Eh where to start. I'd say my biggest problem with Tarantino is Tarantino, and then secondly his style. I'm not a fan of huge egos in this industry, and he quite possibly has the largest (
which I'm not alone in knowing). I hate that he helps release foreign films in America and puts a huge "Presented by Quentin Tarantino" on it so that people assume he actually worked on the film (i.e.
Hero,
The Protector). I don't like that he does audio commentaries for movies he had no influence on (i.e.
Hot Fuzz,
Switchblade Sisters). I really really dislike how he puts "The Xth Film by Tarantino" in his ads as if he is flawless (lol
Jackie Brown anyone?). I'm really tired of the overused "Chapter #" crutch he uses. And lastly, I think his music choices in his movies are now just more silly than good.
Then on to his films:
I did like
Pulp Fiction, but I also like the movies he "borrowed from" to make
Pulp Fiction. I feel like because most people have only seen
Pulp Fiction and not the films that inspired it,
Pulp Fiction then becomes this beaming work of originality when really it's just okay. I will admit that at the time I felt like he deservedly became known for his exception written dialog in
Pulp Fiction and R
eservoir Dogs, but I have been less than impressed since then. I think this is also when I realized his editor, Sally Menke, was great and since then blindly believe that she is the reason that the structure of his films are so highly regarded.
It's been a while since I've seen
Jackie Brown, so I don't remember much. I do remember being unimpressed, and felt like with such a good cast, it was a shame to see them in a less than spectacular film.
Kill Bill. I liked volume 1 when I saw it in theaters, and didn't care for volume 2. Upon seeing the first again much later, I didn't feel the same joy as the first time. I think this is about the time that I realized the
amazing Tarantino dialog that everyone has come to love really isn't that amazing. Listening to his characters talk seems forced and unnatural. Like I said above, I dislike the "chapter" crutch and felt like it was really unnecessary (and abundantly overused). The films could have easily been turned into one film, and that one film could have been great. This might have also been the time I started wondering why he chose certain music for his scores. I think having the RZA do a score is great, but some of the song choices just seemed like they were inserted because it would be unexpected and cool.
Of the two Grindhouse films, I thought Tarantino's was weaker.
Death Proof had the same dialog and music issues I have with his other work. I wanted all the characters to die in that film, and felt utmost sympathy for the psychopathic motive-less killer. I've noticed Tarantino likes his scenes to be extra long, and this is no exception (i.e. the lapdance scene that seemed to go on forever). I get that he's mocking the genre of the same name as the film(s), but they were supposed to be basically bad action films with sex appeal and very little style. This, I felt, was overly-stylized - but that should be expected.
Onward to
Inglourious Basterds! I liked this film a great deal more than
Death Proof,
Jackie Brown, and the Kill Bills. I think that he has gotten back on track dialog-wise and I was very impressed with that. I like to attribute this more to the fact that he started writing this almost a decade ago and has used the time to work on it. I think it's funny that this isn't exactly a remake of "Inglorious Bastards," but it's extremely similar in it's "kicking ass behind enemy lines" ideals. I liked his characters quite a bit, and thought his casting was impeccable (except for Mike Myers, who I could not stop laughing at when he was on screen). I again hate the "chapter" thing in this, though, and almost see it as if Tarantino had no idea how to go from one act to another seamlessly. I guess as with most of his films with way too many characters, I didn't care much for most of them. Landa was insane, and wonderfully done. Aldo Raine was equally insane, but in a quieter sense. I couldn't care less about the girl who runs the theater or her boyfriend. I didn't care for the Brits, the actress, the sniper, or Goebbels/Hitler. And as usual I felt it was too long (where were you on that one, Sally Menke?!).
So in all I liked
Reservoir Dogs quite a bit. I thought
Inglourious Basterds and
Pulp Fiction were okay. I wasn't a fan of
Kill Bill 1 or 2. I didn't like
Jackie Brown. And I really don't like Quentin Tarantino.
Currently Working On: My Overwatch addiction.