Rank Quentin Tarantino's movies since 2009

All are good. Best for me is Basterds.

Inglorious Bastards - 9.5/0

Django Unchained -7/10

The Hateful Eight - 9/10

Once Upon a Time In Hollywood - 5/10

1. Inglorious Basterds - 9/10
2. Django Unchained - 8/10
3. The Hateful Eight - 8/10
4. Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood - 8/10

Hollywood is his one of his most disjointed and least focused movies and I am still not big on the last 25 minutes, but it is still a unique movie that is very entertaining for the most part. The ending is still entertaining, with the exception of the Kurt Russell's narration segment, but it is the least interesting part of the movie. I am a fan of the very last moments of the movie though, where it has this ominous "what might have been" question as Rick Dalton is invited to Sharon Tate's house after the Manson killings that never came to be. The Spahn ranch scene is one of the best scenes of Tarantino's career, but the scene loses effect on re-watch, because the reason we think of those people as so creepy is purposely torn down in the last act. The scene on it's own and in context with what really happened, is perfectly done though. It is the only scene in a Tarantino movie that I consider creepy.

There are many hilarious moments throughout the movie too, even and especially during the final confrontation. Brad Pitt's line-deliveries are perfect - "No, it was dumber than that." I also like the movie a lot for a Tarantino movie, because it is his most grounded movie since Jackie Brown and the most laid back movie of his career. It also captures the late 1960's very convincingly and really has a feel for the time and place. It doesn't have a story as much as it is just the adventures of a has-been actor and his "cool as the wind" stunt-double (2 very memorable characters) during the end of an era, and I understand why many people have a hard time getting into it. Sometimes the most interesting movies are the movies that pull in different directions and have a messy narrative and this is a perfect example.

I love Tarantino, and I love westerns.

I even love Kurt Russell and Walton Goggins.

But I don’t like “The Hateful Eight”

It had to be one of the biggest disappointments I’ve had at a movie in the past 10 years. Honestly. I was so hyped for that film.

It could have been so much more. And maybe I just didn’t get it, and the point flew over my head. It just seemed like a lot of self indulgent, over the top nonsense. Shock moments for the sake of shock (that didn’t land) and a boring plot. I was bored by the third act and I didn’t care what happened by the end.

3/10

Hollywood 8/10
Django 9/10
Basterds 8/10

Maybe I was in a weird place when I watched it and just didn’t like it. I’ll have to give it another go.

Inglourious Basterds (9/10)

Django Unchained (8/10)

The Hateful Eight (8/10)

Once Upon a time in Hollywood (7.5/10)