The Strangest Resistance

Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) gives a stunning performance in Tanantino’s latest – Inglourious Basterds, - that sees alternate history as two parallel and similar plots are hatched to put an end to the Third Reich. Rather limited in the insanity quotient, and actually serious in parts, the plot revolves around the Nazi-killer team led by Lt Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) and their encounters. Typical chapter-based Tarantino narration – the first scene about the purge and introduction to the central character of menace, the long scene and encounter wrt Bridget von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger) in the basement, the showdown between Hans Landa and the German actress, are the most memorable. The inexplicable fact of Shoshanna owning a theater in the heart of Paris explained away rather trivially, the sharpshooter Pvt Frederick Zoller (Daniel Bruhl) and his mixed emotions, the ramblings on Goebbels’ propaganda, the strange silouhette of Marcel and his giant pile of inflammable film make sure that Tarantino’s quirky touch is very much alive and kicking. A mellower, more circumspect Tarantino, but enough to keep fans engaged

15.5/20

Planet Eccentric
It is difficult to comprehend a movie that is eccentric even by Quentin Tarantino/ Robert Rodriguez standards. Planet Terror makes the cut and more. Suffice to say that you would not have seen a movie that is anything like this. Part Resident Evil style action cameos, part Harold and Kumar meets Zohan style incongruous humour, you will never know what to expect next in this movie. It would all be very amusing if it was not, in addition, so in-your-face gross as well. After watching this movie, it would really be difficult to take any zombie movie seriously. Not that any of us ever did.

How not to do a Heist

Watching Quentin Tarantino movies in reverse has serious drawbacks. The template of quotable quotes, asynchronous retro music, and chapters in movies – it probably all started here. And what a start. A heist is committed. It goes all wrong. The men, none of whom are known to each other by their true identities, are looking for the mole in their midst. You can look at Reservoir Dogs as sheer human cruelty – a man bleeds to death, a policeman is almost set alight and eventually killed almost as an afterthought. In the end, there is a Western-style showdown, out of acrimony, and the movie is over. Another experiential Tarantino tale – over the top, mindblowing, unforgettable. A classic.

Pretty, Quirky

Many of the elements of Quentin Tarantino's cult classic Pulp Fiction are to be found in say Kill Bill. The retro music, the quirky character portraits and disjointed engagements, the engaging dialogues - all combine to give a disengaged portrayal of a loosely connected sequence of events, acted out by unforgettable characters. The movie is a difficult one to judge, inasmuch as it probably defined a (limited) genre in itself. What makes it particularly stand out is the performances of the entire star cast - especially the (questionable) redemption of Samuel L Jackson, the "day in the life" of Bruce Willis, the chemistry between John Travolta and Uma Thurman, and the righteous anger of Ving Rhames. Does it all collectively make sense in the end? No, but that is not quite the point.