Mark Hamill: Star Wars 9 Will 'Find a Way' to Close Leia's Story

“You’re going to really love her in [The Last Jedi]. I know they’re going to try and find a way to close her story in [Episode IX] that gives her the respect she deserves, because [Han Solo] was more prominent in [The Force Awakens], Luke’s a little more prominent in [The Last Jedi], and certainly Leia was meant to be more prominent in [Episode IX]. Worldwide, everyone feels that gap she left, but we all have to hang in there.”

[USA Today]

Sadly, Ryan Coogler return to direct "Creed 2," Sylvester Stallone will take over as director.

A sequel was inevitable and we all know Sylvester Stallone loves his sequels, just look at what he did with Rambo, Rocky and The Expendables. So it comes as no surprise that Stallone will indeed be back for the upcoming, and much anticipated, Creed Sequel. Dolph Lundgren, who plays Ivan Drago, will also star in the film. Stallone stated that the current draft he is working on, in a spiral scrapbook no less, is 439 pages and will translate to “a 120 page typed screenplay”.

Stallone, whom many believe deserved the Academy Award for his performance in "Creed," took to Instagram yet again and announced the news that he, not Ryan Coogler, would be directing "Creed 2," he wrote: “Looking forward to directing and Producing The incredibly talented Michael B Jordan in CREED 2 next year … One more Round ! 

Good news? I would say bittersweet, more than anything. Stallone can direct, decently, but Coogler changed the game with "Creed." He revitalized the boxing genre for the new millennium. There is no way Stallone can achieve what Coogler did. "Creed 2" might be a good movie, but it won't be a great one like "Creed." For all the gravitas and passion Sly has brought to his Rocky franchise over the years, his talents as a director are decent, old-school but conventional. I like what he did with "Rocky Balboa" a few years back, but what made "Creed" so good was the fresh new blood Coogler injected into the veins of this tired old franchise.

Here's what I wrote about it back in 2015:

"As an incredibly cinematic sport, boxing films are often rife with clichés. So then, what a welcome surprise it was to have a "Rocky" movie that actually delivered the thrills and goosebumps that made the original 1976 film such a great film. Although the story might be familiar, Ryan Coogler's "Creed" had a freshness and vitality that only a young, talented filmmaker and actor could bring to the table. Coogler and his actor Michael B Jordan, fresh off their Sundance triumph just two years ago with "Fruitvale Station," infused Rocky with 21st century modernism and style that Sylvester Stallone would have never been able to pull off if he were the writer-director, although I will say  that 2006's "Rocky Balboa" wasn't half-bad either. The way Coogler shot "Creed" brought some much-needed new blood to the tired boxing genre, a perfect example would the way he reinvented how a boxing match could be shot."

"There's an audacious sequence mid-way through the film that seamlessly flows as a single unbroken shot, the scene follows Jordan's Adonis Creed as he squares off against Leo Sporino (Gabe Rosado) in the boxing ring. The way Coogler’s camera circles its way through the ring is nothing more than ground-breaking; never had a boxing match felt this intimate, visceral or gut-wrenching than at that very moment. You felt every punch in the fights featured in "Creed" and it all but cemented Coogler an incredible talent to watch."

BREAKING: "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" Official Trailer & Poster

I believe we might have a Best Picture nominee here. No, really, why not? This just looks far and away better, in every aspect, to "The Force Awakens." I've been a fan of Rian Johnson's since his debut and I stand by my assertion that he is the most talented director to ever helm a "Star Wars" movie. You will not have the by-the-books narrative tropes that were in JJ Abrams trilogy kick-starter, no, this film looks like it will delve into far darker places imaginable. It's really no surprise that comparisons to "The Empire Strikes Back" are already being made. All this to say, I'm actually that huge of a "Star Wars" fan, so doesn't say everything you need to know about how effective this trailer is?

