Mondo will release an Us poster by Francesco Francavilla tomorrow, August 18, at 12pm EST. Expected to ship in January, the 24x36 screen print is limited to 275 and costs $60.

#31

Us (2019) dir. Jordan Peele

Us (2019) Posters

US

2019

I Just Think They're Black 🤷🏾‍♀️

Ever After High (Edited, because I came across another)

Let’s talk about it. Once again, I do not go here. Idk if my baby sister ever watched this, but in passing, while curating this page, of course I stumbled across it, and noticed a few of them girls was looking a little bit of color, so here we are again.

Briar Beauty: I know that looks like a redhead white girl, but it’s the daughter of Sleeping Beauty and for me, that calls to mind Audrey Rose. 

Hated Descendants, but I’m rooting for everybody Black, so Audrey had a Black granny, got some Black in her, and I’m claiming Briar Beauty too. I even got y’all a Briar Beauty face claim:  Ruth Righi. Though I will admit, I got the idea from this post, upon realizing this is Sleeping Beauty’s daughter, I immediately was on board. I picked all teenagers for the FCs.

Cedar Wood: Kyliegh Curran

Jillian Beanstalk: Priah Ferguson

Justine Dancer: Shahadi Wright Joseph

Nina Thumbell: Kayden Grace Swan

Ginger Breadhouse: Lexi Underwood 

Note to self. You need to put some Lexi Underwood on this page.

Us (2019)

Us (2019)

As audiences become increasingly concerned with details rather than the artistry and emotional impact of stories, I wonder how Us will fare in the long run. When everything is laid out on the table, there’s a bunch of stuff here that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense but you’d be wrong to dismiss a sci-fi horror film for not adhering to the rules or reality. Instead, focus on the ideas within, the tension it generates and the excellent performances.

Years ago, Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) encountered a doppelgänger of herself in a funhouse hall of mirrors. In present-day, she and her family - husband Gabe (Winston Duke), daughter Zora (Shahadi Wright) and son Jason (Evan Alex) - return to the same beach and are attacked by the same woman. This time, “Red” (also played by Nyong'o) is accompanied by doubles of the entire family. They think like their counterparts and are determined to shed blood.

This is a frightening film but the chills you get come from just how… strange of a scenario this is. The Wilson family duplicates are deranged parodies with a dark twist. Gabe is a bit of a weenie; when he tries to intimidate the intruders from a distance, you can tell he doesn’t even believe in his own ability to frighten. By contrast, “Abraham” is a hulking, silent brute. Jason’s duplicate is the hideously burned and animal-like "Pluto", a vision of what might’ve happened to the boy if he managed to get that lighter he keeps playing with working. The most striking of the “Tethered” by far is Red, who is so unsettling, so like Adelaide but so unlike her, you hardly believe they’re played by the same actress. When the Tethered and their eerie appearances are combined with the home invasion-like plot, it gets scary. Their uniforms - a red jumpsuit combined with a single glove on the right hand - and the weapons they wield - pairs of scissors - combined with the numbers and visual motifs that keep popping up make it seem as though a gate to some other realm has been opened, or a prophecy fulfilled. Even before they show up, you feel something ominous coming.

Writer/director Jordan Peele once again shows an awareness uncommon in horror filmmakers. His characters are smart and resourceful. When under attack, they grab weapons, they band together, they work to ensure their survival. You like them. You want the family to survive. The mystery of what exactly is happening is made further engaging by the filmmaking. Some jaw-droppingly stylish sequences make great use of music, particularly towards the end. There's also just a bit of humor mixed in to break the tension when necessary.

The first time I saw Us, I couldn’t put my finger on what it all meant. Clearly, Peele wants to say something… but what? This time, I think I’ve got it. Even before reading his explanation, I saw the film as a commentary on class and circumstances. Red and Adelaide are essentially the same person. It just happens that one was born along with the Tethered, where there are no opportunities. These people survive on the bare minimum, while those above live in comparative luxury. Then, there’s more. See, it’s revealed (in a twist that’s not all that hard to decipher) that years ago, Red and Adelaide switched places. It proves the Tethered could be “rehabilitated” and live normal lives. There is room for everyone to be happy… except no one even considers it an option. When the real Adelaide comes back to the surface, it isn’t to tell the world what her adopted people have been suffering through; it’s to kill. You could see this as a sign that our way of living needs to be smashed - at the end of the film, the Tethered are seen “ruling the world” in harmony. Then again, at what cost was this victory? When Jason uses his influence upon his duplicate to burn him to death, everyone is distraught, and that’s to say nothing of all the other people who died. There’s a lot to read in there, so does it matter that the hows and whys of an entire country’s population living underground after a failed experiment raises a lot of questions? Not in the grand scheme of things.

Us is a strange film. Its meaning is hard to decipher at first. Even when all the cards are laid out, you could easily get lost in the mechanics of its scenario. What matters is what the film does well, which is a lot. The performances are chilling, the visuals striking and as a whole, the picture is unforgettable. The tension is like two hands gripped around your throat, which gives it a lot of re-watch value. (October 15, 2021)

I finished Us this morning, my least favorite Peele film going into this rewatch. I enjoyed it more this time; knowing the twist that comes at the end made "good" Lupita Nyong'o much more interesting to watch. Her performance as Red continues to be the most captivating part of the movie, but I was able to appreciate other performances more on this watch. The film's main drawback in comparison to the other two: no Daniel Kaluuya. But I don't know where they would have put him because Winston Duke is perfect as Gabe, and I can't imagine anyone else playing him. He and Shahadi Wright Joseph made a hilarious comedy duo and kept the movie from being too scary, which I appreciated. I also love that Elisabeth Moss got to play a completely and delightfully demented character for once. Good for her!

I've started Nope now, and I'm already kind of in love with both Haywood siblings. Can't wait to finish all three and have more comparative thoughts!

Us (2019) dir. Jordan Peele

202 - Us

Few filmmaking ascents have been as exciting and heralded as Jordan Peele’s with the arrival of Get Out in 2017. After creating lasting cultural importance and winning the Best Original Screenplay Oscar, Peele’s follow-up was one of the most eagerly awaited films before it was even announced. And in early 2019, the follow-up would be Us, a sci-fi/horror film with American societal divides on its mind and a daring performance by Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o at its center. The film was an equal box office success to Peele’s debut, though it received a less unanimous response in terms of how well he pulls off its metaphors. What kept the film in awards discussion was Nyong’o performance, including SAG and Critics’ Choice nominations, but missing out on the Oscar lineup.

This episode, we discuss our feverish anticipation of Jordan Peele’s upcoming Nope and unpack the layers of Us’ allegory. We also look at the brilliant and less recognized performances from Winston Duke and Elisabeth Moss, the 2017 Oscars where Get Out faced stiff competition, and the 2019 Best Actress race.

Topics also include supposed genre bias against other actresses, critics groups as awards influencers, and our 2019 Best Actress ballots.

Links:

The 2019 Oscar nominations

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Us (2019)

Endless List of My Favorite Movies

Us (2019)

Us (Jordan Peele, 2019)

THEM - Recensione della prima stagione

Nella giornata di ieri su Amazon Prime Video è arrivata la seconda stagione di Them, la serie antologica horror creata da Little Marvin. Per l'occasione, eccovi la recensione sulla prima e inquietantissima stagione.

RECENSIONE STAGIONE 1