize that footage of the potential invaders could bring them mega-stardom, OJ and Emerald fight to get the perfect shot, risking their lives in the process. (After all, this is their chance to get on Oprah.) In fact, everyone in Nope seems to wants their shot at glory. Clinging to his time as a child star, Ricky proudly reminds people of his former fame and accomplishments. Hollywood director Antlers Hoist (Michael Wincott) wants to leave his mark on the industry which has relegated him to commercials. Even minimum wage tech-employee Angel can’t help but look for something more. 

But, as Hoist reminds, the fame isn’t always worth it. And it comes at a cost.

Whether it’s Ricky’s tragedy on set or the endless stream of casualties at the hands of their alien attackers, those who choose to stare too deeply into the eyes of fame find out first-hand how quickly things can go sideways. Coming at a time when celebrities fall from grace on a daily basis, Nope highlights how easy it can become to broken by the sheer carnage around us. While the film doesn’t entirely demonize those who have done wrong—look for the ‘fist bump’—it does remind us of the danger of toxic celebrity. Allegations, scandal and controversies on social media dominate the news cycle, creating a proverbial dark cloud over the industry. (Note that Peele even named his main character ‘OJ’.) These shadows can weigh heavily on us, especially if we spend too much time focusing on upon them.

The more you stare into the abyss, the higher chance there is of you getting sucked into it.

With even film, Peele continues to show that he understands what it takes to elevate sci-fi horror beyond thrills and chills. While the film is slightly more difficult to decode than his previous efforts, there’s no doubt that Nopeis another win for the director. Fueled by fun and fury, the film provides all the necessary scares but also provides solid social commentary through sharp writing.

In other words, Nope is worth saying yes to.

Nope is available in theatres on July 22nd, 2022.

Filed Under: Featured, Reviews, ScreamFish Tagged With: Daniel Kaluuya, Jordan Peele, Keke Palmer, Michael Wincott, Nope, sci-fi horror, Steven Yeun

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