Box Office Week: Blade Runner 2049 opens at #1 to a very disappointing $31.5M on a budget of $150M.

Folks, sometimes the stars don't align for a smartly crafted blockbuster. "Blade Runner 2049," despite incredible reviews, crashed and burned at the weekend movie Box-Office. A $31.5M opening was not enough given the budget of the film, depending on who you speak to, was anywhere between $150-$170 Million. The film is on pace to not even make half that amount back domestically. It might break even We will see what will happen next weekend, maybe solid word of mouth and repeat viewings will give it some kind of staying power, it did garner an A- CinemaScore grade, but what we're looking at right now is a risk that didn't pay off for Warner Brothers. A $150M arthouse sequel to a cult film with a running time stretching close to the three-hour mark. How did we not expect this?"

1. “Blade Runner 2049” — $31.5 million
2. “The Mountain Between Us” — $10.1 million
3. “It” — $9.6 million ($304 mil.)
4. “My Little Pony: The Movie” — $8.8 million
5. “Kingsman: The Golden Circle” — $8.1 million ($79.9 mil.)
6. “American Made” — $8 million ($30.4 mil.)
7. “The Lego Ninjago Movie” — $6.7 million ($43.8 mil.)
8. “Victoria and Abdul” — $4.1 million ($5.9 mil)
9. “Flatliners” — $3.8 million ($12.3 mil.)
10. “Battle Of The Sexes” — $2.4 million ($7.6 mil.)



Here's what I wrote about the movie last week:

"Blade Runner" is a peculiar film. It doesn't necessarily have much of a thick, narratively-driven story as much as it has themes, characters, resonant-filled subtleties which cannot necessarily be summoned in a single viewing. It's all about atmosphere, but within that atmosphere is meaty substance. That's why it was greeted with indifference back in 1982 and only became a classic in the ensuing years. The main question the movie asks, about humanity and our worth, deserves the warranted, heated discussions it has attained over the last 30 years. It all revolves around if Harrison Ford's character Deckard, the blade runner of the title, is a droid or a human? Does it even matter? The latter is something its director Ridley Scott seemed to be hinting at, as droids, much like humans, wanted the same freedoms we take for granted: To feel, ache, rejoice, hurt, love etc.

And so, the mighty Scott has passed the torch for the followup to ever esteemable Denis Villeneuve, a filmmaker that has no doubt proven his big-studio worth these last 5 years with flawed but technically, and professionally, impressive work such as "Prisoners," "Sicario" and "Arrival." Films that have garnered immense fanbases and have catapulted the Quebecois director to the ranks of Hollywood directing heaven with the likes of Nolan, Spielberg, Scorsese, or at least now he has with "Blade Runner 2049" which feels like icing on the cake, further proof that he is the real deal that I've been touting about since his 2011 French Canadian masterpiece "Incendies" make the film festival rounds.

None of his American films have managed to capture the bloody, brutal brilliance of "Incendies," but, by golly, is this man on his way to that peak again, slowly learning the tricks of the trade to fully master his own auteur voice in a studio system lacking in, well, distinct and unique voices.

"Blade Runner 2049" is Villeneuve gaining confidence in his ability to let a narrative breathe and have the confidence of the audience member to follow him along a deeply steeped, tip-toeing and risky narrative. It's 153-minute length, not counting the 11-minute credits, will surely be an endurance test for many because, well, just like the 1982 predecessor, nothing really happens, but everything does as well. It's a film front-loaded with cinematographer Roger Deakins' beautifully lit frames, but beneath those frames lie secrets that will no doubt become more visible with repeat viewings, or at least that's what I hope because after a single viewing of "Blade Runner 2049" I can honestly say a lot of questions are still left unanswered.

