Tell us what you thought of 'Django Unchained'
Quentin Tarantino's latest hits theaters this holiday
"Django Unchained"
Credit: The Weinstein Company
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If you listened to the top 10 podcast or read through the subsequent column, you know very well what I think of Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained." It is perhaps for me his best work since "Jackie Brown" and easily one of the year's best films. And it's hitting screens this holiday with a lot of anticipation built-up and ready to pop. So here's your space to tell us what you thought of the film, so rifle off your take here when/if you get a chance to see it, and feel free to rate it above.
Kristopher Tapley has covered the film awards landscape for over a decade. He founded In Contention in 2005. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Times of London and Variety. He begs you not to take any of this too seriously.
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2012-2013 OSCAR PREDICTIONS
UPDATED: FEB 25, 2013
Best Picture
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actor
Best Supporting Actress
Best Adapted Screenplay
Best Original Screenplay
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Best Costume Design
Best Film Editing
Best Makeup And Hairstyling
Best Original Score
Best Original Song
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Best Sound Editing
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupGunnar Rehlin
December 25, 2012 at 6:09AM EST Reply to CommentI totally agree. Funny, thought provoking, great action, and of course Chrstoph Waltz. Saw it more than a week ago, looking forward to see it again.
Gunnar rehlin
Paul Outlaw
December 25, 2012 at 2:36PM EST Reply to CommentProblematic, bloated, intermittently entertaining. Favorite DiCaprio & Foxx performances in years. Great role for Jackson, but it's not really the "return to form" (in terms of his acting) it's being touted as.
Laura Stewart Totally agree with you re: Jackson. He's basically reenacting his twitter feed. I found him more obnoxious than entertaining. DiCaprio needed more screen time... totally disagree with Anne about how there was "too" much of him.
December 25, 2012 at 11:26PM ESTHoustonRufus Agree with your overall assessment. Glad I wasn't the only one. Was starting to feel like the only one.
December 31, 2012 at 12:12AM ESTKelly Garrett
December 25, 2012 at 4:20PM EST Reply to CommentLoved this movie. Waltz and Jackson steal the show.
Tye-Grr
December 25, 2012 at 8:35PM EST Reply to CommentJust watched it this morning in a packed theater (first showing). I loved it. It's one of Tarantino's best, and as of right now it's my favorite film of the year. What an incredible cast, each doing very fine work. Foxx was great. Waltz is tremendous, delivering Tarantino's dialogue as if he were born to do so. Jackson is hilarious! The whole theater was very responsive to his character. And Leonardo DiCaprio hasn't been this fun in a long time, relishing his chance to play a villainous character and absolutely nailing it. Waltz and DiCaprio are Oscar worthy. I can't wait to go see this again.
mccommas
December 25, 2012 at 9:58PM EST Reply to CommentI was at a packed theatre Christmas morning celebrating another Tarantino masterpiece. Easily one of the year's best. Lets hope this talk of retirement is simply that, talk. Cinema is better when Tarantino is making films.
Jeff Smith
December 25, 2012 at 10:28PM EST Reply to CommentI like it, I did not love it. Every scene with Waltz was thoroughly enjoyabe, but I feel like the movie lagged in pace at certain times. Normally in Tarentino films, the dialouge can still keep pace but mainly in the second half, parts dragged. The theater was like 25% at 4 in the afternoon on Christmas. I am looking forward to seeing it again down the road, but I was not blown away by it, like how Ingloious Basterds left me.
Free
December 25, 2012 at 10:29PM EST Reply to CommentWow. WOW! Not sure how long it's been since a film had me buzzing about it three hours after seeing it. I was very nervous about how this would turn out, but I have to say, if I was running the Oscars, Best Picture & Best Director go to this film. Tarantino's best. Ever. There, I said it. Engaging, funny, disturbing, exhilarating. Best ensemble cast of the year. Hands down. Foxx, Waltz, DiCaprio, Jackson and even Don Johnson ALL deserve Oscar nods in my opinion. Wow.
Laura Stewart
December 25, 2012 at 11:24PM EST Reply to CommentLoved it! DiCaprio and Waltz are the clear standouts. I hope both get nominated... Fighter style. I don't really get all the love for Jackson- he's entertaining in parts but not nearly as delightful as watching DiCaprio play such a wretched creature. Waltz really earned sympathy points from me. He is wickedly talented. Tarantino should NEVER EVER EVER cameo in a film again... wtf was that accent?! All in all- I hope this one is nominated for Best Pic.
