Rating: Summary: Boring and Death Fetishes Do Not A Good Movie Make Review: By now, everybody knows Tarantino has a fetish, a perversion, shall we say, for gratuitous cold-blooded violence; moreover, with Tarantino, his real deep-down fetish is not so much with the violence and the murders themselves, but rather with the shocking level of indifference with which they can be committed. Tarantino revels in a complete disregard for human life; the more callous and indifferent his characters can behave towards the lives of their fellow humans, the better. This is why Brigette Fonda's murder at the hands of Robert Deniro is never questioned; never does Deniro's character think again about what he has done. Tarantino gets off on that kind of psychological fetish, clearly. All that said, despite these grotesqueries, Tarantino has managed to put together "Reservoir Dogs" which was a compelling movie, and I liked it despite the death and torture fetishes. Parts of "Pulp Fiction" were compelling, but it was uneven, and then, you had all the grotesque death fetishes again. This movie, Jackie Brown, was just flat boring. Boring AND Tarantino's death fetishes? No thanks. I've given up on Tarantino movies. I'll never watch one again. The guy could be making snuff flicks at this point, and his loyal band of violence-numbed, murder-besotted fans (i.e., all those with a ridiculously inflated 5 stars on this list) would still love it. Do I think Pam Grier is hot? Hell yes! But I hated this movie.
Rating: Summary: Thrillingly critical of macho gangsters and cops Review: Tarantino is a lot less surprising and fascinating in this film than he was in some others. Time is not completely disturbed. In fact it is as clear and precise as a flight schedule. But the plot is intricate and so complicated that we have some pleasure in having difficulties to follow it. Three layers of crooks and one layer of cops, altogether four layers of plotting and scheming and trying to trick the others and steal the unclean money from one another and laundry it at the same time. It is impossible to tell such a film without destroying the suspense, though we know that two of these crooked individuals will win, and we know which ones, but we have to go on with the film to find out how they are going to do it, and convince the cops at the same time that they did nothing except maybe helped them, at least convince them enough for them to report them clean to their higher-ups and to report themselves as successful in bringing their target down, but what is their target ? That was never clear because, and that's probably the only interesting idea in this film, cops are never very clear about their objectives and they improvise most of the time. Entertaining for sure though without the glamour and the power of the past.Dr Jacques COULARDEAU
Rating: Summary: Jakie Brown, SPECTACULAR! Review: Jackie Brown is Quentin Tarentino's least known about film, but it is just as good as his other three (Reservior Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and Kill Bill). This movie is a perfectly told story of lies, smuggling, and theft. Jackie Brown, a flight attendent played by Pam Grier, smuggles Samuel L. Jackson's $500,000 across the border under servaliance of the police. She then decides to steal the money from the other five people trying to get it. Tarentino uses identical scenes from different points of view, but this movie is in cronological order. If you are a fan of Quentin Tarentino's other movies, and have yet to see Jackie Brown, you must see it.
Rating: Summary: Masterful and pleasing in every way..... Review: To the people who complain about the pacing of the movie, or the lack of complexity in the story, they miss the entire point. With Jackie Brown, Tarantino matures both as a director and a writer in his overall mastery of the world he creates. And the performance he brought out of this all-star cast of seemingly misfitted characters should be applauded, and enjoyed forever. Jackie is an air flight attendant down on her luck. She couriers money from Mexico for gun dealer, Ordell Robie, who is under investigation from two detectives on his case. When Jackie is caught with the money, Max Cherry is the bail bondsman who springs her from prison, and instantly falls in love with her. Fearing for her life, Jackie devises a way she can hand the police Ordell Robie, get Ordell to trust her enough not to kill her, and take him for all his money while getting away scot free. The story is rather linear and straightforward (rare for Tarantino), and the plot, while being smartly structured, is not complex. It's not hard at all to understand. The pure joy in watching this movie is seeing the little things the actors do in playing their parts. While watching Jackie and Max in the mall in LA, you start to believe that it's a real place. The slum-like neighborhood that Max and Ordell operate in are believable enough to be acceptable, yet puts you on guard as your characters walk through the streets. Jackie and Max's love is sweet and pure, while you see Louis and Bridget Fonda's beach bunny character as hateful and ugly. The movie breaths and thrives all on its own, with no special effects, with no elaborate plot schemes, it is just well made and beautiful. There's always one scene that sticks out in my mind. Towards the end of the movie, Michael Keaton's character has Pam Grier in the interrogation room. Having just momentarily lost the money and Ordell, Keaton is furious. Yet with Grier's air tight alibi, he can't blame her, he can't blame anyone. And as Grier continues to smoke cigarettes in front of him, you see him nervously pacing, and finally taking out a stick of gum and furiously chewing it in a way only a true smoker knows. It's the way someone who has quit (or is trying to quit) chews gum, to appease their oral fixation. And the moment is so understated, so small, and so quick, you start to wonder was it Tarantino who told him to act in that fashion? Or was it Keaton, operating within this world that Tarantino had created for his actors, to act so natural and REAL, that you start to believe in Jackie....you start to cheer for Max, you start to fear Ordell, and you start to laugh at Louis. This movie gets you involved... Roger Ebert described this movie as a masterpiece, saying once the credits roll, you wish the characters could just keep interacting forever, it's just that good. And while people point fingers at Tarantino, knocking him for his violent and inappropriate content, claiming he writes movies for the diseased pop culture mind, they obviously have never seen Jackie Brown. It's a movie that only adults would enjoy. There are no cool catchphrases, or gunshot wounds, or controversial sodomy scenes. It's just slow enough, just gentle enough, it eases you into the story and gives you a chance to appreciate cinema for what it is....a world you get lost in for two hours at a time.
