Pulp Fiction Review: The Movie is Fiction, the Hype is Real.

Pulp Fiction is easily one of the most recognizable and infamous films, especially of the last decade or so. But why? So many times I've been asked "What makes Pulp Fiction so fantastic?"

I'll tell you what.

Pulp Fiction features such an array of genre-blending moments and set pieces to keep you interested, simply on the brink of delving into its real prowess. It's all too easy to remember "that one scene," and anyone and everyone will recognize it and join in your reminiscing. From Jackrabbit Slim's to Dead Nigger Storage, Pulp Fiction relies heavily on quirkiness and offbeat, dark and satirical comedy and does so masterfully. He creates his own universe, as he does with most of his works, giving him free reign to do things as he pleases. One of the reasons people even watch movies is to escape the reality of our world, and placing a story in a totally fictional environment yet still believable is just what most people will love in any movie, especially this one. Thurman, Travolta, Walken, Jackson and Willis all give lasting, memorable performances in the film; it also created possible career-making roles for Thurman and Jackson. Travolta's career was completely revamped due to this masterpiece (on the list of the American Film Institute's top 100 American films of all time), and had it not been for this Fiction of the Pulp variation, we may not see him around as much.

Good or bad as that may be, Pulp Fiction still sets itself as the iconic 90's noir film. It takes elements from several different cinematic sources and blends them ever so perfectly, creating a visceral experience not by sight, not by sound, but by involvement. The tangled web the plot weaves seems to go in circles at times, which you would think would be a negative aspect of it, but toward the end, everything is wrapped nice and neat with a bloody Tarantino bow on top. In essence, Pulp Fiction sets in all this uneasiness and mystery with the story as a whole, and the pay off at the end is so gratifying, playing off itself. Yes, by the time Pulp Fiction reaches its end, it has enough material to play off itself. Simply put, that's genius, and leave it to a masterful director such as Tarantino to pull it off exquisitely.

Pulp Fiction is half comedy, half noir-gangster drama, but all clever. Each character is easily up for a "favorite" from the film itself (or Tarantino's repertoire) just because they're so damn interesting and leveled. The dialogue, although pointless at times, is spot-on hilarious. When you can make a cheeseburger sound infinitely more interesting than murder, you've got a real gem on your hands. This is also just one of those films that is impossible to overrate; too many times have I ranted and raved about a film I thought was nearly flawless, only to show someone and have them say "it wasn't THAT good." That's quite the bullet to the chest for a reviewer or any real film person, for that matter. But Pulp Fiction stands the test of time itself and is still such a fun experience, no amount of reverence can offshoot someone's personal expectations for it.

Those who don't enjoy Pulp Fiction will probably just not get it. It's like telling a multi-layered joke to someone who smirks just because the rest of the group is hysterically bursting out in laughter. Pulp Fiction retains elements of drama, self-reflection, revenge, physical comedy, involving dialogue, memorable set pieces and a fantastic overall performance by the entire cast. Why Pulp Fiction didn't win Best Picture in 1994 is beyond me. If it hadn't at least been nominated, there would probably have been a heavy revolt and retaliation against the Academy.

To this day, there's nary a film to match Pulp Fiction's level of sophisticated comedy and plot machinations. There's simply been too many copies are cash-ins due to Pulp's success, and mockery is the most sincere form of flattery. Pulp Fiction is, to this day, Quentin Tarantino's tour de force of filmmaking. Yes, all of his directed films are par for the course, but it is this shining, early brilliance that established him as one of Hollywood's highest ranking directors.

The rare 10/10.

-Kyle Shelton

Add, Adapt, Repeat: Holistic Hollywood's Never-Fail Formula

On this day of Thanksgiving, I chose to reflect on a few things: my career and future, my family and friends, and the quality of the cinema today. Perhaps not all directly related to each other, that last section is what struck me the most: the quality of cinema today. Most of today's movies range from perfect to downright awful, but they all have one thing in common: lack of originality. An easy comparison would be Slumdog Millionaire, winner of the Academy Award for Best Motion Picture vs. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, a despicable escapade of special effects and product placement. Both are adaptations of other works of art, Slumdog being a direct adaptation of the book "Q & A" by Vikus Swarup, Transformers being both an adaptation of the original "Transformers" tv show and line of toys as well as a sequel to the simply-titled "Transformers" back in 2007.

