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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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 FILM REVIEW 
1

By Tarantino Standards, Basterds Indeed Inglourious

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(Newser) – Festival fave Quentin Tarantino opened his comic-fantasy take on World War II, Inglourious Basterds, at Cannes today. The film traces Jewish-American soldiers, led by Brad Pitt, as they annihilate as many Nazis in France as three grisly hours can fit. Some early sentiment:

  • "It's western meets war movie, with David Bowie on the soundtrack," writes Emma Jones for the BBC, adding that she regrets only that it's too long and there isn't enough Pitt.

  • “Tarantino is a brilliant showman, the smartest, most erudite guy in the movie clubhouse, a master at re-creating old and/or exotic styles,” Lisa Schwarzbaum writes for Entertainment Weekly, “but how deep can a movie that repurposes recycled material go? Not very.”
  • “There’s a certain excitement about the reverent glee Tarantino has for movies and, in this wishful case, for their power to exterminate evil,” Wesley Morris writes for the Boston Globe. “What the movie doesn’t have is Tarantino’s usual joyful transcendence.”

American actors Brad Pitt, left, and Angelina Jolie arrive on the red carpet for the film 'Inglourious Basterds' at Cannes earlier today.
American actors Brad Pitt, left, and Angelina Jolie arrive on the red carpet for the film 'Inglourious Basterds' at Cannes earlier today.   (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
From left, German actress Diane Kruger,  American director Quentin Tarantino and French actress Melanie Laurent arrive for the screening of his film at Cannes.
From left, German actress Diane Kruger, American director Quentin Tarantino and French actress Melanie Laurent arrive for the screening of his film at Cannes.   (AP Photo)
American director Quentin Tarantino, right, and German actress Diane Kruger, left, arrive on the red carpet at Cannes earlier today.
American director Quentin Tarantino, right, and German actress Diane Kruger, left, arrive on the red carpet at Cannes earlier today.   (AP Photo/Matt Sayles)
In this film publicity image released by The Weinstein Company, Eli Roth and Brad Pitt are shown in a scene from
In this film publicity image released by The Weinstein Company, Eli Roth and Brad Pitt are shown in a scene from "Inglourious Basterds."   (AP Photo)
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A trailer for Quentin Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds."   (YouTube)

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1 comment
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Robert_Dada
May 20, 09 6:20 PM CDT
Most people didn't like Grindhouse either but I thought it was brilliant. Reply
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