A Review of “Grindhouse”
By Ben Kolton

It has been a long time since I have seen a really fun movie that makes me want to go back and watch it a few more times to catch things I missed the first time. The last film to do that was “Brick.” Now a new film or should I say two new films have taken its place. “Grindhouse” is the new double feature from shock director buddies Robert Rodriguez (Desperado) and Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction). Now the two are back to back with the recreation of their favorite genre.

“Grindhouse” is classified as a double feature from the 70’s that is exploitive films showing hardcore violence and hardcore sexual content. The first film Planet Terror is Rodriguez throwback to the old zombie films like Dawn of the Dead or Fulci’s Zombie. The thing that works the best about this film is that it is the best of all Zombie films with none of the boring subplots added in. Cherry (Rose McGowan) and El Wray (Freddy Rodriguez are estranged lovers who are some of the few survivors of a massive outbreak of flesh eating virus that not only disfigures but turns humans cannibalistic. While the survivors try to navigate their way through the Hell ridden town where the zombies lurk. Throughout the film there are plenty of gross out moments as well as laugh out moments. One of the best parts of the film are the great little performances like Josh Brolin, Michael Parks, Michael Biehn and the crazy babysitter twins.

Now after Planet Terror comes “Death Proof.” Tarantino has the better of the two films. “Death Proof” concerns a bunch of women enjoying a Saturday night out on the town when the girls encounter a man (Kurt Russell) who goes by the name of Stuntman Mike a man who likes to stalk women and kill them in his car which for him is 100% Death Proof. The reason Death Proof outshines Planet Terror is that while Rodriguez movie is a very visual film, Tarantino’s not only shows but tells equally as well. The conversation in Death proof feels much more interesting and not so interrupted by the non-stop action so that when action does occur in Death Proof you feel ready for it and it feels well placed. The other thing Tarantino does well is that even after the first run in with the girls and then you meet the other girls you almost forget that Russell is the main focus of the film because you are so interested in the conversation which also proves that he is equally good at writing for women as he is for men.

Now for all those who haven’t seen the movie yet there are a couple of things you need to know about the movie. One thing is that the film will look very beat up and scratched so don’t get up and go complain to the first guy you see working the door that is how it is supposed to look. Next when “Planet Terror” ends don’t get up to leave because it is an intermission but you won’t want to miss the fake trailers that happen between the two films. Each one is directed by a big name director in Hollywood. The first is by Rodriguez and is titled, “Machete” and is rumored to be coming straight to video. The next is “Werewolf Women of the S.S.” which is written and directed by Rob Zombie. The third is written by Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) and is called “Don’t.” The last trailer is the best of all of them and is written and directed by Eli Roth (Hostel) and is titled, “Thanksgiving” which looks the most real and is completely hysterical. So whatever you have to do buy beg or sneak into this once in a lifetime treat and catch two cool movies for the price of one.