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https://blackgirlnerds.com/review-harley-quinn-comes-in-swingin-with-a-wild-sexy-cool-season-3/

Holy sanitized curse word! 

Harley Quinn is finally back with its third season and has a new home on HBO Max. The first two seasons of the hit Max Original aired on the now defunct DC Universe platform, premiering in November 2019, with the Season 2 finale in June 2020. Two years is quite a long gap between seasons but the show’s creative team, led by co-showrunners Justin Halpern and Patrick Schumacker (Abbott Elementary), made sure it was worth the wait.   

Season 3 picks up where we left off with Harley Quinn (Kaley Cuoco) and Poison Ivy (Lake Bell) riding into the sunset after Ivy decides not to marry Kite Man (Matt Oberg). The new couple, dubbed “Harlivy,” travel around in Wonder Woman’s invisible plane, bashing heads and living off of the credit card of Commissioner Gordon (Christopher Meloni). Taking a break from their Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour, Harley and Ivy return to Gotham to bust King Shark (Ron Funches) and Clayface (Alan Tudyk) out of Arkham. The crew reassembles, including the uproarious Frank the Plant (J. B. Smoove), and goes right back to planning more capers. But this season, Ivy is the evil mastermind, and her diabolical plan is to terraform Gotham City. 

Harley hypes up her woman every chance she gets, encouraging Ivy to embrace her inner baddie and create the Eden paradise of her dreams. But they also go through the typical ups and downs in any relationship, and Harley struggles with her own identity as a villain. For anyone concerned that Harlivy will fall victim to the break-up/make-up trope, don’t worry. Halpern and Schumacker shared in an Instagram Live AMA that there won’t be any question of, “Are they gonna break up? Are they gonna stay together?” because the writer-creators want to “see them together as a couple.” As do we! 

The first season focused on the end of Harley’s historically toxic and abusive relationship with the Joker (Alan Tudyk) and her journey to establish herself as her own person, while Season 2 followed her growing romance with her plant goddess bestie. Now that Harley and Ivy are BFF-GFFs, the story very much focuses on them as Gotham’s new power couple, particularly how they make it work with their differing personalities — the codependent, emotionally intense Harley and the closed-off, humanity-averse Ivy. The road to their romance was messy and chaotic, so naturally, their relationship would be the same, except now there’s tons of bangin’.

Harlivy isn’t the only romance this season, though. We also see the rocky relationship of Batman/Bruce Wayne (Diedrich Bader) and Catwoman/Selina Kyle (Sanaa Lathan), sans the infamously axed oral sex scene. Introduced last season, Lathan’s sultry and witty Catwoman is the perfect combination of Eartha Kitt and Michelle Pfeiffer. Bader doesn’t get enough credit for his Batman/Bruce Wayne, though the show may not depict him as the skilled detective we know and love. One episode has Harley and company, with the help of former crew member Dr. Psycho (Tony Hale), entering his mind, an interesting place to say the least. The series has paid homage to Batman: The Animated Series since the beginning, but this particular episode takes it further with the style and music. 

Joker gets a “stand-alone-ish” episode, where we see the former Clown Prince of Crime’s suburban life with his new family. A domesticated Joker may sound boring, but seeing him struggle with mundane things like helping his step-son with common core math is anything but. As seen in the trailers, he dons the red and green colors of Joaquin Phoenix’s version, even doing the now iconic dance down the stairs. I won’t spoil anything, but just know that the catchy tune accompanying the scene is filled with references to the character’s many incarnations. (And speaking of music, there’s a completely unexpected Sum41 reference that this reviewer greatly appreciated.)

One of the subplots this season follows Gordon’s mayoral campaign, led disastrously by Two-Face (Andy Daly). He seems a little less desperate for Batman’s attention but is still plenty obsessed with calling the Dark Knight his best friend and capturing Harley and Ivy. And with Joker as his running mate, old Gordo’s not doing so hot. As Joker states, “I’m both a maniacal force of nature and want universal health care, so I’m running for mayor!” Who can compete with that?

Other supporting characters return in varying degrees of prominence, like Riddler (Jim Rash), Nora Fries (Rachel Dratch), Tawny (Tisha Campbell), Alfred Pennyworth (Tom Hollander), and the lovable Kite Man. In April, it was announced that Kite Man is getting his own spinoff series, Noonan’s (working title), focusing on his purchase of Gotham’s seedy dive bar and his new girlfriend Golden Glider, who also makes an appearance in the third episode of Season 3. Several characters in Harley Quinn could easily lead their own spinoffs, like the buffoonish, perceptually vengeful Bane (James Adomian). While there are no plans for a solo show, Bane will also have a big role in the upcoming Kite Man series. 

