The film was Kill Bill, and this is my glowing review...

Rating: 10/10 (5 November 2003)

From the moment it starts you can't help but feel that Quentin is back, with a vengeance. Every one of his films to date has been original in every way, and Kill Bill does not differ.
The story (don't worry - no spoilers), as you may already be aware is about an assassin (The Bride) who is taking revenge on her former colleagues for trying to kill her on her wedding day (as well as killing everyone else in the chapel).
The film is split in to 5 chapters, all of which are highly suspenseful, dramatic, and original. From the first chapter, where The Bride tries to take revenge on one of the other assassins, Vernita Green, QT shows that he is making his mark on the action film world. The fight scenes are beautifully choreographed by Kung-Fu expert Master Wu-Ping (who also worked on the Matrix Trilogy).
The film is not bogged down by un-interesting dialogue (but name a Tarantino film that is), and each scene is even more thought-provoking and painstakingly original than the last. However, I would say that the film could be shortened in places, to sustain the momentum. In this respect, the film does sag round the edges slightly, but the painstaking originality of the plot and characters makes it unstoppably watchable.
The animé sequence in the middle is fantastic, and masterstroke by Tarantino, and shows he has, for want of a better word, the balls to go where other directors won't. I wonder how many Quentin wannabes will add a sly animé to their film after this?
The film culminates in one of the action sequences to end all action sequences. Forget whatever you've seen in the Matrix, including the Burly Brawl, The Car Chase and Superbrawl, The House of Blue Leaves will leave you pining for more. It has too much gore and sword action to shake a stick at, and leaves you with word pinging around your head - "Woah!".

Overall, I cannot recommend Kill Bill Vol. 1 enough. It is *the* best film this year (apart from maybe Return of the King), and ends on the type of cliff-hanger that Matrix Reloaded strived for. However, I would say that it is extremely gory, and some viewers may be shocked.
A solid 9.5/10