Inglourious Basterds

Cast
Brad Pitt
Melanie Laurent
Eli Roth
Michael Fassbender
Diane Kruger
Daniel Bruhl
Til Schweiger
Omar Doom
Screenwriter
Quentin Tarantino
Director
Quentin Tarantino
Running Time
152 minutes

In the first year of the German occupation of France, Shosanna Dreyfus witnesses the execution of her family at the hand of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa. Shosanna narrowly escapes and flees to Paris where she forges a new identity as the owner and operator of a cinema. Elsewhere in Europe, lieutenant Aldo Raine organizes a group of Jewish American soldiers to perform swift, shocking acts of retribution. Later known to their enemy as "the basterds," Raine's squad joins German actress and undercover agent Bridget von Hammersmark on a mission to take down the leaders of the Third Reich. Fates converge under a cinema marquis, where Shosanna is poised to carry out a revenge plan of her own. (The Weinstein Company)

I enjoyed it and the story moved in directions that I didn't expect but time and time again scenes went on for far too long. You could see where the scene was headed but Quentin just kept drawing it out more and more. Like humour tension in a thriller needs the right timing and he repeatedly stretched situations beyond their breaking point.

November Comics

Newsarama has the new Marvel and DC solicitations for November.

This is the stuff I'm thinking about in addition to my regular pull list.


THE GREAT TEN #1
Written by Tony Bedard
Art by Scott McDaniel & Andy Owens
Cover by Stanley “Artgerm” Lau
Part 1 of a 10-part miniseries! Join writer Tony Bedard (R.E.B.E.L.S.) and artist Scott McDaniel (NIGHTWING, GREEN ARROW) for an adventure exploring the extraordinary characters from the pages of 52 and CHECKMATE!
At the dawn of the Chinese Century, the 10 official "super-functionaries" of the People's Republic face their greatest challenge as the gods of Ancient China return to destroy communist rule! Will the most populous nation on Earth drag the rest of the world down with it? Do its heroes even want to save a government that treats them like pawns? Don't miss this tale that redraws the map of the DCU and fleshes out the most exciting and mysterious new characters from the mind of Grant Morrison! Featuring a gorgeous cover by rising artist Stanley “Artgerm” Lau (FINAL CRISIS AFTERMATH: DANCE).
On sale November 4 • 1 of 10 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Maybe this one, I'll have to look into it a bit more but the fact that it's $2.99 at least allows the possibility.

Coco Before Chanel

Cast
Audrey Tautou
Alessandro Nivola
Benoît Poelvoorde
Marie Gillain
Emmanuelle Devos
Screenwriter
Anne Fontaine
Director
Anne Fontaine
Running Time
110 minutes

The story of how tragic ‘orphan’ Gabrielle Chanel (Tautou), abandoned by her father on the death of her mother, worked her way up through society’s strata to become ‘Coco’, the fashion world’s most famous figure, falling for English playboy Boy Capel (Nivola) along the way.[Empire]

From other reviews I expected to react to it something along the lines of The Young Victoria but I enjoyed it more than they seemed to, although I do agree more fashion would have been welcome and it was a little ponderous at times. The flourish of the coda was great but the main story stops just when she's starting to succeed. I suppose she lived so long and achieved so much it would be difficult to fit the whole story in but did they really choose the most fascinating part of her life to tell?

The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

Cast
Denzel Washington
John Travolta
James Gandolfini
John Turturro
Luis Guzman
Michael Rispoli
Screenwriter
David Koepp
Director
Tony Scott
Running Time
106 minutes

In The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, New York City subway dispatcher, Walter Garber's, day is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway train. Ryder, the criminal mastermind who, as leader of a highly-armed gang of four, threatens to execute the train’s passengers unless a large ransom is paid within one hour. As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his vast knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages. But there’s one riddle Garber can't solve: even if the thieves get the money, how can they possibly escape? (Sony Pictures)

The highlight really was seeing the Distict 9 trailer which I knew nothing about beforehand other than the name mentioned in San Diego Comic-Con news. The movie was OK actually probably the definition of that. Had Washington and Travolta not been there I would have given it two stars easily. It was needlessly sweary, even the soundtrack, given the general audience it would attract. I haven't seen the original in years but remember loving it.