Second time watching this movie and a very different experience than the first. This time the densely thematic film felt clearer and more compelling, and watching it with a non horror fan opened up a different lens on the horror movie experience.

Released in 2022, this epic, western, sci fi, horror film tells the story of a struggling horse ranch and the family that runs it being visited by a menacing presence.

The film stars Daniel Kaluuya as OJ a mans struggling with the weight of the family legacy. He’s struggling to connect with people and maintain the family’s horse ranch after the mysterious death of his father, played all too briefly by the great Keith David. When his sister Em, played with explosive energy by Keke Palmer, arrives at the ranch the two decide to gather photographic evidence of what they think is a UFO.

I love the way Kaluuya’s and Palmer’s energies collide with one another. He is so reserved and defiantly quiet, while she is such a burst of energy exploding into every scene and every scenario. Their differing styles bring such an interesting tension and drama to their interactions.

The film is thematically dense. There are a lot of subjects and topics being explored here. From race, to Hollywood, to spectacle, to the battle with nature. These did not fit easily together the first time I saw it. This time around it flowed much more naturally. It flowed and felt much more cohesive and of a piece than it did the first time. I got a lot more out of it and the ideas became clearer. I still think that there is some unevenness, but I think it comes together and reveals itself more fully with repeated viewings. I look forward to watching it again and again.

I love the way Peele creates tension and suspense through simple sound design choices and camera angles. There’s a fascinating moment in the first few minutes of the film in which a sprinkler system engages, and the way that sprinkler is shot makes it look like the scariest and most ominous object in the world. The simple use of a wide angle lens, placing the camera behind the sprinkler, and the string sound cue of the system engaging puts the viewer on edge in a really cool way. The film is filled with these small decisions that create that sense of foreboding that I love so much.

Not everyone loves this feeling. I’ve always known it intellectually, and had a few conversations with people about not liking the feeling of being tense and scared. My viewing experience this time was with someone who not only hates that feeling, but is not able to disengage with that feeling when the movie ends. It was kind of an eye opening experience.

I love the watching these movies and seeing how a million little artistic choices add up to create tension. I love the empathetic response I get seeing characters struggle and face terrifying circumstances. I love getting the cathartic release of watching characters overcome the horrors of the world and coming out the other side. I love going on the emotional roller coaster and walking away from the experience feeling emotionally refreshed. The key to my enjoyment is being able to walk away from the experience. Not everyone is able to do that. For some people the tension seeps in deep and gets inside them and stays long after the movie ends. They can’t get off the roller coaster after the movie ends. They stay on that tense and fearful ride for hours and hours.

When I was in fifth grade, my best friend and I hated scary movies. We didn’t want to be scared. He used to say that he had an overactive imagination and the scary stuff would stay with him for a long time and disrupt his sleep. Somewhere along the line, I found a way to disassociate enough to keep my mental self safe from the danger on screen. Others never did. I wish I knew the secret. I wish I could share the catharsis with people who hate horror, because the emotional relief I feel at the end of a great horror story is so great. When they blow up the shark in Jaws that threat is vanquished, and my heart is lighter, when Nope ends and the threat is overcome, I feel tremendous elation. All the themes and plot holes and inconsistencies wash away and I am left with a feeling of joy. My viewing partner was left anxious and grappling with the film trying to find relief from the inexorable tension it created.

I was so grateful for this second viewing because the movie became richer, and so grateful for the conversations and the experience of watching with someone who could articulate their feelings so well. It definitely changed my perspective, and that’s what I love about storytelling. It offers the opportunity to open your eyes and see things from new points of view.

Movie was an A the experience was an A+ at least for me. It was my cup of tea.