Django Unchained

Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino's latest western-inspired movie, is set in the southern states of the USA around 1858, a couple of years before the civil war broke out, when slavery was still going strong. It is the story of Django (Jamie Foxx), a young man whom in the beginning of the movie we find enslaved, his wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) having been stolen from him and sold. Django is being recruited by dr. King Schultz, a German dentist-turned-bounty hunter, to help him recognise some criminals. Schultz gives Django his freedom, they become partners and after a very "productive" winter, they set off to find and rescue Django's wife, who has been bought by a plantation owner, Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), aka the man with no soul.

Bright, brave and skillful, Django is the definition of a hero. Sure, he gets a chance, but he also does whatever he can to turn his life around and take vengeance, motivated by love. Dr. Schultz is the “god-sent machine”, who gives Django the break he needs, and whose different background (Europe, bitches :P) allows him to have a less mainstream -at the time- approach towards Django and see him as a friend. Calvin Candie, on the other hand, is a ruthless man with absolutely no respect for human life, born and raised in a rich home with slaves, not only unable to see beyond that status, but also making the most of it, the bloodthirsty he is. Stephen, Calvin's elder servant (Samuel L. Jackson), is like a corrupt uncle Tom. As for Broomhilda, even though she did not play an active role like, say, firing a gun (after all she was a woman in the 19^th century), she was the reason of all this journey.

The story of the film is fictional, but it documents a social situation the whole world, and particularly America, is or should be ashamed of. Tarantino presented for the first time the crimes against African-American people in full-frontal view, without holding back the element of verbal or physical violence, thus making a film that pays tribute to history and hopefully works in a cathartic way.

Even though the movie is violent, it is also very entertaining. The tone of most of the movie is funny, due to the smart script by Quentin Tarantino, the great deliveries of all of its actors and all the details. Speaking of details, Franco Nero, the star of the original 1966 Django movie made a cameo appearance in this movie, as well as Jonah Hill, not to mention Quentin Tarantino himself. Also, did anyone else notice Amber Tamblyn by the window?

Django Unchained is a film that has reached its own full potential. The quality of acting, the amount of entertaining references (which are the joy of the cinephile), the funny moments, the intense moments, the amazing soundtrack, all blend to a project that looks like it is a product of the heart of Tarantino and the whole crew, sprinkled with Tarantino's characteristic blood splatter and gunshot. Even if I accepted it has flaws (too big-too much blood-etc), I wouldn't care to change them if I could.

Favorite line 1: "D' Artagnan, mother****ers."

Favorite line 2: "You silvertongued devil, you."

Looper

The movie Looper takes us to the year 2044, when a looper is someone who works for the mob and kills people who are sent back in time from the future by their bosses. Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a looper that one day recognizes his future self on the victim and hesitates. As a result, the older Joe (Bruce Willis) escapes.

The future is portrayed as dark and decadent in this sci-fi action movie. A lot of killings, blood and gunshots take place. There aren't many funny moments – I think I laughed three times throughout the movie. The story is interesting, though, and it gets more meaningful as it goes on. Plus, the chemistry between older Joe and younger Joe is fun - like brothers, but without the brotherly love and with conflicted interests.

Bruce Willis, as always, has a robust, solid presence. Even though he is an established actor with so much experience in action movies, you never feel that he is there just to coast along and repeat his older performances. You can see that Joseph Gordon-Levitt picked up Bruce's mannerisms, but he also brought his own nuances, portraying the successful, yet morally uncomfortable with his life, assassin. His performance did not remind me any of his older ones I have seen. Emily Blunt surprised me, too. She came a long way from the uptight, british, fashion-oriented young woman in "The devil wears Prada", to a rugged american farmer in this movie - and she is very convincing. The difference is so big that when she appeared for the first time, that was the third funny moment for me. The little kid, Pierce Gagnon (who the trailer doesn't show, but plays an important role) was at least impressive.

I liked that movie not only because of the good acting, but also because its point is not time travel or the chasing. There are impressive special effects, but it's more about the people involved in the story and how they deal with the situations that occur to them, which happen to be extraordinary. (Spoiler alert) As for the end of the movie, it feels right for this kind of film: bitter, yet hopeful, contrasting the darkness of the 2044 world in the beginning.(/Spoiler alert)

Favorite line: "This time travel crap, just fries your brain like a egg..."


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