metronome ˈme-trə-ˌnōm noun
: clicking pendulum that indicates the exact tempo of a piece of music
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The word metronome has appeared in 28 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on March 20 in “‘Us’ Review: Jordan Peele’s Creepy Latest Turns a Funhouse Mirror on Us” by Manohla Dargis:
Jordan Peele’s new horror movie, “Us,” is an expansive philosophical hall of mirrors. Like his 2017 hit, “Get Out,” this daring fun-until-it’s-not shocker starts from the genre’s central premise that everyday life is a wellspring of terrors ….
…. A vibrant, appealing screen presence, Nyong’o brings a tremendous range and depth of feeling to both characters, who she individualizes with such clarity and lapidary detail that they aren’t just distinct beings; they feel as if they were being inhabited by different actors. She gives each a specific walk and sharply opposite gestures and voices (maternally silky vs. monstrously raspy). Adelaide, who studied ballet, moves gracefully and, when need be, rapidly (she racks up miles); Red moves as if keeping time to a metronome, with the staccato, mechanical step and head turns of an automaton. Both have ramrod posture and large unblinking eyes. Red’s mouth is a monstrous abyss.
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