Mama

I've been fascinated with scary movies since before I can remember. My first experience with fear in cinema was Gremlins. Laugh if you must, but I was 6 and those are some creepy little creatures. Ever since then, I've enjoyed aliens, serial killers, nightmares, the mentally ill, and even the newly popular "found footage" version of scary. Very few movies can elicit a true fright however. It's a very difficult genre to do right, as there's always some continuity flaw, or defunct character decision. This isn't to mention the all-too-often cheesy creature or monster that disappoints when they finally see screen time.

Thinking back, there are just a handful of movies that were legitimately scary during first viewing. The Shining, The Exorcist, Alien, the Sixth Sense, and in 2002, The Ring. It's been a full 11 years since a scary movie was truly worth of that title. I haven't had the hair stand up on my neck since then. Remember the girl coming through the television? That's scary.

Mama brings back some of the classic elements of fear, but with some new special effects, enhanced acting and direction, and a decent story. There is a distinct Guillermo Del Toro influence, particularly near the end, when our haunting specter is filling the screen with her shrill creepiness. Del Toro's name blankets the advertisements, but Andres Muschietti is the writer and director. He created a short film titled Mama in 2008 (haven't seen it), and gets to show his creation in a full feature. I'm glad he did.

The story starts with the stock market crash of 2008, when a wealthy investor shoots up his office, comes home and kills his wife, and then takes his two daughters out to the woods to kill them and then himself. Grim start. However, something happens in the woods which leaves the two girls alone (or are they?) to fend for themselves for five years before they are discovered.

After a failed psychological evaluation, they are remanded to the custody of their uncle and his girlfriend, played incredibly by Hollywood's current darling, Jessica Chastain. She channels Lisbeth Salandar with tattoos and a punk pixie haircut, but we can forgive her because her character has more depth than that.

Reluctant and non-committal, Chastain becomes the mother figure to these two feral children, and the children slowly begin to accept her. This is when things go awry.

The children claim that they were protected in the woods by a character only described as "Mama" and the psychologists shrug it off as trauma, and insist that the older sister created the character and assumed its identity. Not so much.

Until this point, you're probably thinking "Whatever. Not scary." I agree wholeheartedly, but there is something inherently frightening about children in altered states, and the two actresses convey amazingly what it would be like to be savage and wild. You even become fearful of their behavior and think "what is the doctor thinking, letting them go home with an unsuspecting family?"

Classic horror cliches abound; waking up with a child hovering over, just watching. Having things pop up behind characters, walking in the woods. At night. Alone. Why? Scary nonetheless. And of course, the most cliche and scary of all. Solitary curiosity that leads to nothing but trouble.

Jessica Chastain doesn't conform to the stereotypes of the protagonist. She recreates it as a strong, yet unsuspecting normal person, who reacts in ways that a normal person would. You sense her cynical apprehension toward the kids, as she's a punk rocker, not a mother type. But at the same time, you really see her compassion grow naturally over time as the kids are victims, and not the real perpetrators of fear.

Muschietti delivers the film in a very predictable way, but it's fine. Lots of buildup, little glimpses of the antagonist (particularly the scene under the bed) until it's time to showcase her. She is damn creepy, but not overly done. Not cheesy or campy at all. Exceptional visual effects worthy of awards mention.

My only gripes are that as the film winds down, so does the anxiety. They could have come up with a better climax that would have maintained the tone of the first hour and a half, and that wouldn't have just been the bow on top of the package. Fine, here it is. The end is disappointing. There, I said it.

That said, it's a great ride. A fun movie with lots of jumps and jolts, a solid leading actress, and two incredibly creepy children. The older sibling, Megan Charpentier, is a seasoned actress with 21 roles to her credit. The younger, Isabelle Nelisse is just starting her career, with just 3 roles, but both are incredible. If you like scary, you'll like Mama. Just don't expect the ending to be too satisfying. 8/10.

2013 Oscar Nomination Commentary

The nominations have been out for a few days now, and with the Golden Globes tomorrow night, it's the perfect time to discuss how things are going to play out, with a full rundown of the true snubs and shocks.

The obvious discussion piece is Affleck, Bigelow, and Hooper being left off the ballot for Best Director. The real consequence is the fact that a film hasn't won Best Picture without the director nominated since 1989's Driving Ms. Daisy. That's a trend that's likely to continue. As a result, Argo, Zero Dark Thirty, and Les Miserables have virtually no chance at the ultimate prize. Sad but true. Zero Dark Thirty was my favorite for the year, and I honestly think Argo deserves to be named the best film of 2012.