The film, set thirty years after the original, has a quiet brooding lead character in Ryan Gosling's Officer K, who is a blade runner himself, seeking defacto droids that pose as humans. Just like Ford's Deckard, he's the best at what he does. Trouble comes in the form of an uncovered secret that could open a whole can of worms for the totalitarian government of the new world, which leads K on a quest to find Deckard, who's been missing for more than thirty years. It implicates K and a childhood memory that was implanted in his subconscious when he was created or did it actually happen?

That plot description is only a thin guide to a vast and ambitious effort from Villeneuve, who had a publicist read a note he wrote before the screening of the film began asking critics to not divulge crucial plot points of the film in their reviews. I will not do that. This imperfect, messy, but energetic film deserves to be seen without any knowledge of the plot. The less you know, the better.

Pacing issues notwithstanding, the main flaw I have with the film is in its final third. Here's the thing about "Blade Runner 2049" the more you discover its secrets, the less intriguing it becomes, for 2 hours and change you are completely surrounded in mystery as to what will be coming next. You do know it all leads to a meeting with Ford's Deckard, thank the trailer for that, but there's a vibe that Villeneuve and Deakins create that's damn near mystical. Villeneuve should have taken a cue from his predecessor and not given us any concrete answers. Nevertheless, the final 15 or so minutes are astounding.

Denzel Deserves an Oscar Nom for 'Roman J Israel, Esq.'

Here's what I wrote about the film for Awards Daily back in September: 

The biggest premiere of the day was Dan Gilroy’s “Roman J Israel ESQ” which had all the critics and Oscar bloggers attending the 9:15pm premiere at the Ryerson.

Gilroy made a major splash in 2014 when he debuted “Nightcrawler” in Toronto, a “Taxi Driver” for the millennial generation that has aged like fine wine over the ensuing years. And so, it was a no-brainer decision for Gilroy to premiere his follow-up effort at this year’s fest, skipping Telluride and Venice.
“Roman J Israel ESQ” is cleary influenced by the golden era of American cinema produced in the 1970s. It’s a character-driven study that doesn’t necessarily rely on plot as much as it does on a single character’s mental anguish, as his ethical and philosophical morals are threatened by the lures of capitalism.

Denzel Washington, in one of the finest performances of his career, plays the titular character in such an assured, but vulnerable way. Israel is a brilliant mind who’s been working in the same small-scale law office for three decades. He’s said to be a “savant” of the legal profession, functioning invaluably as the eyes and ears of his boss William Jackson.

In more ways than one, Gilroy’s film reminded me of Paul Thomas Anderson’s equally ambitious and fascinating take on the ’70s movies, “Inherent Vice.” No surprise then that both films share the same director of photography the brilliant Robert Elswitt.

Things take a major turn for Israel when Jackson suffers a catastrophic heart attack and goes into a vegetative state. He will likely not ever awaken. The law firm is shut down and a high-end attorney, played by Collin Farrell, hires Israel for his downtown firm. Problem is Israel, just like Phoenix’ stoned hipster in “Inherent Vice,” is a man of integrity possessing some major eccentricities. He clearly has OCD, ritualistically watching his every step as he enters his apartment, but he’s also stuck in an activist mindset for civil rights in his practice that has prevented him from ever earning a top salary. He is a man of morals who will never sell out for a quick buck.

The film has a unique narrative structure, as Gilroy continuously loops us around a never-ending search for the soul of this fascinating character. There’s a psychedelic vibe in the way the writer-director pits the outright eccentric behavior of his protagonist without ever making simplistic excuses or judging it. “Roman J Israel ESQ” is the kind of film that will likely win considerable respect upon repeat viewings. Washington, wearing an out of fashion double-breasted suit, large glasses, and an Afro, seems to have time-traveled from the ’70s to the present day. His performance is fully fledged and highly memorable, testing a character who is utterly fascinating in his endless contradictions. The 62-year-old actor should not be ignored for his towering performance come Oscar time.

“Roman J. Israel, Esq.” hits theaters on November 3rd.

