Love letter to the 1960s

Rating: 8/10 (11 January 2020)

ONCE UPON A TIME... IN HOLLYWOOD is Tarantino's latest epic movie and thankfully much better than THE HATEFUL EIGHT. I find the director hit or miss in recent years, but this is his best since INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS and one of his most satisfying creations. It's nothing less than his love letter to all things 1960s, and is a film chock-full of cultural references and an ensemble cast with a reliance on famous actors of yesteryear playing small roles. I particularly enjoyed the way Tarantino gets the opportunity to reference Italian genre cinema, a love of mine also. The plot is a real slow-burner and the middle section sags quite a bit, with endless scenes of DiCaprio shooting his scenes which add nothing to character or plot. However, Tarantino reins it in for the last hour and builds tension before letting rip with an incredibly violent and incredibly satisfying climax.