“You expected Charles Manson at the very least, didn’t ya?” – Randall Flagg July 26 of 2019 brought us the latest film from a very interesting auteur. This self-taught professional has a vast knowledge of foreign and exploitation films that … Read more
“We’re not in Wonderland anymore Alice” – Charles Manson “My whole life has been decided by fate” – Sharon Tate The ninth film from writer/director Quentin Tarantino is Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. It draws inspiration from people and … Read more
“I’ve heard people say that Too much of anything is not good for you, baby” – Barry White – Can’t Get Enough of Your Love As expected, we’re reminded that The Hateful Eight is the 8th Film from writer/director Quentin … Read more
[rating=3]Starring: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins Directed by: Quentin Tarantino Written by: Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino’s filmography is now long enough for his own telltale calling cards to emerge in his latest genre time warp, Django Unchained: his episodic narrative, his usury of genre tropes with modernist updates, violence galore, use of a wronged protagonist to seek vigilante justice and speak for a greater population, whether it be women (the Kill Bill films) or Jews (Inglourious Basterds).
Christopher Waltz (left) and Jamie Foxx in ‘Django Unchained’
Django – nickname from the Romani language meaning “I awake”.
Django – A 1966 film in the genre of “Spaghetti Western” starring Franco Nero.
Django Unchained – a 2012 film from writer/director Quentin Tarantino.
If the name of Tarantino as writer/director didn’t make this clear upfront, Django Unchained is a very violent but stunning film. Don’t let its running time of 165 minutes give you any reason to hesitate choosing this fine film.
Tail Slate’s Brian Milinsky chats with Linda Kaye, a former stunt woman and close friend of Quentin Tarantino, who has small roles in both ‘Reservoir Dogs’, ‘Pulp Fiction’, both back in theaters for special screenings this week.
[rating=3]Starring: Ashanti, Jeffrey Tambor, Quentin Tarantino, David Alan Grier, Queen Latifah, Kermit the Frog, Miss. Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo the Great Director(s): Kirk R. Thatcher Writer(s): Teleplay by Debra Frank, Steve Hayes, Tom Martin, Adam F. Goldberg; Television Story by Debra Frank, Steve Hayes; Based upon the novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum
Ashanti accompanies (l. to r.) Gonzo, Pepe, Kermit and Fozzy down the yellow-brick road in ‘Muppets’ Wizard of Oz’
To be honest, it has been a long time since I’ve really enjoyed a Muppet movie. I briefly caught some bits and pieces of The Muppets’ Wizard of Oz when it aired on ABC, and can’t say that I was that impressed. But watching it in its entirety on DVD, it wasn’t as bad as I expected. There are some good scenes, with bits of clever humor throughout, but nothing even remotely comparing to the magic of the early Muppet movies.
What holds Oz down is its star, Ashanti. She has a lovely singing voice, but acting is clearly not her profession. Perhaps it was the fact that she was acting largely against puppets, but her awkward delivery really hinders the film. I understand why they wanted to cast a singer in the role, but they could have looked at someone with a little more acting experience (heck, Disney would probably have done better casting Raven Simone from their own series, That’s So Raven!).