Tomas Alfredson's "The Snowman" Might Be In A Little Bit of Trouble

Just received my press screening invite to Tomas Alfredson's "The Snowman," and, folks, whatever expectations you might have had for this film, well, I'd lower them a bit if I were you. The film will screen for press on the 18th, but, here's the gimme, there's a review embargo until the 19th at 9pm. The film has its release on the 20th. YIKES! This shows the lack of confidence Universal has with this movie. The funny part about this whole American embargo is that "The Snowman" is actually being released on the 13th, a whole week earlier, in Europe. Yeah, that’s a red flag.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi Trailer Tease - Luke Takes The Lightsaber

Brand new @StarWars: #TheLastJedi trailer TOMORROW during Monday Night Football on @ESPN. pic.twitter.com/dbEXCHzPTi

— Good Morning America (@GMA) October 8, 2017

"Blade Runner 2049" Opening Weekend is Crashing

"With an estimated $12.7 million on Friday (including $4 million from Thursday night previews), Blade Runner 2049 is looking to come in well below expectations, targeting an opening anywhere from $31-36 million." [Box Office Mojo]

Folks, sometimes the stars don't align for a smartly crafted blockbuster. "Blade Runner 2049," despite incredible reviews, is about to crash and burn at the Box-Office. You say "but $30+ million opening weekend, that's pretty solid" I say, the budget of the film, depending on who you speak to, was anywhere between $150-$170 Million. The film is on pace to not even make half that amount back. We will see what will happen, maybe solid word of mouth and repeat viewings will give it some staying power, it did garner an A- CinemaScore grade, but what we're looking at right now is a risk that didn't pay off. A $150M arthouse sequel to a cult film with a running time stretching close to the three-hour mark. How did we not expect this? 

Review: "The Florida Project"

After “Tangerine,” Sean Baker sets up his camera again with an eye towards uncharted America with “The Florida Project.” This time his eye goes towards the makeshift motels that litter the main avenues towards Disneyland, distilling a moist, colorful, and shimmering atmosphere, thanks to Alexis Zabe‘s beautiful photography.

Moonee (Brooklynn Prince) is 6 years old and lives in a motel with her mother Halley (Bria Vinaite). On summer break, Mooney and her ragtag group of friends look for adventure as they roam through the outskirts of the motel while the adults around them struggle to make ends meet. Baker shoots his own “400 Blows” with his little band of insolent misfits. The atmosphere, paradoxically decadent and disenchanted, mixes what filmmaker himself calls “pop verité” cinema, to create a hybrid of hope and misery that feels both transcendent and groundbreaking.

The hijinks of the children rubs shoulders with the problems of the parents in a purple motel guarded by its concierge. A touching and funny Willem Dafoe is the hotel’s concierge and an Oscar nomination for the 62-year-old actor is not out of the question, hell a win would be very justified. 

Despite the flirtations with squalor, Baker never succumbs to the sirens of miserabilism. Instead, he prefers the fanciful fantasy of the children who, in their flight forward, can glean moments of happiness for themselves from the simple light of a blue sky. Seen through the eyes of these amazing kids, the world seems intriguingly beautiful, melancholic in fact, where every small detail counts and feels fresh again. Meanwhile on the upper floors, parents, unfortunately, are in utter indifference, as they struggle with adult problems way beyond any kid’s comprehension.

Like “Tangerine,” it is this sense of freedom, freshness, and energy that, in Baker’s mise-en-scene, from the camera to the non-professional actors, the film maps contemporary America. Baker doesn’t succumb to the sirens of miserabilism, even though the final, sad frame might hint at this. Instead, he prefers the fanciful fantasy of the children who, in their flight forward, give themselves moments of happiness by the simple light of a blue sky.

Baker is the architect and painter, who knows how to find these eminently human emotions.

Wonder Wheel (Woody Allen, 2017) • Cinematography by Vittorio Storaro.

