Rewatching My 100 Favorite Movies - Update 26

I decided to rewatch my 100 favorite movies of all-time. What those are, you can check HERE. I watch them in random order, there is no rhyme or reason there, just watching those movies I love so much.
 

85/ 100: Paddington 2 (2017)
Movies that are truly fun for the whole family are rare, which is why the 2014 live-action film about the bear Paddington was such a pleasant surprise. Director Paul King turned it into an irresistibly cheerful adventure, beautifully designed and full of jokes. The sequel had those same ingredients, but just slightly better. If only because of the delightful supporting roles by Hugh Grant and Brendan Gleeson. Read my full review HERE.
 

86/ 100: Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)
Hollywood 1969. The classic movie star must slowly give away to a new type of actor. B-actor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) is one such classic movie hero and is having a hard time. Why can’t he be as successful as his neighbor, actress Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie)? Fortunately, his friend and regular stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) continues to support him. Exuberant, kaleidoscopic and delightful storytelling from director Quentin Tarantino, in which he shamelessly beds history to his will. Click HERE to check out my full review.
 

87/ 100: Hot Fuzz (2007)
Ominous things are happening in Sandford. The front gardens are too neat, the facades too clean. No hamlet can win Village of the Year three times in a row without unsavory practices behind it. Police officer Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) and his overambitious colleague Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) set out to investigate. This is one of the three films In the ‘Cornetto-trilogy”, directed by Edgar Wright. When all being on my 100 favorites list, this is my favorite of the three.”Hot Fuzz” is without a doubt the funniest movie ever made and proof that the British will always win comedy over Americans. Because the jokes are clever and masterful. Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are a magical trio that I wish will be making more movies in the future. Read my full review HERE.
 

88/ 100: Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
Curious culmination of animation and feature film technique. Boskins plays private detective Eddie Valiant. During an investigation, he stumbles upon the murder suspect, yet completely innocent cartoon Roger Rabbit. As a child, me and my family used to watch this film so many times. Most of the jokes went way over my head, because this is not a children’s movie. Now, as an adult, I enjoy this film on a whole other level and maybe even more than I used to. My full review is right over HERE.
 
Still to watch: 12

Academy Awards 2020 - Predictions

My predictions of the 2020 Academy Awards.

Best motion picture of the year: “Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood”
Best performance by and actor in a leading role: Joaquin Phoenix, “Joker”
Best performance by an actress in a leading role: Renée Zellweger, “Judy”
Best performance by and actor in a supporting role: Brad Pitt, “Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood”
Best performance by and actress in a supporting role: Laura Dern, “Marriage Story”
Best achievement in directing: Sam Mendes, “1917”
Best original screenplay: Quentin Tarantino, “Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood”
Best adapted screenplay: Greta Gerwig, “Little Women”
Best cinematography: Roger Deakins, “1917”
Best achievement in film editing: Andrew Buckland and Michael McCusker, “Ford V Ferrari”
Best achievement in production design: Barbara Ling and Nancy Haigh, “Once Upon a Time in… Hollywood”

Best achievement in costume design: Jacqueline Durran, “Little Women”
Best achievement in makeup and hairstyling: Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan and Vivian Baker, “Bombshell”
Best achievement in music written for motion pictures (original score): Hildur Duđnadóttir, “Joker”
Best achievement in music written for motion pictures (original song): Elton John and Bernie Taupin, (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again, “Rocketman”
Best achievement in sound mixing: Mark Taylor and Stuart Wilson, “1917”
Best achievement in sound editing: Oliver Tarney and Rachael Tate, “1917”

Best achievement in visual effects: Dan DeLeeuw, Russell Earl, Matt Aitken and Daniel Sudick, “Avengers: Endgame”
Best documentary feature: “American Factory”
Best documentary short subject: “Learning to Skateboard”
Best animated feature film: “Toy story”
Best animated short film: “Hair Love”
Best live action short film: “Brotherhood”
Best international feature film: “Parasite”

20 Best Quentin Tarantino Characters

With "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" still in theaters, I decided it would be fun to take a look at all those great character director Quentin Tarantino created over the years.

