LogFAQs > #965384073

1. Get Out (100 points)

Why I Chose It: In 2017,nobody expected Jordan Peele, who had worked in comedy his whole career, to come out with one of the most well-written, critically-acclaimed, culturally relevant, and scariest films of the decade. Yet, Get Out proved Peele could do it all - infusing his horror with satirical comedy to potent results and attention-grabbing box office success, and joined a small canon of horror films to have ever been nominated for Best Picture.

Inviso: 2
Snake: 2
Tom Nook: 2
BetrayedTangy: 3
PrinceKaro: 3
rockus: 3
Lightning Strikes: 4
red13n: 5
thesmark: 5
Johnbobb: 8
FFDragon: 9
fortybelowsummer: 10
jcgamer107: 13
Plasmabeam: 14
Suprak: 17

Inviso - Now, as I write this, there are still ten movies left for me to watch. But godDAMN do I already feel bad about not ranking this in the one spot. Its THAT good, but just not QUITE good enough to surpass the current number one (or perhaps future number ones). Jordan Peele is able to make a serious movie, yet injected the right amount of humor to lighten to mood and take the films foot off the gas just enough to leave the audience smiling. The whole concept is great, as we spend the first half of the film watching an unsettling story of a black boyfriend surrounded by his white girlfriends all-too-accommodating family. But then the twist happens, and suddenly the whole movie takes this insane hard right turn. Its great, because it manages to ground the plot in some sort of reality, without playing into the most obvious stereotypical plotlines one might expect from racially-charged stories. And to top it off, it ended on a high note, with a win for the protagonist. It didnt need to have that, but the fact that it did just left me smiling at the end. Its just a great capper for the film.

Snake - What a film. Radically charged, yet surprisingly funny, Peele infused his main protagonist with all the pathos reflecting our scary modern age. Peeles impressive screenplay aside, his sense of atmosphere is near unparalleled. Peele makes sure every character in this besides Chris acts with this sense of self-important awkwardness, like theyre doing Chris, a black man, such a favor by inviting him into their home and letting him date their daughter. Its funny because its just so real. Peele creeps under your skin with this constantly, until it goes full-blown sci-fi horror and you realize just how much of a front it all really was. Im glad a film like this isnt exactly subtle - as much I preach a great horror film providing the less is more approach something like Get Out works equally as well because there is no confusion - Peele is making a staunch point here and he wants to make sure you know it. With a fantastic attention to detail and foreshadowing, Get Out is an impressive work of horror on all fronts and its just the kind of thing I want to see more of in the decades to come.

Tom Nook - My placement for 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th were relatively interchangeable, but this 2nd place was definitively locked in. This is an excellently written movie, with a original concept. In some ways, it feels like a B-movie concept, but the way it was done is very top notch. The acting is great, and the way the plot plays out is very satisfying, both for first time watches and rewatches. Although Peele himself is somewhat liberal, this movie was a satire making fun of how over the top liberal Hollywood is, and how they were using black people to pat themselves on the back; the satire in this is even more biting in recent times. I also do love movies when a likable protagonist is able ferociously escape, creating a big body count of the memorable villains along the way. And what better way to create a terrible villain than by having her eat Froot Loops like that.

BetrayedTangy - I feel like Get Out works much better as a social satire than it does a horror movie, and I think thats why Im having such a hard time ranking this one. I think I actually prefer the first half of the movie, where the focus is on Chris and how uncomfortable hes feeling around the Armitages and this sort of modern racism thats been running rampant for the past several decades. Its almost like its giving the audience a slight glimpse into what it can be like being black. One of the most magical things about movies is how they can make us step into another character's shoes and make us feel the same thing they are. So, in a way its Jordan Peele forcing the audience to better understand things like racism. To me thats what makes Get Out so fucking good. I will say though once we get to the climax a little bit of that is lost as the movie goes full tilt horror and turns into an escape sequence. Its still a really good one thats super satisfying, but compared to the rest of the movie its a slight step down.

PrinceKaro - A young interracial couple heads out to the countryside to meet the parents and much awkwardness ensues with creepy soon to be in-laws and their bizarrely behaving house servants.

The film does a good job of subverting expectations about the nature of the family and what is really going on, and keeps on subverting what you think you know up until the very last scene.

There are no monsters or supernatural forces here, just the one true evil in the world, people. This twisted family and their plans for eternal life never disappoint, even if the scenario is a bit over the top.

It is something that is unique and brilliant, and is certainly the cure for the common horror.

Rockus - Some great debuts here and probably none as surprising as Jordan Peeles Get Out. I dont know if anyone would have suspected one half of the Key & Peele sketch comedy team to quickly become the most successful horror film director of the last decade but its well deserved. And Get Out is as assured as any of the other debuts on this list. As for comparing his two films I lean a little to preferring Get Out because of how clearly he defines what its about. Drawing attention to the long history of exploitation of black bodies Peele delivers a sinister horror film thats partially so frightening because even if you stripped the film of its fantastical elements it would still leave it a rather raw and authentic depiction of the United States.

Lighting Strikes - Now youre in the sunken place.

It is really striking that not only is this Jordan Peeles directorial debut, but also he was mainly known for comedy before this. Those comedic roots do slightly show themselves here, as this is very much a satire on liberal white racism in America, presented as a chilling horror story. The social commentary here is quite cutting, and definitely unique for this type of film. It feels like every shot has some kind of deeper meaning that adds to the central commentary the film is making. I also think this film is very effective in not just the message itself but the way it gets the message across, the fact that this film was such a breakout and reached the type of audience you wouldnt think would be the typical ones to go with that kind of film speaks to that.

Setting aside even the deeper layers though, this is just a fantastically executed horror film. The atmosphere is absolutely perfect throughout, keeping this creepy, weird feeling that something isnt quite right here. It clearly comes from a place of love for horror, and the whole film reimagines The Stepford Wives in a modern way. Even in terms of direction the film excels, the sunken place scene is a great example of some really unique visual horror. Even if there was nothing else to this film it would still be a great chiller.