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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Hot'Lanta... home of the Falcons!

    Jordan Peele's Us

    Whew... a tough film to process. Here is my podcast on it that begins with us being tongue-tied about how to even process this flick. As always, there are no spoilers so you can listen and not worry about enjoying the surprises in the movie.

    As I say on the pod, this is not Get Out. It is a horror movie that probably doesn't have the same deep meanings that Get Out did. It is not at all a slasher or torture porn kind of film, it is more a tense and gripping horror film than one that offends the senses. Let me put it this way, I am not a horror fan but I really enjoyed this film.

    The movie is gorgeous and very well directed. There's great use of lighting and music that adds to the tension. It also features some truly brilliant performances, especially Lupita Nyong'o.



    On the down side, you spend the whole movie wanting to know what is going on and where the bad people come from, but when the film does tell you what is happening, it is less than satisfying and is just pervasively strange. And when you really think about the explanation, a lot of it makes no sense and raises as many questions as it answers. Still, it is a fun film to watch and I loved how uneasy it made me feel. Jordan Peele is a fabulous filmmaker... no sophomore slump here!

    Anyway, have a listen to what Josh and I thought as we recorded the pod just minutes after walking out of the screening.

    -Jason "I hope the fact that I wrote a few words here will satisfy the folks who were upset that I was mostly only posting podcast links... but I also hope folks will listen to at least a few minutes of the pod" Evans
    Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?

  2. #2
    Safer to stick with Star Wars, superheroes, and movies ending in 2, 3 or 4.

  3. #3
    I, for one, REALLY appreciate it. Have enjoyed your film reviews here for years, and as a guy who is always short on time and who reads rather quickly it is nice to see at least a version of said reviews in “print.” Thanks!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Hot'Lanta... home of the Falcons!
    I'm hearing talk that US is going to bust all the pre-release boxoffice numbers. The early tracking had it in the 30-4 million dollar range. This past week, most analysts moved it to $45-$50 mil. I'm now hearing $80 mil may not be out of the question. The fact that it is getting very strong reviews (not as good as Get Out but even folks who have problems with it say it is worth seeing) is going to help.

    Eager to hear from those of you who see it this weekend.
    Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Albemarle, North Carolina
    I've heard the trailer is misleading. Any truth to that JE? As to what's misleading I haven't been told just that it is misleading.
    "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge" -Stephen Hawking

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Hot'Lanta... home of the Falcons!
    Quote Originally Posted by JNort View Post
    I've heard the trailer is misleading. Any truth to that JE? As to what's misleading I haven't been told just that it is misleading.
    Hmmmm... no, I don't think it is misleading. The trailer gives away very little. There is a family on vacation. One night a family of doppelgangers (identical to them) shows up and starts hunting them down. We don't know who these other people are or how they exist. That is all I see in the trailer and that is largely the plot of the movie.
    Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?

  7. #7
    Looks like it ended up at $71 million. In the podcast and here you noted that this one would take time to process. Given nearly a week to do so, have you changed your mind about any of it?

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by JasonEvans View Post
    As I say on the pod, this is not Get Out. It is a horror movie that probably doesn't have the same deep meanings that Get Out did. It is not at all a slasher or torture porn kind of film, it is more a tense and gripping horror film than one that offends the senses. Let me put it this way, I am not a horror fan but I really enjoyed this film.
    It makes me very excited that the horror genre is breaking out of it's slasher/torture funk that it's been in for a very long time. That these movies are breaking box office records will hopefully help grow the genre even more away from it's recent history.

    Quote Originally Posted by JasonEvans View Post
    -Jason "I hope the fact that I wrote a few words here will satisfy the folks who were upset that I was mostly only posting podcast links... but I also hope folks will listen to at least a few minutes of the pod" Evans
    Sorry, too long didn't read. Do you have a podcast I could listen to?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Hot'Lanta... home of the Falcons!
    Quote Originally Posted by YmoBeThere View Post
    In the podcast and here you noted that this one would take time to process. Given nearly a week to do so, have you changed your mind about any of it?
    I have soured on it a bit more. While I am starting to see some deeper meaning** that I missed in the initial moments after watching it, I think the ending is just ridiculous and makes no sense. I know some folks will scoff and say, "you mean you are bothered that a movie about sci-fi doppelgangers isn't realistic... ha!" but each film presents its own world and the rules of that world. This film did that and then changed the rules in a pretty major way when it tried to explain everything at the end. There is other stuff that bugged me too, but I would have to get into spoilers to discuss in more detail.

