When his wife, intelligence agent Kathryn St. Jean (Cate Blanchett), is suspected of committing treason, her husband, intelligence agent George Woodhouse is assigned to investigate her. He faces the ultimate test – faithfulness to his marriage or loyalty to his country.

Academy Award-winner Steven Soderbergh is a director who is completely in control of his craft and has mastered every genre throughout his eclectic career. Now he turns his attention to a taut and tightly confined spy thriller, which he constructs with the help of screenwriting genius David Koepp in Black Bag, and this picture dials up your nerves and will have you holding on for dear life with its claustrophobic tension and twisted psychology. Set over the course of a week where trusted and observant intelligence analyst George Woodhouse (Fassbender) learns of a would-be traitor in British intelligence and is given five suspects who include programmers Clarissa Dubose (Marisa Abela) and Freddie Smalls (Tom Burke), psychologist Dr. Zoe Vaughan (Naomie Harris) and field operative Col. James Stokes (Regé-Jean Page), and his wife Kathryn St. Jean (Cate Blanchett).

With limited information and a ticking clock, George gathers his suspects, setting the stage for a game of lies and deception. However, it’s not what you might expect. This isn’t a film filled with flashing explosions or high-paced action sequences. Instead, we are presented with a thought-provoking spy thriller where multiple chess games unfold among the characters, each driven by their own motives and agendas. The story is rich in twists and turns that keep the audience engaged.

As a cinematic experience, Black Bag is a pure spy thriller, but not as you know it, as its slick narrative moves across the interconnected personal lives of its central characters, and the plot is driven by the growing complexities of their interactions and minute by minute you’re kept guessing. Where national security and tradecraft secrets come down to confidentiality, discretion, and secrets, Black Bag completely blurs the line as all of allegiance to King and Country strays when mixed in with complex personal feelings, and it all adds to the nail-biting tension of the plot. Koep’s screenplay is savagely sharp, and Soderberg’s direction pulls on many cues of Hitchcokian misdirection that keeps the audience guessing, and a major plot turn in the middle of the narrative, driven in part by George’s obsessive actions throws the plot on its head and ramps up the tension even further.

Black Bag is an impeccably stylized film as well, with its camera work, set design and costuming all playing a vital role in drawing the audience in with a screen factor that is slick, stylish and sexy. The cast is dressed in some of the best wardrobe we’ve seen in recent years in film. Michael Fassbender looks the part of a refined gentleman spy in his grey suits and black turtlenecks, while Cate Blanchett exudes raw feminine strength and sexuality with her flowing gowns and crisp trenchcoats. Then there’s Pierce Brosnan as station chief Arthur Stieglitz, who, in his double-breasted suits, is the perfect example of British upper-class arrogance. The mood of the piece is also highlighted by Soderbergh’s crisp cinematography, which displays an effortlessly cool frame. Black Bag is imbued with an immense sensuality that enhances its erotic overtones, making it a very sexy watch and adding to Soderbergh’s tension-building techniques.

While Michael Fassbender had taken a recent pause in the last few years to focus on his passion for auto-racing, his return to the big screen has seen some excellent turns, particularly in the likes of David Fincher’s The Killer, and he gives a knockout performance here in Black Bag. Refined, detailed, and intensely private here as cunning intelligence operative George Woodhouse, Fassbender seems to appear to be a character that exists in the grey space between hero and villain, and there’s something edgy, possibly off, and potentially sociopathic about George, which is subtle in its presentation, is still felt by the audience. With an ability to see through others’ lies, he’s also an adept manipulator, and his prying mind sees him utilizing any advantage that he can find, making him utterly dangerous in the most strategic use of the word. Fassbender’s unflinching performance will leave you unhinged, and he’s never been better in a role.

