Tag Archives: Winston Duke

2019 Films, Elisabeth Moss, Horror, Jordan Peele, Lupita Nyong'o, Shahadi Wright Joseph, Tim Heidecker, Winston Duke, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Us-2019

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Us-2019

Director Jordan Peele

Starring Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke

Scott’s Review #882

Reviewed April 1, 2019

Grade: A

Hot on the heels of his critically acclaimed and shockingly Oscar-nominated horror film Get Out (2017), Jordan Peele does it again with an even more thought-provoking creation.

Us (2019) combines classic horror elements with macabre and insightful qualities, crafting an ambitious project that can be dissected and discussed at length following the climactic and psychologically perplexing ending.

One thing is for sure: Peele has earned his spot among the most influential and elite directors circling Hollywood.

The film begins in 1986 as an event entitled “Hands Across America,” a publicity campaign encouraging people to hold hands to create a human chain to fight hunger and poverty, gripped the United States.

Nine-year-old Adelaide Thomas goes on vacation to Santa Cruz, California, with her parents, only to wander off into a deserted house of mirrors.

When she meets her doppelganger, she is terrified beyond comprehension and requires therapy to resume an everyday life.

Events return to the present day as Adelaide (now played by Lupita Nyong’o) is married to Gabe Wilson (Winston Duke) with two young children, Zora and Jason. Coaxed into a weekend getaway to none other than Santa Cruz to visit their wealthy friends Josh and Kitty Tyler (Tim Heidecker and Elisabeth Moss), Adelaide is apprehensive about the trip with a dreading sensation that her doppelganger is returning to get her.

When a strange family dressed in red jumpsuits appears on Wilson’s driveway, the plot transforms in a bizarre direction, especially since the family looks precisely like the Wilsons.

Us is exceptionally layered and reminiscent of the expression “peeling back the onion” in analysis and discussion possibilities. For starters, a character thought to be one person is revealed to be another, causing the audience to spin into confusion and not know who they were rooting for or against all along.

The astounding questions are endless and, in Peele’s brilliant fashion, can be asked at different times during the film. Why do the doppelgangers exist? What do they want? What does Hands Across America have to do with anything? What do the rabbits symbolize?

One gruesome scene and a favorite is the barbaric scene when the Tylers are suddenly attacked by their doppelgangers, home invasion style.

Reminiscent of the infamous Charles Manson murders, the family is slain quickly and mercilessly as the audience is left agape at the brutal slaughter. So much happens in this scene, first and foremost is the realization that there are more doppelgangers than we initially thought.

To lighten the mood a bit, Peele adds morbid comic relief as the family’s voice-controlled Siri system misunderstands the dying victim’s plea to call for police and mistakenly plays “F#@$ the Police” by N.W.A. instead.

Nyong’o has the most opportunities to showcase her acting ability by tackling two very different types of roles. As Adelaide, she is kind, capable, and your typical suburban Mom, but as her doppelganger Red, she is grizzled and desperate with a dry, throaty voice filled with pain and defeat.

At first thought a villain, the audience eventually learns the complexities of Red’s story more clearly, and the Oscar winner delivers both parts with exceptional grace.

The supporting actors bring their characters to life with gusto, with special mention going to Duke and Moss. Duke’s character of Gabe contains inept humor, coming across as slightly incompetent and the typical goofball dad-type character.

Moss takes her one-note character of Kitty, a spoiled, never-made-it-as-an-actress whiner with a wealthy husband, and infuses naughty passion into her doppelganger.

As she playfully applies lipstick while coquettishly watching herself in the mirror, she soon gives the term “plastic surgery” a new definition as she curiously carves her face.

Peele delivers a treasure with Us (2019), and I salivate at the thought that the film is only the novice director’s second attempt. Not suffering from the dreaded sophomore slump, he is becoming a modern director whose works are more like events than mere film releases.

Quentin Tarantino is a director who has also achieved this status because his directorial style is vastly different from that of other directors. I cannot wait to feast on Peele’s next attempt.