With so much talent in the acting categories, I could regurgitate my thoughts that Leo DiCaprio was given the shaft. Again. However, Christoph Waltz was a compelling character, and there isn't a bad nomination in the bunch. I would have liked to see Andy Serkis receive at least some mention in the supporting actor discussion, as well as Jason Clarke for his harrowing work in Zero Dark Thirty. John Hawkes for Best Actor is my only other complaint, as he is so complex of an actor.

I was disappointed that Avengers, Dark Knight Rises, Looper, and Skyfall were kept out of the race. It's only been a few years since the rules have changed, and although I can see the merits of opening the Best Picture category to more films, I'm not seeing a whole lot of diversity yet.

That said, there are a few different ways that the night could play out. Scenario one follows The Artist's lead and gives the accolades to the film that I consider to be out of its league. I am referring of course to Amour. Also nominated in the Best Foreign film category, it has critics oohing and aahing, but it is in fact a foreign film, which is out of bounds in my mind. The Artist was basically a foreign language film, and it won Best Actor, Director, and Picture last year. If last year has taught us anything, it's that the Academy values sophisticated foreign fare over the more traditional domestic films. Think a fancy little 8 ounce rare filet mignon next to a thick, juicy porterhouse. I prefer porterhouse.

Scenario 2 is a mish-mash of award winners. Spread the love out a little bit. Ang Lee could win his 2nd Best Director award, and Spielberg could pick one up for Lincoln. Jessica Chastain could represent Zero Dark Thirty, while Tarantino or Wes Anderson could pick up a writing statue. Hell, maybe Joaquin Phoenix could pick up a Best Actor Oscar, Nobody would complain too much. I don't like this scenario though. It's too self-serving, and doesn't offend anyone enough.

Scenario 3 has the darling of the ball, Silver Linings Playbook picking up awards in surprise fashion. It appears likely that Jennifer Lawrence will win, and it was the closest thing to a mainstream film that there is in the nominated category (assuming the Driving Ms. Daisy rule is in effect). David O. Russell and the film could win, as Oscar has been more full of surprises lately than ever before. Too bad for Bradley Cooper though. He has absolutely zero chance.

Scenario 4 seems much more likely. A sweep of the awards by Lincoln. Picture, Director, Actor. I hesitate to think that Sally Field will win strictly because Anne Hathaway had more screen time, and was better. Tommy Lee Jones however, will win for his portrayal of the curmudgeonly Thaddeus Stevens. History will be made under this scenario, as Daniel Day-Lewis will become the first 3 time Best Actor winner, Spielberg will win his 4th and 5th Oscars, putting him in the elite in history. Jones will win his 2nd, and Hathaway and Lawrence their 1st giving a little love to the young and good looking Hollywood crowd. John Williams will most certainly win his 5th Oscar, on top of his 41st nomination (not a typo). It's going to be a big night for Hollywood. Give them a chance to pat themselves on the back.

Here's how it will happen. Call me the Nate Silver of Oscar.

Picture - Lincoln
Director - Steven Spielberg - Lincoln
Actor - Daniel Day-Lewis - Lincoln
Actress - Jennifer Lawrence - Silver Linings Playbook
Supporting Actor - Tommy Lee Jones - Lincoln
Supporting Actress - Anne Hathaway - Les Miserables
Original Screenplay - Quentin Tarantino - Django Unchained
Adapted Screenplay - Tony Kushner - Lincoln
Cinematography - Roger Deakins - Skyfall
Score - John Williams - Lincoln
Song - "Skyfall" - Adele
Documentary - How to Survive a Plague
Foreign Film - Amour
Animated Film - Wreck-It Ralph

The other categories are a crapshoot. There's no actual merit, it's simply speculation. Wait, they are all a crapshoot, but these are the ones who will come out on top. Mark my words.

Best and Worst of the Worst 2012

With the Academy Awards hogging all of the attention, let's take a look at the Best and Worst of the Worst this past year.

Best Bad Movie of the year.

This honor belongs to none other than Dredd. Surprisingly fun remake of the 1995 Stallone train-wreck classic, Karl Urban was a perfect fit, and the plot jumped right into the cheese from the start. 90 minutes of fun, blood, and guns. Much more entertaining than I was expecting.

