Style without substanceand I like it!

Rating: 10/10 (15 November 2010)

Many Tarantino fans differ on what Tarantino's best film was. Reservoir Dogs? Pulp Fiction? Inglorious Basterds? Having seen all three, the opinion I submit is the majority opinion—Pulp Fiction. But why? Pulp Fiction, in my view, represents something few movies can pull off. A completely pointless narrative made into an astonishingly good film. What is so good about a movie with no point? It's actually rather simple. Pulp Fiction doesn't use extensive special effects, or mind-bending plot, or bizarre character development. Tarantino, in fact, wrote this one pretty much by-the-book, along with co-writer Roger Avary. The plot is nothing unusual or never-before-seen. But it's the careful eye of the artist, in front of and behind the camera, that makes this film such a treat.
I have watched it six times already, and each time, the movie just gets better. Each time, I see something in the background that I didn't see before. I catch something someone says, or see some minor backdrop detail that I didn't pick up on. However, this isn't why I love Pulp Fiction so much. These details are not the main thing.
It's the complete package. When you step back and look at Pulp Fiction as a whole, it is nothing short of a masterpiece. Tarantino specifically chose 50 ASA film stock to make it look older than it was. This film created a beautiful look for a movie set in the sunny Hollywood Heights. The music was perfect for the crime thriller part of the feel of this movie, and the use of the Hawthorne Grill and the Chevy Nova were perfect selections to add to the classic feel of this movie, even though it's quite apparent that it's set in the modern day. Butch is driven to the hotel in a Checker cab, everything in general feels older than it really is.
But what really sells it is the actors. Today, this wouldn't be a star-studded cast, it would be a diamond-studded, cast-on-platinum cast. John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson make perfect hit men, and are crucial at the beginning of the film to setting up a surprising scene. Uma Thurman's small role is nevertheless appreciated, and she makes the most of her screen time not only on the part of the writers, but also because she has excellent delivery on her lines. At the end, though, I feel that Jackson is the star, even though there is truly no primary role here. His monologues are to die for in this movie.
All in all, if you have not seen Pulp Fiction, change that.