The Hateful Eight

I saw Quentin Tarantino's 8th film on opening night in 70 mm, intermission and all. It was pretty big and fantastic, if not a little bit exhausting. Thankfully, the intermission allowed for a bathroom break.

I just watched it again, now 4 years later, as the extended edition on Netflix, broken into four episodes, and in UHD 4K.

The snowy vistas in high def digital are as epic and beautiful as you'll see in any film. The majority of the story happens indoors, though, in Mimi's Haberdashery, which provides a more intimate feel, as if you are alone with these characters with the blizzard outside, and the noisy footsteps on the wooden floors inside (You need two boards!)

The featured racism of Tarantino's films, and liberal use of the "N" word, doesn't age well with time. It jars. It seems less funny, and even a little sad. But it is what it is, and will stand the test of time in its quality, and what it tried to say as an adjunct to entertainment. What cannot be denied are the performances that Tarantino brings out of his eclectic mix of characters. Walter Goggins still is a standout performance, and thankfully, a redemptive one.

I look forward to seeing Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, knowing that QT will once again bring together time, music, set pieces, gore, dark humor, pulpy dialogue, and more - and would also like to see how his take on the more regrettable aspects of our culture has (or hasn't) evolved over the last few years.

I never saw this film back when it was released in 2015. But, I did manage to buy a copy of Blu-Ray. Now, when I first saw it, I thought this movie was flawless/perfect. I now know that no movie despite what anyone may say, is perfect. But I am firm believer that this is in fact Quinton Tarantino's most underrated and under-appreciated film. Everyone I've talked to, says the Hateful Eight isn't Tarantino's most re-watchable film. I disagree. With a phenomenal cast that really gets into their characters. Each one stands out and not one is forgetful. Samuel L. Jackson and Kurt Russell are the stars of this film and it shows. Their performances (in my opinion) were Oscar worthy. Don't even get me started on the story. This is basically a Who-Done-It play turned into a film. The complexity of this story should make the audience feel confused and turn their heads going, "what the hell is happening?". But it does the exact opposite. Everything flows perfectly. The pacing of this film, while it is almost 3 hours, it doesn't feel like it. The cinematography is great. The score brings tension and makes the audience uneasy. But I think my favorite thing of this film, is the scenery. Having these 8 characters who all hate each other, trapped by a blizzard. Really builds up the tension of the catastrophe that is coming. The only thing that is working against this film is the lengthy setup shots at the beginning of the movie. The first five minutes of the film is plagued by it and those tend to drag on. Beyond that, everything about this film is great.

You Guys Need To Watch This Masterpiece.

There are too much dialogue and slow movie but after the first half you will enjoy the movie. Kurt And Jackson's Oscar Worthy Performance 🔥

Some kind of uniqueness in every dialogue such a brilliant piece of work.

Thanks Quentin. Looking Forward For Your Next Movie.

I was a bit sceptical about watching the movie, judging by reviews online and some friends who watched it,but in the end I really liked it.The acting was great .The story was very intriguing with the whole "Murder Mystery" theme.Another plus was the score by the one and only Ennio Morricone.The cinematography was also brilliant especialy with all the breathtaking sceneries in the early part.My only promblem was that the violence was a bit too extreme in some parts,but it is a Tarantino movie so this was expected.Overall it was a good movie that I will definately rewatch it.

OK - if you've already seen the movie and hated it, my review won't change your mind, so move along folks, move along, there's nothing to see for you here, thanks.

Now for you, dear film fan, who is about to watch 'The Hateful Eight', but who is now slightly worried because of some very mixed critical reactions - for YOU I'm writing this 100% spoiler-free review.

Judging from many comments here on IMDb and other forums, I gather that many long-time Tarantino fans apparently don't like his newest film. I had feared such a reaction as soon as I had finished watching the movie. It's obviously Tarantino's least accessible effort yet, and there's a number of reasons for that, not the least of which being that this is simply not the film most people expected (or felt they were promised). So if you haven't seen it yet and you're a bit doubtful because of the negative reviews, let me tell you: you'll likely end up loving it - as I did - IF you prepare yourself juuuust a little. And because I really liked the movie, I would like to help you do that via a short list of recommendations. Ready? Here it goes:

1. Don't go watch 'The Hateful Eight' expecting a "classic" Western. It might belong to the Western genre, but if all that talk about Ultra 70mm Panavision had you thinking of lush outdoor scenery, vast landscapes or anything resembling a Sergio Leone movie, you'll end up disappointed. There are a few nice shots showing snowy mountains, but 95% (perhaps more) of the story unfolds indoors (in one single room) - which isn't to say that the cinematography isn't absolutely fantastic. In fact, it's more than fantastic: it's stunning and worthy of an Oscar.

2. Don't expect any exciting "action" scenes (for lack of a better word: I don't mean the 'Fast & Furious' kind of action scenes) every 10 minutes or so; in fact, don't expect anything other to happen between the characters than dialog for a loooooong time. Unlike in Tarantino's previous films where we got almost "spoiled" by unexpected over-the-top moments in nearly every scene (except maybe for 'Jackie Brown' and 'Deathprooof'), this film has a very, very slow build. But: that's not to say it ISN'T exciting (or that nothing does happen) - it's just that the excitement and tension result mainly from the dialog and the excellent performances by the cast (at least for roughly two thirds of the movie).

3. Best approach this film as you would theater; for that's what 'The Hateful Eight' really is: a stage play disguised as a movie. A stage play of a "Who-Done-It" murder mystery with a touch of Agatha Christie. But then again, that's also a disguise, for the murder mystery is just a ploy to cast a look at a torn society rife with racial tension after the civil war. Which, of course, again serves as an allegory for race relations in modern-day America and as the director's angry commentary on how hateful that situation still is today, on all sides. Now that sounds awfully serious, but don't worry; despite some hard-to-stomach ugliness and the highly political undercurrent, there is plenty of Tarantino's trademark humor throughout the whole film.

4. Don't expect to find a likable character you can root for. There's a reason for the film's title, and unlike in all his previous films, there is not a single person in Tarantino's latest movie you'll feel any real sympathy for. All the main characters have committed despicable, hateful acts, and they're all beyond redemption - but that doesn't mean they're not compelling to watch (especially given THIS cast: everyone is fantastic, but Jackson, Russell, Jason Leigh and Goggins are just a joy to watch).

5. Don't expect a complex plot. In my opinion, among Q.T's films this is the one with the most straight forward and most simple plot to date, yet at the same time it's arguably his most complex - and most ambitious - film.

So, dear film fan, that's it: adhere to these here 5 "commandments", and there's a big chance you'll end up loving Mr. Banana Chin's latest oeuvre as much as I did (mind; you might love the film just as much without taking any of the above advice). I admit, it took me a while to get into this dialog-heavy stage play and would-be Western, but once I did, I never looked back (and I can hardly wait to watch it again). 9 stars out of 10.

Favorite films: IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/

Lesser-Known Masterpieces: imdb.com/list/ls070242495/

Favorite Low-Budget and B-Movies: imdb.com/list/ls054808375/

Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: imdb.com/list/ls075552387/