Inglourious Basterds Review

Inglourious Basterds is a return to form for Tarantino, in which I mean he has constructed beautiful and elaborate dialogue for his actors to deliver that allow the audience to know they're watching a motion picture and not just a movie. The brilliance of Tarantino is that he always transports the audience to a time and place that they've heard of before, but have never truly imagined with such vividness (Jack Rabbit Slims in Pulp Fiction; a not so safe-house in Reservoir Dogs, etc.)

Every performance is bold and daring, but none more so than Christoph Waltz's portrayal of Colonel Hans Landa more commonly known as "The Jew Hunter." Come winter, this man will most likely be nominated for a Golden Globe (& hopefully an Oscar.) While all the other characters create and contribute to a tableau of absurd, incredibly well executed entertainment, that only Quentin could pull off. For example, Eli Roth plays the foreboding and baseball bat toting "Bear Jew," that takes such delight in bashing Nazi's you find yourself in awe of his ability (& find wondering if he'd be as good with an actual ball.) While the undenibaly gorgeous Diane Kruger finally gets to do some reall acting by playing fictional German movie star Bridget von Hammersmark, who happens to be a double agent. But it's Mélanie Laurent who shines as the real femme fatale & the quintessentially cool french girl (cigarette, trench coat et all) with a BIG secret to hide from the Nazis & is all to familiar with Colonel Landa's notoriety...oh yeah and some guy named Brad Pitt is in it too & quite good as well.

Basterds is brash, bold, brutally funny and I highly recommend it.

My rating: 9.6/10

Side note: I loved that when Tarantino was on Letterman he said that Sergio Leone was one of his favorite directors, and anyone who's seen Kill Bill is well aware those flicks were one giant homage to the "spaghetti western." Though I really loved that he said he was inspired by Leone and just replaced all the cowboy iconography with Nazi iconography. As a WWII (European Campaign) junkie hearing that made me drool, so I can say that I was undeniably biased in writing this review and knew before the movie even started I'd be giving it a 9 or higher. I have to confess though that Michael Fassbender really pushed the rating over the edge, and I only wish that there had been more of that gorgeous man in the movie. Oh yeah and Til Schweiger is too badass for words he just needs to be witnessed.

trailer trash - Inglorious Basterds

Badass

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Review

I had been desperate to see "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" since it started principal photography at the start of last year, and than even more so, once the trailers rolled out. Plus the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, is one of my favorites. The film is a monument to classic American film making, from the moment it begins you are transported to a world very much like the one we live in, but fully immerses itself in believable and tangible fantasy, that at it's core is simply an epic love story. Brad Pitt has never been better or more handsome, Cate Blanchett is her typical brilliant self, Taraji P. Henson is gold and Tilda Swinton is divine as always. The script also hits all the right notes, from dramatic, comedic, and romantic. Clocking in at just under three hours the film is so well acted, directed and produced that you barely realize it. I would recommend this movie to anyone, becuase it truly was a lush, rich, beautiful cinematic achievement, I am honored to have been able to see, and David Fincher should be incredibly proud of, because they really don't make movies like it anymore.

My rating: 10/10. I really wanted to give it a 9-point something, but I just couldn't, it was too beautiful and well done. Plus the film's website is fantastic!

trailer trash- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

You've have probably seen the trailer for "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" movie 10 times, seeing as that it's on during every primetime commercial break. It's been heralded as one of the best movies of the year, will be nominated for a Golden Globe in the Best Picture-Drama category, and probably an Oscar as well. Though every time I watch this version that features Arcade Fire's "My Body is a Cage*," I become overwhelmed, intoxcicated and desperate for it to be Christmas Day so I can FINALLY see the movie which I think is the intention. Anyway the film is based on one of my favorite F. Scott Fitzgerald short stories about a man who is born old and ages backwards. The film stars Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, and Taraji P. Henson, and is directed by David Fincher. It's a sweeping romantic epic that clocks in at 2 hours and 45 minutes and has me anxiously awaiting Christmas Day as if I were 6 years old again. So I've posted the Arcade Fire scored version of the trailer below and a longer one after it. Please enjoy and I hope you're as excited about the Holiday Season as I am about this movie.




*also my eyes start to well up and I'm reminded of when I saw them perform at Coachella 2007, though that song in particular has always had a strange power over me, that I can't explain/comprehend.

"Burn After Reading" review

so i went and saw the Coen's Brother's "Burn After Reading" opening weekend and it was pretty damn fantastic. the trailer lays out the plot, but certainly doens't give anything away, or give the brilliant performances justice. Frances McDormand is such a great actress that i couldn't stand her character, a true sign of great acting. there was just something desperately pathetic about her, which is why Frances is so great, she's always able to provoke emotions you least expect out of her audience. while there just wasn't enough Tilda Swinton in my opinion. John Malkovich needs to be in more films, because watching him reminded me of why he inspires me as an actor and why "Being John Malkovich" is more relevant every year. Brad stole every scene he was in, while Clooney was pitch perfect as a giddy, yet clueless sleazeball. the movie starts out a bit slow, but progresses quickly and its denouement is executed to perfection to wrap the movie up the way it's meant to, quickly and hilariously. the tone and sentiment are the exact opposite of the Coen Brother's last film, the Oscar winner for Best Picture "No Country for Old Men," but the film is utterly delightful and definitely worth seeing in the theatre.

i went with a former friend [i write former because he never responded to my request for a review and we know how i can get when that happens] who was just as excited to see the movie as i was, that he went so far as to dress up like Brad's character "Chad Feldheimer" in the movie! My rating: 9.2/10

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trailer trash - Burn After Reading

"Burn After Reading" is the Coen Brother's latest oeuvre, starring George Clooney, Richard Jenkins, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, JK Simmons and Tilda Swinton. if you didn't already know, Frances won an Oscar for "Fargo," Clooney won one for "Syriana," Tilda did for "Michael Clayton," and the Brothers Coen for directing "No Country For Old Men." this movie looks hilarious and everyone in it is has fantastic comedic timing, i hope you enjoy the trailer as much as i do everytime i see it.