Once Upon a Time in Mexico

Ok, lets settle things straight up. No messing about. This movie rocks.

I went in thinking to myself "This could be really cool or this could suck: Either way I'm gonna enjoy it". It blew me away! I was lost in it.

2 friends who were both directors did movies that were homages to Asian cinema. One of them (Kill Bill) was quite good. The other, this one, was simply breathtaking.

OUATIM (As it shall henceforth be called) is both a homage to Asian cinema (Particularly to HK movies) and, more importantly, a Mexican movie, embracing a stylized Mexico that probably doesn't, hasn't and never will exist. It manages to carry off its salute without diluting its own originality. (I suspect many film-goers will never even click that there is a link. That is OK. Us fanboys see it.) There is also a healthy serving of "Spaghetti Western" in there.

I fear that many people who see this movie won't "grok" it. They won't understand why it looks like it does. The movie looks gritty, rough cut and dirty. This is called an effect, folks! Not everything that is pristine cut is good. (IMDB comments seems to reflect this)

In his attempts to take movies to new directions and create his own style, Rodriguez has realized something so many directors miss. Cinema is art. You don't have to make your movie glossy and slick to get it to work. (Don't forget Rodriguez shot this on Digital, so any graniness has been post processed in)

By deliberately working to a rough cut, grainy look, the viewer already feels a sense of unease, or even imperfection. These people aren't nice. Their world is dirty and rough. There is nothing clean or smooth about them.

Beautiful!