QT's "Basterds" ends Summer on high note

"Inglorious Basterds"
Starring: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Melanie Laurent, Eli Roth, B.J Novak, Diane Kruger, Mike Myers, Michael Fassbender
Grade: A-

Now that I've seen Tarantino's newest flick twice, I can give an honest and detailed review of its genius and audacity. Basterds has been Tarantino's dream for years, its part WWII, part film-noir, part spaghetti western. Tarantino has made his oddest film yet, a mix-mash of genre's that trusts itself more as a foreign "talkie," than it does an action film.

The film stars Brad Pitt, as Tennessean Lt. Aldo Raine. He commands a group of Jewish soldiers to each collect him 100 Nazi scalps, and in the process, make the Germans aware of the sadistic "Basterds" and there violent ways. Pitt sports an odd mustache and accent that turns his character into complete cartoon fashion, this being the only way Tarantino would have it.

QT blends narratives in a convincing way that would have the basterds story on one end, and the story of Shosanna Dreyfus, a Jew who witnessed the brutal murder of her family by Col. Hans Landa, played so matter a fact by actor Christoph Waltz, that Tarantino would have scrapped the film if Waltz couldn't do it. Waltz has probably turned in the year's best overall performance so far, already winning best actor at the Cannes film festival. His Hans Landa character is as sinister as he is charming. Many will hear his name in the coming months, during awards season.

The plot of the film goes as follows. Shosanna, having previously escaped the death grip of Landa, now runs a theater in France where a young actor/solider and director choose to show a film where all the Nazi high command and Third Reich will be in attendance. Shosanna seeks revenge, while the basterds aren't far behind, how will this all end? In a Tarantino film, anything is possible, and the film proves to the best of its abilities, that Tarantino is back in full form, pulling no punches.

The cast is filled with familiar faces, most of which turn in solid work, a few names to call attention to are Michael Fassbender as a former film critic and ally to the basterdes , Diane Kruger as double-agent/successful actress, and Melanie Laurent as Shosanna. Some detractors have said the film is without emotion, and drags along. Yes, the film is rooted in long, festering dialogue that goes on maybe a little too long, but get over it. Almost every scene serves its purpose, and in the end, Basterds is a better film for wearing its heart on its sleeve. It knows it's self-indulgent, QT knows hes borrowing from other films, but it's filled with signature touches that are sprinkled successfully throughout the film.

One may ask , where does this film rank in QT's filmography. It's definitely no match for Pulp Fiction, I liked it better than Reservoir Dogs and Jackie Brown, and if Kill Bill was actually one movie instead of two, I'd probably prefer Kill Bill. So I'll take Basterds over Kill Bill Vol. 1, but its probably a wash with Vol. 2.

Is this a new beginning for Tarantino? I'm not sure where he goes next, but he still possesses excellent storytelling techniques, remains a great eye for talent, and has re-claimed his status as a successful auteur in modern film-making.

District 9 is suprise hit of the Summer

"District 9"
Starring: Sharlto Copley
Grade: A-

Not only is District 9 a last ditch shot of adrenaline for a disappointing popcorn season; but its also a smart and layered thinking film that provides plenty of thrills and insight. The story must be told how this small baby came to be. Director Peter Jackson was looking to produce a Halo movie based on the popular video game, it was very close to happening, until studio disagreements got in the way off what could have been a cash cow. Instead, Jackson along with a man who never made a feature film,created the idea for District 9, which was based off a short film similar in story to District 9.

Director Neill Blomkamp, is the man behind the biggest surprise of the summer, and maybe the year. He has crafted a smart sci-fi movie, that doesn't leave action junkies out in the cold. The film starts with a faux-documentary along with interviews telling of an alien spaceship that stalled out in the sky over Johannesburg, South Africa two decades ago. When the government finally cut into the craft, they found hundreds of malnourished aliens. The aliens were soon transported out of the craft and segregated into District 9, a holding place for alien refugees.

The creatures, called "Prawns" by humans, are looked down upon by the whole population they live among. They've learned to adapt by trading with local gangs who take advantage of them. This must be hard to picture, but the world that Blomkamp creates is as close to real as it gets.

The first 45 minutes are something to rave about, as the film slowly but intensely fills the viewer in on the affects of this situation on the aliens and the humans. We also meet a government worker named Wikus. Wikus played by untrained actor Sharlto Copley, is a revelation. Wikus is an office drone who works for MNU (Multi-National United) an organization that manufactures weapons, and has taken an interest in the aliens advanced technology. This organization has put Sharlto in charge of evicting the aliens from District 9, where they will then be segregated into another, much harsher zone.

The film presents a twist soon there after that I will not go into, only to say that the audience views Wikus in a diffrent light throughout the rest of the film. His character is rich in the fact that he clearly has a metamorphosis as a character. The film asks important questions, but in an un-manipulative way. For those thinking this is only an action film, guess again.

With a budget of only $30 million, District 9 is a marvel to behold in every way. It doesn't break ground as far as the sci-fi genre goes, but it pulls no punches, believes in itself, and isn't afraid to have fun, even in the last 45 minutes, where some critics thought the film got away from itself. Not this one, the last shot is a heartbreaking as it is hopeful