‘The Hunger Games’: Never Go See a Teen-Targeted Film on Opening Weekend

I saw The Hunger Games on opening night yesterday which was probably a big mistake. It wasn’t a mistake seeing the movie itself, because it was actually a very good and faithful adaptation of the novel. It feels wrong to say that I enjoyed it because it’s such a disturbing story about children killing children, but as a Hunger Games fan, I appreciated it. Jennifer Lawrence was fantastic, as always, and more than carried the film with her powerful on-screen presence. 

However, I do have two points to make. One, do yourself a favour and never go see a preteen-targeted film when it’s first released, because anytime a boy appears on-screen and there’s anything even remotely romantic, there will be unwarranted amounts of squealing and shrieking, which is not only very annoying, it ruins the mood. So whether you’re Teem Peeta or Teem Gale, shut the hell up because amidst all of the oohing and aahing, dialogue gets lost.

Two, it was extremely disturbing to witness a theatre full of children cheering when the so-called villainous tributes were killed. Yes, there was actual clapping when children were being slain onscreen. Obviously there’s been a disconnect of sorts between what author Suzanne Collins intended and how the audience was reacting. It seems like the audience kind of got lost in the drama of it all and forgot that the story is about how unjust and wrong the Hunger Games are. It’s supposed to show that no matter who is being killed, it’s horrific and sad to subject children to murder for sport. But somehow the movie audience was doing exactly what the Capital’s residents were – getting off on watching kids killing kids.

Demián Bichir Breaks Hearts in 'A Better Life'

A Better Life, a film about a Mexican gardener living in East LA, does a great job of bringing attention to a considerable cultural issue among immigrants. The so-called ‘melting pot’, celebrated in the United States as something meant to eliminate cultural differences, does more to make kids resent their cultural individualism, something so wonderfully highlighted in A Better Life. The relationship between single father Carlos, played by Demián Bichir, and his teenage son, to be honest, kind of broke my heart. Carlos spends the film slaving away to make something of himself for the sole purpose of providing opportunities for his son in America, opportunities that don’t include joining a gang or dropping out of high school. All the while, his son Luis lazily slacks around the house and gets into trouble whenever he does choose to go to school.

As a first generation Canadian, I know and understand the struggle to maintain your cultural individualism while attempting to ‘fit in’ and mould into a Canadian. It’s tough – especially with parents who’ve sacrificed so much to give you a better life in a more secure country. So it hits home, and Demián Bichir’s performance was more than deserving of his Oscar nod.

Oh, and remember when he was Nancy Botwin's spank-buddy slash Mexican drug lord husband Esteban on Weeds?! Yeah, couldn't believe the transformation either.

Week 2 - Killer Elite

Filmofilia.com

Number 2 on my 52 weeks of DVDs from eOne Entertainment, Killer Elite is perfect for adrenaline junkies who enjoy an excess of explosions, a well-choreographed-but-unrealistic fight sequence, and Jason Statham (you know, that Transporter guy who seems to be in every action flick being released these days). Also starring the iconic (yup, I said it) Robert DeNiro, Clive Owen, and Prison Break fans should recognize a much furrier Lincoln Burrows (Dominic Purcell) with a cute little Aussie accent.

In a memorable scene, Clive Owen (who's handcuffed), Jason Statham (who's tied to a chair), and a third party, have this one-on-one-on-one fight that is jaw-droppingly cool but at the same time, impossibly ridiculous and completely unbelievable. But whatever, it is what it is, which is an action film with punches to spare. It's not deep and it definitely isn't Shakespeare but I liked it. Not a bad way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

I Won!

I got an early Christmas present this year when I, a self-proclaimed movie addict, won a contest from Canadian film distributor eOne Entertainment, that to be honest, I can't even remember entering. What I won is one free DVD a week, for a year, so basically, 52 DVDs. To say that I was excited was an understatement. Those of you who know me are aware of my constantly-growing collection of DVDs and Blu-Rays, and that I relish the thought of filling more and more shelves (even if the same people taunt me about my collection eventually becoming obsolete!).

What I've decided to do, is to watch all 52 of these movies as I receive them and take you along for the journey. So stay tuned for my posts.