Season 3 introduces some new DC characters to the show, including Amanda Waller (Tisha Campbell), Swamp Thing (Sam Richardson), and Music Meister (Larry Owens). Like the rest of the talented voice cast, Campbell (who also voices talk show host Tawny), Veep’s Richardson, and Abbott Elementary’s Owens all do an incredible job making the characters their own. Filmmaker James Gunn (The Suicide Squad) makes a cameo as himself, directing a biopic about Thomas Wayne, starring Billy Bob Thornton (Fargo), who also plays himself. Clayface, desperate to be a part of the project, molds himself into a chair just to get in Gunn’s good graces. There’s also the Court of Owls, which turns out to be one big orgy of Gotham’s elite. (But Batman couldn’t go down on Catwoman? Hmm…okay.)

This season welcomes a new member of the bat family — the super serious and totally stable Nightwing/Dick Grayson (Harvey Guillén). The hero returns to Gotham ready to prove himself as Batman’s equal and no longer his sidekick. He butts heads with Batgirl/Barbara Gordon (Briana Cuoco), easily one of the most endearing characters in the series. Guillén, known as Guillermo de la Cruz in What We Do in the Shadows, has a hilarious take on the protector of Blüdhaven. 

Harley Quinn expands its roster of three-dimensional DC A-listers and D-listers and everyone in between, growing its brilliant voice cast, but still focusing on the heart of the show — the wild and sweet relationship of Harley and Ivy. The series stays consistently entertaining while adding more layers to its characters and balancing emotional storytelling with raunchy humor and bloody action. The world of animation offers an almost limitless landscape of possibilities that Halpern and Schumacker skillfully embrace. 

The third season of Harley Quinn debuts with three episodes July 28 on HBO Max, followed by one episode weekly through September 15.

https://blacknerdproblems.com/star-wars-the-phantom-isms/

Hello there. Now that Obi-Wan is out in the world, episodes deep, there are some things we need to discuss. First off, if there’s a new Star Wars property there are probably new characters, shifted canon, callbacks out the wazoo, and something…else. Something nefarious and deeply engrained. Something that has tarnished the once wholesome experience the Star Wars franchise was aglow with. For clarity, the “something” is racist and sexist fanboys with a chokehold on the fandom. The kind who want some change but not enough to like change voter suppression or abortion laws – because they remember how things used to be.

From the casting of only two Black actors (three-named thespians James Earl Jones and Billy Dee Williams) in the OG trilogy main cast to a primarily POC main cast in the last three entries in the Skywalker Saga. From Carrie Fisher’s spunky and sharp Leia as the lone femme to Daisy Ridley and Kelly Marie Tran holding major screentime in several blockbuster films. Despite all of this perceived progress, Ahmed Best (Jar-Jar Binks) considered self-harm, Kelly Marie Tran removed themselves from social media, Daisy Ridley sought therapy, and John Boyega was boycotted. Now, Obi-Wan cast member Moses Ingram is catching death threats in their DMs. While Lucasfilm has stepped the social media support of cast members in recent weeks, they were spectacularly silent about the treatment of Best, Tran, Ridley, and Boyega.

How, in a world with Rodians, Twi’leks, Wookies, and hundreds of other fictional but ‘alien’ species does anyone get caught up on the physical appearance of anything in the Star Wars universe? How, in a show like Obi-Wan that aesthetically and thematically references the impact of real-life fascism, do “fans” engage in behavior that reinforces white supremacist fascism? In the wake of the earlier mentioned bullying and the increasing racist backlash, non-white nerds are faced with a wildly absurd question: is this an inevitable part of the Star Wars fandom moving forward? If so, how do we, melanated and marginalized media consumers, move on? Do we abandon the franchise? Which, by extension, abandons the people of color in front of and behind the camera? I’m asking because I am truly at my wit’s end and don’t have an answer.

The reality is, much like the narrative arc of Obi-Wan, we are faced with way more questions about the future of the Star Wars landscape than we are given answers. There are still parts of this fandom where inclusion and diversity reign supreme without sacrificing lore and continuity. The Mandalorian being a prime example, add to that some literary canon from Daniel Jose Older’s Star Wars novels and his run on Marvel’s The High Republic comics. Both of which have all types of DEI gems. Folks from all the imaginary walks of life can be found there, and it’s done with all the swashbuckling panache of the OG extended universe, without the saccharin canon butchering of the Kenobi/Leia dynamic on Obi-Wan.

