The Hateful Eight (2015) Review

Film writer and director, Quentin Tarantino never fails to create something extraordinary. He is always pushing boundaries and manages to go to places other filmmakers wouldn’t dare to go. I have always been a fan of his work and some of my favourite movies are Tarantino films (Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill, Reservoir Dogs) and so I had very high hopes for The Hateful Eight, especially after Tarantino’s last movie, Django Unchained, blew me away. The Hateful Eight was never going to be as good as Django but that’s not to say it wasn’t a much beloved Tarantino film.

The Hateful Eight has everything a Tarantino film should have – glorified violence, lengthy dialogue, shocking twists, and Samuel L Jackson. It’s artsy and well thought out, and includes everything you would expect from a Tarantino film. Its stunning and has beautiful visuals, there’s plenty to see and absorb, and the movie has a way of gripping its audience and holding on until the very end. And this film was shot with a 70mm lens to give it the perfect Western atmosphere and making every scene much more intense.

This Western themed whodunnit movie runs at three hours long but for me, it flew by. The movie is broken up in to chapters and this helped break up the movie and constantly kept the storyline moving. Before I knew it, the three hours were up and the credits were rolling whilst I sat in awe absorbing what I had just seen.

Bounty Hunter, John Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his prisoner, Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh), are travelling to Red Rock in a snow storm when they decide to find shelter for the night. After making acquaintances with another bounty hunter, Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L Jackson) and the claimed sheriff of Red Rock, Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins) during their travels, they lead their carriage to Minnie’s (Dana Gourrier) stagecoach lodge where several other people are sheltering for the night. And here things start to get interesting, although I won’t go in to detail as I hate posting spoilers.

Tarantino manages to capture each scene beautifully and adds humour to an otherwise intense movie. There are plenty of laugh out loud moments and even a short appearance from Channing Tatum.

The Hateful Eight is Tarantino’s eighth feature film and it does not disappoint. It includes all of Tarantino’s trademarks but it still appears fresh and exciting for the audience. If you’re a fan of Tarantino’s other work than I suggest you watch this ASAP.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015) Review

Its been 10 years since our last Star Wars movie and I, like many others, had hard-to-reach expectations for The Force Awakens. It did not disappoint however and, dare I say it, this might possibly be the best Star Wars movie yet. The original trilogy will always be the most iconic, creating a world beyond our imagination but The Force Awakens managed to create outstanding visible effects, something the older movies simply could not do due to the lack of technology available at the time.

Its not just the visible effects that make The Force Awakens so great however but the storyline and characters are also strong, and of course we are reunited with our most beloved characters from the original trilogy; Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), to name a few. With the original cast joining the Force Awakens, this is every nerd’s wet dream. And we are also introduced to some new and exciting characters; Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and the guy everyone loves to hate – Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). The actors have great chemistry and that is clear to see on screen. Ridley and Boyega make a great double team and unlike other Star Wars movies, the acting comes across much more natural and less wooden (sorry, Hayden Christensen).

The star of the show however has to be BB-8, the cutest droid ever imaginable. After losing his way, BB-8 soon becomes the trusty sidekick to Rey and Finn. Move over R2-D2, there’s a new droid in town.

So, what is The Force Awakens about? Well, we have fast forwarded three decades after the defeat of the Galactic Empire in The Return of the Jedi and now The First Order are attempting to rule the galaxy.

I have never been a die hard Star Wars fan – when the originals came out, I wasn’t even born and when the prequels were introduced to us in the late 90s, I was more interested in Barbie’s rather than Jedi’s and lightsabers. Sci-fi has never really been a genre I have had any interest in and to me, Star Wars was always very boyish. Having recently given all six movies a rewatch however (yes, even the dreaded The Empire Strikes Back), I could see the appeal but they were still not my all time favourite movies. The Force Awakens changed my whole perception on the Star Wars movies however. The movie contained lots of references for the loyal fans (lightsaber battles, The Force, original casts, a bad guy in a cool costume…) whilst also giving us a fresh outlook for the newer fans. There’s something for everyone in The Force Awakens and it manages to deliver and keep us engaged from start to finish.

The Force Awakens does not disappoint the Star Wars fandom. It makes a great addition to a fantastic franchise. J.J Abrams delivered to even the most skeptical fans and has set the bar for the Episode VIII.

Overall Rating: 5/5