Week 1: Shark Night
Week 2: Killer Elite
Week 3: Tree of Life
Week 4: 50/50
Week 5: Dream House
Week 6: R.E.D.

Review: Fassbender & Mulligan in Shame

Hollywood Reporter

Shame, the NC-17, sex-heavy film from director Steve McQueen stars Michael Fassbender as a New Yorker driven only by his addiction to emotionless sex. His unstable sister (Carey Mulligan) moves in and proceeds to disrupt his sequestered and unraveling world.

Fassbender gives an unnerving and agonizing performance, putting a disturbing face on sexual addiction, from his piercing stares at random conquests to the façade he barely manages to maintain in his professional life. Mulligan was phenomenal as his sister, completely fragile and unhinged, and we get to see her vulnerability and brokenness in one of the most emotionally-charged scenes of the film - Mulligan’s haunting rendition of 'New York, New York'. Hinting but never fully acknowledging an unusual childhood relationship between the two, she says, “We’re not bad people, Brandon. We just come from a bad place”.

Shame was unapologetically explicit, hard, and definitely unsettling. But beautiful. Exquisitely beautiful.

Review: The Descendants

Totalfilm.com

George Clooney, the suave charmer we’ve come to love, does his best to portray a man completely detached from his life and family in this comedy-drama. He hardly knows his daughters and has neglected his wife who now lays comatose after a boating accident. The accident forces him to move from “backup parent”, as he refers to himself, to the only parent, to his two broken and foul-mouthed daughters who are, in fact, quite a handful. When he finds out his wife had been cheating on him and was planning to leave him, he sets out with both daughters and the older one’s stoner-boy friend, to find the guy who was sleeping with his wife.

Playing Clooney’s eldest daughter, Shailene Woodley unexpectedly shines, as an emotionally conflicted and angst-filled teen, who has a hard time letting go of the anger she holds towards her mother, even as she lays dying. And maybe it was all those Hawaiian shirts, the goofy hair, and constant look of desperation, but, I for one, forgot it was swoon-worthy George Clooney on the screen.

The Descendants sits somewhere between a heartbreaking drama and comedy, centered on a family dealing with the loss of a loved one, and the regret, heartache and, ‘could’ve, would’ve, should’ves’ that come along with unexpected death and infidelity. The lesson is that humans are imperfect and families are dysfunctional at best, but that doesn’t have to be the the end of it all, you can try and make up for your mistakes.

Review: Martha Marcy May Marlene

Screenrant.com

Last night I went to a screening for Shame and even though I was 45 minutes early, the screening was obviously way-overbooked and I didn’t get a seat. But since I was there, and I hadn’t yet seen Martha Marcy May Marlene, I thought why not, I’ve already paid for parking. On a side note, this was the first time I watched a movie in the theatre, by myself. Yup, that’s right, I walked right up to the ticket-selling-man, and sheepishly requested, “one for Martha Marcy May Marlene, please”. And his response was, “WOW, the whole thing?”, which left me a bit confused, wondering if that was some sort of remark at my being at a movie all by my lonesome. But apparently what he meant was, ‘no one who’s bought a ticket for this has said the whole name of the film’. It's true - the title is quite a mouthful, and then some.

Martha Marcy May Marlene is a gut-wrenching film about a cult, something that we, as humans seem to be fascinated with. We first meet a twenty-something Martha/Marcy Mae/Marlene (who we all know as the other Olsen sister, Elizabeth Olsen) as she’s making her escape from the cult she has been living at, a place where the men eat first and the ragged women watch on in a sort-of trance, silently awaiting their turn. What we see doesn’t seem blatantly wrong or suspect, but feels weird, like things aren’t as they should be. Martha finds refuge at the home of her sister and her husband and the story cuts back and forth between present and past, as Martha goes in and out her depressive and damaged state, reliving the events of her ‘programming’, the rape she was subjected to, and her terrifying, but captivating ‘leader’ (John Hawkes).

The film was dark, beautifully shot and haunting, with Elizabeth Olsen convincingly and beautifully portraying a damaged and fragile woman coping with a trauma that she may never completely heal from.

