[ManInKhakiExorcist]

I assure you, Cap, I don’t need to conform to any hatred bandwagon; it’s a genuine waste of time and energy. And, Granny nailed it: Tarantino and/or Rodriguez have more talent and imagination than Renny Harlin ever did or will. I think each new film they’d made post-Desperado and Pulp Fiction have had less to recognize and praise or admire than previous. Not terribly worse and worse, just worse — less enjoyable, more forgettable (ie. literally less memorable). Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction were really special, but now I could wait a decade for his next. Rodriguez’s Once Upon A Time In Mexico and Sin City, great work technically, but all spectacle; style all the way. And Sin City, really, it was so true to the comic book source material, it’s like, “Great, you made a comic book.” It’s the comic book, not a film. Well, sure, it’s a film, but it’s too much the comic book — way to go, Mr. Technical wizard and co. It’s great work, but I could get the same effect by reading the comic book. All that was added that was NEW was audio; woop-de-doo. 😐

Anyway, E:TB, like Grindhouse, Sin City and Kill Bill, still makes me want to jump in the shower; it’s a gorey romp with spectacle as its chief ambition, and I feel more dirty than impressed, entertained, or enlightended, for sitting through such.

Just because Tarantino and Rodriguez made their names making great movies doesn’t mean their latest is anything near their greatest — sure, if you like that sort of thing, but I don’t.

In a sentence: Not caring for any of William Friedkin’s latest (in quite some time) doesn’t take away the fact his early career yielded some real cinematic gems. His, like Tarantino’s and Rodriguez’s highlights, seem to be behind him.

Our ol’ pal EKM was right about Tarantino (not sure what he thought of Rodriguez): He’s over-rated. But was he always over-rated? Heck no. Reservoir Dogs was new, different, and entertaining for what it was: a violent movie. Pulp Fiction, no different, but more thoughtful. And then, God bless him, Tarantino made his money and now he can do what he apparently wants. I just think it’s a bunch of sugary candy; nothing more. And I really, really wanted to like Kill Bill and beyond, but they only ultimately excelled as plots descriptions on paper. 🙁

M.I.K.E.