Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood

It’s said that Quentin Tarantio has called his latest film, Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood, his Magnum Opus. Whether his fans agree or disagree, to call the 9th out of the 10 planned feature films of his career his most important piece is daring and begs us to pay close attention. To savor every detail. To find deeper meaning in this story. 

The film is a gripping tale spun out of Hollywood history at the sunset of the golden era. In 1969, Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a fading movie star. He’s best known for his lead role in a television western, Bounty Law. With the realization that he’s “a has-been” he throws himself into some new western roles and even some spaghetti westerns. That’s also good news for his friend and stunt double, Clint Booth (Brad Pitt), who tags along, hopes for work, but mostly drives Rick around since he lost his license. One day while Rick is busy filming, Clint picks up a young hippie girl hitchhiking and takes her home, which happens to be an old Hollywood movie ranch he and Rick used to work on. Clint senses something sinister there. The story ties in, Rick’s new neighbors, Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate as well as a few of their friends that share an eventful evening. 

DiCaprio and Pitt working together brings us one of the best on screen duos I’ve ever seen. They’re both Hollywood icons most Tarantino fans have watched growing up and to see them together for the first time is wonderfully entertaining. DiCaprio’s violent improvising in the trailer is one of the best moments in the film. And Pitt’s charismatically aloof character with a fishy past is captivating. While each of their roles are uniquely perfect for them, their chemistry between them is solid and electrifying. At times, they make this film feel like a buddy movie, especially when Clint has to remind Rick who he is.

Tarantino films are known to be especially violent. Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood also has those extremely violent moments that only Tarantino could pull off. True to his fashion, many of those moments made me laugh in horror. I loved it. But without giving too much away, I will say that there is quite a bit less violence than usual for Tarantino. Most of the film is rather calm and focuses on story and character interaction. And it never feels dull. But when the knives are out, it goes from zero to sixty in no time and keeps getting more intense until the end. 

Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood is Tarantino’s love letter to Hollywood’s golden age, where he tries to administer some justice. It makes me wonder just how much affect the Manson murders had on young Quenton and how much he may have idolized those tv cowboys like Dalton played. The film is full of nostalgia and style, from the shiny classic cars, vintage shop fronts down to the knit hippie clothes. And of course, I love how much his use of stunt workers as characters. The scene between Pitt, Zoe Bell, Kurt Russell and Mike Moh as a young Bruce Lee was one of my favorites. 

“You know, you’re kinda pretty for a stuntman.”

The Hateful Eight

Quentin Tarantino’s latest film is a western set in the harsh, cold, unforgiving land of Wyoming after the Civil War.  He takes great care to show us all the vast plains of snow, the horses pulling the stage coast struggling through it, the icy, majestic mountains in the distance.  It is a vast, cruel and lonely setting.  And later the bulk of the action is confined within four drafty walls.

John Ruth (Kurt Russell) is a bounty hunter known as The Hangman.  He got that nickname since he always brings his bounties in alive and stays to watch them hang.  He’s got Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh) in custody, with a ten thousand dollar bounty on her head.  To put it bluntly, she’s quite a spunky bitch.  They’re in a stagecoach driven by O.B. (James Parks) and a blizzard is on their tail.  When they happen upon men on the road, first Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson) then supposed Sheriff Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), Ruth grudgingly let’s them ride along.  

When they arrive at Minnie’s Haberdashery, their shelter for the next few days, the blizzard is on them.  Inside, Minnie is missing, Bob the Mexican (Demian Bichir) is running the place instead.  Three other men have already settled in: Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth) says he’s the hangman of Red Rock, Joe Gage (Michael Madsen) claims to be heading home to his mom for Christmas and General Sandy Smithers (Bruce Dern) is a withered old Confederate by the fire.  Not everyone is who they say they is and there will be a very Tarantino style blood bath by the end.  