Actors Recreate Iconic Scorsese Scenes for Harper's Bazaar

Harper's Bazaar has put together a series of photographs that recreate iconic scenes from legendary Martin Scorsese films, recast with today's most intriguing and celebrated actors. Seriously, I couldn't love this more if I tried.

I think we need a Mad Men-Boardwalk Empire crossover of sorts, because I love Joan Halloway (Christina Hendricks) with Richard Harrow (Jack Huston) in this image. Oh to be her in this photo...



































Boardwalk Empire's Michael Pitt and Vincent Piazza make an appearance, as does the Ben Kingsley, unrecognizably playing Robert De Niro's Mickey Conway. Here they are, quite convincingly recreating a scene from (the greatest movie ever, of all-time) Goodfellas. Doesn't Michael Pitt make a dreamy Henry Hill?

As You Wish - Princess Bride Cast Reunites After 25 Years

It's hard to believe it's been 25 years since The Princess Bride came out. "Inconceivable!" 80s cult classic and one of the most quotable movies of all time, it's got romance of epic proportions, effortless comedy from comic geniuses (Billy Crystal included), and cleverly-constructed satire mixed-in to create an almost-perfect movie. To commemorate the 25-year mark, most of the film's cast reunited on 'Good Morning America'.

Do you remember how swoon-worthy Cary Elwes' Westley was back then? Have you noticed that, aside from The Princess Bride, Elwes always seems to play the bad guy?



And I'm sorry but, were Fred Savage and Mandy Patinkin really too busy to make it? I guess we'll have to wait another 25 years for a reenactment of the classic line, "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."

The Music of Martin Scorsese's Films

Flavorwire has written and posted a phenomenal analysis of the classic rock 'n roll music Scorsese used in his epic films. Taking a look through Scorsese's accomplished filmography, the post highlights memorable scenes from his body of work, and goes through the iconic music that has come to epitomize those groundbreaking scenes. It's a must-read for anyone who calls themselves a Martin Scorsese fan.

"By 1985 I stopped really listening to popular music. But the earlier songs created images in my head. Somehow some of those images and feelings—not all of them—were able to be used in certain pictures. Certain scenes suddenly reminded me of a piece of music that I thought would be perfect for a film." – Martin Scorsese, Conversations with Scorsese (2011)

 
The opening sequence of Mean Streets - Ronettes’ “Be My Baby.”

Review: Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding (TIFF 2011)

Indiewire.com

A multi-generational family comedy, Peace, Love & Misunderstanding seems perfectly content with being a pretty predictable and lighthearted story with some drama thrown in for good measure. Diane (Catherine Keener) is an uber-conservative Manhattan lawyer, unhappily married and on the cusp of divorce. She decides to take her two children, Zoe (Elizabeth Olsen) - a college girl who loves animals as much as she loves poetry and big words, and Jake (Nat Wolff), an aspiring filmmaker who's obsessed with documenting everything, to visit their grandmother Grace (Jane Fonda), who they've never met. Grace is an eccentric hippie, stuck in the 1970s, with a passion for protesting, new-age healing crystals and of course, weed. It's a bit hard to believe that it's been 20 years since mother and daughter have seen each other, especially since they live in the same state. It's just not believable.

Almost too instantly, Diane's brood starts letting loose, although Diane, more reluctantly so, taking part in all the fun that Woodstock has to offer, including the occasional war protest and full moon ritual. Grace ends up yanking each character out of their tough shell, and somehow arranges a love interest for each of them. Diane falls for a local carpenter, sometimes-musician, and full-time dreamboat (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), Zoe finds herself struggling with her growing attraction to a butcher (Chace Crawford) who naturally has the soul of a poet. Even Jake gets a local girl.

Despite all of the film's formulaic shortcomings, it was hard not to love the cast. Jane Fonda shines in a role that seems tailor-made for her, and she plays it with a spunk and charisma that brought life to every scene she was in. Newcomer Elizabeth Olsen is a pleasure to watch, continuing to live up to her hype as the latest it-girl. We're not talking Oscars here, but still, it was cute.

