Get Out

Jordan Peele's strong directorial debut got well deserved Oscar attention, as it's unique, intelligent, and often times subtle storytelling made for a well layered, suspenseful film experience.

It is hard to say one actor out of the supporting roles stuck out as they all performed so well, but Daniel Kaluuya in the lead role as Chris was superb. His usage of facial expression and body language played so well to his character, and in a movie with plenty of good qualities about it he shines.

Jordan Peele also uses a lot of subtle imagery that contributes well to the themes and tone of his story, which is notably impressive especially for a first time director and make for rewarding second, third and maybe even more repeat viewings.

This movie is not without faults however, as there is a handful of times where characters inexplicably act strange seemingly just for the audience, and like most horror movies coming out recently it has it's pointless, shrill music stabs to emphasize a silly jump scare.

Despite it's faults, I would still highly recommend this one to anyone looking for an intriguing story.

I decided to see this film at the theater after hearing some of the hype (which was basically that it is an excellent horror film that is told from the perspective of a black man).

Well, I can see this would be truly the worst nightmare of a black man (and really the worst nightmare for us all). This is NOT a film that tries to make the viewer feel "sorry" for black people, nor is it at all preachy, but it is just a good old fashioned horror film with a fresh new setting. I'm an old white guy by the way.

The acting is wonderful, and directing is amazing. The film, while mostly horror, is actually completely hilarious in some parts, making it the funniest AND scariest movie I have seen in ages (no easy feat). It is a shame that the film will likely not be regarded in the company of Academy Award potential nominees, because the directing and acting is honestly Oscar worthy. Again, no small feat for a horror movie that is also funny.

In summary, this is a MUST SEE at the theater and one of the best films of the year. It is a fun ride that is very well done!

Get Out is an intense, unnerving movie that keeps you on the edge of the seat --- only if you are satisfied with an adrenal rush and not looking for any depth in the characters or the story. It's a great production done with superb acting, music and visual arrangement, but as a movie about racism it just doesn't go beyond.

It starts with the romance between Rosie and Chris, the sweet white girlfriend and the talented African-American photographer, where Rosie asks Chris to spend a weekend at her posh parents' country house. It's just a weekend, but as things get awry, it escalates to be a matter of life or death. The backdrop can be easily taken as a trope for racial relations/tension in America, but contrary to what Peele the director aspired to do, this movie just couldn't provoke any discussion or shed light on the touchy issues. To have the guests "locked up" in a grandiose house with two distinct camps of the white and the black is also a scene that occurs in Tarantino's Django Unchained. While Django Unchained uses a fictional story to unveil the cruelty and injustice of black slavery, Get Out feels more like a sorcerer's tale that manages to carry the label of racism because the victim happens to be a black. The characters are diabolical and psychotic, but they are also flat and uninspiring. They might carry a secret agenda, but it just makes them look like an underground cult group who somehow has a bit of a supernatural power – it must be because some of the things they do are scientifically impossible, e.g. the surgery scene. Their persona and the things that they can physically do – hypnosis by the mother and surgeries by the father – are just not representative at all. They do not carry any association to racists or the xenophobic. In fact, they are also kind of dumb to have that kind of video conferencing set-up in the room where the victim gets to talk to the perpetrator. It works well if the movie wants to create suspense or terror by paying tribute to the horror classic Saw, but again, it doesn't add any depth to an intellectual reflection on racism.

Some people comment that the film commits dogmatic stereotypes. I think the only stereotype used here is that the black and the white are by default at war with each other. Yet, it's used more as a convenient trick to shove the audience into this them-versus-us mentality so we get as suspicious as Chris. The horror is real, the acting is fantastic and does send the chill off your spine, but it doesn't stimulate your thinking or perpetuate any racial prejudices. If this movie is played in a virtual reality movie house, it's top notch; but if it attempts to be meaningful, it is not.

I'll say right off the bat, I didn't really know who Jordan Peele was coming into this movie. I knew he had a show with Keegan-Michael Key and was a comedian of sorts. What I didn't know was that hiding underneath all that was a genuine fan of classic horror just waiting to get out.

Get Out surprised me for a number of reasons. The first is it kept me wondering what exactly was going on. There was just enough there to build atmosphere and tension without giving away the surprise. And it was delivered with such skill and care that It truly unfolded masterfully. You know something is wrong. You know something is up. But you can't quite figure out what it is.

And secondly this was the work of a first time director. It's rare that you get a movie written and directed by the same person on their first attempt and they manage to hit it out of the park.

And lastly, it gave us something new. This is possibly the best aspect because I am sick to death of cookie cutter horror movies. People nowadays have forgotten that horror doesn't just mean blood and guts. Before directors had to create tension and atmosphere by building the plot and unraveling the story slowly. It's refreshing to see this done with such care.

Is it a perfect movie? No it isn't, but it's damn good especially if you're in the mood for a good psychological thriller with horror overtones.

A unique and effective blend of horror film and social commentary if there ever was one! Young, modest black photographer Chris Washington is understandably nervous about going to spend the weekend with the parents of his sweet white girlfriend Rose Armitage, who for reasons totally unbeknownst to him has yet to tell her parents that he's black. They set out on their trip and...well the rest is really left for the viewer to discover. Writer-director Jordan Peele shows his master craftsmanship by taking this simple premise and expanding it in many different directions, also incorporating elements of racism, comedy, shock and awe, and wisely never taking things too seriously. The climax is a bit formulaic and over-the-top, but the journey is effectively unnerving and features much stronger acting than you would expect for a film of this genre. Not for everyone, but refreshingly unconventional and worth the viewing experience. ***