Playing off of Fassbender is Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett as the mysterious, alluring, dynamic intelligence operative Kathryn St. Jean. Like her husband, Kathryn is the best at what she does, but a rogue element leads George to doubt her, and that’s where the ferocity builds in the plot. Blanchett plays Kathryn as distinctly two-faced, both exceedingly loyal to her husband and hiding something from him for an unknown reason. The mystery only grows as the narrative moves forward, and what is not shown adds to the vehemence of the picture. Blanchett and Fassbender’s chemistry together is superb, but not in the way you’d likely think of, and Black Bag’s twisting narrative shapes the complexity of their relationship, and they’re one very memorable couple for sure.

In espionage, black bag operations routinely relate to clandestine entries or surveillance operations, and Soderbergh and Koep lean into these actions in a physical and thematic sense. This chiefly relates to George’s actions, as he has a talent for intrusive behaviour and can seemingly intertwine himself with the secrets his colleagues, who he now suspects of foul play, would rather keep to themselves. The film’s subject matter related to observation and surveillance also leads to an exploration of the ideas related to voyeurism, and even though it is presented subtly, George’s obtrusive actions will leave audiences unsettled, which makes his character that much more intriguing, as he’s willing to go to extremes to complete his mission, which minute by minute becomes that much more personal in its action.

Issues of trust, loyalty, and deceit all play into the thematic underscore of Black Bag, with the key question being about how far one is willing to go to truly ‘trust’ the person they love. This theme is played directly both in George’s relationship with Kathryn, but also with other core characters who are under George’s suspicion, and moment by moment, you have to check where your own doubts are as an audience member, and the result will have you hanging on for dear life.

Black Bag is a flawlessly crafted spy thriller with its’ chessboard narrative of twists and deceptions, and it makes for one of the most stylish, cool, and intensely taut cinematic experiences of the year.

Imager: Universal Pictures

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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 travelling 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.

Long regarded by Guillermo del Toro as a passion project, Nightmare Alley which is an adaptation of the classic noir novel by William Lindsay Gresham takes audiences back in time to the late 1930s and early 1940s and into the world of travelling carnivals, huckster showman and manipulation of the soul. Always a passionate filmmaker who gives everything of himself to the projects he works on, del Toro brings a great vision to Nightmare Alley and strives to bring audiences back into the fold of classic film noir tropes of the time period. With a finely attuned sense for detail and story, del Toro lets the narrative of Nightmare Alley plays out at its own pace and this is a slow-burn thriller that takes its time and wraps you up in its twisting and complex narrative.

With Nightmare Alley del Toro presents a lavish canvas of time gone by. We are first introduced to the nomadic world of the travelling carnival and its strange inhabitants via the film’s protagonist Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) who stumbles into their world and soon becomes a part of it. As the story grows we then see Stanton drift off to the pull of the big city and del Toro juxtaposes a sepia landscape of Rockwell inspired carnival imagery with the austere might and power of Art Deco Chicago and the harsh shadows and sterns lines that make up its skyline. With frequent cinematographer Dan Laustsen, del Toro produces some incredibly gorgeous imagery that pulls you further into the narrative stylings of the time. With its gorgeous visual trappings, Nightmare Alley is a film that is hard to avert your eyes from and as the narrative moves deeper into the abyss the images grow stronger and stronger.

Being a Guillermo del Toro film, audiences can also expect the usual accompaniments of the directors’ noted style. Dark shadows, dynamic colour palettes, misunderstood and complex characters and a haunted, creepy atmosphere all make their way into the production. Along with a good helping of gore. With Nightmare Alley Guillermo del Toro peers into the mind of a dark and troubled individual who’ll go to any means necessary to get what he wants and what begins as a tale of the American Dream soon turns into a total nightmare. A noted fan of the noir genre, as a director del Toro works to keep Nightmare Alley firmly entrenched in the scope of the genre, but also injects his own unique visual and narrative ideas and the results make this film a very intriguing and heightened watch.