Best Sequel of the year.

This year had surprisingly few sequels compared to most years (including 2013). Avengers and Dark Knight Rises are going to be excluded from this analysis, as is Bourne Legacy and Skyfall due to the fact that none of them are necessarily "sequels" per se. I give this honor to Expendables 2. Great energy, stellar cast that will impress just about any 25-50 year old man, and good, light action. It delivers exactly what it advertises, and is pure adrenaline-filled fun.

Worst Sequel of the year.

Wrath of the Titans. Turned out to be a moneymaker, but the film, acting, and everything about it was terrible. Can't blame the studio for following the green, but this was a waste of time to watch.

Worst Remake of the year.

Total Recall. Len Wiseman will do just about anything to get his wife, Kate Beckinsale into tight clothes and on screen doing slow-motion action moves. Although fun to watch, it gets old when the rest of the movie is crap. Colin Farrell and Jessica Biel also couldn't save this from tanking, and there were maybe 3 fun special effects sequences, but I would watch the original ten times before I watch the new one again. A pointless remake of a fun original. The lesson here? You can't remake a Schwarzenegger action film. Period. Although, I would like to see someone try with Predator or The Running Man.

Most Surprisingly Good Film of the year.

Cabin in the Woods. I loved it. Joss Whedon hits the mark with a pre-Thor Hemsworth, and the perfectly deadpan comedic combo of Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins. Great plot twist, and fun in the way a horror movie is supposed to be. It's not scary at all, but it is executed flawlessly.


10 Worst films of the year.

1. Killer Joe. Simply absurd and disgusting. McConaughey is all sorts of unwatchable nonsense. I wish he would have killed the writers. the single most uncomfortable scene of the year involving fried chicken and sexual violence.
2. Premium Rush. Awful. See my review from August.
3. The Words. Didn't even make sense. And what did make sense didn't matter. Jeremy Irons was the only watchable part of it, and even that wasn't worth it.
4. The Dictator. Borat was incredible, Bruno was a little funny, but the Dictator was passe. Sasha Baron Cohen is a comedic genius, but I think he needs to channel his energy into something new.
5. John Carter. I was embarrassed for Taylor Kitsch until I remembered that he made millions. The story was like dropping into a confusing 80's sci-fi film without any background for context. Unnecessary and I hope Disney learned some lessons from it.
6. 3 Stooges. Terrible idea. The Farrelly Brothers used to have it, but obviously not anymore. Hopefully Dumb and Dumber To will bring them back into good humor.
7. Dark Tide. What's worse than a bad shark movie? A bad shark movie with Halle Berry.
8. Wanderlust. Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston couldn't save this turd. I couldn't tell if it was supposed to be funny or endearing, but it was neither, just a blemish on both of their resumes.
9. Goon. I watched this with good intentions, but Seann William Scott and Liev Schreiber just overdo the Canadian hockey stereotype. It's like Happy Gilmour without the jokes, but with gratuitous violence.
10. What to Expect When You're Expecting. If you saw the previews, you were better off than seeing the film. The best lines and scenes are there, and the best thing is that it only took a minute of your life. Awful movie with a stacked cast. I guess it was a chick flick, but even that didn't justify it for me.

There you have it, my year in review for the best and worst of the worst. I didn't see every film this year, so I would love to hear if you saw anything worse.

Stay tuned for my Oscar nomination reaction.

Ten Most Anticipated Non-Sequels of 2013

This list was much harder to create than the last, with major films like R.I.P.D, Pain and Gain, Ender's Game, and We're the Millers missing out on my top ten. Additionally, there will be critically acclaimed dramas like The Place Beyond the Pines, and The Great Gatsby. Action dramas such as Jack the Giant Slayer, The Lone Ranger, 2 Guns, and Oblivion, and comedies like The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, The Internship, and The Heat. This isn't even mentioning sequels such as Fast and Furious 6, Kick-Ass 2, and the new Die Hard, or animated films like Despicable Me 2, or Turbo. No, the following 10 films are going to be the cream of the crop of non-sequels. Again, these are in no particular order.

