Film Once Upon a Time In Hollywood (2019)

BluesJr

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A lot of bells and whistles without a whole lot of substance.
 

CassiusClaymore

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I can't really being myself to feel anything about it tbh.

Bill is right in summarising the point of it but erm yeah, I wouldn't be in a rush to watch it again.

Certainly self indulgent too. And severely lacking in humour bar the last 20.
 

CassiusClaymore

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Seeing as I'm in a fairly moany mood this morning I think his last 2 films have been sub par.

I would rate his oeuvre -
  1. Pulp Fiction
  2. Reservoir Dogs
  3. Jackie Brown
  4. Inglorious Basterds
  5. Django Unchained
  6. Kill Bill
  7. Once Upon A Time in Hollywood
  8. Hateful Eight
  9. Death Proof
Would watch any of the top 5 multiple times. The others not so much.
 

Bilbo

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I've never understood any criticism for the Hateful Eight. I thought it was great. Slightly too long, but most of his films are.
 

jungledrums

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Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and maybe Django Unchained aside, QT’s films have been just ‘OK’ and some have been downright irritating. His style is so boring and one dimensional. Can’t believe people still fall for his bullsheet.
Ahhh so you’ve transcended film and no longer fall victim to his ‘bullsheet’, but the vast majority are just puppets?

Away from this echo chamber, this film is largely acclaimed. Go figure...
 

Volumiza

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Ahhh so you’ve transcended film and no longer fall victim to his ‘bullsheet’, but the vast majority are just puppets?

Away from this echo chamber, this film is largely acclaimed. Go figure...
I’m not claiming to be some transcendental being jungledrums, I just don’t get swept up in the QT stuff anymore, I’ve seen it all before and heard all his dialogue and watched all his flabby ‘trying too hard to out-QT his previous out-QTing himself’. Just don’t like it anymore.

Sure there’s flashes of good stuff in his films but only flashes. Just my opinion.
 

jungledrums

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I’m not claiming to be some transcendental being jungledrums, I just don’t get swept up in the QT stuff anymore, I’ve seen it all before and heard all his dialogue and watched all his flabby ‘trying too hard to out-QT his previous out-QTing himself’. Just don’t like it anymore.

Sure there’s flashes of good stuff in his films but only flashes. Just my opinion.
And that’s fine to hold that opinion. It’s not fine, however, to criticise other people’s taste in film. That’s how I interpreted your initial comment, anyway. Had you posted this is in the first place, I’d have considered that a fair view to hold... not that you have to temper your posts for me, but still...
 

Volumiza

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And that’s fine to hold that opinion. It’s not fine, however, to criticise other people’s taste in film. That’s how I interpreted your initial comment, anyway. Had you posted this is in the first place, I’d have considered that a fair view to hold... not that you have to temper your posts for me, but still...
I meant no insult or intentional malicious criticism. I guess I posted as I would be talking to my ‘filmy’ friends who slavishly swallow up any new offering by QT. I personally think the guy is so massively overrated it’s painful.
 

SilentWitness

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Woke up and thought about this again. Wish I didn’t.

The whole film was a “Ive got money and can make films so here’s a film”. It wasn’t funny, the flashback scenes weren’t connected well, the film felt like it was constantly in a loop of starting but never starting and the violence bit at the end was just shit and random compared to the feel of the rest of the movie.

At least in the Hateful 8, Inglorious Bastards etc it made sense in line with everything else.

It looked good, sound track was nice and Di Caprio was excellent but everything else - nope.

4/10.
 

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SilentWitness

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You probably don't watch much films then.
Dunno, I'd say I watch 2 or 3 a week including weekly cinema visits through Mubi. I'm a casual watcher, sure, but I really really didn't like this. First time in a while where I wanted to walk out because I was bored.

I can appreciate the cinematography as i've said but aside from that...nope. nothing.
 

DatIrishFella

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I adored it. Di Caprio was on fire. The whole scene in the trailer after he's pissed off at his performance had me in stitches.
 

DWelbz19

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It’s very self-indulgent and lengthy, but damn is it not idyllic. Margot Robbie is so lovely to look at, which is always a plus.

It’s not horrible, but it’s certainly one of his weaker films.
 

DWelbz19

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Anyone else catch how many fecking feet shots there were? Absolutely deviant behaviour, that.
 

