Reigniting my inner film geek love

[almostwitty]

Inglourious LEGO Basterds (sic)

Originally uploaded by Doctor Sinister

I used to be a bit of a film geek, inhaling movies. I’d buy Empire magazine every month, and go see a film (as long as it wasn’t horror, gore, or involved zombies or crabs) via my local university film club every week. Sometimes twice a week (oooh, get him!)

Then real life intervened, London prices arrived, and I just … stopped. Of course, seeing the terrible films Batman and Robin, and Jurassic Park II within a week of each other didn’t help at all. Neither, ironically, did becoming a professional film reviewer where film-watching no longer became a leisurely activity, but something that was work and that I’d have to write up afterwards.

Sure, there were the glam moments (well, if you count having a bored Julianne Moore scowling at you at 10am because she thinks you’re a Japanese film journalist) but also having to review dross like Help I’m A Fish and Mission: Impossible 2 didn’t help.

So, while I didn’t turn my back entirely on cinema – The Matrix made me revise my entire thoughts on Hong Kong cinema – I’m not the raving film geek I used to be. At least not till tonight.

Tonight, I went to see Quentin Tarantino’s latest, Inglourious Basterds. And bugger me, I loved it. Even if it didn’t have any of the crash, bang, wallop that you’d expect. Instead, it’s a love letter to dialogue in multiple languages, to European cinema, to war-torn Europe, and for 147 minutes I was utterly captivated by the words, the acting, everything. Even the set.

Go, and see it.

Mirrored from almost witty.

Comments

[moviegrrl.livejournal.com]

With you and @AnneBillson both giving such positive reviews, I think I may have to go see it after all.... I'd fallen out of love a bit with QT

[almostwitty]

Oh, you should see it. Then again, the "worst" Tarantino film I've seen is Jackie Brown. Managed to skip Death Proof somehow, and I do love Kill Bill 2.

[tshell.livejournal.com]

what about a gory movie about zombies with crabs? :D

thanks for the review, it looks excellent from the previews but i'm not a tarantino fan. blood and guts don't appeal to me.

[almostwitty]

But there aren't any blood and guts in it, not really. A couple of scalped heads and the occasional bloody gunshot where blood sprays out of the victim towards the camera. But it's surprisingly non-violent considering.

And please don't tell me you haven't seen Pulp Fiction. LOVE that film.

[tshell.livejournal.com]

i have seen pulp fiction. but, and brace yourself, i didn't like it. i don't even remember what it was about.
that was a blood and guts movie wasn't it?
there were some interesting bits but they were overshadowed (for me) by all the shooting and blood and etc.
it's a guy thing i'm sure.
you love pulp fiction, i love terms of endearment. whatayagonnado? :D

[almostwitty]

But ... but ... you're a lesbian. Who was in the military. You're not supposed to love Terms of Endearment.

(*personal view of world explodes*)

[hellmutt.livejournal.com]

Are you trying to tell us you didn't like Help! I'm A Fish? Get right outta town.

...and that's one intended birthday present I'll have to return to the shop...

[almostwitty]

Preferred it in the original Danish

[hellmutt.livejournal.com]

I would've thought you'd prefer it in the original breadcrumbs...