Era Uma Vez em... Hollywood

It took Quentin Tarantino a lifetime of living, 5 years to write and a 2 hours 41 minutes watch. This is a love letter to a film industry that is no longer recognisable. Hippies, short skirts, westerns..... all have disappeared from our movie world. But worry not, Quentin Tarantino is here to remind us of old school film making from a once beloved industry which has been described as being on life support.

The performances are flawless. I was apprehensive about how the events of August 8, 1969 would be handled. But that is handled tastefully and respectfully, yet with the classic Tarantino flair.

Will be quite a bit for those under 40 who have no recollection of this Hollywood. Some will categorise this as an over indulgent nostalgia trip for movie geeks. And they are likely to be correct. But for those of us who complain that Hollywood is reduced to remakes and comic book films, QT delivers a unique and creative viewing experience.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a film that is aesthetically appealing from start to finish. Quentin Tarantino's interpretation of 1969 Hollywood is a lush world with superb detail. This movie serves as a love letter to the place Tarantino presumably grew up with.

The cast features an All Star ensemble of actors. Whether supporting or main, every character in this film is portrayed with excellence. Leonardo DiCaprio continues to flex his acting prowess in his portrayal of Rick Dalton. DiCaprio's Rick Dalton is a classic take on the waning career of a once successful actor. His emotion as Rick Dalton is felt in a comical and rewarding sense. His anguish is felt prominently within this film. DiCaprio continues to be brilliant. Margot Robbie's portrayal of Sharon Tate is graceful and wholesome. Robbie's ability to emote with facials alone is true talent. Her on screen presence grants the film and audience with a sense of euphoria. Brad Pitt's character of Cliff Booth is a bad ass in every aspect. His portrayal of the character is presented with an enduring chip on the shoulder. When Cliff Booth is on screen, the film is given security. Pitt continues to exhibit why he is a name that should always be in the discussion of great actors. Pitt's chemistry with DiCaprio's Rick Dalton is excellent. Both men play off each other in a manner that makes you believe they are best friends in real life. On rare occasions will you get a chemistry more authentic than this. Rick and Cliff mirror that of Abbott and Costello, or Batman and Robin. Both men were made for these roles and are symbiotic to one another.

The dialogue in this film is up to par with the rest of Tarantino's filmography. Every word feels natural, and every encounter is perfect. Tarantino continues his streak of quotable One liners. Tarantino does an excellent job of flexing his knowledge of 1969 Hollywood within his dialogue and writing. The film is masterfully paced as well. The flashbacks don't step on the present story and they add incredible depth to an ever growing tale. The film is slow paced in that it adds background and detail to the characters and the world they live in. There are minor points of foreshadowing that tie in perfectly to the overall story. The payoff to this story is incredibly satisfying and unexpected. Tarantino is a master in storytelling at this point in his career.

The film is shot beautifully. Every shot matters and serves a purpose. Tarantino exhibits his appreciation for 1969 Hollywood through long shots of beautiful scenery and diegetic sound. Tarantino's angling of the camera is natural, serving as a film student's wet dream. Once again, the world is incredibly lush. The soundtrack exhibits some of the best usage of music in recent cinema. At times the film feels like a big music video, however this does not take away from anything within the film. The music serves as the mascot for Tarantino's 1969 Hollywood. The music and the setting of 1969 Hollywood are inseparable.

Overall, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is another masterpiece in Quentin Tarantino's filmography. Whereas Pulp Fiction excels in storytelling and dialogue, this film excels in storytelling and cinematography. 1969 never looked so good.

I loved both the acting and the story. Brad Pitt shows a maturity playing "The old guy", and DiCaprio is spot on as the self absorbed, insecure fading star. The ending is classic Tarentino with a twist that caught me totally by surprise. I will watch this movie again. Loved it!

Not one of Tarantino's best. But still a pretty damn good and smart movie with cool sequences, great acting and directing, music and scenes that will stay with you long after the movie and you would love to watch again. Loved the combo Pitt-DiCaprio but loved more seeing some famous characters in this film such as Steve Mcqueen and Bruce Lee, who are absolutely hilarious in the movie! 8/10

I don't typically leave IMDb reviews but this film deserves so much praise for its risky screenplay in such a dark true crime setting.

For 2 hrs, 41 minutes, I was taken 50 years back, experiencing Hollywood's film industry as a comedic drama filled with desire, tension and everyday life.

I liked Brad's character the most, but Leo easily matched with his own performance. A definite see-it-in-theatres watch. Bring your sense of humor though. There are lines of dialogue and laugh out loud bits that completely satisfy your curious mind. Expect everything you would from Tarantino, but also what you wouldn't.

I gave it a perfect 10 because I forgot I was watching a nearly 3 hour film, even though it still wasn't long enough for me. I would like to see a director's cut up to an hour longer as I think this is a unique case that extra footage would only help such an already powerful story.

I had the privilege to watch an early 70mm screening of this film at the cinerama dome with the director, Tarantino, in the audience. It was a surreal experience I'll never forget.