Brock Landers Australian.
December 26, 2012 at 2:22AM ESTLaura Stewart It was half Australian, half southern twang, half Tarantino jibberish. AWFUL.
December 26, 2012 at 2:32PM ESTBrock Landers He had like 2 lines. Relax.
December 26, 2012 at 2:33PM ESTCaptainCanada I thought it was supposed to be silly.
December 27, 2012 at 4:44PM ESTChris138 Honestly, I thought Tarantino's cameo in Pulp Fiction was worse than the one he had in Django Unchained.
January 2, 2013 at 2:15PM ESTawed
December 26, 2012 at 1:32AM EST Reply to CommentYes
Brock Landers
December 26, 2012 at 2:27AM EST Reply to CommentIt's the best film of the year. It's depressing to think that something as completely dull as Lincoln is going to be sweeping awards while Django probably gets nothing.
Tommy Lee Jones winning over DiCaprio, Waltz or Jackson will be a joke.
Brock Landers Sasha Stone can quit her chirping about Lincoln being the highest grossing BP nominee. Les Mis and Django (if it gets nominated) are on pace to destroy it.
December 26, 2012 at 2:32AM ESTGautam @ Brock
December 26, 2012 at 4:13AM ESTRightly said. Django and Les Mis are going to make loads of money. Django infact received an ovation at the theatre where I saw it.
AdamA If Leo gets nommed, I don't see how he loses--up against 4 past winners, with his resume? The nom seems like his biggest challenge at this point.
December 26, 2012 at 1:55PM ESTLaura Stewart Love for Leo to win- but highly doubtful. Nom would be a win at this point. I'd be happy with PSH. But Leo would be well deserved.
December 26, 2012 at 2:33PM ESTHoustonRufus I actually favor Lincoln over Django for picture. But I totally agree about DiCaprio. He deserves to win.
December 30, 2012 at 11:48PM ESTGautam
December 26, 2012 at 4:11AM EST Reply to CommentLoved the film.
Extraordinary Musical Score and brilliant performances turn the film into a rock show. My full opinion on Django Unchained ..
http://cinemaconfessions.blogspot.com/2012/12/movie-review-django-unchained.html
winston
December 26, 2012 at 6:36AM EST Reply to Commenttoo fucking long! however i did like it. if anything Samuel L. Jackson and Leonardo Dicaprio were the standouts for me!!
winston
December 26, 2012 at 6:38AM EST Reply to Commenti thought the movie was too fuc*ing long...but i did enjoy it.
i thought the standouts were Samuel L. Jackson and Leonardo Dicaprio for sure!!
HoustonRufus That was one of my primary beefs with the film. The Candie land scenes needed some serious trimming. I found myself thinking "this movies is way too long" and I rarely think that in a Tarantino movie.
December 30, 2012 at 11:50PM ESTIamthenewblack
December 26, 2012 at 10:09AM EST Reply to CommentI really loved this movie. My only criticism would be the length. It did not feel long but I thought it could have ended in several different places. coming out of the movie, the thing that surprises me the most is the lack of enthusiasm for Foxx's performance. He is the anchor of the movie. His journey, his aura/persona really as Django really loomed large. Maybe critics cannot relate to the character?. I find it interesting that the one character who poses the biggest threat to the slave/plantation structure in the movie is the one really without any notices. hmm. DiCaprio and Jackson were great also.
Paul8148 Foxx kills it in the flash back screnes where they whipping his wife
December 26, 2012 at 1:50PM ESTKyle J.
December 26, 2012 at 2:45PM EST Reply to CommentJust got back from seeing it. How in the hell is DiCaprio not the frontrunner to win the Supporting Actor Oscar?
Sean I second this. His scene with the skull is what sealed it for me. Absolute Dead silence in the theatre. Terrifying performance and one of the best of his career.
December 26, 2012 at 3:10PM ESTLUX DiCaprio can´t become a frontrunner because American critics´ groups would rather award Tommy Wiseau than Jack Dawson.
December 26, 2012 at 4:11PM ESTKyle J. Agreed, Sean. The skull scene sealed it for me too. I think that was the best scene in the movie. I don't think it was in the original draft of the script, so it was an awesome addition for Tarantino to make to the story. DiCaprio really unhinged himself for this one. It's possibly my favorite performance of his now (along with Gilbert Grape, Blood Diamond, and The Departed).
