Quentin Tarentino

[ChiO]

What is the Onion, a magazine, or newspaper perhaps?

Chris' description is on the money. It is also available for free at a number of locations in the City and, perhaps, the Suburbs. One recent headline that you might enjoy:

CONGRESS DEADLOCKED OVER HOW NOT TO PROVIDE HEALTH CARE

[jdb1]

And did you all hear about the news service in Banlgadesh that picked up a recent Onion article and printed it as news? The one about how Neil Armstrong was shocked to learn that his moon walk was all a hoax.

[charliechaplinfan]

Perhaps the thing that is effecting Brad Pitt's looks is his brood of 6 kids.

[klondike]

Perhaps we should all bear in mind that the man is turning 46 years old in 3 months, and up until 4 or 5 years ago, was still getting unfairly critiqued for being Hollywood's "pretty boy". Hit IMDb, check out some promo shots from Inglourious Basterds (like the one I reduced for my avatar); does Brad really look that rough?
I mean, come on, has anybody taken a good look at Tommy Lee Jones lately, or a close look at Harrison Ford? Hell, even Johnny Depp's started to crest a hill, of sorts!

[Birdy]

Brad did a People cover last year: unretouched. I have to admit, I'd rather picture him as in he was in A River Runs Through It. I was so glad when that People issue left the shelf. I mean, do we really all have to age? Leave me in denial. It's a beautiful place to be. Just kidding: I hope he grows into some great older roles.

Klondike - I laughed out loud at comment that Inglorious B was less violent than... I couldn't make it through any of those movies! It took me 3 years to watch Saving Private Ryan, 5 minutes at a time. So I don't think there's much chance of me enjoying this one; a couple of my people who preview modern movies for me because I'm picky warned me off.

And...Pam Grier is fab, isn't she? I hope she's not aging!

[mrsl]

Chris:

Thank you for answering my question. I checked it out. I didn't really laugh, but I did chuckle once or twice and smile.

Birdy:

I had heard that Pvt. Ryan was really tough, so from the first guy jumping in the water, my eyes were shut. Yes, Pam Grier is still FAB. When you get a chance, look her up on imdB and check out the photos. She will be 60 in May.

Klondike:

AT 46 most men are just reaching their best years, lookswise. Ask any woman what she thinks of grey at the temples and most will roll their eyes in pleasure. That's what is so irritating, men at 46 look great, but women, unless they have really been good, are starting to lose their looks. It's just as unbalanced as sex. Men are at their best in their late teens, and early twenties, but women are best in the 30's and 40's. It's just not fair :!: :!:

[knitwit45]

Men are at their best in their late teens, and early twenties, but women are best in the 30's and 40's. It's just not fair

Sorry, Anne, but ARE YOU KIDDING????? late teens and early twenties, there's plenty of enthusiasm, but very little finesse or understanding. 30's, 40's, 50's.....experience, creativeness, empathy..... Whew. Is it warm in here???? And I'm not even going to MENTION 60's..except to smile and say...just you wait!

[charliechaplinfan]

So my best days aren't behind me then

[mrsl]

See, I didn't say it right I should have added the words 'stamina and physically'. I totally agree with the finesse and patience and all the rest, but tests have proven that boys (and I mean THAT), have more stamina in their teens and twenties, whereas women have more staying power later in the 30's and 40's. This is not new fact but has been around for years. I'm sure others have heard of it. Trust me knitwit, I'll take a guy over 40 any day over 17. Lucky for me at 50 I still attracted the 35-40 age group and had some of the most fun of my entire life. Yes, CCFan, you have some of the best times ahead of you.

[knitwit45]

So my best days aren't behind me then

I was talking about the men! I think we all "improve" with age. Quality over Quantity ANY day!!!!!!!!!

[klondike]

[I think we all "improve" with age. Quality over Quantity ANY day!!!!!!!!!

Or, Quality and Quantity, oui?

[knitwit45]

Ah, but for most of us.....it's one or t'other.....and given a choice???

LET'S GET BACK ON TOPIC HERE......I don't care for gore and bloodshed, so I am not in the Love Tarantino club. Kill Bill was so silly and over the top, I made it thru that one, but the genre is not one I care to visit much. And of that genre, from everything I have heard or read here, QT is a master. ok, I'll be quiet now and go back to my little corner of the world, where Romance, Comedy, Music and Cowboys live...

[charliechaplinfan]

So my best days aren't behind me then

I was talking about the men! I think we all "improve" with age. Quality over Quantity ANY day!!!!!!!!!

I know you were, I was just thinking out loud

[Birdy]

I am going back to page 1, Aug 29th of this thread - Q. T.'s cameo was in Sleep With Me (1994), not The Station Agent. (Both favorite small indi films of mine). Sometimes I have film-lexia. Sorry.
B

[charliechaplinfan]

Hi Klondike (and everyone else as well),

I went to see this with Sis today and I thought it was fair but didn't fall in love with it like I did other QT films - and that's odd because I generally like everything he's done so far and, after all, he supposedly spent years on this screenplay. The thing about QT's films is that whether they're successful or whether they fail, they're always immense fun for film buffs who share the man's obvious adoration and respect of movie history, and it's especially gratifying to see him place some of the undervalued giants of exploitation cinema on the same level as those who've been essentially canonized worldwide. And yes, I get that his movies are essentially about movie love. I think that's why no matter what critics may make of his work, they can't help but admire his enthusiasm for moviemaking.

But I just wasn't able to get into the spirit of this one and I've been trying for part of the day to figure out why I didn't warm up to it as I did Pulp Fiction, the Kill Bill films, and even Death Proof . I'm sure that part of the problem stemmed from the emphasis on plot to the near-exclusion of characterization. In earlier films, most of the characters seem more well-rounded despite the fact that they're often caricatures. I didn't get that feeling with Basterds - I felt as though few of the actors had really made an effort to get into any of their characters' heads or as though they really clicked in their roles (though everyone's been talking about Christoph Waltz, and he's possibly the only the exception here). Pitt's hick act and chin jutting wore thin to the point that I found him distracting (and despite what anyone says, I continue to suspect he was cast for box office clout after Grindhouse's dismal performance last year). Atypical for a Tarantino film, the female characters were blank slates - even Shoshanna Dreyfus (Melanie Laurent) who could've been so much more. And I find it frustrating and condescending that a filmmaker so generally averse to having his violence and gore taken ultra-seriously by activist types would simultaneously attempt to preach to me a la Peeping Tom in the final act.

The fact that it's a Tarantino film aside, I was still surprised that a film with so many subtitles (probably 60% of the movie) was the #1 box office draw last week. Personally, I found that the subtitles contributed to much of the comedy and I even wondered if they were on purpose sometimes. For instance, words like "Oui" and "Merci" were unnecessarily transcribed yet not translated - e.g., if a character said "Oui," the subtitle read "Oui" instead of "Yes."

Steven I bought this for my hubby for Christmas and settled down to watch it last night only to feel a little deflated by it. Yet I've found most of what didn't click with me captured by your words. Brad Pitt was so distracting. (Is he a bad actor or a very bad actor?) But I've puzzled most of the day as to why it didn't click, it wasn't just Pitt. I think the first sequence set the film off badly for me, it just hit a bad note, it felt very bleak and whereas with other Tarantino films that are complete fiction with the right guys (usually) buying it, Taratino and what happened to the Jews didn't sit right for me.