THE HATEFUL EIGHT - review

THE HATEFUL EIGHT
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Jurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Demián Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern, James Parks, Channing Tatum

Synopsis: Set six or eight, or twelve years after the civil war, a stagecoach hurtles through the wintry Wyoming landscape. The passengers, bounty hunter John Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his fugitive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh), race towards the town of Red Rock where Ruth, known in these parts as "The Hangman", will bring Domergue to justice. Along the road they encounter two strangers: Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L Jackson), a black former union soldier turned infamous bounty hunter, and Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), a southern renegade who claims to be the town's new Sherrif. Losing their lead on the blizzard, Ruth, Domergue, Warren and Mannix seek refuge at Minnie's Haberdashery, a stagecoach stopover on a mountain pass. When they  arrive at Minnie's, they are greeted not by the proprietor but by four unfamiliar faces. Bob (Demián Bichir), who's taking care of Minnie's while she's visiting her mother, Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth(, the hangman of Red Rock, cow puncher Joe Gage (Michael Madsen), and Confederate General Sanford Smithers (Bruce Dern). As the storm overtakes the mountainside stopover, our eith travellers come to learn they may not make it to Red Rock after all. 

Oh. My. Giddy. Aunt. Today was the day folks. The day I got to see the new Tarantino film in glorious Ultra Panavision 70, exactly as he intended it and I've never been happier. Ok, well perhaps I have been happier, but in that moment I was elated. It was exquisite.

For those of you who don't know what Ultra Panavision 70 is, here is a little excerpt from the programme I got when I saw the film today (that's right, it comes with a programme, as well as an overture and an intermission);

Ultra Panavision 70 refers to the very rare and exceptional format that Quentin Tarantino and his team used to shoot THE HATEFUL EIGHT. Panavision's unique anamorphic camera lenses capture images on 70mm film in an incredible aspect ratio of 2.76:1. Almost all films you see today are shot in ratios of either 1.85:1 or 2.39:1. So, to put it simply, Ultra Panavision 70 provides an amazingly wider and more detailed image. Only a handful of films have ever been made in this format, including BEN-HUR, MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY, IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD, BATTLE OF THE BULGE and in 1966, KHARTOUM, the last time a motion picture was made in this format. 

Basically it's bigger and better and just generally all round rare and awesome. When I heard that the Sun Theatre were going to be tracking down and installing a 70mm projector for the purpose of screening THE HATEFUL EIGHT, I was delighted, but also concerned about where the hell they were going to find a 70mm projector and all the necessary parts. Particularly given the limited release of the 70mm print, I imagined there would be a mad scramble for bits and pieces that have long since disappeared from most cinemas which are now all running digital.

Tarantino and the Panavision camera

Not to worry though, my old friends fought the good fight for 6 months, collected all the bits, put it together and got it working to be one of only 6 screens Australia wide showing the film in the format in which it was filmed and intended to be seen. They did an incredible job pulling it together, so cudos to them I say. There was an audible sigh of relief when the film started and ran through to the end without a hitch in the first session today. And for me there was something magical about hearing the whir of a projector behind me as I sat my ass down during the overture and got settled in for 3 hours and 15 minutes.

I also snuck a peak in the projection room today and caught a glimpse of the beautiful piece of equipment that is a 70mm projector and chatted to the boys who didn't leave the bio box for the entire first screening of the film, just in case.

The team at the Sun were wrapped (as they should be), and sessions are selling out fast at the Sun as it is one of the few places you can see it in this format. As I said I went to the first session this morning even though I was dog tired having spent the night chatting and doing ridicuous quizzes with the BFF aka The Red Haired Amazona, but I dragged my sorry ass out of bed to be first in line. The film was still in mint condition, however I can't wait to go back in a couple of weeks once it has collected a little bit of dust and gained a bit of character so I can really tell that I am watching a film on film. There's nothing quite like the magic of a film, I know most people prefer the clarity of digital, but I myself can't go past a print with a few marks or scratches, that's one of the biggest things I miss about film.

Anyway, that's enough about that rambling, now onto what I thought about the film. In a nutshell, I loved it. I think I was always going to love it, but sometimes when I think that I end up being sorely disappointed, this time, I wasn't. I've been gearing up for this film since the leak of the script in 2014, and shed a tear when Tarantino nearly abandoned the project until he saw the positive response to the script, so with a few minor changes he pushed on to deliver a film that I think is a standout for the 2015/16 season (it shits all over MAD MAX: FURY ROAD just FYI). Not only that, but I think it is a standout for Tarantino. It will never take the palce of my favourite Tarantino film of all time (RESERVOIR DOGS), but actually it's right up there. I need some time for the film to sink in and for the high to fade before I make the call and place it in rank order , but I think it's going to satisfy die hard Tarantino fans like me as well as the average Joe Bloggs cinema viewer.

