IN THE DIRECTOR’S CHAIR WITH QUENTIN TARANTINO REVIEW: “Pulp Fiction” stars John Travolta (Phenomenon [1996], The Poison Rose), Samuel L. Jackson (The Incredibles, The Avengers [2012]), Uma Thurman (Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Batman & Robin), Bruce Willis (The Fifth Element, Unbreakable), Ving Rhames (Mission: Impossible [1996], Bringing Out the Dead), Eric Stoltz (The Butterfly Effect, Mask), Tim Roth (Planet of the Apes [2001], Hardcore Henry), Amanda Plummer (The Fisher King, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire), Harvey Keitel (The Ridiculous 6, Isle of Dogs), Christopher Walken (Catch Me If You Can [2002], Seven Psychopaths), Rosanna Arquette (After Hours, The Whole Nine Yards), Bronagh Gallagher (Sherlock Holmes [2009], Tristan + Isolde), Maria de Medeiros (April Captains, Midsummer Madness), and Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained,  Death Proof). It is written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, with help in story by Roger Avary (Lucky Day, The Rules of Attraction). A story about the lives of two hitmen, a mob boss, his wife, a boxer, and two thieves, as they all intersect one way or another.

I’ve seen many movies in my time. The actions, the romances, the sci-fi features. Soon enough, as both a film lover and maker, you get to a point where you think you’ve seen it all. Then you watch “Pulp Fiction,” and everything changes. What the heck is this film? It’s so many things, all put together in this nice pot of brilliant dialogue, intriguing characters, and fun situations. The story string is all over the place; no endgame to the events that take place. “Pulp Fiction” is a nonconventional piece of art that takes a few situations that are connected in some way, and present them in a fresh and engaging experience. No one can ever really coerce an individual to enjoy the flick. It doesn’t follow the Hollywood book, nor does it really seem to speak to a theme. Rather, it highlights messed up characters getting into messed up situations in a messed up world. It’s one of those day-in-the-life flicks that are actually good, and for plenty of reasons. Let’s talk about them. Tarantino is known for his dialogue. Always has. And it’s at its finest here. Right from the get-go, I’m captivated. A simple conversation in a diner that leads to a robbery couldn’t be more invigorating, and a fantastic opening at that. From there, the story takes us through several conversations, all exploring our characters and placing them under a microscope in a film-lover’s paradise. The situations are exciting, intense, and just a downright blast. But it’s not like you can just convince someone this. I could tell you that the dance scene between John Travolta and Uma Thurman is iconic cinema, but why? I don’t know, it’s just awesome for no legitimate reason. Heck, that whole sequence in the diner was amazing. Everyone talks like real people in this. It’s natural, raw, mostly nonsensical, but other times surreal. You’ll laugh at the conversations shared by Vincent and Jules, and be mesmerized by the lengthy monologue given by Christopher Walken’s Captain Koons. He was spectacular in this, yet was only in one scene that was completely weird and wonderful at the same time. Did I seriously sit through five minutes of Walken talking about a watch? Yes, I did. And you will too, if you’re a fan of character studies and Tarantino. As I’ve said, this won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. From what I understand, you either find the content appealing or not. Everyone will be able to pull a good scene regardless, but as a whole that’s another story. I thought the plot was interesting. It’s really a linear film that is cut up and shuffled in a random order of scenes, however it all flows well. I can’t explain it, but Tarantino did it. To make a movie non-linear, not have it’s scenes really tying into a full cohesive storyline, and make it engaging and awesome is a masterful feat. Sure, there were moments that may have been slow, but when the movie was good, it was great. The cinematography in this was solid, as were the performances. Everyone in this was fantastic, with notable performances by Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson (who had a killer final monologue), Eric Stoltz, and Uma Thurman. I loved all these characters and think they were some of the best written ones I’ve seen in a while for film. The dialogue is just enriching, and enlivens this experience in a way that most movies don’t. “Pulp Fiction” is a feature unlike any other, offering plenty to enjoy with fun situations, beautiful characters, and an unpredictable flow. I know it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but it is worth a watch by anyone. It’s films like these that make me love the career path I’m in, and inspire me in my craft. FINAL SCORE: 98%= Juicy Popcorn

This movie has been inducted into The Juicy Hall of Fame.

Here is the trailer: