Here's what the creatures had to say:
The Berkeley Blazer - "Get Out is perfect. I need to watch it again because I was getting so excited about how good it was while it unfolded before my eyes that there were some moments I couldn’t fully absorb. This is the only film I’ve reviewed for the Overlook that I felt deserved full marks the moment the credits hit, and for once I find it gratifying that everyone else seems to love it. I’ve been an admirer of Daniel Kaluuya -who plays protagonist Chris Washington- since his mainly silent work in a chapter of Black Mirror (Season 1, Episode 2) and kudos to Jordan Peele for for utilizing this talented Brit’s silent communication skills; his reactions to the rest of the cast’s shenanigans are worth the price of admission and his actor game is almost Amy Adams status. It’s not a spoiler but rather a service to let you know that Get Out is refreshingly straightforward and Shyamalanannigans-free, although Peele plays with the expectations put forth by that obnoxiously ubiquitous trailer in small but satisfying ways. Despite knowing what was coming, my fleshy digits were anxiously wrestling with each other through most of the film; the events depicted didn’t scare me, rather they unnerved and disturbed me on an existential level (in the literal existence sense not the continental philosophy sense, you fool). Without going into too much detail, I’lI just say I feel sorry for real hypnotherapists who are genuinely out there to help people, because after Get Out no one will go to visit them, at least for a while. The whole cast has my sincere kudos, especially Byzantium favorite Caleb Landry Jones and the always subtly provocative Catherine Keener who played the brother and the mother, respectively. I will refrain here from discussing themes Peele explores here because as confident as I am in my ability to communicate via the written word, Peele’s satirical masterpiece treats them with a perfection I’d rather let you experience for yourself without a life-robbing exegesis. Instead, I’ll just share with you what I wrote on Facebook immediately after seeing Get Out: 'As a die hard James Baldwin reader and lover (Read Giovanni's Room it will fuck your life up good), I'm just gonna put it out there that Jordan P's film Get Out is a better film and more relevant movie about race in America than I am Not Your Negro.' Oh, and it’s pretty funny, too." - 5 Stars
KillDozer - "First off, if you can avoid seeing a trailer for this film please do, as it will greatly improve your movie going experience. Second, without giving away specific plot points I must warn you that reading this review might be giving some fun aspects of the film away. With that being said I can now tell you that Get Out is science fiction at its best! Yes, I said science fiction but only after seeing the film will you understand why. A solid effort by Jordan Peele that really showcases his talents as film maker and director so much that I can't wait to see what he does next. I went into this expecting a racially charged horror comedy layered in white guilt and stereotypes (thanks really long awful misleading trailers). I couldn't have been more surprised or impressed by what the reality of the film turned out to be, a beautifully shot and expertly acted out science fiction suspense film that worked on every level. I was only let down by a few scenes (and ending) that I felt didn't go for the strong impact they could have achieved. It was an exciting social experiment viewing this with a sold out audience mostly made up of hipsters and casual film lovers completely focused on the politics of the film. It of course will inspire discussion but at the same time is a really fun and entertaining watch." - 4.5 Stars (collection worthy and worth re-watching but still chickened out at the last minute with the ending)
The Ascendant - "George A. Romero’s ground-breaking film Night of the Living Dead (1968) was an incendiary commentary on race relations, propelled by actor Duane Jones. Twenty-four years later, Clive Barker, Bernard Rose & Tony Todd brought us Candyman (1991), a visceral commentary on America’s deep-rooted racism and its metamorphosis from specter to flesh. Twenty-three years after Candyman (1991), The Purge: Anarchy (2014) assembled in our field of vision, with its not-so-subtle commentary on gentrification. So, where does this place Jordan Peele’s directorial debut Get Out (2017)? Peele’s 2017 film is easily one of the most important genre films to be released in the last decade, one that I applaud both Universal Pictures & Blumhouse Productions for distributing. It’s extremely confident & bold in every aspect of its genetic make-up, from Cinematography & Sound Design, to its understanding of genre strengths. Get Out (2017) perfectly captured the (daily) social awkwardness & paranoia that minorities face, propelling it both as a genre film and a scathing social commentary. In its 103-minute run time, it was incredibly difficult not to be reminded of my own experiences living as a minority in America, navigating through its labyrinth of ignorance & racism. Sink into the floor. Ignorant conversations regarding my surname. Sink into the floor. I am the victim of a hate crime. Sink into the floor. My history is erased. Sink into the floor. I am erased. If White America doesn’t make you the least bit paranoid, Get Out (2017) will be your grandiose introduction." - 4 Stars
