LogFAQs > #969143496

2. Pulp Fiction (1994)
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Runtime: 2h 34m
Score: 62

Myhiot: 2
Snake: 3
Tangy: 4
rockus: 4
Poke: 4
seginus: 4
Karo: 5
John: 6
plasma: 9
ssbm: 10
Vis: 11

Snake
Its like Reservoir Dogs on crack. While I personally enjoy Reservoir Dogs relatively more reserved pace, Pulp Fiction takes what that film established and cranks it up to 11. The plot is even MORE intertwined, the dialogue filled with even more pop culture references, the soundtrack fine tuned to a sharp point, oftentimes feeling structured as a musical. The film is god damn hilarious, while shocking deaths coming at key, integral moments (and in a non-linear) fashion almost make the film seem like a fever dream.

Tangy
How the fuck is this movie as good as it is and still only Tarantinos 3rd best movie? Pulp Fiction is practically a national treasure at this point and for good reason. The dialogue alone is top notch and just feels so realistic, it establishes the good friendship between Jules and Vincent and is super entertaining. Oh yeah and thats just in the first 20 or so minutes. Then we also have the sheer brilliance of the Mia Situation, I love how it builds from an awkward friendly date to her oding on heroin. In that little 5 minute window the situation goes from one crisis being averted to an even more extreme one knocking down the door. Seriously great stuff, there is one little problem though. I hate Willis in this movie so much. Every time hes on screen the pacing just completely stops dead in its tracks and we have to listen to him talk down to his wife. I can usually get past stuff like that too, but here it just goes on forever and it doesnt help that right before this we have that boring ass taxi scene. Hes just such an unlikable character and on top of that Bruce just seems totally tuned out for most of the movie. Honestly if it wasnt for that, this would have a shot at number 2.

rockus
Tarantino making anthology films cool again, even if it doesnt appear to be an anthology film at first glance. Fresh, stylish, and endlessly quotable its easy to see how Pulp Fiction became one of the most influential films of the 1990s with tons of imitators, but none with quite the same voice as Tarantino himself.

Poke
My one gripe is that I didn't care for Butch's story. Other than that, immaculate. The Jack Rabbit Slim's scene is one of my all-time favourite scenes in cinematic history. I loved the chemistry between Vincent and Mia, the buddy duo of Vincent/Jules, the dialogue throughout.

seginus
Familiar classic, probably seen it half a dozen times now. It's undeniably stylish and quotable, unusual yet accessible enough that the cult following makes sense. It's a little worn out for me now but I still managed to find new things in it - I never noticed that when Keitel is about to spray down Vince and Jules the nozzle on the hose looks like a pistol. Just a fun little detail. I also notice with both this and Reservoir Dogs things always escalate when someone goes to the bathroom. It happens to Vince like three or four times in this! His entire arc is going to the men's room. You ever notice that? I'm thinking it's not women's feet in the suitcase, it's piss!

Karo
Tarantino's non-sequential epic featuring various unsavory characters doing underhanded deals and talking about foot massage.
In the colorful cast of characters the one who stands out the most is Jules, played to perfection by one Samuel 'Motherfucking' Jackson in a manner that defies description.
I didnt really care for the boxer's storyline. Although there wasn't anything explicitly wrong with it, it was screen time that other much better characters could have had instead.
It's Tarantino being Tarantino, it's his usual style of taking dated old things and making them not-terrible. I feel this is the kind of oddball thing you will either like or you wont, and I for one liked it.

John
you don't need me or anyone else to explain why pulp fiction is good, I mean, come on

plasma
Ive never been a Tarantino guy, so I dont worship this movie like most other cinephiles. In fact, I expected Pulp Fiction to land somewhere around my Bottom 10 when I initially saw our list. But then the rewatch happened, and the first hour-and-a-half turned out better than I remembered, particularly Travolta and Umas big date. If this entire movie consisted solely of those two sitting and chatting about five-dollar shakes, this would be a top-tier movie in my eyes.

Theres actually plenty of top-tier content in this one. The performances, the dialogue, the philosophical ideas, the unique style I like a lot of stuff here.

But where the movie falls off for me is when Travolta gets killed in the bathroom. Whether or not hes dumb enough to leave his silenced machine gun on the kitchen counter is beside the point. I simply hate the fact that he gets killed off because it marks the end of the storys linear progress.

From there, the movie delves into flashbacks where we get to see the story from new perspectives. Ill admit that this nonlinear style does add depth to the story (Not to mention, it uniquely develops the storys central theme of life vs. death by resurrecting Travolta after hes killed), but the structure leaves me feeling cheated. Yes, there are great scenes in the back-half of the movie and some laugh-out-loud moments, but that final hour nonetheless leaves me wishing the story had continued forward. B