Imperator Furiosa
Well-Known Member
I achieved peak Film Snob levels yesterday and saw Once Upon a Time in Hollywood on 70mm film.
This is probably the best made film currently in theaters, you can tell Tarantino is a master of his craft. Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio have great chemistry, they played off each other so naturally and it’s easy to believe they’ve had a long professional and friendly relationship. I’d consider this probably the most comedy-like of Tarantino’s films, it plays out like a buddy comedy and there really aren’t that many over the top dramatic moments (and those that do exist are largely played for comedy). Margot Robbie and Emile Hirsch as Sharon Tate and Jay Sebring respectively don’t have a ton of screen time but are charismatic and likable. Mike Moh as Bruce Lee easily has some of the best lines in the entire film. The Manson Family also didn’t get a ton of screen time but they were an ominous presence.
There are some criticisms I have still. It’s a slow burn type movie, it takes its time before it goes anywhere meaningful. I don’t mind a slow burn if the story is compelling but this might put some people off enjoying it. The writing is weaker than Tarantino’s greatest hits (Django Unchained, Inglorious Basterds, Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction) but again it’s better written than a majority of the films showing right now. My biggest complaint personally is the tonal shift between the second and third acts. I can’t explain it in detail without going into spoiler territory, but I found it kind of jarring after the very laid back first and second acts.
All and all this is a very solid film by a competent director. It’s not Tarantino’s best work but it’s still worth checking out. I’m giving this one an 8.5/10, it’d fall right below Midsommar on my ranking list for movies this year.
Additionally, I hope if Tarantino keeps up with his “10 films and then I retire” plan his final film ends up being the Star Trek movie he’s been talking about for years.
This is probably the best made film currently in theaters, you can tell Tarantino is a master of his craft. Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio have great chemistry, they played off each other so naturally and it’s easy to believe they’ve had a long professional and friendly relationship. I’d consider this probably the most comedy-like of Tarantino’s films, it plays out like a buddy comedy and there really aren’t that many over the top dramatic moments (and those that do exist are largely played for comedy). Margot Robbie and Emile Hirsch as Sharon Tate and Jay Sebring respectively don’t have a ton of screen time but are charismatic and likable. Mike Moh as Bruce Lee easily has some of the best lines in the entire film. The Manson Family also didn’t get a ton of screen time but they were an ominous presence.
There are some criticisms I have still. It’s a slow burn type movie, it takes its time before it goes anywhere meaningful. I don’t mind a slow burn if the story is compelling but this might put some people off enjoying it. The writing is weaker than Tarantino’s greatest hits (Django Unchained, Inglorious Basterds, Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction) but again it’s better written than a majority of the films showing right now. My biggest complaint personally is the tonal shift between the second and third acts. I can’t explain it in detail without going into spoiler territory, but I found it kind of jarring after the very laid back first and second acts.
All and all this is a very solid film by a competent director. It’s not Tarantino’s best work but it’s still worth checking out. I’m giving this one an 8.5/10, it’d fall right below Midsommar on my ranking list for movies this year.
Additionally, I hope if Tarantino keeps up with his “10 films and then I retire” plan his final film ends up being the Star Trek movie he’s been talking about for years.
