Nightmare Alley

[VoR]

The new one from Guillermo del Toro. You'd think after Shape of Water there'd be a bit more buzz around this, but it feels like it's sort of being quietly buried. I was literally the only person at my screening.

A shame because I did enjoy it. It looks fabulous, as you'd expect, and the cast is top-notch. It does sag quite badly in the middle though, and it feels strangely muted throughout. Cate Blanchett is the only performer really giving it the full camp treatment I think the whole movie is sort of crying out for. On the downside, her character makes NO sense whatsoever.

That said, a minor Del Toro film is still more watchable than most things.

 

[Phoenix]

This was blah and a disappointment with such an impressive cast. It’s bloated and while Bradley Cooper looked the hottest he’d looked in a while (that tub scene ) he’s also miscast as the slick guy.

Some fun moments and visuals here and there but I was hoping for so much more.

 

[VoR]

I also found Cooper a bit flat actually. It was originally supposed to be Leonardo DiCaprio, who I suspect could have done a lot more with it.

 

[funky]

I was kinda hoping for more too but I enjoyed it.

7.5

 

[jivafox]

I loved this! Had no idea what to expect but an almost Twilight Zone-esque moral tale with a noir spin was not it. Even Bradley Cooper (who was too old for the part tbh) wasn’t insufferable.

 

[AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaAAaaaA]

This was such a weird film. I'm baffled as to who it was meant to appeal to?

Film noir is probably my favourite film genre, it's meant to be mysterious and exciting with an intriguing plot that twists and turns...and whilst this wasn't a strict by-the-book noir, this just seemed BLOATED to me with not enough happening on screen to justify it. As you'd expect, it did however look beautiful.

Cate Blanchett was the only one out of the STELLAR cast who seemed to get the memo, and seemed to be acting in a different version of the same film as a result. That she only appears almost half way through isn't great for the film's pacing issues.

I do think Bradley Cooper - who wasn't in any way BAD - was miscast for the role. It needed a truly charming Cary Grant-style grifter to lift the entire film. That he really underplayed the role IMO really hurt the film as a whole. Fabulous blue eyes though that were highlighted BEAUTIFULLY at many points!

I've never seen the original, so I will watch that to see how it compares.
When this eventually makes it to streaming, I can't see a huge amount of people making it past the first third of the film tbh.

 

[AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaAAaaaA]

I agree also this film seems to have been widely ignored, despite the cast involved.

I guess a new Guillermo del Toro isn't a MUST SEE for many, despite his back catalogue.
Shape of Water remains a bizarre film in that (similar to The Artist) it was everywhere at the time, and we were constantly told how WONDERFUL it is/was...yet in 2022 it seems barely remembered AT ALL by the general public.

 

[rhythmbandit]

Went to see this midweek Wednesday and was surprised by how busy it was. I liked it, Cate really was the star of the show, even if she couldn't emote due to the botox overload. Willem Defoe was massively underused though. Everyone said the same thing about Bradley Cooper, he was miscast. It's a good movie but I expect more from Del Toro.

 

[jivafox]

I’m curious to watch the 1947 version now

 

[AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaAAaaaA]

I’m curious to watch the 1947 version now

View attachment 8109

SAME! And that poster looks RIGHT UP MY STREET

Hoping for fabulous femme fatale x 3 and NO plodding boring lifeless Rooney Mara character thanks very much

 

[Phoenix]

This is getting some award nominations so the industry isn’t ignoring it and they just released a black and white version in theaters.

 

[VoR]

I believe Blanchett is an outside bet for a Best Supporting actress Oscar nomination. She was fun but that would be a bit ridiculous. But then, this is a year when Jared Leto is a likely nominee, so...

 

[Ellie]

I believe Blanchett is an outside bet for a Best Supporting actress Oscar nomination. She was fun but that would be a bit ridiculous. But then, this is a year when Jared Leto is a likely nominee, so...

Leto has just been nominated for a Razzie. Maybe he could do a Glenn Close and be nominated for both at the same time.

 

[AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaAAaaaA]

Blanchett was the shining light of this film, but it would be a slightly ridiculous nomination considering her career

 

[VoR]

Leto has just been nominated for a Razzie. Maybe he could do a Glenn Close and be nominated for both at the same time.

Why the fuck is Ben Affleck nominated for The Last Duel? He was brilliant in that film!

 

[Ellie]

Why the fuck is Ben Affleck nominated for The Last Duel? He was brilliant in that film!

I agree. There does seem to be a major discourse with what is generally agreed to be a good performance.

 

[VoR]

I assume Last Duel just got nominated because it flopped and the Razzies love to kick something when it's down. Plus Ben Affleck is always an easy target.