Review: Twixt (TIFF 2011)

Screenrant.com

A convoluted murder mystery with teenage vampires and the ghost of Edgar Allan Poe (I'm not joking), there's no doubt that Twixt was overdone and ridiculously silly, but engaging, nonetheless. Twixt tells the story of a mystery writer (Val Kilmer), or, what they describe as the ‘bargain basement Stephen King’, traveling to a small town for a book signing. Experiencing a pretty mean case of writer’s block, he’s convinced by the town sheriff (the AMAZING Bruce Dern from Big Love) to stay in town and collaborate on a story about the unsolved murder of a young girl. One scene in particular stood out and felt the most genuine, with Kilmer's character suffering through his writer's block with lots of booze and crazy talk. But it's probably not a good sign when the best scene in your vampire thriller is one where the main actor is cracking jokes.

I’m not a fan of 3D, in fact I hate it – I think it takes away from the story, adding a layer of distraction that most of the time is unnecessary. Thankfully, Coppola limited his use of 3D to only two scenes, so it didn’t detract too much from the story (but it also didn’t add anything valuable).

With a story like this that didn’t make much sense to begin with, pieced together from a dream Coppola had, Twixt was over-stylized (in colour, black and white, and 3D) and painfully stale. I guess we just expect more depth from a director of Francis Ford Coppola's caliber, especially with his resumé of films, but you have to hand it to him for taking risks in a way most seasoned Directors wouldn't dare.

Review: Jeff, Who Lives At Home (TIFF 2011)

Jeff (Jason Segel) believes in signs. Like he really believes in them. Everything from an infomercial to flying birds mean something special in Jeff's world. That's why, when someone calls his home in the middle of the day looking for a 'Kevin', he beings his quest to find the Kevin he believes he's destined to follow. While Jeff is a 30-year-old pothead who lives in his mother's (Susan Sarandon) basement, he's kind, sweet and has a naive belief in his convictions that's refreshing to see. On the other hand, his brother Pat (Ed Helms), although married and employed, is a complete asshole, with serious communication issues and no common sense whatsoever.

What starts out as a simple trip to the Home Depot for Jeff, changes course when he and Pat see Pat's wife (Judy Greer) in a car with another man. From then on, their mission is to track and confront her, and their misadventures end up being the most genuinely funny part of the film, with undeniable comedic chemistry between Segel and Helms (playing a meaner version of Andy Bernard).

Parts of the film did feel like they were taking a page right out of an, 'Indie Movies for Dummies' handbook, with what felt like one too many scenes with characters staring into space, music playing in the background. But at the same time, each character is in kind of a rut, lost, and unable to move forward, so maybe all the wordless contemplation was justified.

From the Duplass Brothers (the Directors of last year's Cyrus), Jeff, Who Lives At Home is a unique film about the signs we see and perhaps ignore, and ultimately, the signs that bring all of the characters together. Jason Segel's performance was definitely the highlight - it's always nice to see a typically comedic actor shift into a more dramatic role so seamlessly. You actually like Jeff and wouldn't mind blazing a spliff with him.

Review: Drive (TIFF 2011)

Tiff.net

A poetically violent and dark, homage to 1980s pop cinema, Drive was filled-to-the-brim with intensely maniacal action and high-speed car chases. Playing a Hollywood stunt driver, moonlighting as a getaway car wheelman, Driver (Ryan Gosling, no, we never find out his character’s real name) manages to stay calm, excruciatingly quiet and completely professional, under the most violent of circumstances. His character is instantly drawn to his neighbour, Irene (Carey Mulligan), and her young son, and he spends the rest of the film possessed with protecting them. The mutual attraction is obvious, and their courtship is innocent and sweet, until we find out she has a convict hubby who's about to be released from prison.

During the Q&A following the screening, Director Nicolas Winding Refn, explained that he wanted to make the first half of Drive like a John Hughes movie and make the second half take a more dark, psychotic turn. So what starts out as a cutesy love story, with a killer Top Gun-reminiscent soundtrack, downward spirals into a crime bender with enough blood and gore to make any horror enthusiast giddy with glee.

The only downside is that we don’t get a chance to go beneath the surface of the characters we’re instantly attracted to. Who is Driver? Where did he come from and what’s he doing in L.A.? I vote for a prequel.

