Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Wow!! It seems like it’s been ages since I saw and wrote a movie review, but in reality it’s only been 3 weeks. I hope this is the only 3 week drought for me for the remainder of the year. It seems that this July has been a surprisingly very dismal month for movies. Let’s hope August is more promising.

Quentin Tarantino is back with his ninth movie with a story set in LA in the late 60’s into the early 70’s. One of the leading characters in the movie is Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) who happens to be a former Western TV Series Star and his long time stunt double and driver Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Both men are struggling to make it in a Hollywood environment that they no longer recognize. Rick finds out he has a very famous neighbor…Sharon Tate. The story unfolds from there…

This movie is painfully long. I had no idea it would be 2 hours and 39 minutes. The story drags a bit, but there is a little bit of everything in this movie. There are parts that will make you yawn, parts that will make you laugh and parts that will make you sit up in your seat. The movie contains fiction as well as historical facts about Hollywood in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Quentin Tarantino has been known for making long satires, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is no exception.

This is a 3 ½ Star Movie!!

Danny Collins

Based loosely on a true story, an aging 70’s rocker Danny Collins (Al Pacino) continues to live the fast life of an entertainer, but when his manager presents him with a Birthday gift that is an undelivered hand-written letter from John Lennon, after reading the letter Danny decides to clean up his act and chart a new course by attempting to mend some fences related to his estranged son and find a new love.
The story unfolds from there…

The story is witty, entertaining and engaging. Al Pacino keeps the story moving. This is probably Al Pacino’s best performance in years.
The only problem is that the movie ends a bit abruptly. You are sort of left hanging.

Only open in limited-release; “Danny Collins” is definitely worth a look.

This is a 3 1/2 Star Movie!