Jordan Peele began his plans for world domination in 2017 with the launch of his first film, Get Out, a social thriller intended to turn heads. The themes handled by the film made it an overnight cultural phenomenon. So much so that fans of the film immediately began on a mission to decipher the hidden meanings and symbolism of Get Out. The film was absolutely brilliant, giving a breath of fresh air to the dying genre of horror. Sure, Get Out wasn’t a horror film per se, but it definitely scared the crap out of a lot of folks. It also won Jordan Peele his first Academy Award for Best Screenplay and fans wondered what the comedian-turned-director would do next.
In 2018, Jordan Peele finally announced his first follow-up project after the success of Get Out and it was revealed that the film was titled Us and would star Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke. The first trailer for Us hit the internet and delighted fans of Jordan Peele because it was revealed to be a straight-up horror film and it made people want to see exactly what the director could do without any limits. And the film does exactly that. I got the chance to check out Us at a screening in New York this past Friday and when I tell you that it was the most intense theatrical experience I’ve ever had, it isn’t an exaggeration.
Us is different than any horror film I’ve ever seen. Ιf you take films like Friday the 13th, Halloween, The Exorcist, The Conjuring, The Blair Witch Project and Get Out and you put them all in a bag to combine them to make the perfect horror film, you’ll want to throw the bag out the window because you won’t even be close to the genius of Us. It’s simply the most out-of-the-box horror film of the past decade and it does this by delivering a powerful message to society. The evil in society is within ourselves and it is up to us to stop it from taking over.
The film stars Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o and Black Panther breakout Winston Duke. The two are riding high off of Black Panther‘s wins at the Oscars and this was just the film to push their careers to the next level, with Jordan Peele bringing out the best performances I’ve ever seen from each actor. When the pair work off of each other it’s smooth as butter, but what elevates the film is a stellar performance by Lupita Nyong’o. The actress delivers what I believe is her best performance to date. Her dual role is shockingly intense and elevates the insane creepiness of Us. Now that’s not saying that Winston Duke didn’t do his thing. He was great, but Lupita Nyong’o simply has you in the palm of her hand from the moment her character appears on screen.
The young actors of the film aren’t any slouches either. The film introduces us to Evan Alex and Shahadi Wright Joseph as Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke’s children. Alex and Joseph give Us the most realistic interpretation of what African-American children would actually do in a horror situation and they’re pretty fantastic. As you all know, the actors all play dual roles in the film. Their doppelgängers are sinister, raw and always do the unthinkable. The thing that makes them even scarier is that they’re just an evil version of themselves and due to that fact they know every move they’re planning on making, you never know how things will turn out. The film has a big twist that you might expect, but the way it unfolds shows off the mastery of Jordan Peele and I look forward to what his genius leads him to next.
Overall Thoughts: Us is horrifying, thought-provoking and will definitely invoke people to search into the deeper meanings of it. Lupita Nyong’o hones her craft masterfully and leads this masterpiece of a film with the highest level of skill. Us is the best horror film of all time. The way it perfectly intertwines comedy and horror shows us exactly why Jordan Peele is the new king of horror. Hit the theater to check this out as soon as possible and avoid all spoilers. Us is the real deal.
Rating: 10/10
Honorable Mention: The way the score of the film utilizes the scary chopped and screwed version of Luniz’s “I Got 5 on It” will probably give you nightmares. If you liked it in the trailer, I Got 5 on It is maximized on a much larger scale in the movie.
Top Actors To Replace Ben Affleck In Matt Reeves’ ‘The Batman’
Ben Affleck is officially out as Batman and it’s a pretty sad day.
Words cannot describe how sad I am to see Ben Affleck announce that he’s no longer Batman. His Batman is why I do what I do. In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, I fell in love with his comic book-accurate interpretation of the Caped Crusader. It was a breath of fresh air and it felt like we finally had the one true Batman.
Three years have quickly sped by and we’re officially going to receive a new Batman for his next movie. Last night, Ben Affleck announced that he will not return as the Dark Knight in Matt Reeves’ The Batman and now everyone’s attention has moved towards wanting to know who the next Bruce Wayne will be. Matt Reeves is said to want an actor that’s around 20 years younger than Affleck while Warner Bros. wants someone older. My guess is that Reeves wants a fresh start while the studio wants an older actor for crossover potential.
In this list, I will discuss the actors I think can replace Ben Affleck as Batman using the parameters that Matt Reeves and Warner Bros. want. Hit Next to see our picks to play the Batman.
Michael Fassbender
Michael Fassbender is an X-Men alum and no stranger to comic book franchises. The actor has shown multiple levels of range and could definitely handle the Batman/Bruce Wayne personality. If they go with the older range for the next Dark Knight, then Fassbender is probably one of the best choices to take over the role.
Ben Barnes
Ben Barnes is out of a job after The Punisher season 2 and he’s one of the best actors in that series. The second season tied up Barnes’ arc on The Punisher and the actor has already told us that that he’d love to play the Caped Crusader. Barnes definitely has the pretty boy look going on for him and I wonder what his take on Bruce Wayne could be.
Ryan Gosling
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: Ryan Gosling needs to star in a superhero movie. I’ve always thought Gosling would make a great Batman. Every role that he’s done has shown us his capability and he could crush it as Bruce Wayne.
Jon Hamm
Jon Hamm is my top choice for an older Batman. If Warner Bros. wants to cast an older actor for crossover potential, Jon Hamm is the studio’s best bet. He has a similar look to Ben Affleck, and c’mon, the guy’s look just screams Bruce Wayne.
Armie Hammer
Armie Hammer is 32 years old and was cast as the Caped Crusader in George Miller’s Justice League: Mortal. That film will never see the light of day, but that doesn’t mean that Hammer doesn’t deserve a second shot at being the Batman. He’s charming, broody and will probably give his all for this role. Armie Hammer is a great option because he’s young enough for Matt Reeves and Warner Bros. could work in a way for him to crossover with the rest of the DC Extended Universe.
Richard Madden
Game of Thrones alum Richard Madden is my top choice to replace Ben Affleck as Batman. The actor is young, has the look and definitely has the acting chops to play the duality of Batman and Bruce Wayne. Madden just won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television series for the BBC drama Bodyguard, so Warner Bros. may want to quickly snatch him up.
