Nope (2022) written and directed by Jordan Peele
Up until the last few days of July, I really wasn’t sure what my recommendation would be for the month. All my hesitation changed once I saw Jordan Peele’s Nope. I had been waiting for this film since I saw the initial trailer and its incredible cast (I am a certified Daniel Kaluuya fangirl). I’ll be keeping this recommendation semi-spoiler-free, so if you are someone who likes to go to the theater with absolutely no background information, maybe skip my section.
The film begins with a quote from the Book of Nahum, chapter three, verse six: “And I will cast abominable filth upon thee, and make thee vile, and will set thee as a spectacle.” This quote sets the stage for the movie so well. Nope is all about the thrill, devastation, and, sometimes, the innate evil of Spectacle. The film asks us to consider, honestly, really difficult questions: What is the audience’s relationship with their entertainment? And the entertainment creators—who and what are they willing to sacrifice for public consumption? Nope is terrifying, not only as a horror flick, but as a mirror between both the entertainment industry and the audience’s role in the commodification of traumas, tragedy, and pain.
And the worst part about this movie and how much it wants you to really examine the kinds of horrors that thrill and entertain us, is that it is so much fun to watch. Jupe Park, who is played by Steven Yeun, has a storyline that is absolutely devastating, but as a viewer it is so gripping to see this man’s trauma play out in real time. As a horror movie, there were moments and images that genuinely scared me, that I’m still thinking about, days later. As an alien movie, I am a huge fan of seeing humans figuring out ways to interact with sci-fi beings. I loved Nope. Jordan Peele created a truly thrilling alien movie that is not only fun to watch, but forces us to consider our complex relationship with exploitation.
—Elise
Also Nope (2022) written and directed by Jordan Peele
If Elise’s passionate recommendation isn’t strong enough, let me add onto it. As someone who doesn’t enjoy horror movies, I can honestly say that Nope is equally a delight and a fright. The movie is exciting and suspenseful in its drama, but–as per usual with a Jordan Peele film–gives you enough thematic meaning that you’ll stew on it for days (as Elise and I have clearly done).
Jordan Peele knows how to make a full movie experience, able to balance dread, disgust, and horrific violence with exciting action and (with the help of stars Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer) tear-jerking moments. He is clearly masterful in his writing, direction, and references: look no further than the opening scene of the movie, the gory Gordy scene that is replayed later in the film to an even higher level of spine-shivering terror. Even though we the audience already know how the scene ends, we are pressed against the back of the seat in fear, captivated as the camera (and Peele) lingers, slow and steady and sure that is has captivated us so completely.
It is amazing how thrilling the movie can be considering that it revels in negation and inaction. As much as the main characters seek out the perfect shot of the aliens, part of the movie’s ethos lies in the title: Nope. Characters live if they ride in the other direction, if they cower in houses and barns, and–most importantly–if they look away. For us, though, that proves nearly impossible with the spectacle Nope gives us.
—Peyton
Sasaki and Miyano (Sasaki to Miyano) by Shō Harusono
Unlike many other people, I have not seen the critically acclaimed movie Nope. If you are like me and susceptible to getting stressed, I have a rec just for you.
Sasaki and Miyano is a romance anime and manga series that focuses on the budding relationship between the two titular characters, Sasaki and Miyano. Sasaki, a senior in high school, becomes smitten with the cute underclassmen, Miyano. Miyano, however, harbors a deep and dark secret. He is a fanboy of BL anime and manga, also known as “boys’ love,” and is painfully aware of how cringe his own interests appear. Despite having unearthed Miyano’s shameful hobby, Sasaki finds Miyano endearing and strives even harder to get to know him by reading all of Miyano’s favorite BL series.
There’s just one problem: Miyano, the avid consumer of boys’ love content, believes himself to be straight and only a connoisseur of gay romance mangas. And yet he can’t seem to deny that he enjoys spending time with Sasaki. Knowing that the upperclassman has feelings towards him, Miyano asks Sasaki to give him time to explore his own feelings and to eventually come to an answer.
Sasaki and Miyano won’t shock your pants off with dramatic plot twists or insane premises. But if you’ve been searching for a slice-of-life romance anime to make you believe that love is real, this series might be your cup of tea.
—Eugene
