• NIGHTMARE ALLEY (no spoilers)

    From moviePig@21:1/5 to All on Wed Apr 13 15:19:41 2022
    XPost: rec.arts.tv

    In 1940, a drifter is taken into the world of carnival trickery, where
    he soon becomes ambitious. NIGHTMARE ALLEY, on HBOMax, is another dark, atmospheric melodrama from director Guillermo del Toro. Although his
    film is (as usual) well-crafted, sumptuous, and fast-paced, it's perhaps
    overly so, as his characters and their plights never engaged me beyond a distant fairy-tale quality. Best Picture nom, somewhat recommended.

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  • From trotsky@21:1/5 to moviePig on Wed Apr 13 18:59:54 2022
    XPost: rec.arts.tv

    On 4/13/2022 2:19 PM, moviePig wrote:
    In 1940, a drifter is taken into the world of carnival trickery, where
    he soon becomes ambitious.  NIGHTMARE ALLEY, on HBOMax, is another dark, atmospheric melodrama from director Guillermo del Toro.  Although his
    film is (as usual) well-crafted, sumptuous, and fast-paced, it's perhaps overly so, as his characters and their plights never engaged me beyond a distant fairy-tale quality.  Best Picture nom, somewhat recommended.


    This movie was an homage to the entire film noir category, and if you
    didn't get that I'm not surprised you didn't appreciate it for what it
    was. Bradley Cooper was merely excellent, and Cate Blanchett was Oscar caliber. And then there's the elements of the macabre that del Toro
    brings to the table.

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  • From moviePig@21:1/5 to trotsky on Wed Apr 13 22:28:06 2022
    XPost: rec.arts.tv

    On 4/13/2022 7:59 PM, trotsky wrote:
    On 4/13/2022 2:19 PM, moviePig wrote:
    In 1940, a drifter is taken into the world of carnival trickery, where
    he soon becomes ambitious.  NIGHTMARE ALLEY, on HBOMax, is another
    dark, atmospheric melodrama from director Guillermo del Toro.
    Although his film is (as usual) well-crafted, sumptuous, and
    fast-paced, it's perhaps overly so, as his characters and their
    plights never engaged me beyond a distant fairy-tale quality.  Best
    Picture nom, somewhat recommended.


    This movie was an homage to the entire film noir category, and if you
    didn't get that I'm not surprised you didn't appreciate it for what it
    was.  Bradley Cooper was merely excellent, and Cate Blanchett was Oscar caliber.  And then there's the elements of the macabre that del Toro
    brings to the table.

    I'll grant that it way noir, and even that that's not my favorite genre.

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  • From trotsky@21:1/5 to moviePig on Thu Apr 14 04:54:30 2022
    XPost: rec.arts.tv

    On 4/13/2022 9:28 PM, moviePig wrote:
    On 4/13/2022 7:59 PM, trotsky wrote:
    On 4/13/2022 2:19 PM, moviePig wrote:
    In 1940, a drifter is taken into the world of carnival trickery,
    where he soon becomes ambitious.  NIGHTMARE ALLEY, on HBOMax, is
    another dark, atmospheric melodrama from director Guillermo del Toro.
    Although his film is (as usual) well-crafted, sumptuous, and
    fast-paced, it's perhaps overly so, as his characters and their
    plights never engaged me beyond a distant fairy-tale quality.  Best
    Picture nom, somewhat recommended.


    This movie was an homage to the entire film noir category, and if you
    didn't get that I'm not surprised you didn't appreciate it for what it
    was.  Bradley Cooper was merely excellent, and Cate Blanchett was
    Oscar caliber.  And then there's the elements of the macabre that del
    Toro brings to the table.

    I'll grant that it way noir, and even that that's not my favorite genre.


    I'd never seen any until I subscribed to the Criterion Channel. I would
    go as far as to say it was the best period in cinematic history. Those
    movies are best described as no bullshit. Gritty, psychological dramas
    with superb casting, writing, and directing. Being black and white only
    adds to the experience. I can see why they're constantly being imitated.

