Inglourious Basterds

Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Starring: Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, and Christoph Waltz
Directed and Written by: Quentin Tarantino
SC=4 V=10 C=8
Grade: A

I love World War II movies. While this one wasn't a normal World War Ii movie (by any means), it was still good. Tarantino definitely isn't focused on being historically accurate. He is, however, focused on making a good movie. And he does that here. I didn't like it as much as Reservoir Dogs, this one was good, too. The movie starts out in Nazi occupied France, where young Jewish refugee Shosanna Dreyfus (Melanie Laurent) witnesses the slaughter of her family by Colonel Hans Landa (Waltz). Narrowly escaping with her life, she plots her revenge several years later when German war hero Fredrick Zoller (Daniel Bruhl) takes a rapid interest in her and arranges an illustrious movie premiere at the theater she now runs. With the promise of every major Nazi officer in attendance, the event catches the attention of the "Basterds", a group of Jewish-American guerilla soldiers led by the ruthless Lt. Aldo Raine (Pitt). As the relentless executioners advance and the conspiring young girl's plans are set in motion, their paths will cross for a fateful evening that will shake the very annals of history. Also stars Michael Fassbender as a German speaking British officer sent in to help a double agent (Kruger).

Water for Elephants

Water for Elephants (2011)
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, and Christoph Waltz
Directed by: Francis Lawrence
SC=4 V=7 C=3
Grade: A+

The only reason I watched this movie was, of course, because of Robert Pattinson. He's hot, he's Edward...what's not to love? In this movie, he plays Jacob Jankoski, a man who's parents recently died in a car accident. He jumps on board a train, not knowing that this train is carrying a traveling circus called the Benzini Brothers. After being hired as a vet, he gets to know August (Waltz), the owner and leader of the circus and his wife Marlena (Witherspoon). August has an awful temper, which Jacob experiences first hand, especially after he and Marlena grow closer. After August finds an elephant to add to the show, Jacob is in even more demand, having to take care of the elephant. As the circus falls apart around him, Jacob watches as August starts to lose control and tries to keep Marlena out of harm's way.