Problems lie within these kinds of titles. Yes, there exist plenty of films that may be adaptations, remakes or sequels and are commercially and critically successful, but personally, I sense a strong inclination of overseeing the huge, overlying predicament Hollywood faces: ideas. There's a fine line between originality and creativity: originality is being able to derive source material from one's own mind and creativity is the ability to make anything, published or not, into your own work. Directors, actors and writers are constantly churning out creativity in the movie market today, but who sees a truly original, truly individual, truly stand-out work of art? Nearly no one. The foreign markets seem to be gleaming in the lime light of originality (namely the Swedish made "Home" or the Japanese "Big Man Japan" or even the disturbing Hungarian "Taxidermia"), but not much more than the U.S. agenda's spotlight of commercial cash-in. This year alone, it wouldn't be difficult to name 50 films off the top of your mind that are, in some way, adapted, remade, or added from/to another work. The most global and historically recognized and successful films all fall prey to this legitimate truth: Gone with the Wind was a book, Titanic was a historical event and countlessly adapted into novels and other films, the Spider-Man series is adapted from the famous comic books by Marvel, The Dark Knight is simply a different take on the already-popularized Batman culture from DC Comics, the Twilight series is based on the famous series of tween novels, and Pirates of the Caribbean was originally based on a Disney ride in California (only to spawn sequels that build off initial premises). These allegations, in themselves, serve as an homage to our money-hungry leaders, particularly the producers in movie studios who jump at any opportunity to seduce the feeble minded and mass market into throwing money into a trivial trap that is "the movies."

In fact, you could see any given film and it's about 85% likely to be a sequel, adaptation or remake.

Maybe I am being a little too harsh in this observation, though. Personally, the cinema is a grandiose gift to humanity, a way of producing any given work into its own separate entity, injecting excitement and posing new ideas, concepts and ventures from already-made books, plays and stories. Movies are a glorification of practically any work, being able to turn even the most mundane and melancholy novel into an energetic or emotional thrill of a story. Sticking to source material or not, movies just have that special something that make us pay attention and believe what is on screen is real. They pull you in and never let go.

And therein lies the base for the creativity conundrum. The strength of films are their ultimate demise; the fact that a movie can be so irresistible and fantastic (to each their own) completely deludes the human mind. Sure, Academy Award-winning pictures could be great, but the trend we see today is rarely touched upon: they're all unoriginal. Luckily, studios like Disney and Pixar produce original works; that is to say, many animated features that are released are original for the most part. Take the film "Up" for example, by Pixar Studios. Up is the kind of film that you couldn't dream up in your wildest imaginations, and on top of its originality and creativity, it became both commercially and critically successful, earning rave reviews from critics and the general public alike. Its cute, its witty and clever, but most importantly, its not a copy.

Now if only we could adapt the ideology of originality that some studios put forth rather than adapt more New York Times Bestselling Novels, the people's minds wouldn't be so convoluted. We've come to a point where people mostly say "I can't wait til they make that [book, play, musical, ride, tv show, event, etc.] into a movie!" Remember a time when kids and grown-ups alike would come up with a preposterous yet infinitely intriguing concept and say "Yeah...they should make that into a movie!" ? Those were the days.

Now, I hope no one believes that I'm personally chewing up the film industry and spitting them on the street simply because they are making tons of unoriginal works...well, maybe I am; however, I do enjoy plenty of films that are taken from other publications like Slumdog Millionaire and even my most prized choice film of all time, The Lion King. The Dark Knight makes my top list as well as A Clockwork Orange, but the films that truly inspire me and send me into a state of awe are the films that don't have concrete source material. Tarantino's films come to mind, as they're all incredibly original as well as creative. Sure, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill and Inglourious Basterds are examples of films that have roots in other ideas, genres and publications, but they're not entirely cookie-cutter carbon copies of them. Pulp Fiction is a tongue-in-cheek satire of the noir style of film, Kill Bill builds on several different anime/manga/Japanese filmmaking concepts but mixes them perfectly into a masterpiece milkshake, and Inglourious Basterds takes elements from war films, particularly WWII films, and satirizes them while giving it that pulpy B-Movie flare that he's known for. Or many of the indie films that most of us never hear about: those tend to win over the audiences that actually do see them and the critics that they tend to. Tarsem Singh's "The Fall," Marc Webb's "500 Days of Summer," or Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler" and "Requiem for a Dream" are all independent films that the masses perhaps weren't keen to, and they got it right. Even Paranormal Activity, seemingly taking a candle to Cloverfield and The Blair Witch Project, was wholely creative and fantastic in execution. It seems that the biggest offenders here are main-market, audience pleasing big-budget blowouts. What am I bashing? Let's review:


Transformers (Adaptation)
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Adaptation, Sequel)
My Sister's Keeper (Adaptation)
Disney's A Christmas Carol (Adaptation, Remake)
Twilight (Adaptation)
Twilight: New Moon (Adaptation, Sequel)
Harry Potter (All of them) (Adaptations, Sequels)
The Road (Adaptation)
Amelia (Historical)
Astro Boy (Adaptation)
The Lord of the Rings (Adaptation)
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Adaptation, Sequel)
The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Adaptation, Sequel)
Pirates of the Caribbean (Adaptation)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (Sequel)
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Sequel)
The Boondock Saints: All Saint's Day (Sequel)
Halloween (Remake)
Halloween II (Sequel)
Friday the 13th (Remake)
A Nightmare on Elm Street (Remake)
The Ring (Remake)
The Grudge (Remake)
When a Stranger Calls (Remake)
Mirrors (Remake)
One Missed Call (Remake)
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Remake)
Ice Age: The Meltdown (Sequel)
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (Sequel)
Julie and Julia (Adaptation)
The Men who Stare at Goats (Historical)
Pirate Radio (Historical)
The Stepfather (Remake)
Saw II - VI (Sequels)
Surrogates (Adaptation)
Watchmen (Adaptation)
The Time Traveler's Wife (Adaptation)
Whip It (Adaptation)
Where the Wild Things Are (Adaptation)
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (Remake)
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 (Remake)
2012 (Historical)
The Da Vinci Code (Adaptation)
Angels & Demons (Adaptation)
My Bloody Valentine 3D (Remake)
The Pink Panther (Remake, Adaptation)
The Pink Panther 2 (Sequel)
Street Figher: The Legend of Chun-Li (Adaptation)
Alone in the Dark (Adaptation)
Crank 2 (Sequel)
Transporter 2 and 3 (Sequels)
Race to Witch Mountain (Remake)
12 (Remake)
Funny Games (Remake)
The Haunting in Connecticut ("Historical")
The Fast and The Furious 2, The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift, Fast and Furious (Sequels)
Poseidon (Remake)
Fame (Remake)
Terminator: Rise of the machines (Sequel)
Terminator: Salvation (Sequel)
Max Payne (Adaptation)
The Punisher (Adaptation)
The Punisher: War Zone (Adaptation)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Adaptation, Prequel)
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (Prequel)
Underworld: Evolution (Sequel)
The Kite Runner (Adaptation)


And these are only more recent films. Tons of films from beyond the current generation retain the same sequel/remake/adaptation style that we see today, as well as plenty of confirmed future projects; unfortunately, its the rate at which these copies simply churn out of the producers' factories that plague our industry. And just to reiterate, I'm not saying any given film that happens to be a sequel, remake or adaptation is bad or not enjoyable, but its simply a sad situation to be in when all anyone hears about are films based on numerous other sources and publications. I do appreciate the volumes of books that have been adapted onto the screen; there are plenty of titles out there today that I would love to see turned cinematic. However, the majority of films today fall into that specific "recycled" idea, and I'd rather see a year full of completely original, non-cliche films than even my most anticipated adaptation.

