Guilty Pleasure or Work Art? Either way its effing brilliant.

Rating: 10/10 (7 April 2007)

As a huge fan of both directors, I had very lofty expectations going into"Grindhouse" and the film more than lived up to them. I had such high hopes for this movie that I fully expected to leave disappointed, particularly since I'm not a huge fan of slasher, blaxploitation, or other low-budget "genre" films that were big in the 70's. The good news with this movie is that you don't have to be, anymore than you needed to be an expert in kung-fu flicks or spaghetti westerns to enjoy "Kill Bill." Tarantino has once again created a masterwork that is an homage to its obscure predecessors, while at the same time standing alone as a unique and highly enjoyable work. In addition, his counterpart Robert Rodriguez, has made, with the "Planet Terror" segment, probably his best film to date (obviously it lacks the cultural importance and guerilla aesthetic of the director's legendary "El Mariachi" trilogy, but Rodriguez proved that he is just as impressive with a huge budget and big-name stars as he is with a few grand and a cast of unknown Mexicans). Many of the most entertaining parts of the three-hour plus film are based on surprises/ shock-value, so to give away too much would be a disservice. Suffice to say, "Planet Terror" is an engrossing and hilarious zombie movie that pays tribute to all the conventions of the genre, while at the same time accomplishing something wholly original. "Death Proof" on the other hand, the vastly superior of the two segments (sorry, Rob-Rod), is basically a chatty chick-flick with killer car chases. Tarantino fans will recognize all of the filmmaker's trademarks (witty, rapid-fire dialogue, pop-culture references a-plenty, and an obvious foot fetish) that work brilliantly together in a way that they haven't since "Pulp Fiction." This film is the work of two of our ballsiest directors working at the top of their game to achieve a shared vision. The result is a guilty pleasure and a work of art, the most original and unabashedly entertaining American film of the year. Even if you have no interest in the ultra-violent films that are being paid tribute here, I urge you to see "Grindhouse" now, while it is still in theaters. Many of the tricks the filmmakers play such as the "missing reels" during important scenes and the hilarious fake trailers before and between the two features (director Eli Roth's hysterical "Thanksgiving" preview is an inspired stand-out) work best in a big-screen setting. Plus, you get the added bonus of watching mis-informed rubes walk out after the first segment muttering, "that was short." If only they knew what they were missing out on.