Nope (2022)
Country: US/JAP/CAN
Technical: col/2.20:1 130m
Director: Jordan Peele
Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea, Michael Wincott
Synopsis:
A Californian horse ranch exploits its links with the film industry when an extraterrestrial presence that has been hovering overhead for weeks decides to move in for closer encounters.
Review:
This extraordinary concoction, part Sci-Fi/Horror, part Western, attempts to stake a claim for black Americans in the blockbuster business. Business-wise it paid off, with the production recouping two-thirds of its costs in the opening weekend, but artistically is another matter. For a start it is far too long for a story whose raison d'être appears to be obtaining a money shot for commercial exploitation; at least that appears to be the principal motivation, though saving the world does get name checked somewhere. A lot of the dialogue is unintelligible to non-black Americans, and the film goes for off-the-wall weirdness à la Under the Skin, including a prologue with a psychotic chimpanzee which has little narrative function. It does eventually build to a handsomely realised duel in the sun between one man, his horse and a flying saucer (not to spoil it completely), and you'll probably never look at an inflatable tube guy in the same way ever again.
Country: US/JAP/CAN
Technical: col/2.20:1 130m
Director: Jordan Peele
Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea, Michael Wincott
Synopsis:
A Californian horse ranch exploits its links with the film industry when an extraterrestrial presence that has been hovering overhead for weeks decides to move in for closer encounters.
Review:
This extraordinary concoction, part Sci-Fi/Horror, part Western, attempts to stake a claim for black Americans in the blockbuster business. Business-wise it paid off, with the production recouping two-thirds of its costs in the opening weekend, but artistically is another matter. For a start it is far too long for a story whose raison d'être appears to be obtaining a money shot for commercial exploitation; at least that appears to be the principal motivation, though saving the world does get name checked somewhere. A lot of the dialogue is unintelligible to non-black Americans, and the film goes for off-the-wall weirdness à la Under the Skin, including a prologue with a psychotic chimpanzee which has little narrative function. It does eventually build to a handsomely realised duel in the sun between one man, his horse and a flying saucer (not to spoil it completely), and you'll probably never look at an inflatable tube guy in the same way ever again.
Country: US/JAP/CAN
Technical: col/2.20:1 130m
Director: Jordan Peele
Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Brandon Perea, Michael Wincott
Synopsis:
A Californian horse ranch exploits its links with the film industry when an extraterrestrial presence that has been hovering overhead for weeks decides to move in for closer encounters.
Review:
This extraordinary concoction, part Sci-Fi/Horror, part Western, attempts to stake a claim for black Americans in the blockbuster business. Business-wise it paid off, with the production recouping two-thirds of its costs in the opening weekend, but artistically is another matter. For a start it is far too long for a story whose raison d'être appears to be obtaining a money shot for commercial exploitation; at least that appears to be the principal motivation, though saving the world does get name checked somewhere. A lot of the dialogue is unintelligible to non-black Americans, and the film goes for off-the-wall weirdness à la Under the Skin, including a prologue with a psychotic chimpanzee which has little narrative function. It does eventually build to a handsomely realised duel in the sun between one man, his horse and a flying saucer (not to spoil it completely), and you'll probably never look at an inflatable tube guy in the same way ever again.