Yup.

(Oops, I’ve actually been enjoying watching movies and reading books instead of worrying about reviewing them. So here’s a two weeks late irrelevant opinion, and here’s to the other nine films I have backed up on a list to catalog. Honestly, I’m just happy I liked it. Cheers.) 

I had already drank half my large soda as I eagerly hypothesized how Jordan Peele was going to translate his trademark twisted style of horror and race to aliens. I would like to say I’m a soda half full kind of guy, but the reality is that all I see is half my Sprite is gone. This pessimistic pattern has me worried that Peele is going to serve me a dissatisfying meal or, worse, a predictable one. 

When Nope’s trailer dropped back in February, preconceived notions and lack of imagination led to a story of aliens being an allegory for race or that we Homo Sapiens are in fact (duhn, duhn, duhn) the terrible little gray men floating in space. That all seemed too simple. I wanted something unexpected. I should’ve known better based on my theater reaction to Us that it was going to be delivered. I was a fool to pigeonhole a director. 

Nope lands in calling back to the grand scope of past cinematic adventures rather than the simply grand scale I see in contemporary movies. Nope is about the collision of old and new, like a horse and an electric motorcycle. This is more of a commentary on film and the state of it than anything about race. Of course, all artists bring their experience into their work; that’s where the characters come in. Nope is for someone who doesn’t see themselves fully in classic movie fun. Even the use of genres comments on itself. I should’ve known it was a western all along.

Jordan Peele might try a little too hard in his love of movies, but I shamelessly like that. It’s a little off-putting, but this might be due to his rocketed status. I think he’s shaking it off and I’m excited for his new Damn, you’re so close. Jordan Peele just does it already and makes something transcendent. Nope isn’t a masterpiece at the moment, but looking back from my, hopefully if I or theaters don’t die, cinematic future, Nope could grow into something important in Peele’s filmography and movie history.