NO SPOILERS.
For a while now, I’ve said that I won’t see Jordan Peele’s Us. It’s not that I’m avoiding supporting Jordan Peele or Lupita Nyong’o, it’s just I’m a massive scaredy cat. I absolutely know in my soul that if I see Us, I will have nightmares for weeks, if not months, if not years. Forget nightmares, I probably won’t even be able to go to sleep for weeks. But… as the excellent reviews pile up (95% on Rotten Tomatoes) and everyone talks about how Lupita needs another Oscar, I’m starting to wonder if maybe I should see it? I don’t know.
Jordan Peele has been doing wardrobe homages to horror films throughout the press tour too – he’s worn a Freddie Kruger scarf, and he homaged Jack Torrance in The Shining. Jordan is next-level. I’m so happy for him that he didn’t have a “sophomore slump.”
Jordan Peele out here literally dressed as Jack Torrance. pic.twitter.com/TD5D9J2n3E
— a common dog name (@MaxCorn) March 20, 2019
Here’s something that I seriously didn’t realize – Us is Lupita’s FIRST lead role. She won her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for 12 Years a Slave, a film that came out in 2013. People slept on Lupita for SIX YEARS. I mean, they offered her movies and she took some interesting work, but this is the first time she’s played a lead role. Ever. In her career. So yes, people are saying “Lupita needs another damn Oscar.” Will Lupita get another Oscar, this time for a horror film?? I don’t know, I HAVEN’T SEEN IT. Should I? How scared will I be, peeps?
give lupita her damn things. whew. an actress.
— DAWN (@DawnRichard) March 22, 2019
We just saw #UsMovie . It was phenomenal. It’s one of those movies you have to watch to the very end. @Lupita_Nyongo deserves multiple award nominations for this role. She “kilt” it
✂️— Tariq Nasheed 🇺🇸 (@tariqnasheed) March 22, 2019
Give Lupita her THINGS for #UsMovie
— Ira Madison III (@ira) March 20, 2019
I hope every director who failed to put Lupita in a starring role before this feels like an entire dick. This was an all time great performance
— David Dennis Jr. (@DavidDTSS) March 22, 2019
Best feeling is watching a movie and having no idea what to expect at any given moment but knowing you can fully trust the hands you're in. That's #UsMovie. I don't say this lightly, it's a masterpiece. Scary, funny, deeply powerful. Lupita Nyong'o may have just won an Oscar. pic.twitter.com/kUVwhOpzk3
— John Squires (@FreddyInSpace) March 22, 2019
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
Looks like a great film, but I too am chicken. Best way to handle a horror movie? Lights on, streaming at home. That way you can take a break when it’s too intense.
Yup. The only way I watch horror, too. I love reading it, I’ve been reading horror since ’77, but I cannot bring myself to watch it, alone or in a group.
I hope she does get an Oscar nomination. But I’m still bitter Toni Collette was utterly snubbed for Hereditary. The academy has no respect for women in horror.
“The academy has no respect for women in horror.”
So true. They’re just dismissed as Scream Queens and the skill that it takes to make horror heroines or antiheroines so memorable and affecting is ignored.
Not a masterpiece?!? I’m the same, I haven’t watched a horror movie since “The Ring” and I plan on keeping it that way. But I’ll be sad to miss this one.
I love scary movies but this one seems extra scary, I’m too scared to watch its previews
I’m too chicken too. I want to support it, but I don’t think I can sit through it!
I was going to say she was the lead in Queen of Katwe (which was so good) but I guess she was technically a supporting actor in that. Glad she’s getting rave reviews!
Really enjoyed that movie -twice- and she was so good in it.
If you go see it in theatres, know that there is lots of humour as well
Lupita has a face that could launch 1,000 ships.
Yes! I could stare at her forever. Just gorgeous!
She is so beautiful and her outfits here are just…wow. She rarely gets it wrong but I LOVE the vibe in these photos. Perfect styling, too. Her skin looks always looks like velvet and is the perfect canvas for bright, bold colors. She’s not just beautiful and talented, she is a style icon.
+1000 she is talented. Beautiful. (But I can’t stomach horror)
That first dress wow! Lupita knows her fashion, she looks so good. There was a gorgeous cover recently just her face. Girlcrush.
Will she get an Oscar? Who cares… she is a superstar. I already forgot who won this year and i tend to remember things…
I read the full plot on wikipedia and still had issues sleeping…. that being said, I do really want to see it. Lupita Nyong’o is incredible, she can do anything.
On Twitter, there is a video of her walking out the studio before this pic is taken. It is EVERYTHING a superstar. The walk.the spin
The handing of coat to aasisstant..
Kaiser: I saw ‘Us’ during an early press viewing last week & while I am not typically a scaredy cat, it stayed with me. IMO, it’s a damn good thriller but it makes you think so much…..& the psychological parts are what may well bother you the most. Just my 2 cents. Great movie, though!
Agree. If you go into it expecting a psychological thriller rather than a straight up horror you will not be disappointed. It makes you think rather than scream, so to speak.
