My Movie Journal is Better Than Yours

Notes History

Date Viewed	Venue	Note
12.29.21	Internet	This Screening is part of event: DVRfest 2021 Next up is the new Guillermo del Toro although I'm not sure what led him to remake this classic noir (excuse me, re-adapt the book from which a classic noir has already been made) although I suppose the freak show carnival angle makes sense. It's certainly a good cast doing good work, and the extra running time puts more space into the story for sure... On paper I should've loved this a little more than I did though... probably because of the source material. I suppose it's a decent enough noir but we've also had Carnivale and I've read Geek Love in the meantime. Definitely the first act is my favorite. It's very cool to see Ron Perlman and Willem Dafoe and Clifton Collins, Jr. together as carnies, but funny enough the whole femme fatale fatalism thing that's so iconic in noirs works way better for me in 40s and 50s movies than it did here. I love Cate Blanchett but seeing Bradley Cooper's character so clearly self-destruct felt a little tired where maybe it was novel way back when. Who knows. I still liked it. And there's a glimpse of Bradley's ween which is something I suppose. OK. I think we're down to the last movie of the fest, ending with what I hope is a great midnight movie. For whatever reason I've got the Girl from Starship Venus' theme song stuck in my head...