    -Jason "I'm surprised none of you have seen it and want to talk about it" Evans

    **- I have seen theories that make sense that this film is about the nature of choice or how the environment we live in shapes who we become as well as some pretty interesting theories about how the film speaks to the way the AfAm community is forced to live in two worlds at the same time.
    Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
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    Albemarle, North Carolina
    Quote Originally Posted by JasonEvans View Post
    I have soured on it a bit more. While I am starting to see some deeper meaning** that I missed in the initial moments after watching it, I think the ending is just ridiculous and makes no sense. I know some folks will scoff and say, "you mean you are bothered that a movie about sci-fi doppelgangers isn't realistic... ha!" but each film presents its own world and the rules of that world. This film did that and then changed the rules in a pretty major way when it tried to explain everything at the end. There is other stuff that bugged me too, but I would have to get into spoilers to discuss in more detail.

    -Jason "I'm surprised none of you have seen it and want to talk about it" Evans

    **- I have seen theories that make sense that this film is about the nature of choice or how the environment we live in shapes who we become as well as some pretty interesting theories about how the film speaks to the way the AfAm community is forced to live in two worlds at the same time.
    I believe Peele has said his movies are intended to have a dual or deeper societal meaning to them.
    "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge" -Stephen Hawking

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
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    Hot'Lanta... home of the Falcons!
    James Corden made a pretty amusing Us parody...

    Why are you wasting time here when you could be wasting it by listening to the latest episode of the DBR Podcast?

  12. #12
    All opinions of course but I thought Us was hot garbage. The acting was mostly great but when the material is crap even great performances can't save it. And that ending - plain stupid. I should have walked out but since I stuck out Holmes & Watson I figure I can stick out anything.

  13. #13
    Ummm, same very Atlanta based commentary in the latest podcast.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    Winston-Salem, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by bigperm13 View Post
    All opinions of course but I thought Us was hot garbage. The acting was mostly great but when the material is crap even great performances can't save it. And that ending - plain stupid. I should have walked out but since I stuck out Holmes & Watson I figure I can stick out anything.
    I agree. I thought Us was garbage.

    Admittedly I saw it after the MSU game and was in a bad mood.

    Us reminded me of an older horror movie, Candyman. Symbolic, creepy, well-acted, weird as hell, made no sense, overlong, and basically garbage. 2 hours of my life I wish I had back.

    Get out was great. This was crap. Just my opinion.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Santa Cruz CA
    Don't usually look at these threads, but this one has a local interest for me. Did you think it was scary enough to keep tourists away?

    https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/20...rom-boardwalk/

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Seattle
    Finally got around to seeing it. Not sure how anyone could qualify it as garbage.

    Some outstanding acting performances. Beautifully shot. Suspenseful, but not gimmicky, throughout. Excellent use of music.

    I'm not sure I loved the ending. Early on, I identified what the twist ended up being, but then talked myself out of it.

    I haven't done any deep dives on the meaning, but there is definitely an element of class involved. How society treats people who don't have as much.

    Ultimately Us will be compared to Get Out. I'll need to see it again to have a true opinion, but it's not quite as good as Get Out for me.

  17. #17
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    May 2007
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    Quote Originally Posted by luburch View Post
    Finally got around to seeing it. Not sure how anyone could qualify it as garbage.

    Some outstanding acting performances. Beautifully shot. Suspenseful, but not gimmicky, throughout. Excellent use of music.

    I'm not sure I loved the ending. Early on, I identified what the twist ended up being, but then talked myself out of it.

    I haven't done any deep dives on the meaning, but there is definitely an element of class involved. How society treats people who don't have as much.

    Ultimately Us will be compared to Get Out. I'll need to see it again to have a true opinion, but it's not quite as good as Get Out for me.
    This is all fair and accurate. Garbage was too strong for a film this ambitious. I just didn't find the movie enjoyable enough the first time to want to see it a second time. But you must see it a second time to fully appreciate what is going on. Almost 2 hours is pretty long for a horror movie, and I didn't think this one pulled it off.

    There is certainly the have-nots vs haves class dichotomy. But I didn't find it particularly deep or meaningful. I also didn't find these "others" to be particularly menacing or scary. I didn't find it particularly creepy or funny. I didn't think the dialog was that good. The acting - top notch. I thought the others' hoarse voice was annoying. I thought the parody Jason posted (loved it) to be not too far off. I mean the rabbits? Um no. I guess fair rabbits are dirty and creepy. But these looked like an Easter bunny convention.

    As a horror fan, I didn't find Us satisfying, at all. Get Out was a masterpiece on all levels. I tried not to, but I guess I expected much more.