 

The thing that struck me most about Woody Allen's slight but affecting "Wonder Wheel" wasn't just the luminous and heartbreaking performance from Kate Winslet, but, even more so, Vittorio Storaro's breathtaking cinematography. This is the most surreal and dreamy-looking film Allen has ever made. I really hope they can continue to collaborate together because they have something going on here that can potentially lead to some remarkable movies in the near future, they're already shooting a third collaboration due for release next year.

Storaro hadn't really been in the spotlight or done American cinema since 1998's "Bulworth" unless you count the misguided 2005 Paul Schrader/Renny Harlin "Exorcist" prequel, which barely had a release and was in production limbo for what seemed like forever. I sure am glad that Storaro is back and seems to have found a "partner in crime" that has the same old-school mentality to filmmaking as he does. Something remarkable is happening here and, even though they might both be in the twilight of their remarkable careers, they somehow found each other, and, for all cinephiles, that's a major cause for celebration.

"Brawl in Cell Block 99" is an instant cult classic

 

This incredibly visceral but note-worthy movie is being released today, seek it by all measures. Here's what I wrote back at the Toronto International Film Festival:

"In “Brawl in Cell Bock 99” Vince Vaughn plays Bradley Thomas. With a cross tattooed on the back of his skull, and impressively added muscle tissue to his physique, Vaughn’s transformation is a harrowing but impressive feat for the 47-year-old actor best known for his comedic roles in “Old School” and “Wedding Crashers.”

"Bradley, the violent, but honorable man he plays in the film is sentenced to seven years for selling drugs, and is then blackmailed by none other than 72-year-old Udo Kier, and is forced to cause as much damage as possible to get transferred to the incarceration hell that is “Red Leaf.” The warden of that prison is played by none other than Don Johnson who runs the place like a psycho bent on behavioral punishment. Once there, Bradley has to put himself in cell block 99 where he will have to kill a gangster in order to protect his kidnapped wife (Jennifer Carpenter) and unborn daughter."

"It’s all from the twisted mind of writer-director S. Craig Zahler whose “Bone Tomahawk” came and went in cinemas but gained cult classic status on home video and is now considered a western classic. His “Brawl in Cell Block 99” is destined for cult fame too. It’s a 132-minute gut punch which wears its ’70s grindhouse-inspired heart on its sleeve. The movie takes its time building up the character and letting us learn about what’s at stake for Bradley, and it’s not until the 75-minute mark that things start to shift into midnight-madness mayhem. Zahler is a step ahead at every twisted turn and when the first bone breaks, and he makes sure you hear it loud and clear. The action has a relentless feel that never stops, and it’s all anchored by Vaughn’s ruthless but endearing performance."

"Jaws" was seen as a guaranteed flop, so Martin Scorsese took Steven Spielberg for a drive the day it came out, to cheer him up and show him just how long the theater lines stretched

I will be watching HBO's documentary "Spielberg" in the coming week but this tidbit from /Film is a fun fact of the phenomenon that was "Jaws."

"In one of the doc’s most delightful moments, Spielberg and Martin Scorsese both recount how when Jaws first swam into theaters, Scorsese suggested they take a little drive. The rumor around Hollywood was that Jaws might sink rather than swim. “The word around town was that Jaws was a folly, and that it was going to be a disaster,” Scorsese says. But Spielberg and Scorsese hopped in a car and drove from theater to theater in Los Angeles and saw massive, blockbusting lines that stretched for miles, all waiting to see Jaws. It was proof that Jaws was going to be a monster-sized hit, and that Spielberg was about to become a huge director."

[/Film]

Teaser Poster for the excellent "Thoroughbreds"

If Heathers was more artsy and minimalist, you’d get Cory Finley’s finely attuned Thoroughbred. A theater veteran, Finley brings out the best of his two leads, here played by Anya Taylor-Joy and Olivia Cooke, as they get themselves involved in a murder plot that is as highly unpredictable as it is stark and pitch black. It’s a sleek and stylish film that sneaks up under you and never lets go.