Don’t get me wrong. Vivian Lyra Blair is doing a great job with the role, but ‘the precocious know-it-all politically savvy beyond her years’ fan service hits a wall quickly. *knocks on fourth wall* We don’t want young Leia throwbacks where she’s doing poorly choreographed parkour in the woods. We want Finn as a Bast-damn Jedi! We want Rose to rise up as a tactical mastermind and replace Leia as the ‘heart’ and general of the rebellion. We want Kit Fisto to not have gone out like a mark ass buster in Revenge of the Sith after seeing him body a whole armada on Mon Calamari in The Clone Wars 2D series! That last one was personal and twenty years in the making, but the point stands. The kinds of diversity and equity true fans want to see in this universe don’t require shifting established canon. There is more than enough galaxy in the world to make new stories, shout out to Taika Waititi who said as much.

“Look, I think for the Star Wars universe to expand, it has to expand… I would like to take something new and create some new characters and just expand the world, otherwise it feels like it’s a very small story.”

Taika Waititi, via TotalFilm

Word throughout the nerd-o-sphere is mixed on the reviews for the Obi-Wan series. On one end, the hype train for the Vader vs. Kenobi lightsaber showdown spectacular was running full steam. The anticipation of a Hayden Christiansen acted Darth Vader coming back to the world that launched him into simultaneous stardom and infamy was electric. You can’t write this powerful of a redemption arc. Mind you, every time Vader was onscreen that deeply tense conflict was front and center. Deborah Chow is a fantastic combat director, and she made the fight choreo look and feel weighty. Even the laser deflections looked like an earned and labored on the elder Kenobi. The play-up of the rebellion was a sentimental connection to the later entries in the chronology, and you really can’t go wrong with casting Indira Varma (who plays Tala).

On the other hand, die-hard fans and sci-fi/fantasy enthusiasts were deeply disappointed with quite a few things. Namely, the things that make little to no sense and cheapen the overall quality of the material. Things like Reva surviving the kind of injury that took Qui-Gon Jinn out the Jedi game. Twice. Who gets lightsaber stabbed twice and walks that off? Things like Leia’s parkour abduction in the woods, or the fact that they’d have even met before A New Hope. Things like Kenobi not being able to lift a bag of chips with the Force, to outdoing Anakin ‘I find your lack of faith disturbing’ Skywalker, after a decade on the bench? Outside of reshaping canon and power-level inconsistencies, the real disappointment comes from the series’ lost potential. Obi-Wan had all the makings of a grittier and pared-down story exploring Kenobi’s character post-Order-66. Since Leia and Kenobi had never met, there was no need for that entire arc to exist. Without all the fluff, what we could have gotten was the Star Wars equivalent of Logan. Just Obi-Wan, his PTSD, and a shared obsession with him and his jilted former padawan. A lean, mean, series with Kenobi hitting the one-arm pushups like Iroh in prison. Staying in touch with the Force on the low like a splinter cell agent. Instead, we got something more family-oriented and far less interesting.

Whatever decision-making processes led to the series we just watched gives the idea the show was undercut by plot holes, awkward direction, and a need to pander to ‘fans.’ The same ‘fans’ have consistently pushed back against the inclusion of anyone that doesn’t fit within their imagination. Lucasfilm apologized, defended Moses Ingrams, made snarky tweets, had costars chime in, and the whole shebang. But if there is always a conflict to engage with just to consume some media, is it really worth it? If it isn’t worth it, where do we go? We know what we want to see, but do they – and can we afford to wait? If we stay to consume, how do we demand what we want to see?

Cover image via StarWars.com

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The post Star Wars Episode Eleven-teen: The Phantom-isms appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.

https://www.thenerdelement.com/2022/07/20/sdcc-announcement-matteo-pizzolo-introduces-rogue-state-at-comic-con/

