Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

jenkins · July 28, 2019, 05:11:51 PM

it's genetically different from his other movies and im like obsessed with it. it's nonsense to struggle with the third act; some kind of personal problem. qt loves movies and my god this movie feels like love

samsong · July 28, 2019, 05:21:13 PM

tarantino's sensibilities here are more attuned to the likes of antonioni than leone, more blow-up than blow out, and i found it to be enthralling and joyous in the midst of the melancholy/gravitas of his ideas. this is his the man who shot liberty valance--equal parts paean and requiem for a bygone era, and among the most poignant closing arguments in any oeuvre. (we'll see if tarantino really does pull the plug after one more... or just this?)

the ending's beautiful and heartbreaking. a much more effective implementation of his wish fulfillment historical revisionism from basterds, and a kissing cousin of murnau's "happy" ending in the last laugh, while the delayed "gratification" of the absurdist violence with the film's protagonists taking agency against the palpable inevitability of their fates (like mammoths in a tar pit) called jeanne dielman to mind... hyperextension probably, but it's where my brain went. films-as-fair-tales expressed with this much ambivalence are always up my alley, too. (see: le plaisir)

i really, really, really fucking loved this movie.

bigperm · July 28, 2019, 05:59:51 PM

Since Thursday I've been in a dream-like spell that this movie cast over me. Smile on my face, completely inspired, enthralled and simple joy. Windows down, soundtrack on repeat - and as much as I'm foaming at the mouth to watch again something tells Me perhaps to never see it again since I had a blissful theatrical experience that has planted me square in the clouds and I'm thankful
To have a director completely able to make a film like this and play by his own rules, bravo.

Alethia · July 28, 2019, 06:03:24 PM

Quote from: samsong on July 28, 2019, 05:21:13 PM
i really, really, really fucking loved this movie.

Me too. And though the ending didn't click for me on viewing 1 - my true crime brain resisted it - viewing 2 left me feeling quite emotional as the credits started rolling over that beautiful final shot, and so grateful this movie exists.

Alethia · July 29, 2019, 06:47:38 AM

'Once Upon a Time In Hollywood' nabs Quentin Tarantino's biggest opening

By Frank Pallotta

New York (CNN Business) - Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time In Hollywood" exceeded expectations this weekend becoming the director's highest-grossing opening weekend ever.

The film, which takes place in 1969 Hollywood and stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt, made an estimated $40.4 million between Friday and Sunday. It took the No. 2 spot at the domestic box office this weekend.

Sony had projected the film would make roughly $30 million this weekend. Tarantino's previous highest-grossing opening was "Inglourious Basterds," which opened to $38 million in 2009.

The windfall for the film this weekend may not seem like much compared to some of the big numbers brought in from the likes of Disney (DIS) this summer, but it's a strong start for an R-rated original film that's not connected to a brand or franchise. "Once Upon a Time In Hollywood" came with a budget of $90 million.

Tarantino's name recognition, the film's A-list cast and strong reviews likely helped the film this weekend. "Once Upon a Time In Hollywood" garnered an 86% review score on Rotten Tomatoes and a "B" CinemaScore from audiences.

"The Lion King" took the No. 1 spot for the second weekend in a row. Disney's remake of the 1994 animated classic made an estimated $75.5 million domestically this weekend.

Sleepless · July 29, 2019, 12:02:33 PM

My thoughts: Show

Well, I loved it. I think Jackie Brown is probably still my favorite Tarantino, but this may well be his masterpiece. Hyperbole? Could be. I've only see OUATIH once so far, but the film has been swimming in my thoughts ever since. And the soundtrack has been playing on loop.

I can't wait to see it again. And again. Watching it for the first time, I wasn't really sure what to expect. There were moments when I'll admit it did feel a little bloated and directionless. I wonder whether that would still be the case on repeat viewings. I suspect not. (That said, the film still has some messy edges and moments when Tarantino is clearly indulging himself, of course. And I'm not just talking about the feet.)

The ending, I loved. The more I think about it, the more perfect it seems. It elevates everything that went before it. Others have already pointed out that the clue is in the title "Once upon a time..."; this is a fairytale. But it's not just a filmmaker rewriting history simply because he can, or to enact extreme violence upon those who committed such acts in real life.

It's an ending which delivers a happy ending to those three character we've just spent the past two hours with. Cliff finally gets to become the central hero in his own story. Rick is welcomed into the new ruling circle of Hollywood and will, presumably, get a whole new act of his career. Sharon's innocence is preserved.

The whole film is inarguably a love letter to cinema, and the ending is a huge part of that. We might live in a miserable world, now as much as ever, but cinema is valuable because it gives us an escape from reality, it can give us a happy ending and send us out from the theatre with huge goofy grins on our faces, even when we know that happy ending didn't happen in real life.

Sharon watching herself on screen in the cinema speaks to this. Yes, she's assessing herself, but she's also, clearly, taking great pleasure in the fact that her work is bringing great pleasure to others. She is partly responsible for offering them a respite from their real lives. That is the power of cinema.

I don't want this to be Tarantino's swan song. I want him to do a lot more after this.

WorldForgot · July 29, 2019, 04:08:44 PM

An article on The Boat Scene

Something I rly, rly dig about this movie is that it offers a refraction of Natalie Wood's life through three different characters.

wilberfan · July 30, 2019, 11:00:01 AM

Should we be concerned that we haven't heard from Mr. Blackman regarding this opus yet? You OK, buddy...?

Alethia · July 30, 2019, 11:46:16 AM

Spotify's "THE QUENTIN TARANTINO PODCAST"

WorldForgot · July 30, 2019, 12:16:43 PM

And if you're craving a retrospective of OUATIH'z cinema backbone there's "QT's Feature Presentation"

Alethia · July 30, 2019, 01:27:03 PM

^^ Yes! New episode up today!

Drenk · July 30, 2019, 07:08:36 PM

Black Ops was released in 1969!

wilberfan · July 30, 2019, 09:05:00 PM

If you're interested, here's a page with a lot of photos of the incredible detail that Quentin & Co. put into regressing Hollywood Blvd last summer for OUATIH. (Bill and I spent a lot of time in the Larry Edmund's doorway that week.)

https://theatresinmovies.blogspot.com/2018/06/once-upon-time-in-hollywood.html

I've commented earlier how incredible it is to me that we see almost none of this effort in the film itself.

Drenk · July 30, 2019, 09:29:18 PM

I love that. I don't even mind if it's not in the film. They all evolved in that world while shooting the movie. I'm sure it had its effects.

Also: I laughed before Google loaded the page because I knew I'd find this:

Jeremy Blackman · July 30, 2019, 11:49:14 PM

Just saw this tonight... and completely loved it... and not sure I can explain why. Much like Midsommar, I can also 100% understand why one would dislike this movie.

Hateful Eight was QT fully unchained in full indulgence mode. Hollywood is a continuation of that freedom and total indulgence but feels even more personal. He's just making exactly what he wants to make and hoping people will share his passion. I love the purity of that, and it certainly worked for me.

It also manages to surpass the sweetness and empathy of Jackie Brown. I really don't think I've been as emotionally affected by a QT film before.

Severe spoilers:

Spoiler: Show