Monday, October 7, 2019



13 Slots for the Best Horror I've Seen in the Past Year
[11 of 13]


US
(March 2019)


Then Sotuknang went to Taiowa and said, ‘I want you to see what I have done. And I have done well.’
“And Taiowa looked and said, ‘It is very good. But you are not done with it.  Now you must create life of all kinds and set it in motion according to my plan.’”
--“Creation Story” (written and performed by Tsonakwa & Dean Evenson; from a Hopi creation myth)

After the decisive statement of purpose that was Get Out, Jordan Peele returns with Us, which sees Lupita Nyong’o as a wife and mother whose family is besieged by red-clad, scissors-wielding doppelgängers.
Which of course, you’d know if you’ve already seen the trailers or the one sheets.
That is, however, all you’re going to get here, because, as always, to preserve as much of the cinematic experience as possible, I steer as clear of spoiler territory as humanly possible…

But I will say this:
Though Peele trades in the overt thematics of racism in Get Out for a follow-up that’s apparently a more straight-forward horror film that just happens to have an African-American family as its protagonists, what it looks like (as indicated by Us’ narrative) isn’t necessarily what it actually is.
So, yes, Us, like Get Out, is most definitely about something. It’s just a bit more under the skin though, so you’ll need to dig to uncover Us’ truths.


Another thing I can say:
It’s rare these days to point to a film with a nearly two hour running time and call it “tight,” but Us seriously just flies by.
The pacing, performances, and clear control Peele exerts over the narrative all combine to give (heh) us another ¡Q horror!-worthy piece from the comedian who’d always dreamed of becoming a horror movie director.
Well, thank goodness he finally got around to the horror…

Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.
--Jeremiah 11:11 (King James Version)


(Us OS’ courtesy of impawards.com)

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