Rating: Summary: Jackie Brown Review: I started getting interested in Tarantino movies a while back when I heard about Jackie Brown. I read the Elmore Leonard novel 'Rum Punch' (the book the movie is based on) upon hearing about the movie. Eventually I got around to renting Jackie Brown and found it to be nothing less than excellent. While the movie isn't hand in hand with the book it does keep the characters and the general plot. Gone is some of the background relationships some of the main players have. None of this actually takes away from the movie and it is still quite enjoyable. One thing about this movie is that it isn't 'Reservoir Dogs', it isn't 'Pulp Fiction', and it most certainly isn't 'Kill Bill Vol. 1'. Going into to this movie and expecting to see formula that made 'Pulp Fiction' might bring the viewer to a disapointment. It's still a great movie even though it isn't until the second half until things really start to get rolling. All the actors are right on key with their roles and they play well off of each other. This is most certainly another Tarantino classic that any Tarantino must see. It shows Quentin's ability to step out a little bit and expand his talents and abilities so he can still kepp things fresh. I enjoyed this movie and I hope that you will to.
Rating: Summary: An instant crime classic! Review: ORDELL (Sam Jackson): "This TEC-9? They advertise it as being the most popular gun in American crime. Can you believe that s***? It actually says that on the little booklet that comes with it. Most Popular Gun in American Crime, like they're proud of that s***!" From the first lines of dialogue of this immensely entertaining 1997 caper, we are thrust back into the world of Quentin Tarantino. The beauty of Tarantino's writing/directing style is evident in the above quote. The "chit-chat" dialogue that most movies would have left on the cutting room floor these days is not only left in JACKIE BROWN, but it is the heart of the movie itself. About ten minutes into the movie, the average popcorn chewing movie-goer would wonder "why are they still talking?" After another ten, they probably get what is going on. You are left under a spell while watching JACKIE BROWN. There are never any cliché scenes where plot points are slammed down on the viewer. The plot is told through dialogue and narrative. Just like in the master's previous film, PULP FICTION, you slowly realize that the dialogue will not stop at any point. Whether they're talking about something as say, whether or not getting inside of a trunk to repay a favor is rational, or something more serious like a felony arrest, the viewer is held in complete awe by what is going down on the screen. Not to say the film is boring. There is murder, action, romance, intrigue just like any other crime caper. However, through this endless stream of conversation, you come to care about the characters. Some of them you despise. This makes the action that transpires about a thousand times more intense then anything that has come from those lame, tired, lobotomized Jerry Bruckheimer action flicks in recent years. In JACKIE BROWN, Pam Grier plays the title character, a 44-year-old but gorgeous stewardess stuck in a going-nowhere occupation, who helps make ends meet on her meager salary by smuggling in cash for a Hermosa Beach-based arms dealer, Ordell (Samuel L. Jackson, in a fitfully funny performance). One day, while carrying in the cash, the hapless Brown is busted by ATF agent Ray Nicolette (top-notch performance from Michael Keaton), and is thrown into an ATF/DEA deal to trap Ordell mid-way during the smuggling of a half-million dollars... in cash. The DVD is fully loaded, with an hourlong documentary, funny deleted scenes, the Siskel & Ebert review (two thumbs way up, naturally), and the MTV promotional contest inspired by the flick. If you haven't seen this movie, do so. Right now!
Rating: Summary: Boorish and a waste of time Review: I love Tarintino. Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs were amazing. Kill Bill vol. I was incredible. Jackie Brown however was very disappointing. It's a simple plot structure with a few characters all wanting 500,000 and plotting amongst themselves on how to get it while the view only catches parts so he always has to guess and mistrust his guess too. Nothing original. The dialogue wasn't even very good as it was in his first two Films and in Kill Bill. This movie dragged on and on and I'd rather have spent my 4 dollar rental on a foreign film.
Rating: Summary: Thanks Quentin Review: Solid. Right on! Quentin is the man!
Rating: Summary: Bridget Fonda is hot Review: Loved this movie. Sam Jackson is the real star, but Fonda is so hot in the movie that she steals his thunder. Funny stuff, typical Elmore Leonard story, wacky, but great
Rating: Summary: Jackie Brown Review: Even after watching Tarantino's latest "Kill Bill", I still believe "Jackie Brown" to be Tarantino's best work. Maybe not as witty as "Reservoir Dogs" or as sparkling and innovative as "Pulp Fiction", but no doubt a very mature, complete work which is able to touch the issue of life mistakes and old age. Maybe the charm is created due to the delicious music (which has the viewer - just like Max - falling in love with the "Delfonics") or the fast paced tale, moving between all these incredible characters. For me however, the element which "made" this movie is Pam Grier - the Jackie Brown herself. Grier gives us one of the best women heroines to be seen on screen; a beautiful, strong and independent character which Grier seems to give a true substance. This is no hot shot young lady full of herself and confident of her powers. Jackie Brown is motivated by one thing only - not to have to start all over again. "this" she tells Max, "is more scary then Ordell". The great Samuel Jackson as Ordell is as good as ever (he is good in any role he does but lately I am starting to get tired of seeing him in the army commander type role) and Robert De Niro plays a role different then those he usually does, but its really Pam Grier and Robert Forester who give this movie its added value and are able, with only a close up look on their experienced, mature (yet beautiful) expressions to give the movie an extra message.
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