I think I have a new favorite Tarantino movie

Rating: 10/10 (3 August 2019)

As someone who likes but has never really loved Tarantino's style, I was blown away by this movie. It's more than a nostalgic trip back to 1960s Hollywood; it's a weird statement on movies and escapism themselves. It is every bit the fairy tale the title ONCE UPON A TIME... IN HOLLYWOOD implies, with its second chances and bizarre happy ending, though even these are tempered with little reminders of painful realities.
Those looking for hard plot will be disappointed. This is a very laid back movie, just following the daily lives of a handful of characters in 1969 LA. Cinephiles and those fond of the 1960s will likely get the most out of it-- if you walk in not having some familiarity with the Tate murders or the Manson family, you might get a bit lost.
The lack of plot hardly matters, as the characters are fun to watch. Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt are both hilarious and touching in their roles. Margot Robbie was a fabulous Sharon Tate and I'm honestly a bit bummed her role wasn't larger. That scene with her in the movie theater was just classic.
The long run-time initially daunted me-- part of my problem with so many mainstream Hollywood movies these days is that they're often too long (especially superhero movies), but the three hours here flew right by. I was enjoying myself so much that I was loathe to leave these characters once the credits rolled at last.