Focus Features will release THOROUGHBREDS in select theaters on March 9, 2018

"American Made"

Tom Cruise's career has been filled with blockbuster hits, but the guy never really got his due as a discernably talented actor, just look at his incendiary work in Paul Thomas Anderson's "Magnolia" or Michael Mann's "Collateral" for further proof of the talent and potential artistry the guy has. Lately, he's negatively crusaded for his connection with the Church of Scientology and that has consequentially made him a less bankable star at the Box-Office, although those "Mission: Impossible" movies are still killing it, that hasn't necessarily deterred him from making good movies. Want proof? Just watch him do his own stunts in thrilling entertainment such as 2014's "Edge of Tomorrow," 2011's "Ghost Protocol," and 2016's "Rogue Nation" and, hell, I'll even add "Jack Reacher" into the mix. Cruise is still the man.

His latest film, reteaming him with "Edge of Tomorrow" director Doug Liman, is "American Made," an action biopic film based on the true story of Barry Seal, a pilot turned CIA recruit, turned drug hustler for Pablo Escobar. Suffice to say, despite the enormous highs that came with his "jobs" this all led to one of the biggest covert operations in U.S. history during the late 70s early 80s. 

The initial setup is perpetrated by a CIA agent Monty Schafer (Domhnall Gleeson), who knows Seal is in over his head and even starting to smuggle drugs behind his back but, despite that, he lets the operation go on as is because with Seal opening up a whole can of worms with the Colombian cartel, maybe an eventual bust could happen.

Of course, Seals' loving, and very attractive wife, Lucy (the excellent Sarah Wright) has no clue what's happening and thinks her husband is just hard at work. However, once Monty alerts Seal of an arrest warrant issued against him and a raid happening at his household by 6am, Seal scrambles to wake up his family, drives them away to a small-town in butt-fuck-nowhere America, where a house, and private airport no less, has been set up by the CIA for them carry on with their lives. Suffice to say, now Lucy knows her husband's dirty little secret.

Doug Liman directs the action with same energy he's brought to some his very best films ("The Bourne Identity", "Edge of Tomorrow"). Yes, this is a character-driven film, but the action is the sell and Liman stages it like the pro that he is, be on the lookout for a plane crash in a suburban neighborhood like no other, which ends with Seal coughing and covered in cocaine. He manages to escape the scene by paying a kid for her kiddie bike. It's just that kind of movie.

The screenplay written by Gary Spinelli hits a few bumps on the road by taking liberties with the facts. There are scenes here that are clearly fiction and only included because, well, this is Hollywood and if it wants to it will damn well take liberties with a true story, even one as outrageous as Seal's. There's gloss, even if Seal's story is darkly tragic, and the film tends to make this criminal drug dealer seem ... heroic. This strips the film bare of any hefty undertones or the socio-political dilemmas at play. The film is like an empty bon-bon spiked without mirth or malice. Proclaim it pop entertainment but not art.

The joy in watching "American Made" is considerably driven by Cruise's wide-eyed astonishment with every twist and turn happening to Seal. This is a role that was tailor-made for the 55-year-old-actor and possibly his best performance since he cameo'ed as Les Grossman, The profanity-laced, ill-tempered, beer-belly carrying studio exec of 2008's "Tropic Thunder."

Every suit worn by Robert De Niro in Casino

Christian Bale reflects on his performance as Batman: "I didn’t quite manage what I hoped I would throughout the trilogy. Chris did, but my own sense of self is like...'I didn’t quite nail it.' Heath turned up [and] I went, 'he’s so much more interesting than me and what I’m doing.'"

