16. The Hateful Eight

16. THE HATEFUL EIGHT

Director: Quentin Tarantino

Release date: January 14, 2016

Sure, there are some missteps in what was reverentially branded in its marketing as “The 8th Film by Director Quentin Tarantino”, but even at his most self-indulgent and heavy handed the master filmmaker’s work still towered over much of what mainstream Hollywood had to offer in 2016.

This excessively bloody and murderous tale of eight shady characters trapped in a stagecoach lodge during an aggressive blizzard, set some time after the American civil war, is another provocative showcase for Tarantino’s talents as an auteur. His sharp dialogue and flair for camera and stage direction are writ large, all captured (for those lucky enough to get to the limited screenings) in glorious 70mm Ultra Panavision.

Rich with the actors who’ve become part of Tarantino’s motley tapestry (Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Madsen, Tim Roth, Kurt Russell), The Hateful Eight caused its fair share of controversy amongst the more inane members of the PC establishment. But for more discerning pundits, it was difficult not to jump on the writer-director’s wave-length and enjoy the wild and wordy bloodshed, all set against an Academy Award-winning soundtrack by the great Ennio Morricone.

It’s not Tarantino’s finest work, and contains a very unnecessary voiceover by the man himself, but The Hateful Eight is still devilish fun.