Netflix Instant: Pulp Fiction and The Future

Quentin Tarantino's 1994 "Pulp Fiction," one of the most influential movies ever made, is now on Netflix Instant. As with many Tarantino flicks, "Pulp Fiction" unfolds non-linearly (but it's not as jumbled as one might expect having become accustomed to this device with more recent films, e.g., "Memento"). Pumpkin (Tim Roth) and Honey Bunny (Amanda Plummer) eat a late breakfast at a diner. They decide to rob it. The credits roll. Much earlier that day, Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta, who play two L.A. mobsters, are on their way to make a hit for their boss Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames). They discuss many things in fast and witty Tarantino dialogue. Chiefly, they discuss a rumor that Marsellus Wallace threw a dude out of a window for giving his wife---Mia (Uma Thurman)---a mere foot massage. When they get to the site, Samuel L. Jackson's character makes the hit after reciting Ezekiel 25:17. Later in the afternoon in a empty cocktail bar, boxer Butch (Bruce Willis) accepts money from Marsellus to throw a fight. And so begins a story with a lurid subject matter. When I first watched this film, I was blown away as it was as novel to me then as it was to the film world in 1994. I still really like it---it's my 5th favorite Tarantino piece---but I admit it's lost some of its luster for me over the years. Some sequences---especially the one involving bondage and rape---now seem to me to be acts of desperation on the part of an immature filmmaker. And though I can generally laugh about Tarantino's acting (I actually liked him in last year's "Django Unchained"), "Pulp Fiction" must feature the worst acting from Tarantino. Many critics place this as the number one film of the year and/or decade, whereas I would say films like Wong Kar-Wai's "Chungking Express," Kieslowski's "Red" and "White," or Bela Tarr's "Satantango" (depending on my mood) easily take the cake for 1994. Even films like Terry Zwigoff's "Crumb" and Tim Burton's "Ed Wood" continue to radiate upon reviewing better than "Pulp Fiction." Still, "Pulp Fiction" is a wonderful film that cannot be missed by any one up for adventurous film-making. The film is especially fun for film-lovers because of its references to other films such as "Band of Outsiders," "Deliverance," and "Deer Hunter" to name only a few. I had the pleasure to finally see it in theaters during the "20 years of Tarantino" celebration last year. The glorious long takes and pop-literate conversations were all the more engaging. It made me think that "Pulp Fiction" should only be seen on the big screen. But, alas, that's difficult or near impossible for most. Hey, at least there's Netflix!

Miranda July's 2011 "The Future," starring Miranda July and Hamish Linklater, is also streaming on Netflix this weekend. To use an overly used word to describe this kind of movie: "The Future" is a quirky little film. It has something like the feel of a Wes Anderson film with a touch of magical realism. The premise is quite silly but fun. Sophie (July) and Jason (Linklater) are two 35 year olds of a four year relationship in L.A. They're used to each other but seem to fit together like hand in glove. They decide to adopt Paw Paw (who occasionally narrates the story), an injured cat at a local shelter, in a month. They do a little bit of weird reasoning (“We’re 35 now ... by the time the cat dies, we’ll be 40 ... and 40 might as well be 50 ... and after that, spare change.” “Spare change?” “Less than a dollar---not enough to get anything you want …”) and come to the conclusion that this is the last month of real living that they have in their future. So they decide to drop everything and do whatever the universe tells them to do instead (they're better at this than Tobias from "Arrested Development" in that they actually seem to pay attention to the signs). All of the characters are, shall we say, a little off, but it's a treat to let July take us on her ride. She creates her own world, and, in that world, examines love, time, and death. In this regard it's not unlike Terrence Malick's "Tree of Life," which also came out that year. Though "The Future" is not as successful as "Tree of Life" in its meditation on such heavy themes. Some plot parallels and themes are not emphasized enough, I think, and, moreover, there isn't a core to hang on to like childhood in Malick's film. It's difficult to become emotionally engaged with the couple as they are mostly seen doing things independently of each other. There's enough there to infer the stakes and the love in their relationship. I just don't think it's enough for the kind of emotional impact needed to make "The Future" a lasting experience like "Tree of Life." The ending is perfect though. July's subtlety is much appreciated. It leaves open both how we should feel about the couple's future and their relationship and the interpretation of how Sophie and Jason feel about their future and relationship. I've seen both of Miranda July's films (the other being "Me and You and Everyone We Know," which I will review someday), and I must say that I look forward to her next film. She's a fresh new female voice that is much needed on the contemporary movie-scape. Give this film a whirl on Netflix Instant!