December 26, 2012 at 4:20PM ESTTengo Really hope he gets nominated. It's crazy to me that he didn't get nominated for Revolutionary Road or J. Edgar.
December 26, 2012 at 10:51PM ESTHoustonRufus Agreed. I've never seen him so completely immersed in character. He is despicable in the movie. I honestly didn't know he had it in him. And I say that as a big fan.
December 31, 2012 at 12:14AM ESTM Harris
December 26, 2012 at 5:19PM EST Reply to CommentSaw Django yesterday and liked it a lot. Top notch writing; and for all the well deserved hype surrounding the characther's played by Jackson, Waltz and Dicaprio; Jamie foxx's performance ranked right up there.
It wasn't a "Showy" but subtle. Especially through the first three quaters of the movie. The only minor complant that I had was that I though it could have done without the last 15 to 20 minutes of the film.
If it was tightned up just a little more I would have considered it a masterpiece.
Tengo Agree completely. Thought it was a masterpiece right up until the last 15 or so minutes, not that they were bad. Definitely could have done without Tarantino's cameo, as explosive as it was.
December 26, 2012 at 10:53PM ESTM Harris
December 26, 2012 at 5:26PM EST Reply to CommentWrite a comment...
It wasn't a showy performance I meant. In refrence to Foxx.
kb
December 26, 2012 at 7:44PM EST Reply to CommentIt nearly had as many endings as Lord of the Rings: Return of the King.
Mykill
December 27, 2012 at 1:31AM EST Reply to CommentI loved it! It made me immediately want to go back and rewatch it - this time at a matinee screening that (hopefully) won't have as much people there. I enjoyed seeing it at sold out screening, but the rudeness of audiences nowadays is appalling and it is hard to enjoy a film with so many distractions (cell phones, loud eating, talking nonstop, etc.) When I see it again, I'm sure I will get more out of it.
I was surprised how much I enjoyed Jamie Foxx in this. I haven't really enjoyed much of his work (besides Collateral - which I loved), but he was really low-key in a cool way. And he totally sold the bad ass vengeful killer at the end. I also enjoyed Christoph Waltz a lot, but for a lot of it he just seemed to be playing a more restrained Hans Landa - that is until he made it to Candieland and his performance really picked up from there. I absolutely loved both Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson in this movie. In a perfect world, they would both be nominated in supporting, but I realize it will be a miracle if even one of them gets in...
Also, it goes without saying in a QT film, but the soundtrack was fucking perfect. I hope at least one of the original songs gets nominated at the Oscars. All in all, I think it deserves a spot in the best picture lineup, just to shake it up and not make the nominees too highbrow...
Al
December 27, 2012 at 2:53AM EST Reply to CommentIts interesting how Basterds on a whole (not just the obvious opening scenes) really captures the spaghetti western spirit a hell of a lot more then Django did. There was a lot of energy, passion, and poppy characters who were fleshed out no matter the size of their role. Thats how you do spaghetti, something Tarantinos actually done in almost every movie, and here (of all places) that sadly seemed missing.
This all sounds too negative, I really did enjoy the movie, but I think I could have loved with Menke. And no, its not just knowing of her passing or the editing woos (that was something I was hoping I could defend leading up to the film) but each scene felt like it was missing just a little something, a kind of punctuation that Sally bought to scenes. It just wasnt snappy.
My only other gripe would be Jamie Foxx. He was acceptable, but can you imagine Idris Elba delivering those lines? We'd have a best picture winner. That would have made all the difference.
And now for something positive, QTs cameo was not near as bad as everyone says.
cineJAB I remember when Idris Elba was in talks for this. Intriguing.
December 27, 2012 at 6:46AM ESTcineJAB
December 27, 2012 at 6:49AM EST Reply to CommentThis was so different from my favorite Tarantino films (Basterds, Pulp Fiction) in that it followed one plot rather than jumping between a few. I adored all of the performances in this film, but for some reason the work as a whole was great but not excellent. If I'm the academy I give this 4 or 5 acting nods (in order of necessity:DiCaprio, Washington, Foxx, Waltz, Jackson), but it's almost definitely not one of my favorite movies of the year.
janis ellis
December 27, 2012 at 3:15PM EST Reply to CommentDjango Unchained..my initial reaction & comment...WOW! Never a dull moment, gripping, thought provoking, sometimes erie. I walked out of the theater with a feeling of relief but victory and a mixture of emotions. Yes it pays homage, but it is for mature audiences only because of the breath-holding violence and indecency of slavery. My husband rarely is interested, but not once did he snooze on this movie. He watched it and enjoyed it, and found it quite moving. It is a must-see movie and should get an Academy Award. Foxx is incredible, Jackson is shamefully incredible, and DiCaprio shamefully incredible also. It is a moving and riveting film.
