Movies
Jordan Peele's latest is his best to date. Maybe it's because he finally abandoned the horror genre, or maybe he's become just a bit more confident as a director, but this mix of mystery, sci-fi, and self-aware comedy was a lot tighter than his previous films. Nope is the first Peele I thoroughly enjoyed. OJ helps out his dad on their ranch, where they train horses to be used in Hollywood productions. One day a freak accident kills his father and all the weight lands on OJ's shoulders. When his sister comes to visit the strange events start anew, and OJ confesses that he might have seen a UFO circling above. There are some nifty ideas and cool designs that help the film stand out, but it's Peele's peculiar and focused direction that set it apart from other alien invasion flicks. The length never got in the way and the mystery is maintained until pretty late in the film. Also, the comedic moments worked well for a change. Better than expected.Read all
Not bad, but after two films it's becoming increasingly clear that Peele isn't very good as a horror director. He's a fine writer, he has interested ideas and he's pretty funny, but building up tension really isn't his strong point. There are some fine scenes, the mystery is intriguing, but I never reached the edge of my seat.