Lord Battle - "A slasher driving a muscle car and wearing a medieval helmet abducts a man wandering suburbia. Basically Get Out's intro is like a lost William Lustig classic but if you give Jordan Peele a chance to talk about horror, you'd know he's a well versed horror fiend. And while everyone is talking about how brilliant this film is for it's social political views, I just want to make it clear that Get Out is also a great horror movie and should be celebrated as such." - 4.5 Stars
Huntress - "It feels terrible to wait for a film for so long, only to be disappointed when it’s finally a reality, but luckily that was not the case when it came to Get Out. In fact, that possibility didn’t spend much time on my mind at all. Something about Jordan Peele’s writing on Key and Peele just made me very curious about how his comedic eye would translate into horror, but in a way that was still reassuring. Even when the only things I knew about the film were the name, Jordan Peele’s involvement and that it dealt with race, I was in. But I didn’t anticipate to be so incredibly impressed all the way around; the perfectly timed humor, relatable premise, charismatic and fleshed out characters, all worked together to make a contender for best movie of the year. The social commentary is definitely present throughout the film, but not in a way that takes over the whole story. This is first and foremost a horror movie, masterfully done, good for any time. And I think something should be said for Peele’s audacious decision to create an original movie, based only on the thoughts in his head, in the age of remakes, reboots, and re-tellings. I’d love to see him do more!" - 5 Stars
Captured by the Beast - "Loved the way Get Out was filmed from the intro to the point he sunk. Also on a side note if a brotha doesn't know how to fist bump you, you need to get the FUCK out. Overall one of the best movies I've seen in a while. Let me just say T.S. Motha fuckin' A. has my trust." - 5 Stars
Dabbles - "Get Out is simply a perfect film. One of the best things about it is that most of the trailer isn't in there. Everyone's acting was perfectly executed, and so were the moments of comic relief. Jordan Peele knows what he's doing. I hope to see him do more." - 5 Stars
The Impostor - "Jordan Peele surprised the hell outta me. Get Out is flawlessly done, from begining to end there wasn't a dull moment. The opening scene set the tone and the story unfolds genuinely to a very satisfying ending. For the longest time, the film was at 100% certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and I feel it was well deserved. I'd highly recommend Get Out to any horror nerd or movie goer in general. Overall impressive horror debut from Peele, the tension he builds and comedic relief is spot on. This was the best horror film I've seen this year so far. The bar has been set." - 5 Stars
Clark Little - "Jordan Peele has become one of the more recognizable faces of comedy in the past decade. His talent as an on screen presence and as a writer, we've been witness to. I expected him to write a strong script. I even expected him to get great performances out of the actors. I was however surprised by the look of the film. Jordan Peele has the eye of an auteur. The film is making waves because of the subject matter. And yes, it is handled with a satirical expertise that should be commended, but the walk away for me with this film is being comforted in the fact that we will see more Jordan Peele directorial efforts." - 4.5 Stars
Trash - "Turns out Jordan Peele is more than just funny, he's a really great director. Get Out exemplifies a brilliant understanding and use of the genre, informed of past elements and tones, and binding them to new ones so masterfully. It's got the intelligence to let you figure out what's happening, reward your expectations, and then go beyond them in a way that's incredibly satisfying. This is horror being used to discuss shit that we need to talk about, and using it so well that it gives you chills." - 4.5 Stars
