Inglorious Basterds – 4 stars
Inglourious Basterds. I was teed up to hate this picture, given how juvenile and overpraised Quenton Tarantino’s last pictures were (the Kill Bills, and the truly execrable drive-in homage). Those pictures were the toasts of critics yet proved virtually unwatchable. But this is a clever and exciting popcorn film, anchored by the actor who plays the primary Nazi baddie (Chris Walz). Great fun – the shootout scene in the French cafe basement is one of the most tense and exciting I’ve ever scene. A worthy Best Picture nominee.