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You Just Got Django-ed

Slave revenge meets spaghetti western in post-modern filmmaker Quentin Tarantino's brutal ride/comedy of the races Django Unchained. Django (Jamie Foxx), now broken from the chains of slavery after being freed by Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), sets off across America's Deep South with the German bounty hunter. The two rebels are on a mission to rescue Django's wife (Kerry Washington) from the unforgettable plantation owner Calvin Candie who runs Candyland, played by no other than Leonardo DiCaprio. DiCaprio sinks his spurs into his Candie, silencing the audience in fear of his wrath during the scene at Candyland which is the most memorable of the film. Tarantino takes his time with each scene, and this is why the viewer remains attentive throughout. The running time is non-existent when the layout is so smooth. Django has many of the Western genre staples, including rural long shots, the outlaw underdog, a quest for justice, and a final showdown (slightly more blood than a John Wayne flick). Christoph Waltz plays the charismatic bounty hunter with so much conviction and delight, it seems no other actor can simply roll Tarantino's dialogue off their tongue with such precision. Not casting Will Smith as Django was a wise choice, as Jamie Foxx succeeds in playing Django with a quiet conviction. Tarantino's films seem to progressively be more appealing to the masses. Now, Tarantino did not set off to do a Roots: revisited picture about slavery - he made a genre film that deals with America's brutal past through his expertise comedic dialogue, along with breathtaking Western shots which evoke a close realness, and dynamite performances from DiCaprio and Waltz (both nominated for Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe's). Tarantino's historical revenge trilogy started with the Nazi-killing Inglourious Basterds, now the slave-unleashed-on white man Django Unchained, and possibly in 2014 'Killer Crow' which deals with Apache revenge. Django is not as glorious as Inglourious, but you should still get your Tennessee honey and mosey on down to Candyland for a true entertaining experience...and also to get Django-ed.

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