Review: The Hateful Eight (2015)

I've recently completed a full rewatch of QT's feature filmography. This man really does know how to write some interesting dialogue. His love for cinema is most definitely evident, and that love just becomes more and more obvious with each film. 

His latest, The Hateful Eight, is his eighth feature film - Kill Bill is officially considered 1 film, but I consider it to be 2. This film sees the return of some of Tarantino's all-stars with Jackson, Russell, Roth and Madsen. The rest of the cast is rounded out with Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Bruce Dern and Demian Bichir. Everybody here is fine form, with particular standouts being Jackson, Goggins and Russell. Leigh is nominated for best supporting actress, and she is pretty good, but I don't know if it is oscar nominated worthy. 

I have to say I had a good time with this film. There are some very funny character interplays and some damn funny dialogue. Here comes the but though.....But, the length of this film is probably a bit over done, the freshness and sumptuousness nature of his previous films isn't quite felt here either. Although the dialogue is very good, QT has done better. There wasn't any sort of exchange that I felt I walked away with sticking in my head. That is not to say this is a forgettable film, but I don't feel this one being one that people will come back to a lot - or myself at least. I may eat these words - time will tell. I did feel similar with Django after one viewing - after a second, I fucking loved it. At this point, I don't feel like watching it again for quite some time. 

I was never bored though. Yes, it felt a little long here and there, but the story and script have a way of keeping you interested and keeping the film evolving. There is a distinct feeling between the first half and the second half of this film. It is the second half that pulled this film over the line for me. You can feel something is coming. The pieces, like chess, are being put into place for some sort of revelation or grand finale.

Technically, this film is spot on. That sort of aspect of QT's films you don't have to worry about. The cinematography is great, the music is powerful (hello to the legendary Ennio Morricone) and the overall setup is well staged. In fact, I definitely can see how this could be done as a stageplay. It is a particularly violent film (as you would expect these days), but the part that surprised me the most is the amount of times the 'N' word is used. I mean, I expected it, but fucking hell, he's wearing that word out completely. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but it is very noticeable in how frequent it is used. 

Overall, this is an enjoyable film, but be prepared for the long haul. A rewatch before the end of the year may put it in the top films of the year list for me, but as at now, no.

3.5/5

Review: The Revenant (2015)

The very first thing you will be in awe of with this film is the cinematography. Filmed using only natural light, Oscar winning Director of Photography Emmanuel Lubezki captures some amazing scenery whilst also immersing the audience into the action. 

Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu was responsible for the last years Birdman, which had amazing success critically. That film I was a little disappointed with. It was good, I suppose, but the acclaim it was receiving set me up to be unamazed in the end. With that in mind, I was going into this a little reserved. The trailer looked great though, and the plot line seemed more accessible, so I was really hoping not have a repeat experience like Birdman.

Well, what an excellent film this turned out to be. From the opening scenes, I could feel a great sense of satisfaction with what I was seeing. The action is brutal and very upfront and personal. The story is simple, but the performances really pull you in. DiCaprio and Hardy are no slouches in the acting arena, and both give you their absolute best.

The film has been quite an arduous production for the cast and crew, and you can see the actors have put everything they've got into bring something quite authentic to the screen. There is a particular scene with DiCaprio and a grizzly bear that is just a standout for me. How this was so convincingly pulled off on screen I don't know, but it will leave your jaw dropped. That is one part of an amazing journey you really can feel. Such is the attention to detail and the raw nature of what you're watching. 

As far as nitpicks go, I would say the film borders on being overly lengthy, and perhaps some of the dream sequences were unncessary or didn't feel like they fit with the rest of the film. Also, the first half really knocks it out of the park, and that feeling drops a bit in the last hour or so.

This was my first new release film for 2016, and wow, what a start to the year. I love starting out a fresh year with a film that leaves an impression like this. 

4.5/5

Top FIlms for 2015

Another great year in cinema. 322 films watched overall, with 35 trips to the cinema. Of the 322, 87 were rewatches. For my top or favourite films of the year, I have 32 films that I rated 4 stars or more. They are in no particular order, as I find ranking films to be a very difficult task. If I was to pick my top 5 out of the below list though, then they would be: Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, Selma, Inside Out, The Martian and Sicario.

I have also decided to include a list of films that I'll call honourable mentions. These are films I rated 3.5 stars, and for whatever reasons, I didn't find them great or better than great, but they were very good or pretty entertaining.

Remember, this is a personal favourite list, not a critical darling list. Unfortunately, I couldn't catch everything that was released here in Australia in 2015. Some films that are appearing on other lists are ones I haven't seen due to missing them or they simply haven't been released here yet. 

First up, in no particular order, are the honourable mentions: The Walk, Beasts of No Nation, Mississippi Grind, Mr Holmes, It Follows, Bone Tomahawk, People Places Things, Crimson Peak, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, Knock Knock, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Ant-Man, Bridge of Spies, While We’re Young, Manny Lewis, Southpaw, Spy, Terminator Genisys, Black or White, Taken 3, Jurassic World, Tomorrowland, Top Five, A Most Violent Year, The Gambler, Jupiter Ascending, The Imitation Game, The Theory of Everything, X+Y.

UPDATE: 3/01/2016 - Just watched Mistress America - it is also an honourable mention. 

And now, my favourite 32 films for 2015 - no particular order.