Spoiler-free review coming up…
I’ve seen it – it’s out where I live. It’s super unsettling (so, so, so very unsettling) and has a few jump scares and a fair bit of gore (usually hazy, but a couple of times graphically). I didn’t like it as much as Get Out – I felt there was something a bit untidy? unfinished? about it, as if there were so many ideas buzzing that it was difficult to distil them into a cohesive whole. I was waiting for a bit more of a resolution or a goosebump-inducing *something* but although it was super unsettling it wasn’t as flat out scary as I had been led to believe from the trailers (maybe the trailers did it a slight diservice in that regard). The visuals are arresting – and maybe one thing that lacked is that it’s a bit style over substance: some of the imagery is so good that the story just can’t keep up with it. I think it may lack a bit of the x-factor that Get Out had, but that’s just my own opinion. It’s a good film but I wish it had been great.
Lupita is incredible in it though – just really, really good – as are pretty much the entire cast. The kids are particularly great too.
I like your review a lot and think it is pretty accurate. I thought it was good and not great and the difference is that “Get Out” was both fully formed in its ideas and its commentary whereas Us is more ambitious, messier, and it seems like Peele is still grappling with the ideas himself. With Get Out he knew exactly what he was trying to say. It does stay with you though. I am still thinking about it.
However, I very much enjoyed the humour, performances, the visuals, and even the messy themes. It is so great to be able to see a filmmaker like Peele!
Yes! I’d rather he be over-ambitious and make a few fuzzier features than be under-ambitious and limit his scope even if the films would be more “formed”.
I’ve been looking forward to seeing this movie since December and I’m not that big of a horror movie fan but I am a fan of Jordan Peele. Lupita looks amazing in this movie from what I’ve seen. Do actors in horror movies usually get nominated for Oscar’s? If so it looks like she definitely needs a nomination.
I mean @Kaiser, how easily frightened are you? The movie is scary but more suspenseful in my opinion. And you will for sure appreciate the humour bit.
I really liked it although I think it is messier and more ambitious than Get Out- take that as you will.
Ummmm Lupita is so so great in it though. Like her performance is hella good. Also, Winston Duke should be in more things.
I’m very easily frightened when things are straight horror or jump-scary & ghostly/supernatural. Like, I can watch gory stuff & psychological thrillers and not be scared at all. But stuff like The Conjuring or any of those Annabelle movies are just a big NOPE
I scare easily as well so I’m hesitant to see it. I watched “Bird Box” on Netflix and difficulty sleeping that night. However I read the spoilers article and man it sounds sooo good! Reading that made me wanna see it but I am way scared!
I hope this film exceeds all box office expectations and make filmmakers regret not putting Lupita Nyong’o in a lead role.
Is this closer to The Quiet Place than to Saw? It sounds like it since people are saying it is not straight up horror, but I am also on the fence about seeing it. I loved a Quiet Place and Bird Box, but I will not sit through a Saw movie
I really want to support this, but the posters alone creep me out (scissors and bunny rabbits!) Maybe I’ll watch it on the TV later where I can get up and run away for the scariest bits.
I want to see it but my husband and friends are chickens!
I will go with you Joy! All my peeps are chickens too!
Looking forward to seeing this. Lupita is really killing it lately. She’s so gorgeous & a lovely woman. Hope more studios realise her talent & give her more leading roles. Love her!
Halle Berry is the only black actress to have won an Oscar it was in 2002 and in addition to the fact that the academy hates to recognize thrillers and horrors films. She will have a chances to be horribly snubbed.Personally it’s been so long that I’m waiting for a black, Asian, Hispanic or Indian actress to will winning the oscar for Best Actress.
I think we all know why she’s never had a lead role until now, unfortunately, but it’s a shame because she’s a legitimate talent. Stunning woman, both in her appearance and general mien.
This one is going to have to wait until it hits home video for me. I am a total wimp when it comes to scary movies. I’ll be watching behind a pillow at my house and whispering “nooooooooo” when the worst scenes come up.
I stopped doing horror films after Nightmare on Elm Street. This looks so scary. Can’t do it! Not even for Lupita.
So glad to read these comments and realize I’m not the only scaredy cat. My husband and son went to the theatre to see Us and tried to get me to go with them. No way…I don’t do horror movies. They told me that Us is just a straight up horror movie and not to compare it to Get Out cause they’re two different types of movies.
Opuleeeence! You… own… everything!
Saw it last night and it was really good. The performances are excellent, particularly Lupita. She was fantastic.
Similarly to Get Out, it stays with you long after the credits. It’s so densely layered that you keep rolling it around and unfolding it in your mind.
Going to see it tomorrow night. Can’t wait!!!
First leading role?
What about queen of katwe?
The movie is a thriller and a kind of mind F. The end made no sense but I liked it.
The academy doesn’t care about horror, ask Toni Collette
No horror movies for me! I think the last one I saw was Psycho, when I was in college. I just do not have the temperament. No blood and guts, thanks!
Why do you care about awards that are mostly decided by old white men?
The movie is not scary folks. It plays more like a sci-fi movie with elements of gore.
It stumbles a bit in the final act but is an otherwise enjoyable, interesting, and thought provoking film. Like Get Out, I imagine it will mean different things to different folks and that it will be dissected and debated for months to come.
I love Lupita but I don’t think hers was even the best performance in the movie.
ETA: Agreed on the comment above.