In the age of reboots and Marvel blockbusters where does Quentin Tarantino fit in. He rose to the limelight in the 90’s with his ultraviolet retro gangster movies like Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Jackie Brown. He has reinvented himself several times with his homage to martial arts films with the Kill Bill series and his WW2 reimagining, Inglorious Bastards. He has even made western with Django Unchained and The Hateful 8.
Quentin Tarantino has always been criticized for glorifying violence. And his characters are not PC. So when it was announced that he was making a movie about the Manson Murders people were expecting the Manson family to be dancing to Stuck in the Middle With You, while torturing the members of the Sharon Tate house.
I even remember Judd Apatow whining on twitter expecting the glorification of the historic murders. He makes 3-hour comedies that should be 90 minutes max. Judd is confused whether he is making a comedy or drama or whatever. His last movie with Amy Schumer, Trainwreck was anything but except the same theme and dialogue in all his movies. The fact he thinks they deserve to be that long is arrogant. He is making a new film with Pete Davidson that will propel from comedy bad boy and unhinged stoner to a movie star OR he becomes another SNL forgotten cast member. It is up to America.
Tarantino’s new film is 2 hours and 41 minutes. It is nothing like Mr. Apatow jealously exclaimed on twitter like a jealous teenager attacking the popular girl. It is a period piece. It is about old Hollywood in 1969. The movie is solely based on Rick Dalton played by Leo DiCaprio, who is an actor on his way down. He drinks too much relies on his stuntman played by Brad Pitt to take care of him. They are best friends but both can’t find their place in life as the Manson family looms in the background.
The LA times wrote a smear article about the movie accusing it to promote the “MAGA” theme. That thought is beyond ridiculous and leads me to conclude Tarantino fucked the author’s mom or refused to. He is as liberal as it gets. The Hateful 8 was boycotted by cops nationwide because of Quentin speaking out on police violence. Needless to say the writer proves the paper business is obsolete and basically only good for toilet paper or wiping down booths at peep shows.
This is a departure from classic Tarantino. He proves he is diverse but yet stays true to changing historical events like in Inglorious Bastards.
The movie also has many cameos from the late Luke Perry, Kurt Russell, Al Pacino, and of course features Margot Robbie as the young and vivacious Sharon Tate.
In a world where violence is now all over the news and dividing our country only a true artist can adapt to the times and make his art still shine. This is a story of two friends trying to survive and find their meaning leading to the ultimate showdown in the Hollywood hills in the summer of 1969. One last stand for two friends being pulled in different directions by life and the times.
This film is perfection. I have heard people complain and said it was slow and too long. Better go see Hobbs and Shaw then.
