NG4 March/April 2022

LICORICE PIZZA
NIGHTMARE ALLEY
To say I was excited for Licorice Pizza
would be an understatement. Paul
Thomas Anderson is my favourite
director of all time, so to say that this
film still surpassed my expectations is a
miracle. This film is the director’s loving
ode to San Fernando Valley, where he
grew up and set many of his earlier
works. Much like Quentin Tarantino’s
‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’,
this film does not really have much
of a conventional plot structure to
speak of. It moves at a very odd pace
as it shows scenes with seemingly no
greater place in the narrative beyond
enhancing the characters and themes
of the film, which is exactly why I love
it. Where most directors would have
a very clear-cut plot, this film has a
sprawling, episodic feel that allows it
to relish in the nostalgic atmosphere
present throughout the entire runtime.
Yet it always maintains this dark
undercurrent, something that drives
the two leads together and led me
to further empathise with both main
characters. This was arguably my
favourite new release in years and I
suggest everybody go and watch it!
Writer: Sam Leary 10/10
Nightmare Alley is a visually stunning and
passionately performed return to cinemas for the
director of Pacific Rim, Hellboy and Crimson Peak,
Guillermo Del Toro.
Unfortunately, that is where it ends.
This slick neo-noir follows Stanton Carlisle (Bradley
Cooper) as he escapes a mysterious past straight into
the macabre wonders of a ‘freak-show’. He ingratiates
himself and propels himself onward into troubled
success.
Del Toro excels at crafting a rich, artfully crafted world
that pulls you in, and yet that shiny, art deco facade
is easily chipped. Nightmare Alley is all style and no
substance. It relies on its incredible cinematography
and production design, leaning heavily on fervent
performances from Cooper and Cate Blanchett.
They embody their flawed, unlikeable characters
with an easy authenticity, yet Rooney Mara (Girl with
the Dragon Tattoo) is left will very little to get her
talented teeth into.
Our circus of antagonists blunder from one plot point
to another, with very little in the way of story, never
mind a genuine emotional payoff in the finale. It’s
heavy on metaphors and foreshadowing, preferring
an arthouse ‘show don’t tell’ approach to verbal
exposition, but doesn’t give enough to draw any real
conclusions from.
You’re left guessing at what you’ve just watched; you
probably did just enjoy the visual feast, yet are left
with the slightly bitter aftertaste of wood alcohol.
Writer: Nick Archer 6/10