The Hateful Eight

The Hateful Eight is more of a murder-mystery than anything else. In Tarantino's 8th film (coincidentally?) he brings in a lot of the same-old crew he loves so much: Samuel L. Jackson, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, and Kurt Russell (Lumping in Grindhouse even though it's not his) and blends them seamlessly with the excellent newcomers of Bruce Dern, Walton Goggins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Channing Tatum. The tale follows Russell, a bounty hunter known as the "Hangman" John Ruth since he brings in the accused to be hung, rather than the standard way of bringing them in dead, since it's much easier. He's travelling alone in a stage coach with Daisy Domergue, a $10,000 bounty. He comes across Sam Jackson, or former Union soldier Major Marquies Warren, and he comes aboard. With a blizzard coming they are quickly trying to make it to Minnie's Haberdashery for shelter and necessities. Roth and Warren are familiar with Minnie's and it's the last stop before Red Rock, WY, where they both intend to collect their bounties. They run into Goggins, who was a former confederate soldier and marauder who just happens to be the newly appointed Sheriff of Red Rock. He climbs aboard and they rush to Minnie's where they meet the rest of the motley crew of characters like a former confederate General (Dern), Hangman (Roth), a Mexican, and Tom Gage (Madsen). It becomes apparent someone is working to free Daisy from the Hangman and uncovering this mystery becomes a matter or life & death. Great cast, interesting story (not necessarily unique, but at least different), and a really great setting make this movie entertaining and pretty fun, though Tarantino really goes after the gross-out gore and monologues MORE than usual, which is a little unsettling and stomach churning. Bottom Line: 7.7 out of 10. It's a fun film shot in the super-rare 70mm, so it'd be interesting to see it as Tarantino intended, but it's an entertaining 165 minutes that I recommend seeing, especially if available in true 70mm in your area. Waiting until it hits rental/streaming isn't a bad option either.