Once Upon a Time in Hollywood Is A Surface-Level Though Enjoyable Trip To 1969

Whether it's in characters discussing the definition of a TV pilot or sadistic movie stuntmen, Quentin Tarantino has always made his love for all things cinematic a prominent part of nearly all of his directorial efforts. Keeping that in mind, it's shocking that it's taken him this long into his career as a filmmaker to make a movie entirely set in Hollywood. Well folks, the time has finally come with Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which see Tarantino doing his fourth-consecutive period piece in chronicling the exploits of a trio of characters across Hollywood in 1969, a pivotal year for Tinseltown if there ever was one.

There's Something Strange Afoot On Shutter Island

The 2010's have shown a lovely amount of versatility on the part of master filmmaker Martin Scorsese. He's examined the levels of excess rich white dudes can get away with in America in The Wolf Of Wall Street, confronted experiencing a crisis of faith in Silence and he found time to make Hugo, a 3D family movie that also served as a homage to one of cinema's earliest pioneers, George Melies. Before all of those though, he kicked off the decade with a horror/thriller starring long-time collaborator Leonardo DiCaprio entitled Shutter Island, which became the directors second biggest movie of all-time at the domestic box office.

The Revenant Review

Tales about the hostility of nature have existed in the spectrum of storytelling for an eternity a day, and the same goes for stories revolving around the concept of vengeance. The Revenant isn't the first motion picture to combine both concepts, and I can guarantee you it won't be the last. It does separate itself from the pack though by setting its plot in the 19th century, an era where man had come to inhabit numerous parts of America, but there was still much of the country uncharted by American individuals. This land was crawling with danger, animals ready to kill at a moments notice and Native Americans none too pleased with the concept of more white people invading on their turf.

Revolutionary Road Review (Classic Write-Up)

Road To Nowhere

Who among us hasn't had the desire to escape conventionality for an existence riddled with unpredictability? It's a common ailment that is examined at length in Revolutionary Road, a 2008 feature from Sam Mendes that utilizes the 1950's as a way to examine how that compulsion to subvert our daily routine can consume ones soul. Coming right off of the horrors and uncertainty of events like World War II in the 1940's, the 1950's were an age where people looked for consistency and peace in their lives. While it's not like archetypes such as "stay at home mom" or "Father knows best" didn't exist prior to the fifties, they did rise to extreme prominence in this decade to the point of being considered the only way of executing a standard family lifestyle.

Aaron Sorkin Written Steve Jobs Movie Loses Home At Sony, But All Hope Is Not Lost

It's been a rough road for the Steve Jobs biopic written by Aaron Sorkin. David Fincher was supposed to direct it, make it a nice Social Network reunion, but he passed. Then, Danny Boyle came on as director, only for lead actor Leonardo DiCaprio to pass. Christian Bale, who had been floated around as a lead for the project when Fincher was directing, reattached himself to the project, and then left it. Michael Fassbender was in talks to play the lead of Steve Jobs, while Seth Rogen, Jessica Chastain and Scarlett Johnansson were in discussions for roles in the feature.

Classic Write-Up: Django Unchained Review

Movies always have a natural disconnect between the viewers and what's happening on screen. However, several movies have this selfish attitude in them where it seems like the filmmakers behind the endeavor are having tons of fun with the plot, but refuse to allow the viewer to connect or engage with what's happening onscreen. In Django Unchained, it's pretty freaking apparent Quentin Tarantino is having an absolute blast with the cinematic adventure he's concocted thanks to how great it is. Plus, he eagerly allows anyone and everyone to join him in having fun with the venture.