20. Hugo Stiglitz (Til Schweiger) in “Inglourious Basterds”
Til Schweiger truly puts the ‘glorious’ in his Baserd as a defected German sergeant with a penchant for murdering Nazis in the sickest ways possible.

19. Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis) in “Pulp Fiction”
Boxer Butch Coolidge ain’t nobody’s bitch. Fleeing from the scene after accidentally killing his opponent in the ring, Coolidge is still the closest thing “Pulp Fiction” has to a good guy. Butch later embraces his bloodlust by slicing and dicing his would-be rapist, who couldn’t have picked a worse guy to screw with.

18. Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) in “Inglourious Basterds”
Aldo Raine is the leader of the Basterds and and Apache descendant, who loved killing and scalping Nazis. Not the brightest star in the universe, but he does everything to get to his goal.

17. Vincent Vega (John Travolta) in “Pulp Fiction”
John Travolta pulled a dramatic career U-turn as Vincent Vega, the icy calm at the center of “Pulp Fiction” manic universe. He always remains the picture of coolness. Even when he has to show his moves on the dancefloor with Mia Wallace or when he accidentally shoots a guy in the head.

16. O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu) in “Kill Bill”
One of the Deadly Vipers on The bride’s to-do list. O-Ren gets the most fleshed out backstories of all the Kill Bill villains: orphaned by the Yakuza, eventually getting her much needed and deserved revenge. She becomes a master assassin and heads a Tokyo crime syndicate complete with her own Crazy 88 army.

15. Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell) in “Death Proof”
“Death Proof” is the only Tarantino film that I didn’t like, but Stuntman Mike is its only redeeming feature. A psychopath hard-wired on murdering innocent female passengers by crashing his ‘death proof’ stunt car.

14. Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) in “Django Unchained”
Schultz is a bounty hunter, but also a righteous campaigner for racial equality. He teams up with ex-slave Django to free his wife from Calvin Candie. A man of tall tales, Schultz is a sharp-shooter but a sharper dresser. King is a man of principle, even when it costs him the ultimate price.

13. Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) in “Pulp Fiction”
With a wit only as sharp as her bob, Mia Wallace is a very modern gangster’s moll: a thrillseeker whose actions are even more irresponsible than her husband’s. if you ignore the overdose, she’s a delightful dinner companion, able to fill any awkward silence and capable of tearing up the dance floor.

12. Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson) in “Django Unchained”
Calvin Candy is the obvious villain in “Django Unchained”, but there’s something even more insidious about his house slave Stephen: a man who seemingly turned his back on his entire race. Stephen is either a desperate victim forced into the unthinkable by circumstance, or the most insidiously evil character in the movie. I think the latter.

11. Mr. White (Harvey Keitel) in “Reservoir Dogs”
He can’t make a clean getaway. He shows some mercy to his fatally wounded companion Mr. Orange after their diamond heist went wrong. Stoic and composed, Mr. White displays chinks of humanity that the rest of the Reservoir Dogs fill with greed.

10. Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Rick Dalton is a TV actor who’s on his way back and is only playing villains in TV pilots. Dalton would rather self-destruct than acknowledge he doesn’t truly matter anymore. He is so magnetic because he’s also wildly funny. Played by an actor that is not known for his funny roles, Leonardo DiCaprio is completely loveable, ludicrously demanding and he has a child-like sense of wonder.

9. Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) in “Jackie Brown”
The heroine of “Jackie Brown” is a blaxploitation legend of her own right. The stewardess/ smuggler checks in that baggage to her advantage, expertly playing off the cops and criminals, Jacki is one of the baddest asses in the Tarantino universe.

8. Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) in “Pulp Fiction”
It’s tough to define cool, particularly in a Tarantino movie that’s super cool. But then there is Jules Winnfield, the coolest of them all. A burger eating and verbally strong hitman, who has some of the most quotable lines in movie history.