Standing front and centre in Nightmare Alley as its haunted, no-good protagonist Stanton ‘Stan’ Carlisle is Hollywood A-lister Bradley Cooper and he cuts an impressive figure in the part. As the dashing and handsome Stanton, Cooper builds a character who begins as a dreamer who soon takes a darker turn and as he tastes the power that his act gives him, he’ll go to any length to keep it no matter how dark or traumatic the results. Cooper is a pure hustler as Stanton and his good looks, charm and ability to read people take him a long way as master psychic ‘The Great Stanton’, but his haunted past gives him a dangerous and feral edge and god help anyone who gets in his way. On-screen Cooper is very reminiscent of Clark Gable in his performance and he brings a matinee idol sense to Stanton and his gift and control over drama makes for an interesting character who will pull you into his dark side.

Playing opposite Cooper is Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett and she brings out her inner vamp as the calculating and clever Dr Lilith Ritter. A classic femme fatale in every sense, Lilith is an excellent foil for Cooper’s Stanton and when she exposes his con she can’t help but fall into his game. Giving Lilith a keen intelligence and cat-like poise, Blanchett brings a dangerous sexuality to the role and slowly but subtly works her way into Stanton’s plan to con as many wealthy spiritualists as he can. As adversarial lovers, these two characters make for very interesting eye candy and each plays off the other with lustful zeal. As the narrative progresses in Nightmare Alley we begin to see Lilith’s claws come out and they’re sharp and ready to draw blood and it’s as the tension builds that Blanchett lets her bad girl persona out.

Stuck in between Stanton and Lilith is Rooney Mara as carnival ingenue Mary Elizabeth “Molly” Cahill who falls blissfully in love with Stanton and who builds a life with him early in his career as ‘The Great Stanton’. Mara brings an innocence to the role of Molly and gives audiences another perspective to view Stanton in as he becomes enamoured by his power and his ability to work ‘spook shows’; clairvoyant cons where he claims to speak to the dead. As the tension of the narrative heats up, Mara’s Molly moves in an interesting direction and her presence is key to the third act and the make or break decision that Stanton is forced to make.

Rounding out the rest of Nightmare Alley is a list of total A-list performers including the likes of Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins and Del Toro’s good friend and long time collaborator Ron Perlman. Collete brings a sensual maternity to psychic Zeena Krumbein, who takes Stanton under her wing in more ways than one and guides him in the art of her act with her alcoholic husband and Stanton’s mentor Pete (David Strathairn). Then there’s the great Willem Dafoe who is an utter scene-stealer as carny ringmaster Clem Hoately. Best described as a pimp and a peddler, Clem is a devious and dangerous individual who prides himself on presenting the most grotesque attractions including the infamous ‘Geek Act’ for his patrons and Dafoe dives into the role with plenty of zeal. There’s a sly, cutthroat quality to his performance and Dafoe holds your attention with his menacing character.

Haunting, menacing, thrilling and beautiful, Nightmare Alley is a cinematic presentation that delivers a true spectacle to the big screen. Holding to the tropes of film noir, while also working with the director’s style, Nightmare Alley is a film of considerable grandeur and spectacle and it presents a narrative packed out with twists and turns that deliver on the unexpected.

Image: 20th Century Studios

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Here’s the official synopsis:

Watch the brand new trailer for Nightmare Alley here:

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.

Building off of the noir edge of the first teaser trailer, this second trailer for Nightmare Alley takes audiences further into the dangerous con game of the charismatic, yet dangerous trickster Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper). Cooper brings a charming charisma to the the role of Stanton, while also hiding his characters darker intentions and it becomes clear rapidly that his con game has the stakes raised all the way up.

Facing off against Cooper’s Stanton is Cate Blanchett as the clever and calculating psychologist Dr. Lilith Ritter who sees through Stanton’s game and while at first trying to reveal him as the fraud he is, soon begins to revel and take a role in his dangerous scheme. Blanchett brings an alluring femme fatale style to the role of Ritter and she goes toe-to-toe with Cooper’s Stanton and you can tell that there’s certainly going to be some solid give and take between the two of them here.