    If you want a great horror movie, great metaphor, fun humor, outstanding acting, and thoroughly enjoyable - See It (2017). Wow.
    If you want diabolical, see Sinister.
    If you want an incredibly well-made film, see The Witch.
    If you want terror, biting, disturbing mood, see The Strangers. (disclaimer, it's a home-invasion slasher, but creates and builds a mood that cuts to your soul)
    If you want disturbing-as-hell low-budget classic, see The Original Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) (no gore, surprisingly. And you have to know the cliches were original at the time) (Warning - very disturbing and stays with you but surprisingly well-acted by some of the villains)
    Best original Score - Halloween
    If you want fun, campy 80's with best one-liners - see A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 - Dream Warriors. (not well-acted (except Englund who is fantastic), but fun).

    Just some of my favorites, but I'm a horror fan. Usually the movies I like are the ones the critics hate.
    Last edited by richardjackson199; 04-05-2019 at 12:11 PM.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Winston-Salem, NC
    Some other horror recommendations if you haven't seen:
    The Others, The Ring, The Descent (Alternate Ending), 28 Days Later (also liked Alternate Ending), and of course Scream, Jaws, and Psycho.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Seattle
    Quote Originally Posted by richardjackson199 View Post
    This is all fair and accurate. Garbage was too strong for a film this ambitious. I just didn't find the movie enjoyable enough the first time to want to see it a second time. But you must see it a second time to fully appreciate what is going on. Almost 2 hours is pretty long for a horror movie, and I didn't think this one pulled it off.

    There is certainly the have-nots vs haves class dichotomy. But I didn't find it particularly deep or meaningful. I also didn't find these "others" to be particularly menacing or scary. I didn't find it particularly creepy or funny. I didn't think the dialog was that good. The acting - top notch. I thought the others' hoarse voice was annoying. I thought the parody Jason posted (loved it) to be not too far off. I mean the rabbits? Um no. I guess fair rabbits are dirty and creepy. But these looked like an Easter bunny convention.

    As a horror fan, I didn't find Us satisfying, at all. Get Out was a masterpiece on all levels. I tried not to, but I guess I expected much more.

    If you want a great horror movie, great metaphor, fun humor, outstanding acting, and thoroughly enjoyable - See It (2017). Wow.
    If you want diabolical, see Sinister.
    If you want an incredibly well-made film, see The Witch.
    If you want terror, biting, disturbing mood, see The Strangers. (disclaimer, it's a home-invasion slasher, but creates and builds a mood that cuts to your soul)
    If you want disturbing-as-hell low-budget classic, see The Original Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) (no gore, surprisingly. And you have to know the cliches were original at the time) (Warning - very disturbing and stays with you but surprisingly well-acted by some of the villains)
    Best original Score - Halloween
    If you want fun, campy 80's with best one-liners - see A Nightmare on Elm Street 3 - Dream Warriors. (not well-acted (except Englund who is fantastic), but fun).

    Just some of my favorites, but I'm a horror fan. Usually the movies I like are the ones the critics hate.
    Based off of your list, it is clear to me we have different opinions of movies. I found IT to be less than compelling and could not stand The Witch. And that's fine! Movies are subjective.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    May 2007
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    Winston-Salem, NC
    Quote Originally Posted by luburch View Post
    Based off of your list, it is clear to me we have different opinions of movies. I found IT to be less than compelling and could not stand The Witch. And that's fine! Movies are subjective.
    Amen to that. Both audience and critics liked Us. I saw it right after the MSU game, trying to think about something else, anything else. I was probably too irritated to enjoy anything.

    And I'm sure I was biased on It. That was the first novel I read as a kid (I thought it was cool to carry around a book >1000 pages). My parents were probably happy to have me read anything if it got me away from the Nintendo, so they condoned my choice. I wasn't expecting much when I saw It, how could it compare to the novel? But the movie did it right with the coming of age portrayal and ultimate depiction of face-your-fears. I liked the kids. I'll be interested to see the second part, but I doubt they can pull it off. But if anybody can, it's Jessica Chastain.

    The Witch crossed some lines that should never be crossed. It requires patience, and had to be watched in a quiet room so that I could understand what they were saying. But after it was over, I thought it was outstanding.

    And one last recommendation I'll put in this thread since I loved the eerie mood, cinematography, and driving score. The acting - Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, and Josh Brolin at their finest. It's not a horror movie at all, but well-acted Mexican drug cartel movie: I loved Sicario.

    But YMMV. This is all from a guy who one of my favorite horror movies is Hellraiser!
    Last edited by richardjackson199; 04-05-2019 at 01:18 PM.

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