Over the three hours this movie spans, we get a lot of dialogue (a Tarantino-style forte) and spurts of gruesome action that rev up to the very end.  It’s pretty good.  However, it does feel like three hours.  The Hateful Eight does not feel cool like Reservoir Dogs or Pulp Fiction.  It does not feel as grand as Inglourious Basterds or as daring as Kill Bill or as crazy bad-ass as Death Proof.  It’s colder, more calculated  and moves slowly between the spurts of sadistic action.

My favorite character out of our hateful eight is Daisy.  She’s the reason they’re all gathered under one rickety roof.  Even when she’s chained to and repeatedly abused by John Ruth, she still has a mischievous smile on her face.  She is the most beaten down character, on her way to the gallows, but she has a spark that wants us to believe she is not out yet.  She even manages to give us a lovely musical number and show off some guitar skills.  I was very happy to see that Jennifer Jason Leigh earned the supporting actress nomination.

The Hateful Eight earned only two other Oscar nominations.  They are for best cinematography and best original score.  I say they are well deserved.  The whole film is visually appealing whether we’re seeing snowy mountains or the Haberdashery drafty walls.  And the music is just lovely.  

The hate in the eight is fueled by so many things.  There are old wounds from the Civil War that haven’t healed.  Warren and Smithers fought on opposite sides of the same battle.  Multiple levels of racism are at work within the Haberdashery.  And even some family bonds can bring the hate out until blood and brains are spilled all over the shabby floors.

On a side note, the theater I saw this in was very cold.  I’m usually that person who is too warm, wearing t shirts outside when it might snow.  Trying to keep myself warm for three hours really helped the drafty shack in a blizzard atmosphere feel extra authentic.  I do not recommend seeing this movie in a chilly theater, but it does add a little something.  

“When you get to hell, John, tell them Daisy sent you…”

Oscar Predictions 2012

I guess I can’t put this off anymore.  The Oscars will be presented on Sunday and this year I believe I have seen more nominees than in any year since I began this blog, (29/53 total nominees).  However, this feels like one of the most unpredictable years I have ever witnessed.  So, here are my somewhat informed, probably completely wrong Oscar predictions:

Cinematography

Life of Pi, no other film comes close to its visual beauty.

Costume Design

Haven’t seen 3 of these nominees…Why not Anna Karenina? Pretty dresses often help in this category.

Sound Mixing

Leaning towards Les Mis, mostly because of the mix of cannons and singing.

Editing

Zero Dark Thirty, I just feel it.

Sound Editing

Django?  I mean come on, how many westerns have won this category?

Visual Effects

The Hobbit, maybe because I saw it in HFR 3D.

Makeup and Hairstyling

The Hobbit again.  Did you see all those crazy beards?

Original Song

Skyfall for Skyfall because Skyfall.  Anyone else psyched for a the Academy’s tribute to Bond films?

Original Score

Life of Pi, mostly because I really didn’t notice the other scores much and found this so beautiful.

Animated Short

Head Over Heels.  Inventive, imaginative and a lot of heart.

Feature Documentary

So, I thought I saw all of them this year (it would have been my first year to do so!) but I kinda accidentally skipped The Gatekeepers and saw The Imposter instead.  I don’t know what I was thinking.  So..The Gatekeepers! Cause it would be just my luck to miss out on the best.

Foreign

Amour, duh.  Did Up or Toy Story 3 lose best animated when they were also up for best picture?  No.  It’s in the bag.

Animated Feature

Ok, let’s break it down: ParaNorman and Frankenweenie seem to be treading in the same territory and may step on each other’s toes.  Pixar didn’t bring their best work with Brave, that may cost them.  Wreck-It Ralph depends on pop culture too heavily.  Therefore, The Pirates!

Best Actor

As much as I loved the other performances, especially Cooper’s, I bet Daniel Day-Lewis gets this.  He was a phenomenal Lincoln.

Best Actress

This feels like such a weird category this year.  Seriously, our ladies’ ages range nearly 80 years.  But I think it will fall in the middle, on Jennifer Lawrence.  She was such a force in SLP.

Supporting Actress

Anne Hathaway.  Nuf said.

