Tom O'Neill , entertainment expert of the Los Angeles Times, is one of the heavyweight prognosticators of the Academy Awards. In his current blog and on television this morning, he is predicting that 'Inglorious Basterds' will win major Oscar awards, including Best Picture and Best Director (Quentin Tarantino)
I almost spit up my coffee. 'Inglorious Basterds' would be among the worst movies to ever win the award. I can't, and don't, believe Hollywood is going to let that happen. I saw the movie a few days ago on DVD, after friends recommended it to me, knowing I am not a big Tarantino fan. As I watched this revenge fantasy film about a group of American soldiers, almost all Jewish, who wreak havoc slaughtering Nazis in WWII occupied France, I kept waiting for something great to happen onscreen. I'm still waiting.
There are long sections of this movie that are interminable talk between characters that are just standing or sitting there. These interludes allow Tarantino to showcase his alleged brilliance with dialogue (maybe he should be writing novels), but I found my mind wandering within seconds of when these chats begin. The one in the French bistro as a German officer tries to out a British spy by talking him to death was immensely boring. It seemed like supreme justice when these dullards were all shot to pieces about an interminable 15 minutes later.
We also get in this movie, what seemed like dozens of references to Jews massacring Nazis. I have no problem with the concept whatsoever, but it is the announced theme of the movie from the beginning. I think the audience got the point the first few times it was mentioned.
What we never know in this film is if it is drama, satire or dark comedy, not that it matters because it is lacking in all three genres.
Inglorious Basterds is not a terrible film, and some of the action is quite good. Brad Pitt is good as a good ole boy leader of the basterds. And the Nazi SS officer , played by Christopher Waltz, is a very effective villian. This is a 2 1/2 star movie.
2009 is a very weak year at the movies if this thing is a favorite to win the Best Picture award at the Oscars.