Why So Blu?

Just watched it and I did not like. It was a fucking bore to get through and only picks up during the last 20 minutes or so. Man, I have loved every single GDT film since the beginning, but this one was a misfire.

The final scene of the film before it cuts to the credits reminded me of In the Mouth of Madness. I will be skipping the 4K disc release and the B&W version.

It was great on a technical level, though.

Throwing Copper

This is what the trailer looks like to me. All atmosphere/mood and a total slog.

Throwing Copper

Well I guess I’m the anti-Why So Blu.

I really enjoyed the first two hours and didn’t care as much for the final 20 minutes. Not sure why.

It is a slow movie but I was always totally engaged with the atmosphere. That might be the best overall cast ever assembled. Wow what a bunch of talent.

I would have preferred it being shot in 2:35:1 instead of 185 or whatever it was.

Trelach24

So, is this movie scary for a total pussy?

Asking for a friend of course...

Why So Blu?

Nope. It's not a traditional horror film at all.

GoldenJCJ

I liked this but also think it could have ended stronger than it did. I felt like Del Toro made a purposely slow moving movie to capture Stan’s realistic descent into his own moral corruption and then rushed the last 20 minutes or so to make sure he got there by the end.

One question:



The set design was amazing. Everything in the traveling carnival and the Art Deco design of the buildings and mansions looked fantastic.

It was a little long and probably could have used a trim here and there but I might consider re-watching this if HBOmax puts up the Black & White version.

majorjoe23

I think it was because

GoldenJCJ

^ Oh, good call. I didn’t even think of that. That makes sense.

rexinnih

Just finished watching it on Hulu and that was my read also. Good movie to watch once but not sure if will watch again.

Paff

Are you sure that's the reason, and not because the first meeting with Stan and Grindle was shot at the same place as the mental hospital in the beginning of In the Mouth of Madness?

JayTL

I enjoyed it enough...but didn't love it. It's better than Shape of Water, but I'd probably put it around the "average" mark for GDT

Why So Blu?

Now that, I didn't even realize. What reminded me of ITMOM and this one's ending is

Paff

What's really odd is that it is actually a water treatment plant.

As for the movie itself, Del Toro's remake gave me the same dry feeling as the original. I did enjoy the carnival scenes early on in the film, but it loses me when they enter high society with the con game. I know, I know, you can't have a "rise and fall" type movie if they never experience the highs that make the inevitable decline so devastating, but both films slow to a glacial pace at that point in the story. Also, I don't have the contempt for the lead character when he's conning other rich people, the same way I did when they're exploiting the more vulnerable folk (who are probably coughing up a significantly larger percentage of their cash to him) on the carnival scene.

When I want to see a contemptible person get their comeuppance in a carnival side show, I'll just rewatch Freaks again.

RichC2

I really enjoyed most of the movie, loved the atmosphere and liked the general plot, but I found the last act to be a little too generic and ending struck me more as silly than anything else.

JeffTheAlpaca

I just wished it was in 4K on HBO Max.

Cool did not have to wait until April to see this on physical media.

A fun movie and glad I saw it this week when it was cold and cloudy and not in the 80's last week.

Rob V

I loved this movie... yes, it was slow but the payoff was great. I should have seen the "twist" ending coming from a mile away but was caught up in just how excellent the actors were and the settings were beautiful.

Shannon Nutt

Twist? It was the same as the original movie and the book. I guess it's a "twist" if you didn't know the story...but even then, it's pretty well telegraphed.

OldBoy

I thought it started out promising, but I started to dislike it after 20 or so minutes. Finished in 1 sitting, but it was ok, nothing special. Felt like I’ve seen before, no didn’t see original.

davidh777

I didn’t know anything about it going in and never saw the first film. It ran long, and wasn’t crazy about the “one last job” end section, but it kept me interested throughout, and the cast and atmosphere were great. Was it one of the 10 best films of the year? Eh, maybe.

d2cheer

Pretty much agree with Oldboy on this one.

Saw the ending a mile away. I never saw the original either.

JeffTheAlpaca

De Toro told Marc Maron on his podcast how he used circles throughout the film and various settings as a explanation for Stan's journey

The Antipodean

Man, I love the original and I am a huge Del Toro fan, but this just seemed inert to me. I can’t even quite pinpoint why, but it felt like film noir cosplay somehow. A bummer.

Paff

As I already mentioned, this was the vibe I got from the original:

dex14