Supporting Actor

This is tough, partially cause I’m still waiting for DiCaprio to be nominated.  But it might be De Niro.  He owned his scenes.

Original Screenplay

As much as I want to root for the sweet, quirky and wonderful Moonrise Kingdom, I feel like Django will take it.  And Tarantino’s speech will be awesome.

Adapted Screenplay

SLP had such a great script, I loved every conversation.  I really hope it takes this one….and more.

Director

First…the camera might just pan over Affleck as whoever is presenting is blathering on for irony.  Poor Ben.  Honestly, I’m happy if it’s David O. Russell or Ang Lee. If I had to bet on one, it would be Lee.

Best Picture

In the 3 years that I have been keeping this blog, it hasn’t been this hard to pick a favorite for BP.  There was only one film I didn’t really like (Lincoln) but it’s still so good.  Honestly, you might have better luck tossing the names on a dartboard and blindly throwing to pick it.  Lincoln, Argo, Django, Les Mis and ZDT all have some historical elements and could split that vote.  Then again, Hollywood loves stories of itself in their movies (remember the Artist and Hugo last year?), therefore I can’t count Argo out just yet.  Amour isn’t easy to digest.  Beasts is really indie.  That leaves Life of Pi,  SLP and Argo.  Now that is tough, two of these 3 are my favorites.  However, there has been a curse lately that director follows picture…so there goes Argo.  Now, I’m predicting Lee to win director, so naturally his film will take the cake.  There, Life of Pi to win best picture…but I’m not sure.

Also, Seth MacFarlane will use his “Stewy” voice no less than 8 times.  And I will make it a drinking game.

Let me know what you think and enjoy Oscar night!

Django Unchained

Remember being a little kid waiting for Christmas?  There was a big anticipation for the wonderful gifts you may receive and from a few suspicious packages under the tree, you guessed it would be all you wanted and more.  That’s kind of how I was waiting for Quentin Tarantino’s new film, Django Unchained, to release on Christmas.  Thing is, instead of unwrapping a remote control helicopter, new bike or whatever would make your head explode into instant joy, Django was like finding an odd kind of gift your lovably weird uncle picked up at a mystical thrift store.  It’s still so unique and undeniably cool, but I’m not sure I know what to do with it yet.  I genuinely like the film and am thankful for it, but I’m not sure if I love it or if I will grow to do so.

Django (Jamie Foxx) is a slave in the American south about two years before the Civil War.  You know, the height of southern arrogance, or elegance, depending on your point of view.  Anyways, he is freed by a German dentist turned bounty hunter, Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz).  He asks Django to help him find and kill the Brittle brothers and earn a share of the profits.  The two become a team and as Django puts it, “Kill white people and get paid for it? What’s not to like?”  When they get word that Django’s wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), is on a large plantation owned by Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio) plantation, they concoct a plan to buy her and save her from the slave life.

While they are only supporting, Waltz and DiCaprio are the biggest forces driving this film forward.  We clearly see that Django would be nowhere without his quirky German friend, his silver tongue and charismatic reasoning brings them in and out of danger as smooth as the tide.  And DiCaprio is a perfectly evil southern gentleman that we love to hate.  During the dinner scene, his unexpected burst of anger is amazing and made me jump.  He can just seethe that intangible arrogance and disregard for his slaves that we can’t even imagine a real person possessing.  Best of all, he can drink out of a coconut chalice like it’s not a joke.  I wish both men had the Oscar nomination, but I’m happy Waltz is in the game.

Django Unchained is nominated for five Oscars total.  Beside’s Waltz’s Supporting Actor nomination, the film also holds Cinematography, Original Screenplay, Sound Editing and most importantly a Best Picture nomination.  I was surprised Tarantino was not up for best director, but there have been greater tragedies.