7. Elle Driver (Daryl Hannah) in “Kill Bill”
Elle Driver is definitely the coolest of Bill’s hit squad, with a rad accessory: a patch covering the gaping socket from where Pai Mei pulled her eye. Elle is a direct rival of The Bride, mainly for the affections of their master Bill. And the trailer cat-fight is without a doubt a highlight of the film.

6. Shosanna Dreyfuss (Mélanie Laurent) in “Inglourious Basterds”
Revenge is a dish best served cold, or if you’re war survivor Shoshanna, a dish best served roasted and dripping in Nazi blood. Narrowly avoiding being killed, she sets her sight high with the help of the Basterds, brings down Hitler and his Third Reich with a fiery massacre in her own movie theater.

5. Mr. Pink (Steve Buscemi) in “Reservoir Dogs”
Mr. Pink is a nitpicker. He’s not happy with his codename Mr. Pink, he doesn’t tip. He is, however, an utmost professional, and is the only man smart enough to escape with his life. It’s easy to see why Tarantino loved this character so much, he initially wanted to play the role himself.

4. Mr. Blonde (Michael Madsen) in “Reservoir Dogs”
Mr. Blonde is the darkest soul of all of the Reservoir Dogs gang. A man for whom torture is an activity to be set to music. Michael Madsen nails the quesy tone, adding style and swagger to his sadistic deeds. He is Tarantino’s most vicious villain.

3. Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”
Could stuntman Cliff Booth be Brad Pitt’s greatest achievement. He’s certainly on the list. The kind of character that only Pitt could have played in this stage of his life and definitely the best part of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood”.

2. Col. Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) in “Inglourious Basterds”
This is the role that introduced Hollywood to Christoph Waltz (and the Oscars). Hans Landa is a once-in-a-lifetime part: a comic book bad guy with a silver tongue. Is he Tarantino’s most detestable character? Certainly up on the list, but he is definitely one of the smartest. Landa is both charming and terrifying at the same part.

1. Beatrix Kiddo aka The Bride (Uma Thurman) in “Kill Bill”
We first meet Beatrix Kiddo at her most vulnerable: pregnant, beaten, shivering and at the mercy of her former lover, she’s staring down the barrel of a gun that’s about to go off. Thus begins the epic journey of The Bride, who never made it down the aisle. Left for dead, but miraculously survived. And she has a hitlist, taking down all the sons of bitches that caused a bloodbath at her wedding (which was actually a rehearsal). With no mercy whatsoever.



Honorable mentions: Louis Gara (Robert De Niro) – Jackie Brown, Ray Nicolette (Michael Keaton) – Jackie Brown, Pai Mei (Gordon Liu) – Kill Bill Vol. 2, Donny Donowitz (Eli Roth) – Inglourious Basterds, Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames) – Pulp Fiction, Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio) - Django Unchained, Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson) – Jackie Brown, Mr. Orange (Tim Roth) – Reservoir Dogs, Captain Koons (Christopher Walken) – Pulp Fiction

All Quentin Tarantino Movies Ranked

With "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" now in theaters, I decided to evaluate my all-time favorite director: Quentin Tarantino. Known for his powerful dialogues, structure in narrative and storyline and memorable characters. I ranked all of his movies, from least favorite to most favorite. I counted the "Kill Bill" movies as two seperated movies, because they are different from each other. What's yor favorite Quentin Tarantino movie?

10. Death Proof (2007)
“Death Proof” is erratic and oversaturated, even by Tarantino standards. An extended opening introduces us to Kurt Russell’s Stuntman Mike and a handful of coeds who spit one-liners as they inch towards inevitable death. Russell was the best part of the film and “Death Proof” is, to the day, the only Quentin Tarantino movie I didn’t like. “Death Proof” is too busy to adhering to the “Grindhouse” blueprint that the final product feels like a black sheep in the Tarantino mold.

