Review: “Nightmare Alley” (2021)

If Guillermo Del Toro’s previous feature film, “The Shape of Water,” was about the perseverance of love and humanizing monsters, his latest movie, “Nightmare Alley,” is about as opposite to that as one can get. Based on William Lindsay Gresham’s 1946 novel, which was also adapted into a 1947 film of the same name, “Nightmare […]

Noirvember: “The Big Sleep” (1946)

The first time I watched “The Big Sleep”, it ended and I realized I had no idea who the murderer was. Every time I rewatch it I get lost as to what exactly is going on at certain points in the story. Attempting to read a plot synopsis of the movie makes my brain want […]

Noirvember: “Mildred Pierce” (1945)

Joan Crawford wanted the role of Mildred Pierce badly. But by the time Warner Brothers began production on the film adaptation of James M. Cain’s novel, Crawford was considered a bit of a has-been. She hadn’t starred in a film in two years, since she had been let go of her MGM contract. Furthermore, the director of “Mildred […]

Noirvember: “The Blue Dahlia” (1946)

There’s a funny story that goes along with the making of “The Blue Dahlia”. Novelist Raymond Chandler was hired to write the screenplay for a film noir; despite several of his novels being adapted into films before, this was the first time he wrote something specifically for the screen. Midway through, Chandler got writer’s block. The […]

Noirvember: “Laura” (1944)

The film “Laura” begins after the titular character (played by Gene Tierney in flashbacks) has already died, murdered inside her apartment, immediately setting the tone for one of the most intriguing and complex film noirs ever put on film. Her death is investigated by detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews), who spends the first part of […]

Noirvember: “Key Largo” (1948)

“Key Largo”, the fourth and final film pairing of Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, is significantly different from their previous movies together. The film does have elements of noir, but neither actor plays their typical character, and, in fact, much of the movie’s focus is on another character entirely. Bogart plays Frank McCloud, a World War II veteran who travels […]

Noirvember: “Double Indemnity” (1944)

In honor of Noirvember—a celebration of the film noir genre created by @oldfilmsflicker on Twitter—I wanted to take some time throughout this month to highlight some classic films noir that I love. Film noir is probably the most intriguing and unique of all film genres; they can sometimes be difficult to characterize. These stylized, black-and-white crime […]