The scene featuring early clan members is one of the funniest scenes I’ve ever seen in a Tarantino film.  The band of about thirty half-wit white men on horses has met out in the middle of nowhere to ambush Dr. Schultz and Django’s camp, but there’s one problem: their masks suck.  An argument brews about them, “I can’t see shit!”  Jonah Hill has a fun part here trying to make his eye holes bigger only to make it worse.  Best of all, the man who supplied the masks gets all huffy about their ingratitude and rides off.  The whole scene works wonders to poke some fun at the KKK and allege that their beginnings were just born out of pure stupidity.

In fact, the way Tarantino treats most of the white southerners feels like such fun and sweet revenge.  They are all either hilariously stupid or so evil that you love to hate them.  That may sound like his treatment of the Nazis in Inglourious Basterds, but it feels much different here.  It’s kind of like how Spielberg treats the Nazis in Raiders of the Lost Ark, but cranked up to eleven.

Django has all your basic Tarantino elements and keeps them fresh.  There is plenty of blood splashing, gun slinging, slave whipping violence that could be a bit much for the casual film fan.  There is plenty of flowing dialogue, led mostly by Waltz and DiCaprio while Django is a badass hero of few words.  The soundtrack is nowhere near the 1850s, but the selections give such a perfect tone to the film that we shouldn’t care.  Let’s see, there’s also a Mexican standoff, a few fun explosions, and enough use of the N-word to burn the ears off the most politically correct.  It’s a very Tarantino film.

Like I said, I really liked Django Unchained, but I think I need more time and more viewings to find out if I love it.  To be fair, I didn’t love Pulp Fiction at first viewing, and I didn’t even like Kill Bill the first time I saw it, (blasphemy, I know).  But I do know I like Django, this weird Spaghetti Western/Blaxploitation inspired revenge film full of blood, quirky characters and unexpected hilarity.

“I’m just a little more used to Americans than he is.”

Director Talk: Quentin Tarantino

Fellow film bloggers Ian, Fogs and PG Cooper have been discussing different directors for a few months now in their Director Talk series.  I’ve been a big fan since their first talk about James Cameron.  Naturally, I was thrilled when they invited me to be a guest in their latest talk.  The topic, the notorious Quentin Tarantino!  I had a ton of fun talking Tarantino with the guys.  You can read the entire talk here at PG Cooper’s Movie Reviews.  Thanks again Ian, Fogs and Cooper.

Reservoir Dogs

Quentin Tarantino’s first film, Reservoir Dogs, was a little indie film that made a lot of noise at Cannes and Sundance in 1992.  With a few guys, thoughtful camera work and one hell of a screenplay, he created his first feature film, which has become an iconic piece of independent film and when talking about Tarantino.  Sadly, the Academy gave Reservoir Dogs no recognition

The nonlinear story begins with a group of men sharing conversation over breakfast.  We get a sense of the guys, their casual conversations over the idea behind Madonna’s Like a Virgin give us a sense of vulgarity, and their discussion on tipping shows that at least some of them have a heart.

Then it cuts to the aftermath of the heist.  Mr. Orange (Tim Roth) is writhing around, shot in the gut and bleeding all over the backseat of a car as Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) drives.  It seems the police were tipped off.  Only question left is, who is the rat?

Chapter by chapter, the story is pieced together.  There are flashbacks, appropriately titled by character, revealing how each member of the heist knows the leader, Joe Cabot (Lawrence Tierney).  Eventually, we see the plan, each man receiving their colored code name, and how the heist went horribly wrong.

The most memorable scenes, however, are in the present.  At their hideout, some junky garage with a broken toilet in one corner and plastic wrapped caskets standing up on end in the other, Mr. Orange is slowly bleeding to death on a ramp.  Mr. White is trying to comfort him, Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi) is becoming suspicious of everyone.  When Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) enters, sipping a soda like he was just out for a walk, tensions rise.  He unnecessarily shot civilians, now everyone thinks he’s a psychopath.  Only time will tell how just how violent Blonde can be.