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  • From Bill Anderson@21:1/5 to moviePig on Tue Jun 21 14:03:11 2022
    XPost: rec.arts.tv

    On 4/13/2022 2:19 PM, moviePig wrote:
    In 1940, a drifter is taken into the world of carnival trickery, where
    he soon becomes ambitious.  NIGHTMARE ALLEY, on HBOMax, is another dark, atmospheric melodrama from director Guillermo del Toro.  Although his
    film is (as usual) well-crafted, sumptuous, and fast-paced, it's perhaps overly so, as his characters and their plights never engaged me beyond a distant fairy-tale quality.  Best Picture nom, somewhat recommended.

    That's basically my reaction too. I watched five movies on round trip
    flights a few weeks ago, and afterward I wanted to post comments here. I
    could remember four of the five, but for the life of me I couldn't come
    up with what that fifth movie might have been. Patience finally paid off
    and it came to me this morning: NIGHTMARE ALLEY. Of course. Hard to
    believe I'd forget a movie as beautiful to look at as this, but there
    you are. I was loving it at first because the setting and even the
    appearance of some of the characters reminded me of a favorite: HBO's CARNIVALE. But this was not that. Maybe the facts that I disliked every
    single person in the movie and I saw the denouement coming a mile away
    helped it slip from my mind. I dunno. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll forget it
    again.

    --
    Bill Anderson

    I am the Mighty Favog

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  • From trotsky@21:1/5 to Bill Anderson on Tue Jun 21 15:04:23 2022
    XPost: rec.arts.tv

    On 6/21/2022 2:03 PM, Bill Anderson wrote:
    On 4/13/2022 2:19 PM, moviePig wrote:
    In 1940, a drifter is taken into the world of carnival trickery, where
    he soon becomes ambitious.  NIGHTMARE ALLEY, on HBOMax, is another
    dark, atmospheric melodrama from director Guillermo del Toro.
    Although his film is (as usual) well-crafted, sumptuous, and
    fast-paced, it's perhaps overly so, as his characters and their
    plights never engaged me beyond a distant fairy-tale quality.  Best
    Picture nom, somewhat recommended.

    That's basically my reaction too.  I watched five movies on round trip flights a few weeks ago, and afterward I wanted to post comments here. I could remember four of the five, but for the life of me I couldn't come
    up with what that fifth movie might have been. Patience finally paid off
    and it came to me this morning: NIGHTMARE ALLEY. Of course. Hard to
    believe I'd forget a movie as beautiful to look at as this, but there
    you are. I was loving it at first because the setting and even the
    appearance of some of the characters reminded me of a favorite: HBO's CARNIVALE. But this was not that. Maybe the facts that I disliked every single person in the movie and I saw the denouement coming a mile away
    helped it slip from my mind. I dunno. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll forget it again.


    It's easier to criticize than otherwise. And anyone who doesn't
    recognize this movie as del Toro's homage to film noir really doesn't
    have anything to say in the first place. Holy fuck am I sick of
    pedestrian comments on social media.

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  • From william ahearn@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Wed Jun 22 12:12:32 2022
    On Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 3:19:46 PM UTC-4, [email protected] wrote:
    In 1940, a drifter is taken into the world of carnival trickery, where
    he soon becomes ambitious. NIGHTMARE ALLEY, on HBOMax, is another dark, atmospheric melodrama from director Guillermo del Toro. Although his
    film is (as usual) well-crafted, sumptuous, and fast-paced, it's perhaps overly so, as his characters and their plights never engaged me beyond a distant fairy-tale quality. Best Picture nom, somewhat recommended.

    I'll spare you my usual "film noir" rant and just point out that the entire first part of the film is contrived and predictable. Period piece? Drag out the vintage vehicles and the sepia tint. The rest is lip service and boring. Never seen Cate Blanchett
    so wasted. And with a wave of the hand -- at the end -- to Tod Brownings' Freaks. I'll never see it again.

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