On a side note, the soundtrack was ridiculously amazing. Rehn mentioned that the musical style for Drive evolved while he and Ryan were riding around L.A. one night and REO Speedwagon’s, ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’, came on the radio. Inspired by euro pop of the early 80s, he managed to add a dash of femininity to a very masculine and bloody film.



With an exceptional cast, including Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks and Christina Hendricks, Drive is a fun and unexpected thrill-ride. I came out feeling a little beat-up, but thoroughly satisfied. In theatres September 16th.

Live-Stream TIFF Press Conferences

In case you're sitting behind your desk at work, slogging away like it's any-old, regular day, instead of out on the streets of Toronto, star-searching and catching TIFF screenings, here's something to cheer you up a bit. CP24 is live-streaming TIFF's press conferences. Hello Brad!

Roger Ebert, on TIFF

Tiff.net

"We arrived here Wednesday, started seeing films Thursday, are booked up nearly wall-to-wall. This is not only one of the three or four major film festivals on earth, but one of the best-run and user-friendly. Wandering toward screenings, you encounter such as Atom Egoyan and Jason Reitman, directors not here to do business but--what do you know!--to see movies. The public waits dutifully in queues, as if making a silent protest against the shoving matches before screenings at Cannes. The four local dailies (!) cover it like the Washington Post covering a Presidential election." 

                                              Roger Ebert, on TIFF + his Melancholia review.

More Buzzworthy TIFF 2011 Films

Twixt

"Inspired by the gothic horror of Edgar Allen Poe, Coppola's latest tells the tale of a burnt-out mystery writer (Val Kilmer) who gets mixed up in murder and evil in a California town." (Tiff.net)

Younger sister to Dakota, Elle Fanning can now brag about having been in two Coppolas' films, how lucky is she?! (she was in Sofia Coppola's Somewhere). This being a contribution from the acclaimed, legendary, Oscar-winning (and Godfather-directing!), Francis Ford Coppola, it's a must-see whether or not you catch it at the Festival.



The Descendants

"George Clooney plays the leader of a storied Hawaiian family as they are forced to decide what to do with their last, vast parcel of land. At the same time he learns a secret about his critically ill wife. From the director of Sideways." (Tiff.net)

Take this Waltz

"Sarah Polley makes a welcome return to directing with her first feature since 2006 Festival favourite Away from Her. Luke Kirby, Seth Rogen, Sarah Silverman and two-time Oscar®-nominee Michelle Williams star in this bittersweet story about a married woman struggling to choose between her husband and a man she's just met." (Tiff.net)

It'll be interesting to see how Seth Rogen takes on this dramatic and not-at-all-comedic role after being Judd Apatow's go-to goofball for so many years.



Melancholia

"Denmark's most celebrated and notorious filmmaker returns with a fantasy/domestic drama about depression, severely dysfunctional families, and the end of the world."

It's kind of sad that anytime anyone mentions this film, all that comes to mind is the controversy Director Lars Von Trier started by making some questionable remarks about Hitler at this year's Cannes Film Festival. But beneath all of that hoopla, looks to be a visually stimulating film about life, family dysfunction, and the end of the world.



Shame

Tiff.net

"Michael Fassbender plays a New York man confronting his sexual compulsions and the self-destructive acts of his sister (Carey Mulligan). From the director of Hunger." (Tiff.net)

No trailer yet!

Trishna

"Self-effacing British auteur Michael Winterbottom sets his unique spin on Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles against a contemporary Indian backdrop. Freida Pinto stars as the titular Trishna, a young woman who is seduced by the wealthy son of a property developer. As the romance develops, their relationship also becomes increasingly sordid and volatile." (Tiff.net)

Freida Pinto first stole our hearts as the innocent and beautiful heroine in Slumdog Millionaire. With Trishna, we'll get to see if she has what it takes to be more than just a pretty face in a huge ensemble cast.

Top Picks for TIFF 2011

I can hardly contain my excitement and anticipation for the Toronto International Film Festival and I may be a bit biased being a Toronto native, but it is definitely one of the best festivals out there, especially for film junkies. In just two weeks, Hollywood's A-list will be flocking in, taking over our theatres, streets and restaurants. And, I couldn't be happier.