Nightmare Alley is a visual splendour to look upon thanks to the gorgeous photography of cinematographer Dan Laustsen and cinema fans who ache for a feeling that is evocative of Hollywood’s golden age will be very pleased with the setting, tone and style that Del Toro brings to the screen here in Nightmare Alley.

Prepare yourself to be on edge from beginning to end with Nightmare Alley and brace yourselves for an utterly memorable cinema event when it arrives in cinemas on January 20, 2022.

The post Guillermo del Toro brings a witchy film noir edge to ‘Nightmare Alley’ appeared first on SpicyPulp.

Watch the brand new trailer for Nightmare Alley below:

Here’s the official synopsis:

Stan Carlisle (Bradley Cooper), an ambitious carny with a talent for manipulating people with a few well-chosen words, hooks up with Dr. Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett), a psychiatrist who is even more dangerous than he is.

Based upon the classic psychological thriller published in 1946 by William Lindsay Gresham, Nightmare Alley stars Bradley Cooper as Stanton ‘Stan’ Carlisle, a drifter with a talent for showmanship and the con job, who decides to strike out on his own and build a fortune by any means necessary. This brings him to the attention of calculating psychiatrist Dr. Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett), who at first sets to expose him, but then becomes intrigued by Stan’s game of cat and mouse and that’s when things really get dangerous.

Nightmare Alley represents new territory for Guillermo del Toro who is swapping his usual monster horrors for a story of man’s darkest side and the result is a tense and calculating film noir experience that will be certain to leave your heart pumping.

This first look trailer sets up the world that the story takes place in and it’s a setting where the lowest fringes and high society meet on equal turns and there’s plenty of spooky moments that will have you gripping your seat with tension.

Cooper and Blanchett lead an all-star cast that includes the likes of Willen Dafoe, Toni Colette, David Strathairn, Rooney Mara and Ron Perlman, and this a-list cast is certain to bring their all and they all look perfectly cast in their respective parts.

For Guillermo del Toro, Nightmare Alley is a project that has been long in the making with the filmmaking being introduced to it back in 1992 by frequent collaborator Ron Perlman, and this first look certainly has our attention.

With its standout casting, uneasy story and beautifully rendered imagery, Nightmare Alley is a piece of cinema you’re certainly not going to be able to look away from and there’s serious awards buzz building for this project.

Get ready to discover the dark side of man when Nightmare Alley arrives in cinemas on January 20, 2022.

Images: 20th Century Studios

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In a special presentation from Vanity Fair, we now have our first look at this edgy new production which stars Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Willen Dafoe, Toni Colette, David Strathairn, Rooney Mara and Ron Perlman, and it’s got the trappings of an incredibly interesting and intense watch.

Nightmare Alley which is based on the 1946 novel by William Lindsay Gresham, and which was filmed in 1947 starring Tyrone Power, is new territory for del Toro, but the director wanted to go back to the source for this project.

“From the beginning, our interest was to go for the novel, but it’s almost impossible to adapt because it has a very kaleidoscopic, very peculiar voice. You would need a six-hour miniseries and shifting points of view, and this and that. We started from the novel, and didn’t want to do a remake as much as a new adaptation.”

The director also confirmed that the project was first brought to his attention back in 1992 by his friend and frequent collaborator Ron Perlman who suggested they work on it together. Always wanting to do a film noir, del Toro found the right subject matter with Nightmare Alley, although the director is very upfront in that he wants to bring something different to the genre.

“Curiously enough, in approaching Nightmare Alley, I said I’m not going to do any of the clichés associated with the genre. I’m not going to do an artifact. I’m not going to do the Venetian blinds, and voiceover, and detectives walking with fedoras in wet streets. I wanted to do the universe of the novel, which is a little gritty, but also strangely magical. It has a very strange, mystical allure— and mythical. I was very attracted to that possibility.”, said del Toro.

del Toro is also looking to invert the expectations of audiences with Nightmare Alley and the genre of film noir and this is clearly seen through Bradley Cooper’s performance as the lead character and ambitious carny Stanton Carlisle. Where normally audiences are used to an alluring and seductive female presence, in Nightmare Alley del Toro is looking to switch that up instead

“Thematically, I’m very interested in exploring the genre from a different point of view,” the director says with a chuckle. “Instead of a femme fatale, I have three very strong female figures and an homme fatale.”