An entirely separate encyclopedia could be written based solely on movies that may not be carbon copies of a specific work, but are simply rehashes of every other movie. You may go through a list and see plenty of films that fit my accusations, but also many that may not. Lest we forget that Romantic Comedies, J-Horror, Torture Porn, Noir/Pulp, Masculinity and Disaster sub-genres all tend to blend within their groups as extremely identical, and each contain glaringly blatant similarities among themselves that catch the attention of the average movie-goer. I guess you could say a film like "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" or "Fighting" aren't remakes...but they aren't exactly original either. My focus in this article is concentrated on sequels, adaptations and remakes but isn't limited to these only. There exist too many films that, although not specifically copying another work, are far too familiar and use themes and ideas from too many other works to really be considered "original" or "creative." For example, most romantic comedies take one or two celebrities, force them with an unyielding, cliche-ridden script, then market the film NOT as a great film, but simply as a star-vehicle for the main protagonists (or antagonists). That's simply an example, and as time goes on, I'm sure I'll write another speculative observation on the redundancy and laziness of Hollywood on the gimmicky front, but for now, similar problems lie within the realm of remakes, adaptations and sequels as well as the rehashes among genres.

This is where I'm going to disagree with all the PSA's and educational groups: Kids, don't read a book. Write one.



-Kyle Shelton

Summer Threeview!

Okay, you're asking yourself (if you're reading this) "What the f!$& is a 'Summer Threeview?"

Well, loyal and/or not-so-loyal reader, let me tell you! "Threeview" refers to the fact that Summer is 1/3 of the way over! So, I've picked my top 3 movies of the Summer so far as well as the top 3 movies I can't wait to see.

So, let us begin with the top 3 movies of Summer so far:

3.The Hangover
Yes, the story of a bachelor's party gone terribly awry due to alcohol actually garners my respect. In fact, its my favorite comedy of the year thus far. Why? Because The Hangover isn't an insult to the American lifestyle and traditions we hold unlike most movies of the same genre/style. Actually, it kind of is, but more than an insult its a tease and a commemoration of just how ridiculous the antics of our society really are. It's not a stupid movie; if you can fathom this, its a dumb movie done intelligently. The Hangover is hysterical, continuously comedic, and entertaining through and through. There's tigers, Mike Tyson, a baby, Andy from The Office, a metrosexual Asian mafia leader, and plenty of nudity. And hey, if you liked Old School or American Pie, you're gonna love The Hangover. If you didn't like either of those, you're STILL gonna love The Hangover because its better.




2. Up
Of course, how could someone not include a Disney-Pixar feature when they're talking about their favorite movies? Besides Dreamworks at least...copycats. Just kiddin, Dreamworks, we loved Shrek! And Shrek 2!.......Just the first two..take a hint.

Anyway, Up is a fantastically imaginative story that is whimsical as it is mature. Kids will love it, Adults will love it, and everyone in between will love it. It's just one of those lovable movies from almost every aspect, and Up is certainly no let-down from Pixar. Where kiddish movies like Night at the Museum and Land of the Lost weren't so hot in the "That movie was really good!" department, Up is just the type of film to take kids to...over and over again. I mean, c'mon, what's not to love about a cute and grumpy old man, a clutzy asian Boy Scout, a talking dog, and a peacock/emu/dodo bird hybrid called a "Snipe" who can say more without even making a noise than most can do with an entire speech.


1. Star Trek
You probably saw this coming...as far as Summer blockbusters go, Star Trek is that money-hording thrill ride everyone wants. But wait, there's more! It's not bad! Sure, everyone loves comic book movies or Transformers, but not all of these films really live up to the hype. They're flashy, dazzling, and have that nuance of nostalgia we all crave, but in hindsight, they were just "okay" in the sense of a well-rounded movie. But Star Trek takes the cake from the gimmick bakery and and boldly goes...well you know. A fantastic cast, expert direction, and a witty and bombastic script combine to form what is, ultimately, the perfect movie experience. You leave content and have your expectations shattered into zillions of pieces. Its that movie you recommend to all your friends...and for many, it was a surprise hit (due to the "Trekky" fanbase that seem to be the only ones to actually get excitement when an announcement like this is made). So kudos, Sir Abrams. May your sequels live long and prosper.



Intermission!

Just kidding...unless you actually left this article and did something else for a few minutes before reading on. In that case, in all seriousness. Here we are to my, personal, top 3 contenders for most anticipated Summer movie of 2009 as of June 8! Let it begin!


