An obvious awards show pick for nearly every technical category, Nightmare Alley is a gorgeous movie and is easy to get lost in. The first half meanders along, unable to really retain any coherent focus or character to become attached to. It feels like the film really starts in its second hour, once certain key players are introduced and the narrative begins to gain a sense of momentum and genuine stakes. While it perhaps takes too long to get there, it’s never a bad thing when a film peaks in its last five minutes, and that’s definitely what occurs here.