CaptainCanada
December 27, 2012 at 4:52PM EST Reply to CommentThe movie lived up to one of my biggest hopes: that Tarantino could get something new out of Samuel L. Jackson, who's been phoning it in for years (the "it" being "variants of his work in Pulp Fiction"). Fitting, I suppose, since Tarantino helped create Jackson's cinematic persona.
MrCampfires
December 27, 2012 at 8:43PM EST Reply to CommentI walked out when the dogs tore apart the slave. This movie is not about slavery; and its not about revenge. It's about showing as much violence as possible to make a buck. Holywood should be ashamed.
cineJAB if you'd have stayed you would have seen that this scene was not a one-off, and that it is referred to at least once after as a despicable act. You might also have noticed that this scene of violence was most definitely more realistic then any other violence in the movie because it was supposed to have more of an impact. I'd say that's manipulative, for sure, but if you didn't stay to see the impact of this scene on Dr. Schultz then I'm not surprised you have the opinion about this movie that you have.
December 28, 2012 at 2:28AM ESTFishermen
December 27, 2012 at 9:03PM EST Reply to CommentI walked out when the dogs tore apart the slave. You can't justify this as an anti-slavery film. Slavery is dispicable, that is self evident. Its not even a believable revenge story. No; this movie is about making money off violence. Hollywood is hypicritical and this movie proves it.
RichardZ
December 28, 2012 at 12:33PM EST Reply to CommentEntertaining to watch but it could have been more serious. The topic deserves a more thoughtful treatment.
ttr Why should it be more serious? It's a Tarantino film. They're never that serious. Steve McQeen's Twelve Years a Slave will be that movie.
December 29, 2012 at 6:46PM ESTJLPatt
December 28, 2012 at 5:56PM EST Reply to CommentIt's okay. Intermittently entertaining is definitely the right line. Gory, exciting action flanking a rather aloof film, with scenes that don't build in much of a dramatic fashion. I guess people like it because it's a revenge fantasy with Minority Empowerment a big component, but even then it just feels too inconsequential to really bring weight to the topic at hand. Tarantino's done much better.
ttr The climactic dinner scene didn't build in dramatic fashion?
December 29, 2012 at 6:47PM ESTI call bullshit.
JLPatt One of the few parts that does, but the moment comes too late. By that time my interest was waning.
December 29, 2012 at 6:57PM ESTHoustonRufus Sort of agree.
December 30, 2012 at 11:53PM ESTHoustonRufus
December 30, 2012 at 6:02PM EST Reply to CommentI'm a big Tarantino fan and expected to love this movie. I'm kind of surprised at my reaction. I liked it. I enjoyed it for the most part. Terrific performances, especially DiCaprio. But I didn't like it as much as I wanted to like it. Literally just left the theater, so still processing. Many of the things I love about his films were there, the singular style, surprise actors, fantastic soundtrack, great detail. But for some reason, this one probably isn't going to land on my personal top 10. Sorry to say.
Chris138
January 1, 2013 at 8:52PM EST Reply to CommentAs someone who tends to admire Tarantino's work more than actually enjoy it (with the exception of Pulp Fiction - a great film) I thought it was pretty magnificent. In fact, I'd say this is his best work since Pulp Fiction and the only other movie that I can say I really loved. It's not perfect; the editing is strangely unfocused at times and the film feels a little boated here and there, but I haven't been this entertained by a Tarantino flick in years. Everyone was superb, especially Waltz and Jackson. DiCaprio and Foxx were strong as well. Kerry Washington felt a little underused but she still did a good job with what she had. Easily one of the best movies from 2012.
Kate
January 19, 2013 at 2:34AM EST Reply to CommentI finally saw this. I wasn't sure whether to comment here or try to start a conversation on one of the Roundup articles.
Has anyone called Tarantino out on the bullshit depiction of the female slaves, specifically the "ponies"? Maybe this was just my reaction, but I felt like he was trying to pass them off as 19th century versions of escorts or Playboy bunnies. That's more than problematic when the real history of slavery is filled with sexual violence and reports of "breeding".