Nightmare Alley is shaping up to be one of 2021’s most intriguing pictures and audiences and film fans will be ready to step into its dark corners when it arrives in cinemas in January 2022.

Source: Vanity Fair

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After his actions lead to the rise of the goddess of death Hela (Cate Blanchett), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the absent minder of Asgard finds himself lost on the alien world of Sakaar. Placed into the world of gladiatorial combat, Thor has a run in with The Incredible Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and the two of them form a pack to escape Sakaar and return to save Asgard from the impending apocalypse of Ragnarok.

Marvel has redefined the notion of what scale means in the blockbuster business and as far as blockbusters go they don’t get bigger or bolder than Thor: Ragnarok. And then there’s the fact that Thor: Ragnarok is so much fun!

As Earth’s mightiest avenger Chris Hemsworth has his power pushed to the limit and his heroism tested as he finds himself scattered to the farthest corners of the universe with his very purpose stripped from him. Of all the Marvel characters Hemsworth’s role as Thor has been the character that most aligns to the notion of Joseph Campbell’s Monomyth or what is commonly referred to as The Heroes Journey. And while Hemsworth as Thor had already completed this roundabout cycle in the previous Thor films, Waititi essentially gives audiences the post-script of what comes next. The director puts his hero in an uncomfortable position by essentially removing Mjolnir, Thor’s hammer, from our hero and forcing him to rediscover his inner character and strength as a result. It’s an action that forces our hero to rise to the occasion and leads to plenty of amazing discoveries on Thor’s part.

But while Thor still might be his essential stoic self, this time Hemsworth gets to tap into his brilliant comedic timing, and the jokes come flying. This focus on comedy is of course part of Waititi’s influence on the film, but it also makes for something that is different and fresh for a long time Marvel audiences. While I can’t go too much into Thor’s journey for Ragnarok without heading into spoiler territory I can say that Hemsworth’s embrace of the lighter side of himself leads to a stronger character and many unexpected laughs.

Thor: Ragnarok could essentially be described as the ‘odd couple’ movie as Thor finds himself in the company of Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk on the alien planet of Sakaar. Waititi borrows material from the critically acclaimed ‘Planet Hulk’ storyline for this part of the film, and the coupling of Thor and Hulk is awesome to see up on screen. We get both equal moments of comedy and drama with these two, and Mark Ruffalo brings a sense of both misspent time and a deep sense of loss as the dishevelled Bruce Banner. Watching both he and Hemsworth’s relationship up on screen took me back to classic memories of film’s such as Midnight Run and Lethal Weapon, buddy film’s where the action and emphasis was on each character and their unique interaction’s with one another.

However it’s not a Thor film without the appearance of Thor’s treacherous half-brother Loki, and once again British thespian Tom Hiddleston shows up bearing gifts. While we’ve grown to know Loki as a scheming, Machiavellian force, here he’s dropped that facade in order to be a far more casual and fun-loving type of dude. Essentially Loki got what he wanted at the end of Thor: The Dark World, and that’s essentially made him a far more sloth-like character. This is party boy Loki, and when his big brother does turn up he’s non-to pleased at having all of his fun taken away from him. While there’s still the usual love/hate moments between the two brothers here the comedic stylings of Taika Waititi take that to the next level, and with it I say bring on more Loki!

