keke palmer – Smaller Pictures

Nope (2022)

Out of all the films to be released this year, Nope was one that was filled with anticipation. Jordan Peele has established himself as a master of modern horror with his previous films Get Out and Us. Nope sees Peele stick with the horror genre but deals with a new subgenre – aliens. The film follows the Haywood siblings, OJ (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald (Keke Palmer) who are running the family ranch following the mysterious death of their father, Otis (Keith David). When the horses begin to act weird and disappear, OJ realises that there may be something extraterrestrial occurring. Along with tech-wiz, Angel (Brandon Perea) and cinematographer, Antlers Holst (Michael Wincott), the Haywoods must find a way to track down and film footage of the UFO to get money.

Written and directed by Jordan Peele, Nope is another excellent addition to one of the most exciting horror filmographies of modern times. The writing is brilliant as always as Peele includes little details that help weave various plots together to show a connection throughout the film. Nope seems to be an exploration of the spectacle and how humans are obsessed with documenting and recording everything that happens. For example, Steven Yeun plays Ricky “Jupe” Park, a small theme park owner who was a child star in his youth. During his tenure as a child actor, we see an incident in which a chimp loses control on set after a balloon pops and the affect that this has on Jupe is evident in his adulthood. However, he still cannot help but look back on his traumatic childhood with fondness. This inner conflict is what drives Nope and ironically, the audience too becomes invested in the spectacle.

Collaborating with Peele again is Daniel Kaluuya who plays as Otis Jr. “OJ” Haywood. OJ is quiet and reserved, desperate to save his father’s business from closure. However, OJ’s understanding of dealing with and taming horses all his life has unexpectedly equipped him with the skills needed to handle the UFO. OJ may not have the same level of depth or characterisation as Chris in Get Out, but the chemistry he has with Em is fantastic. There are some great moments of humour from Kaluuya as well which he manages to convey even through OJ’S quietness.

Keke Palmer stars as OJ’s younger sister, Emerald “Em” Haywood. She is loud and vibrant which is extremely noticeable when she is onscreen with OJ. The first scene we see Em in when she gives a safety talk onset is fantastic and hilarious as she oversells Haywood’s services while also trying to get hired as an actress herself. While OJ seems to be the voice of reason with a level-headed approach, Em is more hot-headed and acts spontaneously without thinking ahead of the consequences. The climactic scene in which Palmer attempts to capture footage of the UFO is a testament to her ability to switch between comedy and drama instantly.

In support, Steven Yeun as Ricky “Jupe” Park in a role that may be small but is deeply complex. Jupe’s experiences as a child actor in fictional sitcom Gordy’s Home are interwoven into the film, displaying this thread of trauma that has followed him into adulthood. Even as an adult, Jupe collects memorabilia of Gordy’s Home and charges people thousands of dollars to look at his collection. He speaks of the past fondly, but we see a different tale of events, showing the contrast between what we are seeing and what we are being told. In this respect, Jupe’s retelling of his past could be a way of him trying to work through what happened as well as the obsession that people have with spectacles and the unexpected. Jupe is one of the best characters that Peele has crafted because of how nuanced every line and action in. The scene following the flashback in which we see Jupe deep in thought before quickly reverting back to a smile and cheery persona.

As with each Peele film, the music by Michael Abels remains a highlight. Abels draws on classic Western sounds and whimsical tracks to create a score that feels as though the film takes place in another universe. The track “Jupiter’s Claim” feels reminiscent of music that would be played in a real theme park and transports the audience into a world far from the glamour of Hollywood. On the other hand, tracks like “It’s In The Cloud” draws on traditional horror tropes such as fast strings and crescendo to increase the tension in the scene. In many respects, Abel’s music has become an integral component of Peele’s films thanks to his ability to adapt to the different subgenres beautifully.

Nope boasts a much bigger budget than Get Out and Us and it is easy to see why. Given the film’s alien-themed plot, it was clear that this film was going to utilise cinematography on a much larger scale. For a big blockbuster, it makes sense that Peele entrusted frequent Nolan collaborator Hoyte van Hoytema as cinematographer. Having worked on huge films such as Interstellar and Dunkirk, van Hoytema is the perfect choice as his work is larger than life, making use of vast space without it looking empty or boring. The scenes in which the characters lay a trap for the UFO makes use of the natural land while combining it with technology so they can capture the footage. On the other hand, van Hoytema also incorporates deeply claustrophobic work through the shots inside the UFO in which we see people trapped in a vertical line upon one another, awaiting their fate. The intriguing design and set up of the shot contrasts greatly with the open space that we had become acquainted with throughout the film. This is then followed by a scene that feels reminiscent of a classic horror film in which the UFO disposes of all the remains and belongings on top of the Haywood’s house. Van Hoytema’s previous work has predominantly consisted of action films but in Nope, he executes the horror elements brilliantly.

Like Get Out and Us before it, Nope sees Peele subverting horror tropes with a beautifully woven and detailed script and excellent performances all around. It feels much grander and larger in terms of scale and it’s great to see Peele expanding in terms of his storytelling and visuals. Nope is not only a story about alien invasion, but a look into mankind’s obsession with the spectacle and how we deal with trauma.

