“Us”

Release: 2019

Rotten Tomatoes: 93%

Movie Matter: 8 stars

Available: OnDemand

Review:

“The lord shall bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hear them.”

– Jeremiah 11:11

The number sequence “11:11” appears in a variety of ways in Jordan Peele’s latest horror classic, “Us”, and its’ meaning is open to interpretation. In just his second time directing a feature film, Peele created another masterpiece to follow up his Oscar-winning debut film “Get Out” (2017).

“Us” follows the story of Adelaide Wilson and her family (the Wilson’s), as they vacation to Santa Cruz Beach, a place where Adelaide experienced an extremely traumatic event as a young girl. Her experience is depicted in the opening scene, which is the most important scene of the movie in my opinion. I don’t want to spoil anything beyond that!

When the Wilson Family arrives in Santa Cruz, things appear relatively normal, until a group creepy Wilson-family lookalikes show up at their house, and then shit really hits the fan. The doppelgängers represent “Us” (the movie title), and are designed to portray the “You vs Us” mindset that many people fall into in terms of racial issues and social change.

I thought Lupita Nyong’o was unbelievable as main character Adelaide Wilson, and I’d argue that she should’ve won an Oscar for her performance. Overall, I thought “Us” was a great film, and definitely a must-see movie for horror movie fans. If you don’t like scary movies, I would stick with Nickelodeon.

I don’t usually get creeped out by scary movies, and I don’t consider myself a “spiritual” person, but my experience with this movie was different. I say different because since the day I watched it, I’ve been constantly looking at the clock right at 11:11 (AM or PM), which apparently is a common experience.

Many neurologists believe that looking at the clock at 11:11 is purely coincidental, while others believe it represents something more ominous. I guess only God knows, but judging from his quote above he probably isn’t willing to help “us”.

After careful consideration, I’m giving “Us” a generous 8/10 stars.

Joker

Release: 2019

Rotten Tomatoes: 68%

Movie Matter: 9 stars

Available: OnDemand

Review:

“Forgive my laughter, I have a condition.”

Turns out that’s a big ask in the unforgiving city of Gotham, where laughter (unusual or not) can be seen as sinister.

Joaquin Phoenix stars as Arthur Fleck, a wanna-be standup comedian, who suffers from a neurological disorder that causes him to laugh uncontrollably (PBA syndrome). The citizens of Gotham are not exactly an accepting crowd, and Fleck gets taken advantage of constantly because of his mental illness. The saddest part is, he actually hates laughing and seems pained by it. In an effort to become what he considers a “normal, happy person”; Arthur creates an alter-ego, the Joker.

The Joker’s isolation from society makes him daydream about a happier life. In one of his dreams he envisions himself on his favorite tv show “Live with Murray Franklin”, a talk show hosted by Murray Franklin himself (Robert De Niro). The Joker is searching for his biological father throughout the film, which he believes is either Murray, or Thomas Wayne (Batman’s father), won’t spoil anything further on that matter!

I thought this take on the Joker was fantastic and original because Arthur Fleck didn’t start out as the villain, he became the villain. The Joker was a direct reflection of how he was treated, and a product of the system, which is a metaphor for how many people with mental illness feel today. Director Todd Phillips created the ultimate anti-hero in in the Joker, and I thought the writing was exceptional.

Let’s be clear though, nothing will ever top Heath Ledger’s portrayal of the Joker character in the Dark Knight (2008), which I believe was the best acting performance in movie history. However, I do think Joaquin Phoenix was excellent as the Joker, and his laugh was so convincing, it was honestly uncomfortable at certain points. If I ever do stand up comedy, he’s sitting front row as my personal hype-man. Overall, “Joker” was a solid movie, but it did drag a bit, especially at the end! All things considered, I’m giving “Joker” 9 stars!