That brings up the infamous Stuck in the Middle With You scene.  If you have never seen Reservoir Dogs, stop reading, you do not want this to be spoiled at all.  Mr. Blonde takes any idea on being casually psychotic and pushes it further than happy imaginations can go.  His dance to the song is gleefully diabolical and builds up the tension perfectly.  The camera cuts away, and we hear the screaming as Blonde goes in with his razor and when we’re brought back, we’re horrified at what he has done.  Then the camera follows him, to his car and back, and reveals at the last minute what he has brought back.  Immediately, we see his plan and if his little amputation sent our stomachs churning, we cannot even imagine how gruesome his next act could be.

Reservoir Dogs is an essential when studying Tarantino films.  Though it was his first film, his style is clearly defined here and he has kept true to it ever since.  The violence is startling.  The dialogue is vulgar, but phenomenal.  The soundtrack rocks and is unforgetable.  And the order in which the story is presented, perfectly escalates to the tipping point.  It’s an unforgettable ride, Tarantino’s first and one of his best.

“Why am I Mr. Pink?”

Inglourious Basterds

More daring than a gritty war movie, is rewriting the history of WWII.  In Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds, we are taken to Nazi occupied France where we meet SS officer Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz), nicknamed The Jew Hunter.  The riveting and mesmerizing opening scene establishes a few things: 1) Hans is very smart.  2) He’s viciously ruthless.  3)  He enjoys a good chase, leaving Shoshanna (Mélanie Laurent) to run.

Four years later, Shoshanna is the owner of a movie theater in Paris, where she is being forced to host the premier of the latest Nazi propaganda film Nations Pride.  The star of the film, young Nazi veteran Pvt. Fredrick Zoller (Daniel Brühl), lets his ego grow before his fame is known and tries to weasel a date Shoshanna.

Meanwhile, a band of American Jews, the Basterds, have been terrorizing the Nazis all across Europe.  Led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), they collect scalps of Nazis they kill and leave any survivors forever marked with a swastika on their foreheads.  When they hear that Hitler and other major leaders of the Nazi party will all be attending a movie premier in Paris, they concoct a plan with movie star Bridget von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger) to get inside and set off explosives.  Little do they know that Shoshanna is planning to trap the Nazi’s within the theater and set the whole building on fire, with a spectacular surprise on the fourth reel.

If I wanted to compare the Oscars to a black tie affair, Tarantino always dresses his film in something slightly flashy and quirky, and is unwilling to compromise.  That’s what we love about his films and he fits right in, because he does this so well.  Here, he is turning WWII on its head, where a band of American Jews travel to Europe with a strict agenda to kick some Nazi ass and end up aiding in ending the war in a very different way than the history books read.  He also throws in his signature style of music and grind house inspired moments, like when we’re introduced to Hugo Stiglitz.  Even in this 1940’s setting, we don’t find these moments distracting because the whole film already has this quirky flare and each odd moment is done so quickly and cleanly.  To do this well takes practice, Tarantino has done a lot of that in his previous films.

Waltz is not a big, threatening looking guy, but he makes Hans look like a force to be reckoned with.  He is cunning, speaks many languages and is always looking out for himself, especially towards the end.  What I think really tipped the scales and made him the indisputable winner for best supporting actor was his ability to also be so funny.  That first scene is just starting to become very tense, and then he pulls out that ridiculous pipe and we can’t help but laugh, even though we’re nervous.  Right there, Hans puts on a funny hat and doesn’t even realize it, which makes it all the better.  And I dare anyone not to burst out laughing the first time they see the “Oooh, that’s a bingo!” scene.  I can’t remember another time that one simple line made me laugh so hard.

Do most people notice how much this story seems to circulate around the film industry?  The main plot is to trap all the Nazi leaders in a theater during their movie premier, in a fire fueled by highly combustible film.   There’s also Hammersmark, an actress who helps the Basterds gain entrance to the premier.  Then there’s the star of Nation’s Pride, who thinks that because he’s a big enough war hero to have his own Nazi propaganda film he can be with Shoshanna.  Thing is, all these movies, their stars and their political agendas need a place to be seen.

