Nightmare Alley | December 17, 2021 (Wide Release) | Searchlight | Directed by Guillermo del Toro and starring Bradley Cooper

[Joel M]

Great teaser, this is my most anticipated movie this year, I haven't watched the old movie, I don't even know what it's really about. I really really hope it ends up great.

 

About it's oscars chances I don't care that much. Del Toro isn't a baity director and this doesn't seem that oscar friendly in and of itself. So if reviews aren't there in an overwhelming way like Shape of Water it might be easily classified as not important enough to be a real contender. 

 

I'm way more invested in this being a hit. Del Toro deserves it. IMO he's one of the best populist directors out there that for some reason his movies aren't that popular, at least initially. Almost all my friends love his stuff when they watched them on dvd/streaming but could never convince them to go to a theatre for one of his movies because they looked silly or lame or whatever.

[Cmasterclay]

Brad Cooper stealing both of Leo's big roles this year and Leo choosing to do a probably mediocre Adam McKay movie instead

[Maggie]

7 minutes ago, Cmasterclay said:

Brad Cooper stealing both of Leo's big roles this year and Leo choosing to do a probably mediocre Adam McKay movie instead

Leo passed on this for Don't Look Up?

 

[BoxOfficeFangrl]

49 minutes ago, Maggie said:

Leo passed on this for Don't Look Up?

 

 

Leo already has his Oscar so he can just do stuff that's meaningful to him. I follow him on Instagram and he mostly posts about the environment, very rarely about himself (only to drop a poster/set photo of a movie he's in, never about his personal life). Also, they say Netflix paid him $30 million for Don't Look Up, I'm sure Nightmare Alley is a good paycheck for Cooper, but not that good...

 

The trailer is very stylish but I wonder how many people are going to think it's a horror/monster movie.

 

 

[CoolioD1]

a star is born is technically a leo leftover as well i think he was in talks for that at some point back when it was a clint eastwood movie. overall not a bad career strategy to take what he throws away.

[Last Man Standing]

1 hour ago, Maggie said:

Leo passed on this for Don't Look Up?

 

It aligns with his values (climate activism). He already has an Oscar and a fuckload of money, now he wants to make a difference, and good on him for that. He also gets to goof off with Jonah on set, which is a plus.

Edited September 17, 2021 by Last Man Standing

[tonytr87]

55 minutes ago, Last Man Standing said:

It aligns with his values (climate activism). He already has an Oscar and a fuckload of money, now he wants to make a difference, and good on him for that. He also gets to goof off with Jonah on set, which is a plus.

 

Yeah him and Jonah are best buds. Can't imagine what fun they had together making Wolf. 

[Maggie]

58 minutes ago, Last Man Standing said:

 now he wants to make a difference, and good on him for that

Yea, i'm sure he'll make a huge difference from his private jet...

Edited September 17, 2021 by Maggie

[Krissykins]

Great cast (aside from Rooney Mara, IMO). 
 

Film looks pretty but I still don’t know what the plot is. 

[dudalb]

On 9/18/2021 at 8:56 AM, Krissykins said:

Great cast (aside from Rooney Mara, IMO). 
 

Film looks pretty but I still don’t know what the plot is. 

Without getting too spoilerly, it's about a carny sideshow hustler who tries to make it as  a big league scam artist by setting up a phony spritualist I can talk to the dead racket..It's set in the 1940's, and the previous 1947 film is considered of the great ,classic, film noirs. Very cynical.very dark, and NOT a feel good movie.

Edited September 21, 2021 by dudalb

[dudalb]

On 9/16/2021 at 10:51 PM, BoxOfficeFangrl said:

Is that an intentional homage to the "this is fine" meme at the end? Stunning visuals overall. Not sure why Bradley is looking like Indiana Jones but I'm not complaining...

 

Cate will be great I'm sure but I would’ve liked someone more unexpected? 

 

"Man or Beast" wasn't exactly my takeaway from the novel or 1947 film, but this is del Toro, that's like every movie of his...

Indy' Fedora and Leather Coat were very popular among men in the 30's and 40's. That is why the costume designer for "Raiders" gave them to Indy.

BTW the Indy look is also a homage to Humphrety Bogart in "Treasure of the Sierra Madre".

 

And I see....

Spoiler

From the Man Or Beast they are going to keep the Geek angle. I still hope they are not too graphic, that is something best lsuggested but left to the viewer's imigination.

 

[dudalb]

12 minutes ago, dudalb said:

Without getting too spoilerly, it's about a carny sideshow hustler who tries to make it as  a big league scam artist by setting up a phony spritualist I can talk to the dead racket..It's set in the 1940's, and the previous 1947 film is considered of the great ,classic, film noirs. Very cynical.very dark, and NOT a feel good movie.

And it's the first Del Toro film in a while that

Spoiler

does not have a real  sci fi or supernatural angle . Stanton's psychic powers are phony, fake , a part of the scam. Basic element of the plot.

 

 

Edited September 21, 2021 by dudalb

[Cmasterclay]

Read the book. Good and compelling read but nothing about it screamed serious Oscar contender. Some opportunity to make it more meaty, though.

[WrathOfHan]

It screened last night. Still isn't finished (editing+score), but the first reaction is very strong: https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2021/10/yf6qnjrivqlp1vq886t1jhkbo4ackh

 

Spoiler

 

[WrathOfHan]

Official synopsis:

 

Quote

When charismatic but down-on-his-luck Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) endears himself to clairvoyant Zeena (Toni Collette) and her has-been mentalist husband Pete (David Strathairn) at a traveling carnival, he crafts a golden ticket to success, using this newly acquired knowledge to grift the wealthy elite of 1940s New York society. With the virtuous Molly (Rooney Mara) loyally by his side, Stanton plots to con a dangerous tycoon (Richard Jenkins) with the aid of a mysterious psychiatrist (Cate Blanchett) who might be his most formidable opponent yet.

 

[Eric Atreides]

 

[Maggie]

This looks like a hard sell. Doubt it will make more than 20M

[Eric Atreides]

 

[Last Man Standing]

2 hours ago, Eric Venkman said:

 

Personally I love the look of it, but I'm no seeing a lot of buzz.

[Deep Wang]

I'm not a violent person, but if I ever get my hands on the person that came up with the idea to put little tiny sizzle reels in front of the trailer, I'm going to go ballistic.