The Hateful Eight

— Quentin Tarantino films have their own look, a sort of violent whimsy, that can be a little disconcerting. Isn’t it wrong to grin, perhaps to smile, at spurting blood? In “The Hateful Eight”, it’s hard not to laugh for just a second a couple of times. In many ways, the film looks like a stage play and the dialogue’s a little more stilted or dramatic than in "normal" films. It’s divided into chapters instead of acts, but all the action takes place in or around a stage coach or inside a way station where the players take refuge from a snowstorm. Through it all, the playful dialogue shines as stories are told, threats are issued, and suspicions arise. The actors are good, the lines are witty, and the plot is Tarantino’s own version of “Clue”. Once it gets going, it’s hard not to try to figure out how it will end. I liked it a lot, although not as much as Tarantino’s two previous films (“Django Unchained” and “Inglorious Basterds”). Even if it isn’t quite up to par, it’s still a lot better than many directors can do on their best day.

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[2015. 187 min. Directed by Quentin Tarantino. Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Demian Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, and Bruce Dern.]
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/25/movies/review-quentin-tarantinos-the-hateful-eight-blends-verbiage-and-violence.html