Be warned, in true Tarantino style there is some gore. It's not as confronting as DJANGO UNCHAINED, but there's gore. Blood, guts, blown off nut sacks, you name it it's there. It is Tarantino in the Wild West after all, what do you expect?

The film is incredibly shot, the scenery is magnificent, and the wide lens shots the 70mm gets make for a breathtaking setting for the film to take palce. Ennio Morricone is a miracle worker with the score, which is why THE HATEFUL EIGHT won the Golden Globe this year for Best Original Score. It carries the film so well from the overture to the end credits, and sets the tone for the whole thing from the opening note.

The film is a little slow moving to start, but it doesn't impact it in a negative way. I certainly didn't feel like I was sitting there for the longest 3 hours of my life, and to me that's always a good sign. If I'm restless and fidgety and thinking "Oh for Pete's sake I've been watching this film for days" then I know the film is pretty crap, particularly if it's only a 90 minute piece. At over 3 hours, I didn't once feel like I had been there for 3 hours, but I was bloody grateful for the intermission, because I really wouldn't have been able to site that long without a desperate need to pee.

There is a great recap after intermission, which didn't quite fit with the film in my opinion, but will be super helpful to those with the memory of a goldfish who won't remember where they were up to 10 minutes ago. The script is witty and snappy and gives this talented ensemble cast a lot to work with which is a refreshing change.

Image via Entertainment Weekly

There was a lot of secrecy revolving The Chan *sigh* and his role in this film, and it hasn't really been publicised that much, and I'm not going to talk about it that much either because it would give the game away, but what I will say is there wasn't enough of him...I mean look at him in all his cowboy glory;

*le sigh* 

Image via Roadshow 

THE HATEFUL EIGHT is a very successful single-setting dramedy (drama comedy) in my opinion, and I think that Tarantino fans and the majority of the gen pop will enjoy this film (probably don't take your Great Aunt Mary or anything). I sure did and I actually can't wait to go back and see it again. Just remember that it is an R18+ rating in Australia and that means you must of 18 or over and you will be asked for ID both at the point of purchasing tickets and at entry to the cinema at most locations, so be prepared for that. In my opinion you should definitely spend the 20-something dollars on this film, and I highly recommend that you see it as it was intended in the very exquisite Ultra Panavision 70. You can catch it in Melbourne at the Sun Theatre (my cinema of choice), The Astor Theatre or the Rivoli and in Sydney at the Even on George Street, the Hayden Orpheum and the Randick Ritz.

4 out of 5

Xoxo
The Blonde Bombshell

MAGIC MIKE XXL - review

ok so this isn't the real poster, but I kinda love it too much not to include it!!

MAGIC MIKE XXL
Director: Gregory Jacobs
Cast: Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Adam Rodriguez, Gabriel Iglesias, Amber Heard, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Donald Glover, Andie MacDowell, Elizabeth Banks

OK, so after waiting a few days to avoid the worst of the crowds, I headed off to get my fix of semi-naked dancing men with my bestie and just sat back to revel in the glory of the shining muscles, cheeseball dialogue and Channing Tatum. *sigh*

If you haven't seen the first installment of the semi-naked dancing men franchise, it's ok, you are not alone. I mean I absolutely have seen it, but bestie hadn't and she caught up with the concept pretty quickly. Very muscly, very attractive semi-naked men dance for a living and love it. In the first movie Mike (Channing Tatum *sigh*) was the glue that held it all together, but he retired for the love of a good woman. Three years later and he is seemingly living the good life - running his own business, sitting on the beach contemplating life when he gets a call from the boys saying that their old ring master has passed away and inviting him to the wake. PSYCHE! He turns up to find a massive pool party and we are greeted by Joe Manganiello's bare butt (yum), and ends up thrown into the pool suit and all. Hilare!

the gang is getting back together! 

image via Warner Bros.

The boys are passing through on their way to a giant stripper convention where all the strippers in the world gather and dance semi-naked while all the women swoon and drool all over everything and shower them in a waterfall of dollar bills. The boys are going on one last pilgrimage before they all reture and it's going to be glorious. They spin a little sob story about no longer having their ring master, who is not actually dead but in Macau having started up a new show with his prodigy. Sneaky little semi-naked dancing men, planting ideas in Mike's head, who's life isn't actually going as great as he makes out.

