BLOG

Happy Holidays! This week on What To Watch Right Now, we’re watching some of pop culture’s most awesome female heroes. There’s nothing quite like seeing an attractive woman beating bad guys up, so clear your schedules, because these are the scariest and toughest women on Netflix! And while you’re at it, make sure to revisit previous episodes of What To Watch to figure out what to watch…

Ep. 11 and Ep.10

KILL BILL VOL. 1 and VOL. 2 – DIR. QUENTIN TARANTINO (2003-2004) IMDB

KILL BILL is the epitome of a strong female character and that’s actually an understatement. The Bride is simply a strong character and one that you’re rooting for from the very beginning. We know that she was wronged and we know that she’s looking for revenge, but it’s not until the film progresses much further that we learn why she’s on an extensive mission to kill so many people. Regardless, it’s just fun to watch her slice off limbs with her cool samurai sword.

The Kill Bill’s were Tarantino’s 4^th and 5^th films, so you can very well expect a lot of violence, an excessive amount of blood, more curse words than most people utter in a lifetime, and one hell of a good time. With THE HATEFUL EIGHT being released this week, watching or rewatching Kill Bill will be a great warm up to what will surely be a violent, bloody, curse filled, masterpiece as well. I really can’t recommend watching Kill Bill enough. It seriously has something for everyone to enjoy. Tarantino is one of cinema’s most knowledgeable students and he includes some of his favorite cinematic moments in beautiful homage all throughout these two films. That being said, it’s a revenge flick, a kung fu movie, a western, and so much more. Watch them back to back if you feel inclined, or you can take a break in between to watch a few episodes of…

JESSICA JONES – SEASON ONE (2015) IMDB

The newest collaboration between Netflix and Marvel is everything we hoped it would be and a little bit darker. JESSICA JONES follows the mildly depressing life of former superhero turned private investigator, Jessica Jones, as she solves crimes and attempts to stop her biggest threat yet. If you were a fan of the Netflix/Marvel series, DAREDEVIL, I’m sure you will enjoy Jones as well, but don’t expect too many similarities. Daredevil was dark, but from my early impression, Jones takes it even further. We know that her brief run as a hero didn’t end well and is still affecting her today. She abuses drugs and alcohol and according to Krysten Ritter (the title character) she can be “…dry and sarcastic and a total asshole…”

Everyone in the show gives amazing performances, which allows the characters to really come to life in a believable and extraordinary way. They’re all well developed, so we feel for them and worry when put in danger; something we can’t always say with other superhero TV shows (looking at you DC). David Tennant of DOCTOR WHO fame is one this years best villains on TV, in my opinion. He’s actually quite scary. My only complaint is that the show is so hard-hitting and emotional that I wish there had been a stronger comedic relief element. Daredevil had Foggy to break up the tension, but I haven’t seen a character quite like that yet. All in all, Jessica Jones is another hit from Marvel and Netflix, leaving me very excited for whatever comes next.

Last weekend, I got the opportunity to see THE HATEFUL EIGHT’s limited Roadshow, 70mm showing. This exclusive print of the film ran for approximately 6 minutes longer than the standard theatrical release, opened with an Overture, had an intermission, and you received a souvenir program. It was probably the best movie going experience I’ve had since I was a child seeing Batman for the first time. Unfortunately, the Roadshow release is playing in fewer than 50 of the country’s biggest cities, but if you get the opportunity to see this film the way is was intended to be seen, I highly recommend you take it. If not, it’s a wonderfully enjoyable film that I still highly recommend seeing in any format available to you (except for illegally pirating it, obviously).

The Hateful Eight, or The H8ful Eight as it has been horrendously stylized, is the 8^th film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It stars many of Tarantino’s favorite actors including Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, and Bruce Dern, along with some new faces to the world of Tarantino such as Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Channing Tatum. All of these people play some pretty hateful characters stuck through a snowstorm in a small cabin in Wyoming. That’s pretty much all you need to know, aside from the preconceived knowledge that a Tarantino film refuses to allow any character to not bleed at least a little. Believe it or not, this is a gruesome film: a lot of blood, a lot of swearing, and a lot of violence. This is nothing new in Tarantino’s filmography, but at times it can be a little unsettling. Sure, there’s a certain level of suspension of disbelief to be obtained here, but I’m fairly certain people’s heads do not explode when shot at close range… Although, I’ve never seen it live.

While it’s not apparent from the trailers, the majority of the story takes place in a single cabin. This was a pretty big let down for me, as the landscapes are absolutely stunning. The 70mm film format has such a large range that I wish it were more frequently utilized in this over three hour film. Regardless, it plays out like a paranoia-ridden game of Clue, very similar to 1982’s THE THING also starring Kurt Russell with a score also by Ennio Morricone. And in that sense, it’s really intriguing, keeping the audience guessing over who’s in cahoots with whom. It was difficult for me to actually want any of the characters to succeed, because they’re all so vile and cruel, but I quickly realized that that’s kind of the point. It is called The HATEFUL Eight after all. No one really likes each other, and everyone just wants to get out of that cabin alive. But within a minute of everyone stepping inside, you know that not everyone is going to be leaving.

Like I said earlier, this is a Tarantino flick all in all. There’s not really anything new to be seen from a directing or writing standpoint. His dialogue is off the charts, the cinematography is gorgeous, but as a director, I can’t help but feeling that this film was a little stale for him. Maybe I’m just being too critical, but I wish he would step way out of his comfort zone for his 9^th film to really grow and change a little bit. If you love Quentin the way he is, The Hateful Eight will be a treat. If you’ve got a “been there, seen that” attitude regarding his work, still check it out. It might not be refreshing, but it’s a heck of a lot of fun.

4.5 Stars

THE HATEFUL EIGHT – Dir. Quentin Tarantino

Run Time: 3 hours 7 minutes (whew)

Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bruce Dern, Tim Roth