Christopher Nolan gave us three of the greatest superhero movies ever made with "Batman Begins," "The Dark Knight," and, more or less, "The Dark Knight Rises." However, you won't find many of the films fans praising Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne/Batman. There wasn't much room to expand on his acting abilities. Bale was fed lines of dialogue which were, for the most part, facile and uneventful. The films were so damn great because of Nolan's tense and terrific direction and, most of all, because of the villains. The Joker, Bane and Scarecrow rocked. Simple as that. If anything, the film which Bale owns the most is "Batman Begins," especially the opening scenes where he's training with Liam Neeson's Ra's Al Ghul. The meditative, torturous and emotional aspects of these scenes are when Bale peaked in the trilogy. And, don't have me go on about the deep-throated voice Bale decided to use in the movies. What was that about? I know Batman is supposed to have that kind of manly, alpha-male delivery, but Bale just overdid it.

Now, it seems, like actor agrees with this assessment as he's shown regrets in his portrayal of the caped crusader. 

"I didn’t quite manage what I hoped I would throughout the trilogy. Chris did, but my own sense of self is like, 'I didn’t quite nail it.'" [My read of Batman was as this] "very, very, very dark, messed up character." "I found when I put on the suit, I felt like, ‘I just feel like a bloody idiot if I don’t use this as a means of...it’s his true monstrous self that he allows to come out in that moment. Let’s do that." "Heath turned up and just kind of completely ruined all my plans. Because I went, he’s so much more interesting than me and what I’m doing."


Give me Michael Keaton any day of the week.

[EW]

Say it ain't so: J.J. Abrams says his wife told him to stop using lens flare

Looks like Mr. Lens-Flare has finally had it using his signature "move." And, it was his wife that convinced him to stop it.

"Well, Katie's told me to stop a lot of things," Abrams told Stephen Colbert jokingly. "But lens flares, I was like, OK. She was right."

Know what? I like J.J. Abrams' talent behind the camera, no, really, I seriously do. It is no coincidence that Spielberg all but, took him under his wings and taught him everything there is to know about the medium, he saw something in Abrams that the apprentice proved in such well-made blockbusters as "Super 8," "Mission: Impossible III," "Star Trek," and, yes, even "The Force Awakens." Lens flare et all, the guy has talent and can shoot the hell out of an action sequence. I, personally, wouldn't have taken those famous flares off because, well, it's a distinguishing feature of who he is as a filmmaker, his auteuristic stamp, if you will. Lens flares, I was really never bothered by them.


"Super 8"


"Star Trek"


"The Force Awakens"


"Mission Impossible III"

[The Independent]

Quentin Tarantino calls Hans Landa of 'Inglourious Basterds' the best character he’s ever written

We get our first glimpse at mythic name-making when Hans Landa asks at the beginning of the film, “You know what they call me?”, and of course, we do because Landa, now an infamous movie character etched in the cinematic time capsule, is known as “The Jew Hunter” and he rides by that reputation for the duration of the film. He’s the Nazi that has a worldwide reputation of capturing Jews in hiding. “I love my unofficial title precisely because I’ve earned it,” he claims mid-way through the film.

Landa is surely up there Vincent and Jules of "Pulp Fiction," and The Bride in "Kill Bill" as a contender for greatest QT character - But according to the writer-director himself, Landa stands above the rest:

“Landa is the best character I’ve written and maybe the best I ever will write,” Tarantino told the crowd, via Screen Daily. “I didn’t realize [when I was first writing him] that he was a linguistic genius. He’s probably one of the only Nazis in history who could speak perfect Yiddish.”

“I was getting worried,” Tarantino said. “Unless I found the perfect Landa, I was going to pull the movie. I gave myself one more week and then I was going to pull the plug. Then Christoph Waltz came in and it was obvious that he was the guy; he could do everything. He was amazing, he gave us our movie back.”

[EW]

1999: Director Spike Jonze and John Malkovich shooting a POV scene on the set of Being John Malkovich

‘The Square’: Ruben Ostlund Talks Wanting To Win At Cannes, Contemporary Art, More [Interview]

Originally published on The Playlist