He leaves them to it, going back to his custom furniture workshop and sets about working on the latest piece. Ironically his old routine song comes on the radio and he has a little dance around the workshop, there's all kinds of innuendo going on here with power tools and pieces of furniture, and I loved it. As did the hordes of other giggling and squealing women in the audience. I can only imagine what it would have been like with a full cinema - yikes!

a little bit of suggestive workshop dancing *sigh*

image via Warner Bros.

The next morning to everyone's surprise (except everyone in the audience) Mike turns up with a duffle bag to join the boys for one last hurrah - cue ridiculous roadtrip - and so they begin their pilgrimage to the giant stripper convention, which is obvs going to be the huge climax of the film. The road trip includes drug fuelled epiphanies, random beach parties with pretty girls, a trannie bar, and surprisingly a plantation house with Andie MacDowell, who as it turns out is the glass slipper (I won't give you any more than that so as not to spoil the suprise). 

There is one major problem for Mike and the Kings of Tampa, they don't have an MC for their show. Apparently a strip show without an MC is nothing and they won't be able to participate (or at least that's the general gist of the complaining about not having an MC). Along the way they visit a ghost from Mike's past - which seems all part of his giant plan to get them an MC. This ghost just happens to be a badass lady boss who runs a house full of semi-naked dancing men who are there for the sole purpose of making all the ladies feel special - and by all the ladies, I mean all the ladies, fatties, dowdy housewives, geeks, pretty girls, all the ladies who are just like you and me, as well as all the ones who aren't because it is Hollywood after all. Plus they have Donald Glover who just makes up songs about women based on their names to boost their self esteem...it's golden. 

Donald Glover singing a little tune

image via Warner Bros.

Mike's badass ex-boss is none other than Jada Pinkett-Smith, who seems super unsettled at even the site of Mike - and really who can blame her becase it's Channing Tatum *sigh* - and to even consider his proposal she requires the semi-naked dancing from him just to make sure that he still has it. Who the flip cares what 'it' is, I'm all about the semi-naked dancing from Channing Tatum *sigh*, I don't need a reason! Everyone lols because she makes him do the semi-naked dancing and then says no...lol.

Major crisis of the plot line is not solved, they also have no costumes as they threw them all away during their drug enduced epiphany when they decided all their old routines suck a big old bag of dicks. I'm kinda glad that happened though because as much as I liked the routines from the first movie, if I wanted to see the same routines again I would have stayed home and watched the first movie. They carry on anyway, get to Myrtle Beach and who should be there by the badass lady boss, and Donald Glover, plus one of badass lady boss' best dancers to round out the show. 

Elizabeth Banks just checking to make sure Mike still has it - which he undoubtably does

image via Warner Bros.

But yikes, they only have one day to put together a whole new show and get new costumes and build a new set and sort everything out so that they don't look like a bunch of hacks on stage. Cue amazing perparation montage, which is glorious and the second best part of the whole film. Can they get it together in time and pull off the greatest show anyone has ever seen? You bet Channing Tatum's glorious, shiny, ripped body they can!

errybody loves a montage!

image via Warner Bros

Then we get to see the fantastic show that's been put together in one day (as a dancer and choreographer I call bullshit, but it's Hollywood, so it's legit right). It's all about listening to women and what women want and empowering them - or at least that's the vibe, and that's what plenty of other critics are saying - but I don't see how throwing women around on stage and dry humping them is empowering women. Not that I would complain about Channing Tatum *sigh* picking me up and throwing me around and dry humping me, but I'm certainly not going to say I've been sexually empowered. 

voice of an angel - who knew?!

image via Warner Bros.

So, in terms of quality, the film is not amazing. The script is predictable and cheesy (although who knew Matt Bomer could sing like an angel?!), there is plenty of semi-naked dancing, sexual innuendo and sparkly thong encased peen, and they try, albeit not that successfully, to get a little bit deep and tug at some of your feels. Basically it's just a bunch of pretty dudes semi-naked dancing and there were plenty of people loving it and plenty of people squirming in their seats because there are parts that basically border on the edge of softcore porn. Whatever man, I don't care, because seriously that guy can Channing all over my Tatum anyday (if you don't get that reference, then jump on youtube right now). 

If you liked the first one, and you don't mind seeing the prettyn men semi-naked dancing, then I think it's well worth the 20-something dollars to go and see this on the big screen. Don't worry too much if you haven't seen the first one, but if you can watch it before hand then do as it does set a bit of the early context. I mean, not that you need an excuse to watch Channing Tatum *sigh* semi-naked dancing to Ginuwine's Pony, but it's as good an excuse as any! 

semi naked dancing men *sigh*

image via Warner Bros.

For film quality 2 out of 5 but for entertainment value and for Joe Mananiello's butt and Matt Bomer's angel voice 4 out of 5

xoxo

The Blonde Bombshell