10. Jack Ryan. Chris Pine takes over where Harrison Ford left off (Ben Affleck's Sum of all Fears doesn't count) as the young Tom Clancy CIA operative. Kenneth Branagh is directing, and he's made a remarkable transition from Shakespeare to mainstream action (Thor). Chris Pine will be the new face of action, just like Jeremy Renner achieved this past year. December 27th.

9. Elysium. Not much is known about this Matt Damon/Neil Blomkamp (District 9) sci-fi drama except that it is a futuristic action film with a heavy political agenda. It worked for D9, and will be buzzed about all summer. August 9th.

8. Pacific Rim. Humans create giant robots to battle giant monster aliens? What's not to like? The trailer makes it look a little cheesy, but the action will be fun, a la Transformers. I consider it to be this year's Battleship, which was critically panned, but I was thoroughly entertained. It's director Guillermo Del Toro's first film in five years, though he's been keeping busy writing and producing. Expect this to be loved or hated. But come on, what do you expect from giant robots and monsters? July 12th.

7. Man of Steel. OK, I cheated. This could fall in the sequel category, but I say it's a brand new Superman. Something we've never seen before. If the buzz and creative minds attached mean anything, this will be the next Dark Knight series. Zack Snyder directs with Christopher Nolan and David Goyer as writers and producers. Expect the story to be deeply rooted in inner-conflict and morality questions. As one of the big budget films of the summer season, be assured that no expenses will be spared with regard to special effects, and if Zack Snyder's history is any indicator, it will be riveting. June 14th.

6. World War Z. The zombie craze continues, this time with a feature film adaptation of the New York Times Bestseller of the same name by Max Brooks. The film will not follow the book per se, because it can't. There are too many stories and characters to have anything cohesive on film. Instead, the theme of the book follows Brad Pitt as a zombie infestation ravages the world. Marc Forster is an interesting director choice as he's got a bipolar resume. His works are either great, or terrible. The trailer was released a few weeks back, and it looks pretty cool. June 21st.

5. White House Down. Channing Tatum resumes his reign over Hollywood as a rookie Secret Service agent who is the only one who can save the President when the White House is taken hostage. Sound cheesy? Absolutely. Sound awesome? Absolutely. Jamie Foxx is the President, and Roland Emmerich directs. Will there be disasters rocking the world and throwing shards of special effects into the viewer's face? Perhaps. Will Tatum and Foxx make a great action team? Yes. In the true spirit of Hollywood, this film will rival Olympus has Fallen, the next Antoine Fuqua action flick in which Gerard Butler has to save the President from a terrorist attack. Hmm. June 28th.

4. Admission. Tina Fey and Paul Rudd try their hand at a romantic comedy, and it just might work. Endearing and relevant, but with Tina Fey holding creative control, it will be hilarious. March 8th.

3. 42. The Jackie Robinson story. Baseball movies just seem to have an audience, and the more unbelievable and real the story, the better (Moneyball anyone?). Director Brian Helgeland won an Oscar for writing LA Confidential back in 1997, and is relatively new to directing, but he has an impressive writing resume. Expect the name Chadwick Boseman to be on everyone's tongues in May. April 12th.

2. After Earth. The previews make this look pretty cool, and Will Smith has a history of making great action blockbusters. What intrigues me is the return to direction by M. Night Shyamalan. He hasn't directed anything worth watching in nearly a decade, and his star has certainly burned out. Could this film put him back into critics' good graces? Oh, if it helps, Stephen Gaghan (Traffic, Syriana) wrote the screenplay with Shyamalan. Expect some sort of epic twist interspersed with incredible action. June 7th.

1. This is the End. I'm very interested in this film, although it will probably be a bust. A group of young Hollywood actors get together at James Franco's house, and then have to deal with the apocalypse. This is one of those great sardonic portrayals by the characters when they get to play themselves. Kind of a reality TV show inside a film (Being John Malkovich). It's an incredible cast in which they all play themselves, and are put in a ridiculous situation together. It just might be strange enough to work. June 14th.

Ten Most Anticipated Sequels of 2013

There are numerous films slated to come out in 2013, so I thought I would divide my list into two factions: Sequels, and Originals. These are the ten most promising sequels of 2013 in no particular order.