#SDCC: RIPPED FROM TOMORROW’S HEADLINES, MATTEO PIZZOLO INTRODUCES ROGUE STATE    Announcing a Provocative, New Comic Book Series from Black Mask Studios, Premiering at Comic Con International  LOS ANGELES, CA–What if a contested Presidential election plunged America into turmoil? What if political violence consumed the streets? And what if a raging Supreme Court, in a strict interpretation of the Second Amendment, legitimized and deputized all militias—transforming the entire country into a paramilitary police state? What if a freedom fighter emerged from the chaos, raised a civilian army, and carved out a territory across the United States–pushing out police, militias, and National Guard… enforcing its own laws… sovereign. What if Americans refused to be governed?   This is the world of ROGUE STATE, the new ongoing graphic novel series that marks writer Matteo Pizzolo’s return to comics for his first new series since 2017’s acclaimed CALEXIT, reuniting with artist C. Granda (who illustrated 2018’s CALEXIT: SAN DIEGO comic book that raised funds for families separated at the US-Mexico border) and CALEXIT cover artists Soo Lee and Ashley A Woods. ROGUE STATE will launch this October from Black Mask Studios, the Los Angeles based indie publisher of beloved titles including BLACK, 4 KIDS WALK INTO A BANK, SPACE RIDERS, KIM & KIM, ALICE IN LEATHERLAND, and GODKILLER. Together, Pizzolo and Granda have created a timely title about rebelling against tyranny, reconquering stolen land, punching fascists in the face, and building a better nation. “A big part of building authenticity and depth to the characters and the world of Rogue State comes from C. Granda’s incredible eye for detail and the way he infuses the work with his own experiences and observations,” said Matteo Pizzolo, co-founder of Black Mask Studios and the writer of ROGUE STATE. “Granda grew up in Medellín-Colombia, where he still lives and runs multiple cultural organizations devoted to supporting comic book creation in Latin America. He was a kid during the Palace of Justice siege when insurgents stormed the Supreme Court and left half the Justices dead. When Granda imagines a comic book world roiled by political violence, there’s a reason it feels so vital and lived-in.”   In ROGUE STATE, a crew of young vigilantes will rise against an authoritarian state robbing Americans of their rights. The ongoing series tells the story of Vya Of Brightstars, a mysterious freedom fighter rising from the unrest, and Clara Cruz (she/her), a young professional who becomes activated in Vya’s movement when her fiancée Taylor Sanchez (they/them) is disappeared as militias take over their Mission District neighborhood. As a nationwide police state takes shape following a contested Presidential election and The Supreme Court’s Second Amendment ruling to deputize paramilitary groups, Vya and Clara’s rogue state will blaze a path across America, inspiring others to raise their own armies… some in solidarity, others in opposition. Each issue of ROGUE STATE will also include non-fiction material about building local support networks and grassroots campaigning for coming elections.   “Confronting disinformation with political art has never been more important,” said Brian Giberson, Black Mask’s head of publishing development. “Black Mask Studios has always focused on stories that are adventurous and also have a real message driving them. Starting with OCCUPY COMICS, we published stories about inequity and the struggle for financial justice. Since then, we published stories about gentrification (THE DREGS), LGBTQIA+ self-discovery and found family (ALICE IN LEATHERLAND) and empowered Black superheroes fighting racist plutocrats (BLACK). We’ve partnered with creators to fundraise for Black Lives Matter, legal aid for families separated at the border, comic shops subjected to Covid lockdown mandates, and bail funds during the George Floyd protests. The fact that the comic market continues to support and provide a platform for such brave voices is a striking reminder that comics play a crucial and important role in our social, political, and cultural dialogue.” “This is an amazing and crucial moment in the history of comics. It’s a real renaissance for socially relevant and politically challenging comic books and graphic novels, but at the same time these books are facing more attacks, lawsuits, and bans than they have in a generation,” said Matteo Pizzolo, co-founder of Black Mask Studios and the writer of ROGUE STATE. “Researchers are pointing out the explosion in book banning has been disproportionately impacting graphic novels–and whether it’s Maia Kobabe’s powerful GENDER QUEER, Art Spiegelman’s incredible MAUS, Alison Bechdel’s moving FUN HOME, or Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s piercing V FOR VENDETTA, it’s clear that deeply personal and fearlessly political comics and graphic novels are capturing imaginations across our polarized world. There’s never been a more robust range of comics and graphic novels speaking to the demand for social and political change than right now.”   The first issue of ROGUE STATE will be available from Black Mask Studios in October 2022, with a special preview book available in extremely limited quantities this week at Comic Con International in San Diego. Black Mask’s full slate of exclusives can be found below, and fans can find out more at the company’s panel on Saturday July 24!  Black Mask SDCC exclusives:  – Calexit: Our Last Night In America [Uncut]  (limited to 66 main cover, 25 clean art) An extended version of the FCBD 2021 Calexit story which was edited and had pages cut for FCBD’s T+ format. Exclusive cover by Sunando. – Godkiller: For Those I Love I Will Sacrifice #1 advanced issue  (limited to 66 main cover/25 clean art of a censored cover, and another 66 main cover/25 clean art of an uncensored cover) Complete issue for upcoming series launch. Exclusive cover by Jasmin Darnell. – Godkiller: Tomorrow’s Ashes Collected Edition Hardcover & Softcover  (limited to 200 hardcover/200 softcover) Collected editions in hardcover and softcover with limited edition art by Maria Llovet – Rogue State ashcan (limited to 50) Preview book for upcoming series – Destiny, NY Chapter 1 (limited to 99 of main cover, 25 of clean art) Special edition of Destiny, NY’s first chapter. Exclusive cover by Amancay Nahuelpan (Calexit, Batman: Detective Comics) Black Mask: Debuting Tomorrow’s Legends Saturday July 23, 2022 5-6pm, Rooom 28DE Black Mask has made a name for itself as the hottest launchpad to debut new talent and as the home for some of the coolest, most provocative comics around, including BLACK, Destiny NY, CALEXIT, 4 Kids Walk into a Bank, and Alice In Leatherland. Black Mask co-founder Matteo Pizzolo (CALEXIT) joins creators Kwanza Osajyefo (BLACK), Pat Shand (Destiny NY), Adam Egypt Mortimer (Ballistic), and others for a wide-ranging discussion of how new ideas are changing comics and how you can be a part of it.