Every hero needs a villain to test them, and Thor finds his in the visage of death herself thanks to Cate Blanchett’s performance as Hela, The Goddess of Death. As the first ever female big bad in the Marvel Cinematic Universe Blanchett had plenty of responsibility resting on her shoulders…and she completely owns it. Hela is one mean girl who would reduce Regina George to tear’s and this goth princess recoils in her pleasure to unfurl death upon Asgard and pound the snot out of bickering princes Thor and Loki. What I loved about Blanchett’s performance was that she clearly placed herself above the two of them and was interested in making Asgard her own personal playground. As death incarnate Hela is also unstoppable and Blanchett throws out plenty of sick fight moves that she picked up from New Zealand’s first lady of the stunt world Zoe Bell.

But if I have to name a scene stealer then it’s definitely Jeff Goldblum as the eccentrically kooky Grandmaster. This immortal of the universe, who is the brother to Benicio del Toro’s sinister Collector, is a benevolent entertainer and ruler of the planet of Sakaar. Here this galactic style Emporer stages mighty gladiatorial games…along with mixing his own solid turntable beats. Goldblum was born to play this role and Marvel fans will revel in the extremeness of his character. All of it fits perfectly in the world of Thor: Ragnarok and as an audience member, you’ll find yourself demanding more of The Grandmaster. The Grandmaster also introduces audiences to two distinctively Kiwi characters. The first is his right-hand woman Topaz played to dry comedic perfection by Rachel House, while Waititi himself joins in on the action with his performance as the softly-spoken rock giant Korg who is essentially a Maori bouncer in space and who will have you in fits of laughter with his laugh-out-loud dialogue.

Thor: Ragnarok succeeds as the grand entertainment that it is thanks to the vision of the great Taika Waititi. The world of Thor and the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a giant play chest for Waititi and he undoubtedly is a kid in a candy store with this grand canvas. From the film’s pascal colouring to it’s synthesized score, every part of this film is imbued with Waititi’s sense of child-like wonder. As far as reference points go the 1980s definitely plays a part here and I can just feel that Waititi’s aesthetic choices were inspired by his admiration for 80s pop culture such as Flash Gordon, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and Thundercats. The director has a large canvas with Thor: Ragnarok and he absolutely fills every part of it with spectacle and then of-course there’s the comedy. If ever a Marvel movie called for comedy it was Thor: Ragnarok and with Taika at the helm, the laughs come pretty easily.

As a New Zealander myself I can also say that I could really feel the distinctive Kiwi vibe that Taika and his crew were going for with Thor. It’s great to see this in something as big and grand as a Marvel movie, and it really put a smile on my face.

Waititi is also a champ when it comes to handling the film’s epic action sequences. While I don’t want to reveal too much the film’s impressive gladiatorial main event had all the calling cards of the coolest WWF matches, and Hulk clearly lived up to his name with plenty of throwbacks to the actions of cult wrestling icons such as Randy ‘The Macho Man’ Savage, The Ultimate Warrior and off-course the one and only Hulk Hogan! Banging combat doesn’t get much better than this, and in 3D it’s one AWESOME spectacle.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a playground for diverse directors with voice and vision. Taika Waititi is one of those directors. Just like James Gunn and The Russo Brothers, Waititi has his own way of doing things and this defined sense of who he is as a director leads the way for an extraordinary film experience. After watching Thor: Ragnarok all I want is more Marvel film’s made by Taika Waititi and judging by the reactions of those who were lucky enough to see Ragnarok early I feel that we’ll see him back in the director’s chair very shortly.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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Here’s the synopsis:

Held captive on the alien world of Sakaar without his hammer, Thor (Hemsworth), must win a gladiatorial fight against his former ally – The Hulk (Mark Ruffolo) – in order to escape Sakaar and return to Asgard to combat the forces of Hela (Cate Blanchett), as she intends to unleash Ragnarok upon Asgard.

Set to Led Zepplin’s classic rock anthem Immigrant Song, the new teaser promises fans something fresh, fun and less dark than the previous Thor solo outing, which is exactly what we’d expect from director Taika Waititi.

Thor: Ragnarok will arrive in theatres on October 26 in New Zealand and Australia, and on November 3 in the US and UK.

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