10. Iron Man 3. It's no secret that the Iron Man series found the perfectly flawed Tony Stark in Robert Downey Jr. What is a bit more surprising, and could determine the future of the franchise is that Jon Favreau did not direct the third installment. Shane Black, longtime Hollywood scribe of action dramas, and second time director (the more than forgettable Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) is the unknown variable that will propel the second act of the Avengers saga toward financial fortune or ruin. Let's be honest, it might be too dark and change our perception of Stark, but it will be one of the summer's most successful. May 3rd.

9. Sin City 2: A Dame to Kill for. I thought the first Sin City was compelling and original. A dark graphic novel brought to life that opened up a new genre for guys like Zack Snyder. I'm expecting that with Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez on board, and Mickey Rourke reprising his role of Marv, it will be a visionary piece of entertainment. October 4th.

8. The Hangover 3. Todd Phillips brings the gang back together, this time centering around Zach Galifianakis' Alan. Melissa McCarthy and John Goodman join the cast (father and sister perhaps?) along with all the stalwarts, including Mike Tyson. It will be funny, but if it's another recycled plot, I will be frustrated. Bring some original material with familiar characters to the table please. May 24th.

7. Star Trek 2: Into Darkness. This is probably my most anticipated film of the year. The original cast returns, and the new villain is the tremendously talented Benedict Cumberbatch (also voices Smaug...). If the first 9 minutes are any indicator of what's to come, it will be amazing. JJ Abrams is king. May 17th.

6. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. One of Will Ferrell's gems, Adam McKay is a more experienced director, and Paul Rudd and Steve Carell are bonafide comic A-listers. With Kristin Wiig added to the cast, it will be hilarious. December 20th.

5. Thor 2: The Dark World. One of the more pleasant surprises of 2011's superhero bombardment was Chris Hemsworth as Thor. Alan Taylor takes over for Kenneth Branaugh, and although he doesn't have much feature film directing experience, his work on Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, Rome, Game of Thrones, and other shows lead me to believe that he's got the craft down. Expect this one to follow Iron Man 3's lead and move toward a darker imagining of the Marvel universe. Will be fun to see. November 8th.

4. GI Joe 2: Retaliation. I have a soft spot for GI Joe. Along with Transformers, it was one of my favorite toys of the 80's, and I watched the cartoon and read the comics. 4 years after the original, I like to think that the rewrites and delays are more a result of Channing Tatum's rise to stardom than any potential issues with the film. Rumor is that he was killed off in the opening sequence, and after Magic Mike, 21 Jump Street, and The Vow, not to mention People's Sexiest Man Alive, the producers wrote him back into the script. Good call. Jon Chu steps in as director, but with his frenetic dance film background, this should be a good fit. March 29th.

3. The Wolverine. Also delayed, and shrouded in secrecy, Hugh Jackman returns to the titular role as the fan favorite of the X-Men world, if not the whole Marvel universe. Critically acclaimed director James Mangold tries his hand in the action genre, in a script by Christopher McQuarrie (The Usual Suspects, and making a bit of a Hollywood comeback with Jack Reacher, Top Gun 2, All You Need is Kill, and MI:5). Taking place in Japan with a heavy martial arts theme, this will be a much better film than the last Wolverine - 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which was supposed to spawn a bevy of origins stories. I think they've been shelved for the most part. Good call. Marvel has decades of material to pump out films, and audiences won't grow tired as long as stories are fresh and visual effects stay on the cutting edge. Please don't over-saturate. July 26th.

2. The Hobbit 2: The Desolation of Smaug. What is there to say? Part two of the Hobbit trilogy is already in the can, and will be released a year after the first film. Brilliantly slated for December 13th, don't be surprised if it finds the box office success of its predecessor.

1. The Hunger Games 2: Catching Fire. Everyone's favorite arrow-slinging heroine is back in the second film of the trilogy. Director Gary Ross was replaced by Francis Lawrence (I am Legend, Constantine) due to some conflict over release timelines. Ross didn't think a fall 2013 release date gave him enough time to make the film he wanted. We'll never know if he was right. The second book isn't as good as the first, but that won't stop the fanboys and girls from lining up for tickets. Jennifer Lawrence (no relation) may be riding the tails of a Best Actress Oscar win, which will help the film all around. Expect a bit of a disappointment, but some fun teen action. November 22nd.

Stay tuned for the ten most anticipated non-sequels of 2013!

Django Unchained

Every few years, Quentin Tarantino blesses the film community with a contribution that only he can provide. He has carved a niche so deep that there is no other filmmaker capable of filling it. He has created films so wildly inappropriate, yet undeniably captivating that we have as a collective audience created a different standard for him.

