Some of you might not know this, but I'm an avid movie watcher. I'll watch almost anything as long as it's an hour and a half or longer. There is something about that format that always gets a rise out of me. So why not write an occasional review once in awhile for the 3-4 of my faithful readers out there?
However, I didn't want my movie reviews to be like every other movie reviews out there. Let's face it, there are two kind of movie reviews out there. Reviews from critics, wannabe critics, artfags, and/or film geeks. Then there are reviews from regular old joe schmoes, fan boys, and every men. Why not put both of them together to give you 2 perspectives in one experience?
Yes, people, this is my brainchild. I present to you Geek vs. Freak at the Movies. As you might've guessed, I'll be the movie freak just telling it how I see it. While I'll handpick a film student/geek/critic every now and then to offset my lack of film knowledge. You'll get the perspective of a knowledgeable movie type a guy and the perspective of just a regular movie goer like myself. Today's geek is a poster at the Philaflava boards named The Drunken Poet. LOL, sounds like a nickname someone from the Wutang Clan might have but this dude knows his stuff since he's a film student. The movie we will be critiquing is Grindhouse, written and directed by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino.
The Drunken Poet:
The new Grindhouse experience has finally arrived. As a meta-film, Grindhouse can be pretentious and grating, as just a theater-going experience the film can be special.
Rodriguez’s Planet Terror isn’t much different than the action porn he’s been effectively spitting out for the last decade, but this time it’s done with more reckless abandonment than ever before. I mean that in a good way. It’s a zombie action picture film in fast forward, complete with spurting florescent red blood and a sludgy synthesizer score. Writing has never been Rodriguez’s strong suit and the same problems plague him, he still worries more about making his hero look as bad-ass possible as he plunges butterfly knives into head-throbbing zombies, than dramatic structure, but this time around your more willing to give him the free pass. The most tickling moments come from the tough-in-cheek grossness of Josh Brolin, as a sleazy unethical doctor. Planet Terror is one smug action piece but it’s not without it’s own charm. Like Rodriguez’s other works, it wears thin, especially when Tarantino pops up to mug the camera for a bit, but as a homage to Carpenter, Romero, and Fulci, Planet Terror can be a wonderful thing.
In Death Proof, Tarantino utilizes the fact that we’re watching an exploitation film, and uses that shield to get away with anything. It’s no simpler than a car chase film about a psychotic stunt driver hunting sexy girls. His script is far from perfect and stinks of self-indulgence, but it’s a fun little opus. Death Proof’s narrative is fuzzy, the dialogue is lengthy and irrelevant, and the characters are less important than they seem. But there’s something undeniably alluring about watching the foxy Sydney Poetier chatter away to her entourage about weed, men, and classic rock. Stuntman Mike is a charming breed of psychopath and a terrifically original Tarantino creation. QT is having fun, and so are we, waiting for the inevitable over the top climax. By the time, we meet the next set of girls, the setup may feel a bit tired but it’s all worth it to get unforgettable car chase. The conclusion might’ve been even more effective if there were less inside jokes, and more focus on suspense. That being said it’s still quite a spectacle, and the point is not to invest too much brainpower. Even if we’re not getting all of his jokes, it’s still interesting to be caught up in Tarantino’s mind, as he references as much as possible: Russ Meyers, Jack Hill, Monte Hellmann, a slew of 60 and 70s road pictures, and of course, the slasher film. Death Proof is a welcome celebration to pleasure cinema, cramming as much titillation as possible, and leaving the logic locked up in the trunk.
The legendary fake trailers may be the most effective sequence and faithful tribute in the entire film. Not only do they demonstrate the true artform that is the movie trailer, but they are also the closest things to actually resembling the retro B-movie experience. Where Planet Terror and Death Proof eventually succumbs to auteur-ish weaknesses, the trailers are short and strong enough to really nail the joke and leave you wanting more. Edgar Wright’s trailer is particularly brilliant in its mock of the classic British ghost film and the madcap advertising of yesteryear.
