Django Unchained [Blu-ray]

A great Film !

Quentin Tarantino is one of the greatest director’s working in the movie industry. Django Unchained manages to tell a great story, have a big heart, show the absolute inhumanity and brutality of slavery in pre-civil war United States, be brutally violent, and hysterically funny all at the same time. The combination of all those elements while paying homage to spaghetti westerns and 70′s style film making with Tarantino’s uniquely modern flair is nothing short of amazing. Django Unchained is like the most spectacular house of cards you have ever seen, one slight miscalculation could topple the entire thing but instead it stands strong and is a must see for any movie lover.Django (Jamie Foxx) is a slave in 1858 America. Early on in the film Django crosses paths with Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz). Schultz is an out of practice dentist turned bounty hunter who originally recruits Django’s help for a single job. Schultz makes it clear he despises slavery and quickly forms a bond with Django. Schultz takes an interest in Django’s goal to rescue his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), who was cruelly separated from him. Django and Schultz spend a winter together hunting bounties and making a good deal of money. Django takes to the bounty hunting trade and gun slinging naturally. Schultz discovers that Broomhilda is being held at an infamously cruel plantation known as Candie-Land under the slaver Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio).Django Unchained is a fictional story but seems to take place in a very real world. The brutality and widespread of slavery in the early United States is crystal clear all throughout the movie. Every actor in the film does a flawless job of getting the audience up to speed with the general mentality and racial structures in the time period. The abundant racism and cruelty toward the slaves is, at times, almost difficult to watch but it is never overdone or unnecessary. A lot of prejudgements and accusations have been thrown around because of the sensitive material and racist elements. This movie is in no way racist. It tells a story during one of America’s more shameful moments and does so without pulling its punches. The slavery and racist aspect of Django Unchained is also only one aspect of a phenomenal film. On top of the brutal realism and historical aspects is a story about a man willing to do anything for the love of his love. Intertwined to the great, though somewhat unconventional love story, is a fantastic story about two people who could not be anymore different finding common ground and forming a strong friendship. Dress all these elements up with some hilarious moments and amazing action sequences and Tarantino may have produced his best work yet, that’s really saying something.Jamie Foxx plays the titular hero in this Western-action-homage. Soft spoken and closed off for the majority of the movie Foxx plays Django from the inside out. Much of the characters understanding and development is told in his face, and especially his eyes. It is completely believable that Django lived a hard life and the audience never has reason to question the actors commitment to the role. There is never doubt that Django lived through his past traumas or that his blood wasn’t actually boiling during some very tense situations. Foxx is an actor who could have easily made a career out of soft roles and phoned in performances but he is constantly trying new things and succeeding immensely. Christoph Waltz first worked with Tarantino in 2009′s Inglorious Basterds. This was also his introduction to the majority of the Hollywood audience. Waltz absolutely stole the movie and outperformed all of his costars despite being virtually unknown to American audiences and playing the main antagonist. Waltz’s performance is equally impressive in Django, he is quick witted and very funny. Waltz as an actor has an air and charm about him that says he knows something that those around him don’t. He carries scenes effortlessly whether he is merely sitting at a table in dialogue or running a wild west type shoot-out. The dialogue he was given as the Dentist turned Bounty Hunter is perfect and Waltz sells the delivery of every single line, no matter how small it may seem. The only actor who may have out-done him ever so slightly is DiCaprio. DiCaprio has been one of the movie industry’s greatest actors since he was a kid. Constantly blowing away expectations and steering clear of being type cast of thrown into cash-grab quality projects it isn’t a surprise DiCaprio did well. What was surprising is that the actor took the role at all. The role was absolutely a good one but Calvin Candie is a straight up monster. DiCaprio has never played a character so repulsive and evil down to his core. Another complete shock in casting was Samuel L. Jackson as Stephen. Stephen is essentially Candie’s estate manager and top tier slave. The two banter as equals and Stephen seems to hold a power over Candie’s other slaves. Jackson who has proven in the past to be a solid actor lately has been a little lazy in many parts he has played. Choosing to simply play himself in a costume rather than really challenge himself. In Django, Jackson really pulled out all the stops along with the rest of the cast and did something no one has seen him do before.Django is shot so beautifully. In true Western fashion there are plenty of sprawling scenery shots and very nice establishing shots. The camera is never irritating and shots are set up so well that the audience can be totally immersed in the rest of the movie. The most amazing stylistic approach to how this was shot is that despite it being a top quality gorgeous movie it never loses its “Tarantino” flair. Fast zooms, interesting angles, and almost a 70s style feel are applied all throughout the movie in a perfect balance with new film trends and technologies. The soundtrack is equally good and equally as diverse. Music audience’s would expect in a mid 1800s set movie is mixed in with classic rock, easy listening and modern rap. Combining the elements with the flawless sets, props and wardrobes must have been a tough mixture to pull off and Tarantino does it expertly.From sitdown-shutup.netDjango Unchained is a movie with a little bit of everything. Quality cinematography, acting, directing and writing all come together to form a perfect historical action movie with a huge heart. This is certainly unlike anything Quentin Tarantino has ever done while still having all the familiarities Tarantino fans have grown to love. It is safe to say this is the director’s best work despite his very impressive resume. Hopefully Django is a sign of more great things to come not only from the director but also from the entire cast. More movies need to be as bold and more actors need to tackle roles they are not as used to being put in. The challenge clearly produces astounding results. It is no question why Django Unchained is a 2012 Best Picture nomination.

I've had a very tumultuous relationship with Quentin Tarantino's films. At first I loved him, then "Kill Bill" came out and since I had very recently gone through a Japanese film bender, had seen every single movie that Tarantino referenced in that movie and it confused me. I didn't know if he was paying homage or just ripping them off, sometimes frame for frame. Long story short I was pissed off at him for YEARS due to my own ignorance. Of course after seeing several interviews I came to realize that I'm an idiot and he just really, really loves film. He loves ALL of them. The hig hbrow, the low brow, everything. It's clear in his mind that a movie should be entertaining above all else. Here's the thing: dude knows his film history, perhaps better than any other director working right now. I don't know how he did it, but he has somehow come up with something very rare. Fun movies. I think I have mental road rash from all the hype that gets synthesized when a new "blockbuster" comes out, I watch said movie and I'm pissed off.He doesn't make blockbusters. He makes matinee style entertainment. Yet somehow, he has managed to make art. (Somebody shoot me for saying that)Quentin Tarantino has dropped that he's considering retiring. After "Basterds" and "Django" he indeed could retire and his reputation is guaranteed."Django" oozes life from the very opening frame to the closing credits. There's so much in this film to loveChristoph Waltz is again beyond amazing. His "dental wagon" with the tooth on the giant black spring is hilarious and perfect.I also have to point out his horse "Fritz". Fantastic.Jamie Foxx made possibly the smartest decision of his career by doing this movie I knew he could act, but this was beyond anything he's done before.Don Johnson knocked it out of the park.Finally, the real tough question is, who walked away with this movie; Samuel L Jackson or Leonardo Di Caprio?Both sterling actors and in this film it was like watching a 15 round heavyweight knockout fight. Holy god were they both amazing here.There's also Jonah Hill, Tom Wopat, etc.As far as the plot I can't spoil it. Just a great movie. I liked Tarantino, then I HATED him, then I came to my senses, and after "Basterds" he was my favorite person on earth and now with "Django" I'd consider under the right circumstances taking a bullet for him. Of course if Joss Whedon or Michael Bay were around I'd simply use them as a human shield..