Even though Shoshanna is forced to hold the premier for Nation’s Pride, she ultimately decides what will be shown and how everyone will leave.  Tarantino makes a movie theater the ultimate weapon to end the war.  Imagine if more theater owners were so bold, you really have no idea how much your average theater employee can alter your visit.  I was part of that rat-race for four summers.  We really decide how much butter is on your corn or if your movie will be in the nice theater, the one that smells weird or the one with noisy crickets living behind the screen.  One of my favorite moments at work was to stand along the side of the theater, in the shadows and watch people like you during the best moments in the movies.  Why else do you think they make us wear such dark colors?  Honestly, I loved to see your reactions, some of you are quite entertaining.  That close-up shot of Hitler laughing like a maniac; I’ve seen many of you make similar faces.  And I think Tarantino knows it too.

“You know how you get to Carnegie Hall, don’t ya?  Practice.”

Pulp Fiction

A word of caution to you squirmers: Pulp Fiction has a good amount of profane language, lewd subjects, drug use, violence and gore.   If all that makes you a little uncomfortable, I understand, but Pulp Fiction is still one of the best films of the nineties, hands down.

How do you describe a Quentin Tarantino film?  Bloody.  Lots of memorable dialogue.  Great soundtrack.  Even better scene transitions.  Quirky and foulmouthed characters.  With Tarantino’s warped mind and huge chin he can’t be tethered down to make your grandma’s movies.  Many grandma’s would be horrified by his films.

Which brings us to Pulp Fiction, one of the most influential films of the nineties that sadly, many people my age didn’t discover until late high school or early college.  I wonder today if our parents worried about us getting our hands on this film too early, or worse, too late.  I doubt my folks got a babysitter and saw this, they seemed to place an odd taboo on the night they went out to see The Birdcage.  In college, when I first started to get into Tarantino films, this and Reservoir Dogs, I was afraid I had missed the boat.  Thankfully, Grindhouse and Inglorious Bastards have made up for what I was too young to see in theaters.

Anyway, enough of this idle babble.  Pulp Fiction is the stories of interconnected people.  There’s two stories about Jules and Vincent (Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta), two mob men working for Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames), going around town with guns doing his dirty work.  There’s a tale about Vincent taking Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman), Marsell’s wife out to dinner.  A couple at a coffee shop planning to rob the place.  And Butch Coolige (Bruce Willis) is a boxer paid by Wallace to throw a fight, back in his motel room is a sweet little lady named Fabienne (Maria de Medeiros) who brings out the sweet side of the boxer.

Now, before you get confused, the story is not told in chronological order.  Instead, the film seems to build up to most amount of blood and greatest story of redemption.  If you keep that in mind, it may not seem like so much pulp.

One of the best scenes is at the fifties themed restaurant Jack Rabbit Slim’s.  Mia has Vincent take her there on their night out.  The waiters are dead rock and roll legends, they sit in classic convertibles and drink a five dollar milkshake.  As Vincent describes, “it’s like a wax museum with a pulse.”  The setting is only icing on the cake.  Mia is an odd person, she and Vincent talk but refuse to go on with the typical idle bull.  Their conversation is intriguing, engaging and it’s all topped off by Mia entering them in the twist contest.  Tarantino knows where to dig for gold, putting Travolta on the dance floor again reminds us of and nearly rivals his moves in Saturday Night Fever.

So who would love this movie?  In the beginning paragraph, you can tell who would not love this movie.  I don’t think you have to be a diehard Tarantino fanboy to love this, you don’t even have to like any of the actors.  The film itself is a little odd, quirky, and unconventional in a very cool way.  If you’re not sure, just try it.  And don’t watch Pulp Fiction on AMC, seems to be playing twice a day there lately.  I understand they need to edit it, but why not just play it late at night when the kiddies should be in bed and us cheap adults who don’t want to pay for Netflix can enjoy the movie as it’s supposed to be: bloody, violent and full of profanity.  That’s where you get the best lines.

“Does he look like a bitch?  No!  Then why you tryin’ to fuck him like a bitch?”