Do we need a tenth?

Rating: 4/10 (20 August 2019)

Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood has been receiving some great reviews (it's currently rated 8.3 here on IMDb), but I think it's one of Tarantino's weakest movies. For well over two hours, virtually nothing of interest happens: as much as I didn't particularly enjoy Kill Bill Pt 2, Death Proof or Jackie Brown, I can't say I was bored, but OUATIH is just that -- boring! There's none of Tarantino's sparkling dialogue, no iconic scenes, and the ending simply pulls off the same trick that the director employed in Inglourious Basterds -- changing history (only in this instance, it all seems to be in questionable taste given what really happened fifty years ago).
As a fan of cult movies, Italian westerns, Bruce Lee and old TV shows, and as someone with an interest in the Manson murders, I fully expected to be enthralled by Tarantino's re-creation of 60s Hollywood, its colourful characters, and one of the darkest moments in its history, but was totally taken aback by how mundane this movie is. If you want to watch Brad Pitt feed his dog, mend a TV aerial and drive a car, then this is the movie for you; if you want to see Leonardo DiCaprio talk about books to an 8 year old and record an episode of a dull TV western (a scene that went on way too long) then have at it. I think that if this is the standard of movie that Tarantino is dishing up, he should call it quits at nine.
4/10 for the face-smashing, dog-biting, flame-throwing finalé, which actually perked me up. But that's being generous.