Whose “Nat-see” Flic Is Better?
We haven’t seen Inglourious Basterds yet (we only watch movies when they make it to “P.J. theatre”), but we have seen Valkyrie, which came out on DVD and Blu-ray back in May – and arrived quickly thereafter at our favorite venue.
With Tom Cruise starring and Usual Suspects director Bryan Singer behind the camera, we found Valkyrie to be a solid, if not spectacular, effort. It was well-written (you can thank fellow Suspects alum Christopher McQuarrie for that), the cinematography was golden and Cruise and his fellow cast members delivered strong performances. Also, the movie flowed with just the right balance of action, drama and suspense from start to finish.
Valkyrie also portrayed the failed July 20, 1944 coup against Adolf Hitler with unflinching historical accuracy – which included shooting on original locations. In fact, the actors who played the famous conspirators were “shot” on the very spot where their real-life counterparts were slain.
We suspect Basterds will be another solid World War II film, particularly given the collaboration of Brad Pitt in the lead role and Quentin Tarantino directing.
Clearly, Pitt thinks so.
From People …
“The second World War could still deliver more stories and films, but I believe that Quentin [Tarantino, director] put a cover on that pot. With Basterds, everything than can be said to this genre has been said,” Pitt tells the German magazine Stern. “The film destroys every symbol. The work is done, end of story.”
Wow.
Not content with tooting his own horn, though, Pitt also slammed Valkyrie, calling the movie “ridiculous.”
Aside from the ticket-selling “tit” (we assume Cruise will respond with some DVD-selling “tat”), we have to take issue with Pitt’s overgenerous assessment of his film’s merits.
Again, we haven’t seen Basterds yet, but frankly it’s going to have to go a long way in our book if it hopes to rival even more recent World War II films like Saving Private Ryan, Der Untertang, Schindler’s List or The Pianist.
Other WWII epics? What about Empire of the Sun? A Bridge Too Far? Or Patton, for crying out loud.
We also like Tora! Tora! Tora!, Kelly’s Heroes, When Trumpets Fade, The Longest Day, and The Bridge on the River Kwai.
Advance praise for Basterds is through the roof, and it may really be “that good” … but is it “close out a genre” good?
We doubt it …
Comments
By Doyle on August 22nd, 2009 at 8:08 pm
How about “The Dirty Dozen” and “The Great Escape”?
By BIN News on August 22nd, 2009 at 10:12 pm
sic(k) willie. The original inglourious bastard.
By Yella Bellied Coward on August 23rd, 2009 at 12:24 am
Patton will always take the cake in this genre, with Saving Private Ryan a distant second… and though it isn’t a movie, I would have to say Band of Brothers is a close third.
WWII movies never get old, and it is a testament to those who gave of themselves that their work is deserving of great films 60+ years after their return from battle. God Bless that generation for literally saving the world.
By Technology on August 23rd, 2009 at 6:10 am
That doesn’t sound like Brad. It will probably turn out to be a lie.
By political hack on August 23rd, 2009 at 10:47 am
They need to make a modern movie about World War I, but make it well, so we really know how far we really haven’t advanced as a civilized society.
Don’t let Michael Bay get ahold of any historical war movie, Pearl Harbor was utter garbage.
Nod goes to the Dirty Dozen.
By People soo STUPID on August 24th, 2009 at 1:49 pm
We all know that Bard would not say that about Tom Cruise. I’ve seen Valkyrie and I went to see Inglourious Bastards. Two completely different movies, each were great movies in my opinion. The media loves to kick up dirt or even create dirt where it never even existed.
Has anyone seen Tom Cruise official blog? Found it on Tom Cruise official website http://www.TomCruise.com.