Movie Diary 12/15/2021

Nightmare Alley (Guillermo del Toro, 2021). This remake fairly swoons with movie-movie attractions, and an attention to detail that would make Polanski look lazy. It was suggested that this version would hew closer to William Lindsay Gresham’s harrowing source novel, although some of the deviations from the book this time are a little puzzling, especially in regard to the motivations of Cate Blanchett’s psychologist. The movie’s a dish, though, and Bradley Cooper brings his A-game. (full review 12/17)