ABOUT THE ARTIST: C. Granda is a freelance comic book creator and teacher with more than 20 years of self-study and more than 16 years dedicated to the creation and promotion of comics in his homeland of Medellín-Colombia, where he founded and was the associate director of the National Comic And Manga Hall cultural corporation, and one of the leaders of FICCO (Independent Colombian Comics fair) and the creator of COMICFAN a small press publisher specialized in creating comics for the Colombian market and creating content aimed at the teaching of comic book creation in Latin America including a Youtube channel with more than 250 videos about the making and analysis of comics for and in the Latin Market. He is also an experienced comic book artist with more than 10 years of experience in professional work with several US and UK publishers such as Heavy Metal, Black Mask, Zenescope, Markosia and others, with titles including CALEXIT: SAN DIEGO, PIROUETTE, GRIMM FAIRY TALES, ESCAPE FROM MONSTER ISLAND, THE JUNGLE BOOK, HEROES OF HOME ROOM C, and ARACHNA, as well as handling his own self published titles. Currently Granda lives in Medellín with his wife Cindy and their four cats; Shazam, Mister Darcy, Totoro and Achu.   ABOUT THE WRITER: An Amazon #1 bestselling author, Matteo Pizzolo was named Wired Magazine’s “World’s Most Wired Comics Creator,” one of Bleeding Cool’s Top 100 Most Influential People In Comics, and has appeared on CNN, NPR, and FOX News. While living out of a backpack as a teenager in NYC’s Lower East Side, Pizzolo got his start as a playwright in Hell’s Kitchen’s Ensemble Studio Theatre’s Youngblood program. At 19 he wrote and directed THREAT, an independent feature financed with credit cards and set in NYC’s hardcore punk & underground hip hop scenes, which premiered at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival, won a Best First Time Filmmaker award at the Rome Independent Film Festival, and was distributed by Sony. He then wrote the comic book GODKILLER (selected as one of Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books Of The Year) and directed its animated film adaptation, distributed by Warner Brothers. He wrote the comic books YOUNG TERRORISTS (second only to Lumberjanes as the highest selling indie graphic novel of the year) and CALEXIT (recipient of international acclaim, including a Publishers Weekly starred review), and co-founded Black Mask where he’s championed “subversive, provocative, and just plain awesome comics and creators.” Utilizing his background in political organizing, Pizzolo created the Occupy Comics project and devotes himself to supporting and creating some of the bravest comics on shelves.   ABOUT BLACK MASK STUDIOS: Bringing the punk rock ethic to comics c/o co-founders Brett Gurewitz, Steve Niles, and Matteo Pizzolo, Black Mask supports creators telling awesome and important stories.