Randy the Reverberator - "In 2016, I had a list of a few "first films", which were incredibly confident and well crafted films by first time directors. This years' list is starting with Jordan Peele's Get Out. We're brought into Get Out's opening scene, with titles and a song that evoke a Woody Allen opening credit sequence. However, what we're seeing is much more suspenseful and provides a good dose of tension right off the bat. After this, we're introduced to our main characters, Rose and Chris; an interracial couple who are on their way to visit Rose's parents. I'll leave the talk about race, politics, and the current state of our country to the other more articulate folks of The Overlook Theatre, but I will say that Get Out is thought provoking, funny and at times frightening. An uncomfortable get together at Rose's parents' estate eventually takes a turn for the surreal, which brings to mind the collaborations of Charlie Kaufman and Spike Jonze. To say any more may be a spoiler, but what comes of it sheds light on the strangeness of things we experience beforehand. The score is a perfect horror score, the cast is firing on all cylinders and the writing is fresh with a unique voice. I once watched Look Who's Coming to Dinner as part of a film studies class in community college, and they also played clips from it during the Alamo Drafthouse pre-show. I don't remember it too well, but it's apparent that Peele is a cinephile with all of these references swimming around in his head (plus many other horror film references that I'm not privy to)...but it's the way he elevates these references, and adds his own brand of commentary, imagination and humor that makes this film work so well." - 4.5 Stars
The Overlook Theatre Final Rating*
(Below is for after you've seen the film)
The 2016 BET awards were the first to air a trailer of Jordan Peele's Get Out. At the time, it seemed odd for half of the popular comedy duo to venture out, not only alone but to another genre. Jordan has talked about his film quite a bit since then and is always a great interview, yet I was drawn back to a conversation he had with Scott Mendelson of Forbes about his then up coming film:
Mendelson: When you were first developing the project, were you intentionally developing a horror film because you liked horror, or because it was a genre that has a long history with being able to tackle social and topical elements, in the trappings of a popcorn entertainment.
Peele: It was [both]. I've been a horror fan for so long. I've done so much comedy over the last 15 years, but you could recognize a lot of similarities between the genres. So much of it is pacing, so much of it reveals. So much of it is the ability to pinpoint what an audience is going through at that very moment.
A big part of it is I've been wanting to do horror for a long time, and luckily I've kind of gotten something of a training through comedy. I definitely felt confident in the fact that it's a genre that all you need to work is the story and the scariness and the emotion. If you can get that you can make a decent movie in the genre.
Peele: As with comedy, I feel like horror and the thriller genre is a way, one of the few ways, that we can address real life horrors and social injustices in an entertaining way. We go to the theater to be entertained, but if what is left after you watch the movie is a sort of eye-opening perspective on some social issues, then it can be a really powerful piece of art.
Mendelson: That's what struck me watching the trailer, again we’re talking about a 2.5-minute sell, but it felt like such a primal campfire story. That's what the movie (as it’s being sold) feels like, primal, but also very specific, folktale. It's a way to deal with very specific issues in a way that doesn't feel like medicine. It doesn't feel like oatmeal. Even though there's obviously value in (the message) in the final product, you need to get people in the theater first
Peele: I find campfire stories and urban legends are kind of the bread and butter that inspires a lot of people who are making horror and thriller. There is a nugget of truth behind these sort of cautionary tales. When you have something very truthful that taps into the zeitgeist, you can have something transformative there.
Mendelson: Was there anyone that you turned to for directorial advice in your directorial debut? Either horror directors, or filmmakers that you've worked with?
Peele: I had some meetings with Peter Atencio (a regular Key and Peele director who also helmed Keanu). He had really fantastic advice for me over the past four years. I also sat down with Edgar Wright, of whom I'm a huge fan. I also met with writer/director Leigh Whannell, who wrote the Insidious movies and directed the third one. (Also,) a horror director named Lucky McKee, oh whom I'm a fan. I made the little rounds of my little fanboy-ness.
- Excerpt from Forbes
The Overlook Theatre materialized in the New Mission theatre for a screening on 2/23/2017
*Based on the star ratings turned in by character reviewers, others viewed and got to "Dislike" or "Like" but that does not affect the rating.
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