QT and Rodriguez had one singular goal to reinvigorate the theater going experience from the glory days of old. And in this era of obtrusive advertising, over-priced food and drinks, and the blitzkrieg of Internet culture, I appreciate their quest. Two film-geeks are reminding us why we went to the theaters in the first place, it was experience you could never get anywhere else. It’s both unfortunate and ironic that the film is turning out to be a box office dud.
Hasib:
In my opinion, a popcorn flick has 4 important elements to it. Let's go over them:
1) Action (if people aren't shooting, getting shot at, stabbing, getting stabbed, fighting, or practicing ninjitsu.....it is not a true popcorn flick.)
2) Gore (if blood isn't a result of shooting, getting shot at, stabbing, getting stabbed, fighting, or practicing ninjitsu.....the popcorn flick is failing miserably.)
3) Hot chicks (I need something to look at during the respite between each action sequence.)
4) Nudity (I need something to look at while I'm looking at these hot chicks.)
Grindhouse knocks all of these elements out the park and more.
First off, let me talk about the faux trailers. The first fake trailer of the movie was "Machete" about a mexican federale that fucks up people with blades, knives, and machetes. DOPE. There was also a trailer called "Don't" which was a mock trailer of old school horror movies. Definitely LOL worthy. However, imo, the two best trailers of the movie were "Werewomen of the S.S." and "Thanksgiving". The former was about the Nazis creating Werewomen in their labs to use them as super soliders in WWII. Appearance by Nicholas Cage as Fu Man Chu puts it over the top. The latter was easily the best trailer imo. It was about a serial killer dressed as a pilgrim running rampant in a town during Thanksgiving. Some gruesomely awesome scenes in it make this one of the greatest trailers I've ever seen.
The first movie that we are presented with is Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror, which is a zombie movie that takes place in West Bumblefuck, Texas. I'll tell you right now, I'm a sucker for zombie movies so I might be a little biased. This movie fucking rocked. Action packed throughout. Also some nice nudity since the first scene takes place at a go go bar. In fact, the opening credits is pretty much Rose McGowan looking sexy and go go dancing. This is ironic because later on in the movie, Rose will have a go go gadget leg. All the popcorn flick elements are here as well as the zombie movie stable of "terrible dialogue". Needless to say, I loved it. Freddy Rodriguez kills it as he's ultra bad ass as El Wray. His kill count almost reaches infinity in this flick as does Rose McGowan after a machine gun is attached to her leg after a zombie eats it off. And honestly, does anyone blame that zombie for running off with Rose McGowan's leg? If I saw Rose McGowan on the street, I'm straight chopping off her right tit with a battle axe and I'm selling it on Ebay. Another nice touch is Rodriguez adding Sayid from Lost into the cast. Affirmative action at it's best right here. In fact, one of the best moments in the movie belongs to Sayid in his last scene in the movie. Overall, this movie gets an A- because I was totally geeked out while watching this movie.
Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof was next. Let me just come out and say it. Tarantino knows how to cast some baaaaad chicks in his movies. If I had a T-Mobile account, I'm pretty sure that Sydney Tamiia Potier, Vanessa Ferlito, Rosario Dawson (SHAAAAAA-WING), Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Tracie Thorns would be one of the best 5s of all time guaranteed. Anyways, this movie is basically about Kurt Russell being a bad ass testosterone junky who liked to kill chicks with his car. Great premise for a movie, am I right?There are serious feminist undertones in this movie but so what? The chicks are bad ass and hot. Kurt Russell kills his role. Stuntchick Zoe Bell puts in a surprisingly solid performance. The only problem is that the movie gets a little talky....unnecessarily so.....at times. However, I feel the sick car chase and the ending super cedes that and makes this a really fucking entertaining movie. I give a B-. I would've given it a B+ if there was more Rosario Dawson.
So Grindhouse is a movie that both the Geek and Freak recommend to moviegoers.
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