October 27, 2022
As 2021 came to an end, and 2022 began, so many new forms of entertainment in the TV world sprouted and brought focus to the film industry. Various new shows and movies produced caught the attention of former students at LVA, and high schoolers across the country, including myself. Although not only did these new coming productions open communities of fans and film lovers, but they also caused lots of controversies. Despite this, I will be reviewing many of these productions from 2021-2022 with my completely honest and genuine opinion. For the next 4 months, I will watch a plethora of new movies and shows and help you decide what’s worth and not worth watching.
1st watch: Euphoria: Based on Euphoria; written by Ron Leshem and Daphna Levin, Directed by Augustine Frizzell, Sam Levinson, Jennifer Morrison, Pippa Bianco
Overview: Euphoria was undoubtedly one of the most controversial productions of 2021 and 2022. Despite this, it has affected the future of film forever. With a psychedelic and fast-paced style of film, it attracted millions of viewers across the world.
Meeting the characters: In the first episode “ Pilot” we meet the main characters Rue, Jules, Fezco, McKay, Cassie, Lexi, Kat, Nate, and Maddy. The episode opens with Rue returning from rehab for her drug addiction after overdosing. This was not only a dramatic start to the show but foreshadows the rest of the season and the next seasons to come. Jules is the new girl in town, she rides her bike around the neighborhoods and heads to a party down the street. This is the audience’s introduction to transgender actress Hunter Schaffer. This is also where we meet antagonist Nate Jacobs, taunting Jules while she rides around. We meet Jules solace, Kat, through text messages when Jules is invited to the biggest party in town, hosted by varsity football player McKay. This is where the first episode takes a darker turn. Jules had previously downloaded a dating app to hopefully find someone to be with while she settles into the new town. Rather than going to McKay’s party at first, Jules heads to an older man’s house who the audience will truly meet in later episodes. In the next scene, producers focus on Rue, and her addiction. We meet a new character Lexi, through Rue, on the search for a clean urine test, since she has since done more drugs after returning from rehab. We pan into McKay’s party, where we meet Cassie, McKay’s girlfriend. In this scene, we meet Maddy, who recently broke up with Nate Jacobs and is attempting to make him jealous. When Jules returns from the older man’s house, she heads to McKay’s party, where her introduction to the other characters sums her up perfectly. Rue and Jules head home together, and the first episode is complete. This is only the beginning of each character, and how they grow and change throughout the season.
Summary: The creator of Euphoria called the show an “emotional realism “ piece. After productions like 13 Reasons Why, and Riverdale were produced, a teen drama is just what the people wanted in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. What made this show so real and appealing to audiences is the vulnerability and realness of the actors and actresses. Not only the characters but the production itself fed audience members episode after episode. Characters that struggled with real-world problems brought light to audience members everywhere.
Overall: The overall theme of Euphoria talks abundantly about some less talked about topics in the show including identity, abuse, trauma, love, drugs, and high school life. Although most of these topics are over-dramatized, these are things many students deal with in real life. Euphoria is not made for younger audiences because of its focus on real life. While none of this show is ideal or suggested to you, this is one of the first films in history to address topics as shown above. Euphoria’s next season comes out in 2024, but be sure to watch previous seasons and bridge episodes on HBO Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and other streaming platforms.
Please watch with caution, and be aware of trigger warnings and sensitive topics presented throughout the show.
3rd watch: Nope written and directed by Jordan Peele
Overview: Jordan Peele, a famous writer and producer for popular movies like Get Out, and Us brings us his first physiological thriller of 2022 with Nope. Peele’s films have consistent themes of questioning reality, which is just what audiences love from Nope.
Summary: The opening scene foreshadows some of the plot, and tells the story of chimpanzee Gordy, who is alone, covered in blood, and slowly staring at the camera. Gordy is the main character of his own sitcom called Gordy’s Home. The start to this movie leaves audiences in shock, but everything will be explained and told through Jupe, one of the main characters further into the movie. We meet horse wranglers OJ and his father Otis. When Otis is struck by a coin from the sky, his horse runs off and leaves Otis to die. Six months later we pan into OJ and his sister, Emerald who are struggling to seek profit and keep up the family name. They meet former carnivalist Ricky (Jupe) Park. Jupe is the child star of the sitcom Gordy’s Home, as told in the beginning, and was the only crew member to survive. As strange things start to occur in the sky, OJ and Emerald turn to Fry’s Electronics to purchase cameras and hopefully catch what is going on. They meet Angel, a quiet but charismatic IT member. Angel, also curious as to the mysteriousness of the sky, helps the main characters set up their cameras and in hope to catch the “alien” terrorizing their small farm. As the plot moves forward, the characters come up with the conclusion that the “alien” is an unknown UFO made of organic matter and devouring parts of the farm. We see this UFO come into play when a gold coin falls from the sky, kills Otis, and his horse that appears in the sky. This alien represents much more than just a land-eating monster, and really has a connection to the black community and police brutality. With OJ, Emerald, and their family being people of color, we see a resemblance to oppressed people in the black community and how with little to no recognition, law enforcement and police officers abuse their power. Although this resemblance is not self-explanatory, Jordan Peele is known to include metaphors and allegories for even the smallest things. The audience can see this analogy through the city people not taking notice of the alien, and their land going to pieces without acknowledgment. As we near the end of the film, a TMZ reporter on a motorbike terrorizes OJ and is blatantly rude. As the reporter goes into the spawn point of the alien, we see him crash in his motorcycle, and be taken by the alien, who characters now refer to as “The Jean Jacket ”. As the UFO travels in masses and begins to expand, we see terror in the faces of many main characters as they believe them and their town will be taken over. In the final scene, we see Emerald take the TMZ reporter’s motorcycle and drive to a coin-operated photo booth, to have proof of the alien, referring to when no one would believe there was anything wrong. As the pictures disperse, a giant balloon released from the carnival’s tents flies into the air and destroys the UFO. These final moments of the film and the most suspenseful and on-the-edge-of-your-seat moments that Jordan Peele uses to bring in the audience and end the movie on a bang.
Final Summary: It goes to show that the mastermind of Jordan Peele continues to make a stand in the film world with his in-depth and meaningful films. Nope is another one of these films, being such a relevant and amazing watch.
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