9. Jackie Brown (1997)
Tarantino already had his career in the bag by the time he got to “Jackie Brown”. With anticipation comes pressure and “Jackie Brown” stood every chance of repeating formulas. But thankfully that didn’t happen. Based on Elmore Leonard’s novel “Rum Punch”, “Jackie Brown” follows a flight attendant whose secondary source of income is strictly under the table: smuggling money between Mexico and the US. “Jackie Brown” doesn’t only take its time with its characters, it replaces all the colorful bells and whistles that tend to show up in Tarantino movies and trims all excess. This film is tight, clever and brutal. And it’s from its grounded lack of showiness that “Jackie Brown” ends up leaving such a resounding impression.

8. The Hateful Eight (2015)
Tarantino’s take on a Western meets whodunnit. “The Hateful Eight” follows eight strangers who get stranded in a stagecoach stop during a blizzard. With its nearly three hour runtime, it can at times be a drag. But some truly tense moments, it being set in one location and a soundtrack by Ennio Morricone, make this a solid movie in general terms.

7. Django Unchained (2012)
Tarantino has no problem rewriting the past. In fact, he’s happy to create a character whose sole purpose is to directly influence some of the darkest moments in history. In “Django Unchained” his target is African-American slavery in the United States. The film revolves around the titular Django, who embarks on a life bounty hunt with the lively Dr. King Shultz, in order to find and rescue his wife Broomhilda. The revenge tale is as satisfying as it is deserved. Movies are often an arena where justice is served at the end of a bullet, and while many offer cathartic satisfaction, “Django Unchained” unites rage with heroism. Tarantino didn’t just craft a simple revenge fantasy, but a quest.

6. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
“Kill Bill: Vol.1” marked a new era for Tarantino. With the biggest budget of his career, he had the money and freedom to make the action film he’d always wanted to see. Every frame is overloaded with references and the heart of a man who just loves movies. That joy of film making and obsession with pop culture is the heart of “Kill Bil:l Vol. 1”. It remains one of the greatest action movies of all time.

5. Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)
What began as a bloodbath, finishes in the sequel “Kill Bill: Vol. 2” as more restrained and beautiful. This film adds emotional depth to its characters while gracefully expanding the story and universe of Tarantino, built in “Kill Bill: Vol. 1”.

4. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)
It’s impossible to ignore that “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is Tarantino’s most emotionally honest, his most beautiful looking and his funniest film. Brad Pitt (especially) and Leonardo DiCaprio are an absolute delight. “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” shows again the love Tarantino has for movies and even though it’s long, it never suffers from that.

3. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
It might not be as cohesive as other Tarantino films, “Inglourious Basterds” is probably the most entertaining of the bunch. With scenes of high-tension, verbal sparring and scalp-smashing mayhem. The film is also notable for introducing us to Christoph Waltz as silver-tongued sociopath Hans Landa, one of the most compelling film villains in forever. And the movie’s opening scene, which is a 15 minute long verbal chess match, is one of the best opening scenes I have ever seen.

2. Pulp Fiction (1994)
My love for this movie is big and goes way back. It rewrote the formula for movie making and redefined the structure, language and rhythm of film making. Tarantino single-handedly redirected the future of independent cinema while creating a new standard of “cool” in movies. And “Pulp Fiction” has inspired multiple generations of film makers.

1. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Tarantino’s full-length debut remains a masterclass example of a film maker who arrived in this world fully formed as both a writer and director. He immediately defined himself as a masterful writer, able to craft mind-bending scripts that play with time and traditional narrative structure. Tense writing, smart scenes filled to the brim with fast-paced dialogue covered in wit. That Steve Buscemi monologue is a great exampled of how Tarantino can make even the most mundane of conversations completely unforgettable.

Movie Reviews - Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Genre: Drama/ Comedy
Runtime: 161 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Bradd Pitt, Margot Robbie, Emile Hirsch, Timothy Olyphant, Dakota Fanning, Al Pacino, Luke Perry, Kurt Russell, Scoot McNairy, Clifton Collins Jr. Rumer Willis, Zoë Bell, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern

Description: A faded television star (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double (Brad Pitt) strive to achieve fame and success in the film industry during the final years of Hollywood’s Golden Age in 1969 Los Angeles.