2018 Films, Adventure, Alex R. Hibbert, Alexis Louder, Andy Serkis, Angela Bassett, Chadwick Boseman, Danai Gurira, Daniel Kaluuya, Forest Whitaker, Isaach de Bankolé, Lupita Nyong'o, Martin Freeman, Michael B. Jordan, Ryan Coogler, Sebastian Stan, Sterling K. Brown, Super Hero, Winston Duke

Black Panther-2018

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Black Panther-2018

Director Ryan Coogler

Starring Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan

Scott’s Review #805

Reviewed August 23, 2018

Grade: B+

For the record, I am not a huge superhero fan nor an obsessive follower of the popular Marvel comic series. I see a handful of superhero films but hardly any of this particular genre, usually those (if any) receiving year-end recognition.

Having heard many positives regarding Black Panther (2018), I was looking forward to something creative and left of center from the typical genre film.

While the film has some standard superhero elements, the fact that most of the characters are ethnic is an enormous plus and worth the price of admission alone.

Admittedly, Black Panther plays out like a superhero film is “supposed” to play out: fight scenes, machismo, action, and villains, with the standard good versus evil storyline thrown in.

This is all good and will undoubtedly please the traditional Marvel comic book fan. However, the nuances that the screenwriters and director, Ryan Coogler, sneak into the film set it above a mediocre rating.

The fact that nearly all of the principal characters are black is tremendous, and the female black characters are portrayed as strong.

Furthermore, the visual treats of Africa and Korea, and multi-cultural clothing and colors are noteworthy. While I wish the actual story had steered further away from the tried-and-true, I was left happy with the other qualities.

The film begins with a quick story of how one African nation, Wakanda, came to be and proudly brought into existence the first “Black Panther” with superpowers obtained from a special plant.

As the action moves to Oakland, California, circa 1992, we learn that the King of Wakanda is visiting his brother, who works undercover.

Following the King’s death, his son T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) takes over the throne but is soon challenged by his cousin, N’Jadaka (Michael B. Jordan), who deems himself the rightful heir.

Another subplot involves a black-market arms leader named Ulysses Klaue, who leads T’Challa, along with Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o) and Okoye (Danai Gurira), to South Korea and back to Wakanda.

Black Panther feels ambitious, like seeing something worth seeing, something inventive and cool. The film is stylized, and Coogler’s direction is spectacular, with bright, colorful visual treats, especially as he features lavish African locales.

Admittedly, in a mainstream comic book film laden with CGI effects, it is tough to know what is real or not, but as a viewer, these aspects were a treat and pleasing to the eyes.

The plot of the film itself feels admittedly mediocre, tough to follow, and a “been there, done that” evaluation. By the same token, the story seems predictable, and is it any wonder that T’Challa will reclaim the throne as King of Wakanda?

It does not matter too much after the inevitable clashes with warrior-type men who want the throne and/or feel that they are the rightful heir to it.

This is not to say the film is not good—it is, but the plot is not the highlight of Black Panther; it feels fairly standard.

The male-female roles are a fascinating study and progressive-minded. Granted, the male characters (T’Challa, N’Jadaka, and M’Baku) are all testosterone-laden and fierce with machismo.

However, despite being manly men, they also contain some sensitivity, and the characters have a unique family element.

On the other hand, the female characters are powerful and empowering- a dynamic approach for a superhero film sure to be seen by millions. One female character is even an Army General! So the portrayal of women as strong warriors rather than merely secondary or arm candy is impressive.

The comic book or superhero genre is notoriously filled with gender stereotypes and specific, often generic aspects. It is nice to see this work break down some of these barriers.

Between the recent Wonder Woman (2017) and Black Panther (2018), women and the black community have been represented positively.

Here’s to hoping that the LGBT community may be next.

Oscar Nominations: 3 wins- Best Picture, Best Original Score (won), Best Original Song-“All the Stars”, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, Best Production Design (won), Best Costume Design (won)