What did you think of Nope? Let me know in the comments below!

Nope is out in UK cinemas now!

Hustlers (2019)

One of the most hyped films of the year comes in the form of Lorene Scafaria’s crime drama, Hustlers. Based on the New York Magazine article that follows a group of strippers who drug and con Wall Street men off their money during the 2008 recession. The film stars Constance Wu as Destiny, a former stripper who is interviewed by Elizabeth (Julia Stiles) who is conducting research for her article. Destiny reflects on her rise to the top with the help of veteran stripper, Ramona (Jennifer Lopez) and together they concoct a plan that sees them milking the Wall Street types for all they’re worth. This film could have easily slipped into a male gaze fantasy that sexualises the women and focuses on their bodies rather than their minds and motivations but luckily, with a female director and female majority clue, this film becomes a poignant reflection on the treatment of women and the recklessness of the rich who exploit the poor.

Lorene Scafaria’s direction and script is brilliant with multiple characters receiving plenty of depth and screen time all while keeping it boxed in within the interview narrative. It’s a simple technique to use to detach the audience from the dramatic events in the film. Aside from these glimpses into the future interview, the flashback follows a linear structure and shows the budding relationship between Destiny and Ramona as well as their falling out. The genius of Scafaria’s direction comes in focusing on the faces of the characters rather than their bodies. As Ramona does her opening dance, the screen flits to Destiny who looks on in awe as well as Ramona herself who clearly knows exactly what she’s doing as she writhes in a pile of money. Another brilliant scene is when Destiny grows tired of being interviewed by Elizabeth and switches off her recorder. What follows is a scene of silence to reflect that Destiny is now protected from this woman who has lived such a different life from her. Constance Wu was the perfect choice for Destiny. The difference between her as an aspiring stripper and the uncomfortable woman who has lived through the experiences at the interview is like viewing two different people. Wu doesn’t hold back in her vulnerability. Destiny is clearly a rookie at her job and to see Ramona take her under her wing rather than set her up for failure is something that a film created for the male gaze would not do. This is an authentic view of womanhood and it’s made all the more empowering knowing that it was made by a woman and features a collection of strong female characters.

I think it’s only right to give Jennifer Lopez her own section. The triple threat truly comes into her own as Destiny’s mentor, Ramona and has subsequently earned multiple major award nominations so far including Golden Globe and SAG nominations for Best Supporting Actress. It’s pretty inevitable that she will receive an Academy Award nomination at this point also and deservedly so. Ramona is presented as ruthless but caring, mentor and mother. She sees herself in Destiny and only wants to give her the best life that she never had. Despite her many flaws, we are drawn to Ramona and we understand why she thinks the way she does despite the danger in her plans. Her experience as a woman of colour who’s livelihood is dependant on the rich white men of Wall Street is shattered as she decides to take these matters into her own hands. Ramona understands that the only way to achieve the American Dream is to rely on oneself rather than lean on an unreliable patriarchy that is all to happy to kick those less fortunate to the curb. The audience doesn’t see Jennifer Lopez. From the first moment she appears on the screen, she is Ramona.

In terms of the supporting cast, we see Keke Palmer, Lili Reinhart, Cardi B and Lizzo popping up on the screen as fellow strippers. It’s great to see a majority collection of strong women of colour in a film that builds them up rather than knocking them down. Their lifestyle isn’t glorified but it isn’t judged either. It simply is. Cardi B was cast due to her past experience as a stripper before hitting the bigtime and Lizzo is cast due to her positive body message that she likes to convey in her music. This proves how important it was to Scafaria that the female cast have confidence and aren’t ashamed of their characters. Hustlers is a brilliant example of a film by women for women. I look forward to seeing what else Scafaria has up her sleeve as well as Lopez’s next acting ventures. It’s a film that brings a spectrum of emotions while remaining true to its message and true to the characters. Hustlers presents us with the argument that not everything is black and white and although openly flawed, the motivations are not to be glorified or judged. These are events that simply happened as a consequence of context.

The soundtrack is packed with nostalgia as we are truly thrown back to old school hits that range from Janet Jackson to Britney Spears. There’s even a cameo from Usher as the singer was reported to have visited the club. The film becomes elevated by its music. After all, it provides the literal backtrack to the women’s dance so picking the right songs is key. It is cleverly mixed with classical pieces that help to detach those scenes of adrenaline with the more hard-hitting drama. One aspect of the soundtrack that I thought was genius was not including songs by Jennifer Lopez, Cardi B or Lizzo. Despite the idea of an original collab being incredible and Oscar fodder that everyone would eat up, omitting their musical achievements outside of the film allows them to embrace the characters they are and brings the audience to a higher level of relatability and believability.

In a year that has seen many brilliant films written and directed by women, Hustlers is a great insight into the future of female cinema. If you haven’t seen this yet, I highly recommend that you do. As always, let me know what you think of Hustlers in the comments below!