Inglourious Basterds - Quentin Tarantino (2009)

The holocaust was an event that was so traumatic to the world that the entire human race is still suffering from post-traumatic syndrome. The event is embedded in our public consciousness as the embodiment of evil in actual human form.

When people discuss of some of the big questions like the existence of evil or hell or Satan, it’s Nazis that many of us think of.

As such, the savagery of Basterds is dreadfully cathartic.

Basterds is simply the best of this generation of WWII movies, including Saving Private Ryan which tried to say so many things about war in general that in the end, it was afraid to make one solitary cohesive statement.

Basterds is simply the best of this generation of WWII movies, including Saving Private Ryan which tried to say so many things about war in general that in the end, it was afraid to make one solitary cohesive statement.

I do have one piece of praise for Ryan, lest I piss a bunch of people off by criticizing it. Almost every war movie I have ever seen, even anti-war movies have an adreneline-rush action movie quality to them. In other words, they kinda make the most primitive part of you kinda wish you were there.

The opening sequence of Ryan was claustrophobic and terrifying. You had a sense of helplessness and more importantly, you did not want to be there.

If only there were an Oscar category for Best First Twenty Minutes of a Bad Movie.

Alas and Alack.

Not so with Basterds. Agree or disagree, Tarantino definitely has something to say about the place violence has in society. The argument here is that violence is a tool and it can be used for good as well as evil.

Basterds reminds us th at events like this create heroes as well as monsters. I think of those who risked death and torture to smuggle or hide Jews and fight the Nazis.

The fact that human beings are capable of strength that profound is beautiful.

It’s rare for an historic event to occur where the lines between good and evil are so clearly drawn.

Aside from the theme and grandeur of the film, Basterds is hopelessly intimate. Each character, from Brad Pitt’s gaily merciless Lt. Aldo Raine to the righteous but brutal ‘Bear Jew’ to vixen movie star spy Bridget von Hammersmark and especially dear, vengeful Shosanna, is precious to us.

And that love that Tarantino clearly has for each individual in this story, more than the gleeful violence or dark wit makes Basterds a treasure.

Best Tarantino villain since Mr. Blonde.

Hottest Tarantino femme since Maria de Medeiros.

Best Tarantino opening sequence since Madonna's big dick or garcon means boy.

If you haven't seen it yet, Inglourious Basterds is a great goddamn film. It belongs right up there with Pulp Fiction and Reservior Dogs.