Valar Morghulis

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Anyone else catch how many fecking feet shots there were? Absolutely deviant behaviour, that.
Pointed that out in work. I don't recommend saying that in person to women. I was immediately accused of having a foot fetish myself for mentioning I noticed this. I mean I do and I thoroughly enjoyed it, even the dirty hippie feet, but no need to kink shame. I've been thinking about this movie since seeing it and I gotta say it wasn't bad by any means, some fun scenes and a lot of self indulgence as already stated. But the biggest disappointment for me is not utilising that great cast well enough, I just didn't like the whole non-plot, the time period allowed for a lot of cool shit and controversial scenes in tune with the times to have been integrated into the movie, and yet nothing, really. Barely any Manson scenes or anything:(
 

Tarrou

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The only bum note in it for me was Damian Lewis as McQueen. He looked like a peroxide raccoon.
that was my exact thoughts too coming out of the cinema

he just doesn't have the charisma to pull that off, his hair reminded me of a harry enfield character or something
 

fergieisold

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Before I bother watching it is it like his other films? Most of his stuff seems to have decent story lines and then near the end it is ruined completely by needless violence. I thought Django Unchained was amazing, until he went and ruined it at the end!
 

Tarrou

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Before I bother watching it is it like his other films? Most of his stuff seems to have decent story lines and then near the end it is ruined completely by needless violence. I thought Django Unchained was amazing, until he went and ruined it at the end!
i wouldnt bother
 

Relfy

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Watched it at the weekend and wasn't overly impressed. It seemed to go on for far longer than it really needed to in my opinion. Some parts seemed to jump, but maybe that's because I am in the Middle East and certain scenes could well have been censored.
 

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Thought it was decent. Actors carried it.

Brad Pitt on the roof though:drool:
 

ThierryHenry

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Adored it. Self-indulgent, too long, no real plot to speak of, requires a lot of background knowledge about Hollywood in the 60s, Tarantino films, the Mansons... but that all adds to it really. There’s no-one else making films like this is there?

The obvious points are how good it looked and sounded, and how fun it was to just be in the presence of the two leads for that length of time. I liked the ending too - prior to ‘it’ happening, I was feeling sick and fairly disgusted that the whole film was just building up to seeing a gruesome rendering of the murders. That it didn’t, and we got the slapstick revenge plot with a stoned Brad Pitt was a fun surprise (that I should have seen coming).

Best scenes were Brad at the Ranch, Leo’s acting masterclass, Bruce Lee, and seeing Sharon Tate watch herself with an audience.
 

Valar Morghulis

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Adored it. Self-indulgent, too long, no real plot to speak of, requires a lot of background knowledge about Hollywood in the 60s, Tarantino films, the Mansons... but that all adds to it really. There’s no-one else making films like this is there?

The obvious points are how good it looked and sounded, and how fun it was to just be in the presence of the two leads for that length of time. I liked the ending too - prior to ‘it’ happening, I was feeling sick and fairly disgusted that the whole film was just building up to seeing a gruesome rendering of the murders. That it didn’t, and we got the slapstick revenge plot with a stoned Brad Pitt was a fun surprise (that I should have seen coming).

Best scenes were Brad at the Ranch, Leo’s acting masterclass, Bruce Lee, and seeing Sharon Tate watch herself with an audience.
I already knew that Tarantino had visited Tate's sister prior to filming and the movie got the okay from her before they went ahead with it, it actually took a lot of the mystery away from the ending for me. I agree with a lot of the sentiment in your review, the most fun part of a Tarantino movie for me is actually the excitement of going to see his new movie and all the anticipation leading up to watching it. Sad he's only making one more.
 

Dirty Schwein

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I loved it. Best film of the year so far (although I haven't seen Toy Story 4 or Parasite).

My thoughts on some of the controversial scenes:

Bruce Lee. This was absolutely fine. I follow Bruce Lee life story very carefully and he does at times come across arrogant. In terms of being beat by Pitt, this was Pitt's memory. Could easily been re-telling of history, just as the film in itself was.

Sharon Tate. People keep saying her scenes were pointless, and I assume most of these people aren't too familiar with her story. She was the red herring. It was set up to make it look like the Manson family will kill her and a drunk Leonardo and Brad on acid will get killed in the crossfire. Then Tarantino flips all our expectations on its head, let's Sharon live, keeps Hollywood alive and tells the story the way he would have wanted it to end.

Yes the movie didn't have the usual structure or conventions we expect from a mainstream movie, but there's nothing wrong with that. Pulp Fiction didn't fit story structure on its release either, it just takes time for people to ingest this. Tarantino made the film the way HE wanted to, it was literally a clause in his distribution deal with Sony. I'm happy for that. If you want a more traditional film, they're are millions of these available.

But if you want to hang out with these interesting characters, marvel at the gorgeous cinematography, listen to a perfectly crafted soundtrack and see an acting masterclass directed by an auteur that isn't afraid to do things his own way... Then watch this with an open mind.
 

ThierryHenry

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Agree with all of that @Dirty Schwein.

In particular the Sharon Tate point. I saw it the same way you did, that we were being built up to see her as a sacrificial lamb, building the sense of dread, which then helps the switch at the end feel so cathartic. In reality, the film was more of an ode to her, showing her character as pure and good, implying a better future to Hollywood had she survived.
 

SteveJ

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Something about this troubles me: does this alternative, happy ending to 'Sharon's' life erode the seriousness with which we should regard her tragedy?