The definition of a masterpiece and the best movie of all time

Rating: 10/10 (20 February 2005)

Quentin Tarantino makes this film what it is. His attention to detail, sense of irony, dark humor and ability to create characters with equally recognizable and memorable traits make this movie an unparalleled masterpiece.
The vastness and complexity of the plot prevents flaws and keeps the viewer intrigued. It also contains the element of surprise. Tarantino makes fun of surprise twists, so the results are often darkly hilarious and occasionally quite disturbing.
The movie is in essence a study of four cases of characters with rigid personalities meeting and seeing who gives in first. Samuel L. Jackson plays Jules Winnfield, a gangster who doesn't budge to anyone and takes advantage of others with his voice. Jackson has talked down opponents in many movies, but never as well as he does here. Jules' partner in crime, Vincent Vega, is played by John Travolta. This movie was a renaissance for Travolta, as it began his trend of playing tough guys who play it cool (as in "Get Shorty"). The boss of Jules and Vincent is Marsellus Wallace, who is played by Ving Rhames. Marsellus is clearly defined as someone you do not want to anger or mess with, like any traditional mob head. His wife Mia, played by Uma Thurman, is a drug addicted party girl who lives the flashy life her husband's business has made her accustomed to. Finally, there is Butch Coolidge, a tough as nails boxer whose wits and disobedience put his life in danger.
All these characters meet up with each other in different ways in the intertwining stories of the movie. The interactions between these characters are what makes the movie work despite the lack of a truly linear plot. The way that scenes are filmed and the plot is placed is taken from other movies; Tarantino is a genius at combining elements of older movies into a film that is equally intricate and rich in humor, gore, characters, plots. He has done this for all of his films. However, of all of his films, this is his best. And for the intricacies involved, it may be THE best movie...of all time.
If nothing else, this movie will be revered 40 years from now the same way that "The Godfather" is today.