Inglourious Basterds (2009)

While “Death Proof” still remains my all time favorite Tarantino film,  most of his are always always memorable even if I mildly liked it. This one was pretty good for me. The photography, camera angles, were great ~ such an artist.
The fact he wrote this stuff and had 3 (or was it 4?) different languages goin on amazes me. *head spins*

Christoph Waltz was as mesmerizing as Hans Landa. Seriously I see why he won a Golden Globe.

My favorite scene was Christoph and Denis Menochet (fabulous to watch this guy too) in the countryside in the farm scene. I’ve replayed my tape of this three times.
They had light beamed down onto the kitchen table (go rewatch – this is awesome) ~  light bounces up to the two character’s faces – making the tension even more papable plus creating a beautiful almost painting effect.  As the two characters are talking,  you the viewer feel more and more tension knowing people are hidden under the floorboards,  all the while you see a tranquil back drop of the country kitchen and hear cows, birds chirping and are watching a quiet scene knowing soon……well….. (no spoilers)  but that’s the brilliance of Tarantino.

You can google any Tarantino film and see fabulous art made from the stills.
Here’s the scene I was talking about:

His films have a look only he achieves.

I scoured the internet looking for some stills that made an impression on me. I ran across a few that stood out ~ If you’ve never watched a Tarantino film you’ll be surprised at the beauty but don’t be fooled ~ they are over-the-top violent.

Only publicity stills but I liked them better than anything I found with this character – Bridget von Hammersmark; a funny name that made me think he named this character combining Brigitte Bardot and Marlene Dietrich? Works for me. :]

Incredible shot. A man above the rather ugly charicature Hitler creating a gigantic realistic painting of the “real” Hitler. Cool perspective.

For anyone out there that likes this post and the images ~ help me find more. I’ll host them. I would love to find an image of the “eyes under the floorboards” from “the farm” scene.
Any other cool images from this film? – feel free to leave comments/links.

There are certain actors that for some magical reach middle age and also reach the peak of their talent at the same time. One of those people for me was always Bill H. Macy – but another is Stanley Tucci and he’s the subject of this writing.

This revelation came to me recently after watching Julie & Julia where he brilliantly plays Julia Child’s husband, partner and best friend, and the man who gave Julie her last name, Paul Child.

This scene from Julie/Julia shows the great chemistry and fabulous eye contact he possesses. He is one of those actors that really “connects” with the other actors all while being able to steal a scene.

Julie & Julia scene

Stanley was in Road to Perdition which is an all time favorite film of mine. He didn’t have a huge role but it was there I realized how his characters in films are always so well done, always making me think, wait- who is that again?  And he just keeps getting better.

I ran accross this Levi ad from the 80′s.  Omg – he’s fantastic looking. Can he act too?

501 ad

Then last night I watched “The Lovely Bones” directed by Peter Jackson. After I was blown away with Tucci in this film, I read review after review of why many critics didn’t like this film and I was stunned.  I liked it a lot, in fact compare it to “Little Children” (2006) in it’s creepy yet haunting and well acted story. “TL Bones” is creepy and fantasy-like at the same time. It’s a huge story and a wonderful book and hard to put on film. Ebert thought it was deplorable. Some critics say the film is all over the place.  All I can say is, the prose and horror at the same time is haunting. Tucci is brilliant. His eyes, his eyes, his eyes – he is unforgettable in this.

Interview-quick trailer-The Lovely Bones

And then I just read his wife had just died of cancer during the shooting of it.  Amazing.

Now I am off to look for Blind Date which Tucci stars and directs.

Just by seeing this I kinda love it already.