The post #SDCC ANNOUNCEMENT: MATTEO PIZZOLO INTRODUCES ‘ROGUE STATE’ AT COMIC CON appeared first on The Nerd Element.

https://blackgirlnerds.com/review-nope-gets-skin-in-the-game/

Nope is the newest feature from horror auteur Jordan Peele. He has a way of exposing the true horror of the everyday and turning it into supernatural concepts. In Get Out, Peele exposed the irony in the old saying: everybody wants to be Black, but nobody wants to be Black. In Us, Peele exposed a forgotten society in a stunning exploration of how all of our sides make us true and complete people. 

Peele managed this all while scaring the living daylights out of his audience. The stunning visuals, haunting scores, precise script, and stellar cast are just some of the things that elevate Peele’s movies past just a popcorn flick. 

The success of his past ventures has made the hype for Nope extremely exciting. We were given just a small premise when a poster was released of a small cloud with a kite-like string hanging from it. Speculation ran wild and there have been panel events and press activations taking you further into the world of Agua Dolce and Jupiter’s Claim. 

While the lead-up to the film was interesting, I wonder if it hurts the film? I’m sure Nope is filled with easter eggs, but on its face, it’s a pretty simple story. 

An old ranch hand is trying to break in his new horse: Ghost. A freak storm occurs, and Otis Haywood (Keith David) is lost. Six months later, we see his son, OJ (Daniel Kaluuya), a name that is not missed by anyone new he meets, trying to pick up the pieces. He’s a horse trainer and comes from a long line of animal wranglers for film and TV. His sister Emerald (Keke Palmer) helps where she can. He’s got the smarts and know-how and she has the personality. Together they make a good team, but even they can’t account for the folly of man. 

Strange occurrences begin that make OJ question his sanity and Emerald question how they can get rich from the idea. On its own, it’s a solid movie. I had a great time and would definitely go see it again. A part of me does wish we’d spent more time on the background of the fissure between OJ and Emerald, what happened to their mother, and why Emerald always feels the need to run away. 

Instead, we’re thrown head-in to these family dynamics, but there’s a distraction that makes the Heywood story less impactful. The movie begins with the filming of a ‘90s sitcom in front of a live studio audience. We hear a pop, like a gunshot or a balloon pop — then suddenly we hear screams and see a shoe sitting on its heel with a single dot of blood. Later we learn more about the origins of this tease from Ricky “Jupe” Park (Steven Yeun), owner of Jupiter’s Claim, who is trying to stay relevant in the public eye. 

His storyline is fascinating and pokes fun at Hollywood in a way that had everyone in the audience laughing. It was engaging but also completely confusing. I can’t say it goes nowhere because I think it serves a purpose, but I would almost rather it be its own property. Or that there was something more overt that tied Jupe and his plight to the core story. I can’t say more without major spoilers — just know that while I loved his sections, they were slightly incongruous with the film at large. 

This is what I meant about the over-speculation maybe being a mark against the film because when you have these huge swings done by the audience, they’ll want a payoff just as big. I don’t know if I can say the reveal is big. It’s thought-provoking, but I don’t know if it’s as earth-shattering as some of the theories. 

We see OJ and Emerald enlist the services of a local tech store employee, Angel (Brandon Perea), and experimental cinematographer, Antlers Holst (Michael Wincott). Together they try to figure out the rules of the supernatural occurrences and see if they can capture them on tape. They will defend their ranch and their father’s legacy no matter the cost. 

The acting is phenomenal, especially between Kaluuya and Palmer. They have an interesting sibling dynamic that shows that even when they’re at odds, they’re still family. Stephen Yeun does a great job, yet again, I have SO many questions about his character and storyline. The fact he and his younger counterpart made their parts so engaging that I was begging for more is really saying something. 

The look of the film is similar to Peele’s other films in which the nights are shot beautifully, and you can easily see dark tones in the light. With the horses and the good guys vs. bad guys of it all, there are definite western vibes — it works well. There was so much care taken with the way things moved and how they showed on screen. The landscape and scenery all add to the story.

I can’t say much more without giving it away, but I will say there was a very confusing design choice. It raised even more questions and caused more distractions. There is also a fleeting biblical reference that connects to nothing and of course talks of “bad miracles.” As different puzzle pieces it’s interesting, but the final picture is kind of unfinished. 

Now at this point, I believe in Peele to make stories that are original and memorable and I know there’s a plan for everything. I trust him completely, and I can’t say I’m disappointed with the film, but something is disconcerting about how disjointed it appeared to be. 

Overall I do recommend Nope. There were laughs and jump scares, but I would say to guard your expectations. Just throw them out the window and enjoy the movie as it comes. 

Nope will premiere in theaters on July 22, 2022.