2009 was the year that we saw Tarantino's post-Pulp Fiction brilliance. Not just classic B-film homages with witty dialogue and curious characters, but a substantial film titled Inglorious Basterds. It introduced us to a new breed of Tarantino, and one that I was anxiously hoping to see again with Django Unchained.

Many of the staples of his films remain, but the flair and ingenuity seem to be missing. There is a lull in his delivery, and it's not a knock on his writing ability or creative genius, but on his satisfaction with the end product. The unpredictability has become predictable, and for a trailblazer in his craft, he's becoming a bit boring.

Violence has always been one of his most consistent tricks, and he doesn't disappoint with Django. Never shy about taking on a taboo subject, Tarantino tackles slavery in the long lost "Blacksploitation" genre. Needing to move on to something more shocking and controversial than Nazi killers, Tarantino matches a slave with a German bounty hunter in 1858 on a quest to find his slave wife.

Never has the N-Word been more pervasive, but also dare I say, never more appropriate. It fits with the time, which ups the discomfort level a notch. Couple this with the gratuitous violence, and you have the next generation of Tarantino; Ultimate awkward. I found myself laughing throughout the film, and most of the time it was due to the dialogue or the odd actions of characters, but in retrospect, a lot of it is due to simple awkwardness.

Django follows a young, naturally-talented gunfighter as he is bought and freed by a man seeking only a shred of help in finding a bounty. They form a friendship of sorts and make their way through the South until they find Django's long lost love. A simple story, but it is masterfully packed with nutty characters and oddly normal conversation (Quentin's specialty).

Let's start with Django. Played by Jamie Foxx, he's a strong, silent man and up until he starts to display his firearm skills, he's just a running joke of a black man on a horse. Not a lot of depth or acting involved in my opinion. It takes a lot of courage to take on a project of this type, but let's be honest; Anything goes with Tarantino. The supporting cast is another story entirely.

Christoph Waltz is riding his Best Supporting Actor Oscar wave and is re-teamed with Tarantino in an eerily similar role. At first I was dubious of his casting, but he earned his stripes with his terrible English and quirky motivation. The German slid into place after the first act, and fit with the story nicely. He is deserving of his Supporting Actor Golden Globe nomination, but I'm not sold on a top 5 overall performance. Don't expect an Oscar nod.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays the evil slave owner with southern charm and steely eyes. He is the most out of typical character, and that is perhaps the greatest appeal to his Calvin Candie. He is despicable and tosses around racial epithets like they are his namesake. He seems to make a habit of dying at the end of his best (and worst) performances, and this one is no different. Come on, you can't possibly call this a spoiler. Django Unchained is a gritty revenge flick at heart, and who could the empowered slave possibly punish if not the white plantation owner?

Jonah Hill, Don Johnson, Kerry Washington, and a bevy of Tarantino supporting regulars round out the cast and they all do a typical job in line with expectation. The one who shines however, is none other than Samuel L. Jackson as Steven, the house slave who is about as Uncle Tom as you can get. His thick makeup and white hair is almost comical, but his portrayal of the most hated and feared black man on the plantation is spot on. He may as well be Dave Chappelle as he gives his best old man impression, but for some reason it's totally acceptable. The period piece idea is so ludicrous as it is, that the costumes, accents, and even makeup isn't out of place at all.

I speak lightly about the subject only because Quentin Tarantino blatantly opens the door to it. He seems to have a green light in Hollywood that other directors simply don't. Kudos to him, he has the Weinsteins behind his creative juices, and the three of them are making money hand over fist with each subsequent release. It's an impressive achievement on their part, and the films they make are continually pushing new boundaries, this time with more blood, male nudity, and the use of a word that is the epitome of American shame.

The details and quirky comedy are the glue that hold the film together. Subtle comments or a wobbly plastic tooth bouncing around on top of a horse-drawn carriage are what make these films worth watching. Seeing good actors stepping outside their normal comfort zones and opening new doors is exciting to see. I would love to see more of Leo DiCaprio out of his typical stereotypical roles, but that will remain to be seen.

Quentin Tarantino returns to his Kill Bill series next, with his third installment. The date is to be determined, but as he writes the screenplay, expect a few years to pass before we see it. One thing is for sure, it will be something different. 7/10.