3. G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
G.I. Joe. If you were a kid in the 80's or 90's, just hearing that name gets you inappropriately aroused. So when Paramount Pictures announced an official G.I. Joe movie, well, you can imagine the reaction. All those secret agents, ninjas, robots, mech suits, jet planes, guns, superpowers, terrorists, and weapons of mass destruction are back in superior special effects for its Summer blockbuster debut. Why am I excited? I'll admit, I was never the biggest fan of G.I. Joe...but, I did love the toys and watched the cartoon here and there. Its just one of those childhood remembrances that I can't get rid of, so I'm just naturally ecstatic. But what gets me more is the action packed trailer. Now, if that trailer just doesn't scream "COOL" right at your face for all two minutes, then I seem to have forgotten what "cool" is. As an actual all-around cinematic feature, we'll see if it has what it takes. But as a Summer blockbuster filled with combustible everything from start to finish, its looking to keep me on the edge of my seat through and through (due to fear of an ejection seat going haywire).

2. Public Enemies

Well, this entry isn't so much a Summer blockbuster as it is just a Johnny Depp declaration of "Aww shi*." The man is back as the main baddie/goodie in Public Enemies, the story of John Dillinger. If that poster doesn't already pull you in, check out the trailer. And if THAT doesn't make you want to see it immediately, well then go watch a movie about a forbidden romance between two star-crossed lovers that takes place during the Renaissance or something. Michael Mann looks to be the Man in this feature which he directs. On top of the in-your-face badass style which Public Enemies seems to be heading towards, the soundtrack is engaging and enthralling, or so it seems. This is the kind of movie I'm going to walk out of pretending to shoot up the theater with the justification that the other patrons just "don't understand me." Don't worry, it makes sense. If you love crime dramas, gangster, and/or Johnny Depp, get ready to get your ass kicked on July 1, 2009. (No androgynous drunk pirates were harmed in the making of this film).

1. Inglourious Basterds
Okay okay, so I'm a bit of a Quentin Tarantino fanboy. But, can you blame me? Tarantino stands tall amongst today's directors as one of the best and most beloved. Unfortunately, he likes to have a decent hiatus between his films, usually between 2-3 years. So finally, after a 2 year hiatus after Death Proof, Tarantino returns in his violent and overblown form with a story of Nazi annihilation. Yes, its a World War II story directed by Quentin Tarantino. I'm not quite sure I have the words to describe how perfectly suited he is for such a role. The trailer shows Brad Pitt simply being a badass and ordering the acquisition of 100 Nazi scalps...and he wants his scalps. This trailer shows that Tarantino isn't messing around and this is meant to be one of his masterpieces to show off from his repertoir. What else could be a more perfect end to Summer than a movie about collecting Nazi scalps in France? A movie about collecting Nazi scalps in France directed by Quentin Tarantino and starring Brad Pitt and Ryan from The Office...yes, really.


Aaaaaand there you have it! Kyle Shelton's Summer Threeview! Now, I know a lot of you are probably all ancy because I didn't include X-Men in my favorite films nor did I include Transformers 2 or Harry Potter in my anticipation part...well, I love X-Men, but more like that family member that gives you presents every year and you'd be sad if he/she died but you're not exactly psyched to go see when mom and dad decide its their house's turn for Thanksgiving this year...

Long analogies aside, X-Men was great but didn't hold up to the first 2 X-Men films nor the the overall comic book counterpart of a storyline. As for Transformers, I'm going to go see it, as is 99% of the United States' population, but if I didn't, I really wouldn't be that disappointed. I only liked the first Transformers, and the trailer for this second one really hasn't gotten me in a twisted bundle like the other films I mentioned. In fact, I'm more stoked to see "Funny People" than Transformers 2, but I'm still excited. What can you hate about giant robots beating the bejesus out of eachother, right?

And Harry Potter...well, I haven't finished all your films, and I've only completely read 2 of your books. The movie certainly looks promising, but considering its an adaptation of a craze I never got too into, I'll let it slide as just a mild intrigue rather than full-fledged midnight premiere-worthy fiasco.