Review: It’s the end of the 60s and we meet television actor Rick Dalton and his stunt double Cliff Booth. Dalton sees his career fade and has to deal with the villain roles in cheap TV pilots.
Dalton’s next door neighbors are director Roman Polanski and his beautiful wife Sharon Tate. And when you think of Hollywood in 1969, you think of Charles Manson and his cult, who left a trail of blood in L.A. at the time.
When Tarantino’s ninth film was announced, and it became clear that the ‘Manson family’ was a part of it, people were afraid that he was going to exploit the murder of Sharon Tate. But Tarantino wouldn’t be Tarantino, if he didn’t use his revisionary spin on it and mix fiction with reality.
If you would ask anyone what “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is about, I don’t think many people could give you an exact answer. Because it’s mostly people talking and it’s more ‘a day in the life’ kind of story. We follow Cliff who is on his way to feed his dog, we see how Sharon Tate visits who visit a theater to watch her own movie. It’s a hangout-film, who can mostly be compared to Tarantino’s “Jacki Brown”. But even better.
Most of Tarantino’s movies are very violent. And overall, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” isn’t a very violent film. But when you get to the final twenty minutes, the violence gets really violent! And this scene is simply brilliant.
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is definitely Tarantino’s funniest film, it can in fact be called a comedy. Even Leonardo DiCaprio is funny here. He shows great and awkward moments, where he feels an insecurity inside thinking his hay days are over. But the best part of the film is definitely Brad Pitt, as Cliff Booth, who I will say is one of Tarantino’s best characters. At first he seems like just a stunt double to DiCaprio’s Rick Dalton, but digging deeper he is a more complex character. And Pitt is hilarious in his role. Margot Robbie, who plays Sharon Tate, doesn’t get that much to do. And I would say that some of her scene could have been cut, without it having any effect on the story.
“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” definitely didn’t disappoint and it’s up there on my favorites list of best Tarantino movies. A great portrait of the golden days in Hollywood and in my eyes the most beautifully shot Tarantino movie.

Rating: 5/ 5

Movies to Look Forward to - August 2019

Summertime is definitely here and going to the movies is for me the perfect way to cool down. Here are some of the movies in August to look forward to.

August 1st – Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw
Director: David Leitch
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Idris Elba, Helen Mirren, Eddie Marsan, Cliff Curtis
Description: Lawman Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and outcast Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham) form an unlikely alliance when a cyber-genetically enhanced villain threatens the future of humanity.

August 8th – Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Director: André Øvredal
Starring: Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rish, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows, Larraine Toussaint, Austin Zajur, Natalie Ganzhorn, Austin Abrams, Kathleen Pollard
Description: A group of teens face their fears in order to save their lives.

August 15th – Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Tmothy Olyphant, Dakota Fanning, Luke Perry, Al Pacino, Damian Lewis, Kurt Russel, Emile Hirsch
Description: A faded television actor (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his stunt double (Brad Pitt) strive to achieve fame and success in the film industry during the final years of Hollywood’s Golden Age in 1969 Los Angeles.

August 22nd – Blinded by the Light
Director: Gurinda Chadha
Starring: Viveik Kalra, Kulvinder Chir, Meera Ganatra, Aaron Phagura, Dean-Charles Chapman, Nikita Mehta, Nell Williams, Tara Divina, Rob Brydon, Hayley Atwell, Frankie Fox, Sally Phillips
Description: In 1987 during the austere days of Thatcher’s Britain, a teenager learns to live life, understand his family and finds his own voice through the music of Bruce Springsteen.

August 22nd – Good Boys
Director: Gene Stupnitsky
Starring: Jacob Tremblay, Molly Gordon, Retta, Will Forte, Midori Francis, Lil Rel Howry, Millie Davis, Vanessa Przada, Brady Noon, Keith L. Williams, Enid-Raye Adams, Josh Caras, Chance Hurstfield, Lina Renna, Benita ha
Description: Three sixth grade boys ditch school and embark on an epic journey while carrying accidentally stolen drugs, being hunted by teenage girls, and trying to make their way home in time for a long-awaited party.