One Of The Greatest Movie Experiences...

Rating: 8/10 (10 April 2007)

Go see GRINDHOUSE now.
It will be one of the best times you'll have in the theater.
PLANET TERROR is a blast, too long, but highly enjoyable for zombie fans. Terrific bits from Josh Brolin, To Savini and especially Jeff Fahey and Michael Biehn who get a chance to shine. Rose Mcgowan doesn't move me as an actress though she is hot. I dug Freddy Rodriguez as the diminutive action hero. Along with MACHETE, this is a perfect opening for GRINDHOUSE.
The trailers are a highlight, with Rob Zombie's being one of the coolest ideas but under executed. Edgar Wright's DON'T is perfect, a distillation of British 70's fright films (not Argento as some have claimed). Eli Roth, who I find awful, has a winner with THANKSGIVING, a perfect recreation of a terrible barely released 80's horror video.
After a fun food ad and those great title spots, we move onto DEATH PROOF. The movie starts just right with the awesome "The Last Ride" song used in VILLAGE OF THE GIANTS over apropos 70's credits. Then we get to the female stars and DEATH PROOF grinds the house to a halt. It's QT's worst dialogue and most forced characters. Just because we get to listen to shallow women talk for 30 minutes does not endear them to us. This huge miscalculation kills DEATH PROOF for a chunk of it's running time.
You're right to be bored by the interminable chat in DEATH PROOF -- the teen girls next to me loved it -- but there is a stupendous Kurt Russell performance buried there. He's reason enough to sit through GH. QT knows exactly how to write and direct a man like Russell, pity that he didn't stick with him. The dialogue between him and Mcgowan is good also.
but then you know what happens and we're back with another set of irritating female characters. zoe bell is spunky and a player, but their sex talk is no substitute for empathy and the endless VANISHING POINT references are awful. Still, the car crashes and chases are great, not the greatest, but it's cool to see the real deal and not CG bullshit.
Happily, DEATH PROOF does have a perfect ending.
This is a special film that may be the last of its kind. It's certainly already a cult classic no matter what it's b.o. fate. If you can get into the spirit, GRINDHOUSE is an absolutely perfect recreation of a fun Saturday night double feature and easily one of the best times i've ever had in a theater...