Top picks for 2011 TIFF:

Drive

"Ryan Gosling plays a stunt driver by day, getaway driver by night in this lean and mean crime thriller by the director of Valhalla Rising that won Best Direction in Cannes." (Tiff.net) 

Two words: Ryan Gosling. It's no secret that I'd much rather kick back and watch Goodfellas or The Departed for the umpteenth time, than give any attention to some of the derivative action flicks that've been released lately. And, as a proud Canadian (and former fan of The Mickey Mouse Club and Breaker High!), I love me some Ryan Gosling and I truly believe Carey Mulligan is pretty much close to perfection. She has a subtle, yet distinct, on-screen presence that the world fell in love with after her Oscar-nominated role in An Education. Also must mention the stellar supporting cast that includes Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and the gorgeous Christina Hendricks (Mad Men).




The Ides of March

"George Clooney is back in the director’s chair for this edgy political drama set in the days leading up to a fictional presidential primary. Clooney also stars as a Democratic candidate who schools his idealistic campaign press secretary (Ryan Gosling) in the dubious machinations of modern politics." (Tiff.net)

With the current economic landscape the way it is, Politics are on everyone's mind, so this film couldn't be more relevant. And with this accomplished cast (seriously, let's count the Oscar noms between them all), including Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, and Marisa Tomei, this film could very well be a contender for the next year's Academy Awards.



Like Crazy

"Anna (Felicity Jones) notices Jacob (Anton Yelchin) in one of her college classes in Los Angeles. In a move worthy only of her youth, she scribbles a love poem and leaves it on his car. The pair soon catapults into that most potent brand of romance: naïve, pure and possibly fleeting." (Tiff.net)

I don't know, I've got a thing for coming-of-age 'romantical' stories. Especially ones that look as heart-breaking as Blue Valentine... and that's saying a lot. Either way, I'm taking my tissues just in case. With realistic challenges to their relationship (like immigration, and not feuding, Romeo & Juliet-type families), this film takes an honest look at a long-distance relationship between two college kids. And to add to the realism of this film, apparently the actors improvised their dialogue.



Martha Marcy May Marlene

"This graceful portrait of a young woman trying to extricate herself from a cult has the flavor of an early Terrence Malick film like Days of Heaven." (Tiff.net)

Did you know the Olsen twins had another sister? A younger one, who's an actress and apparently a very good one? Elizabeth Olsen makes her first on-screen appearance as a young woman struggling to return to 'normalcy' after escaping a sexual-religious cult. It looks haunting, a little bit intoxicating, and mysterious - all the things a film about cult-life, should probably look like.

Friends With Kids

"When a few members of a close group of married and single friends start to have children, it has a big impact on everyone." (Tiff.net)

Thought I'd break up the seriousness of my TIFF list with a romantic comedy. Jon Hamm's other half, Jennifer Westfeldt, makes her Directorial debut with a slew of Hollywood stars - Megan Fox, Edward Burns, Kristin Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and of course, Mr. Mad Men himself. Wonder how many of them will show up to TIFF?

Boo... no trailer yet.

Hysteria

"Maggie Gyllenhaal and Hugh Dancy star in this cheeky romantic comedy about the invention of the vibrator. Victorian London is brought to life in vivid colour as a young doctor (Dancy) struggles to establish himself while confronting the gutsy daughter of his boss (Gyllenhaal). Rupert Everett and Felicity Jones play supporting roles." (Tiff.net)

Picture this: the late 1800s, Victorian era, London. The first thing that comes to your mind is vibrator, am I right? Probably not but this does look hella funny and hilariously bold. All of a sudden I've got Marky Mark on my mind. Good vibrations, anyone?...too easy?



Want more TIFF 2011 picks? 
Here are some more buzzworthy films on my festival list.

25 Greatest Unscripted Scenes in Films

"Leave the gun", is nothing without, "take the cannoli". Just like, "I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti", is incomplete without the chilling and iconic hissing noise Anthony Hopkins makes in The Silence of the Lambs.

This video of the 25 greatest unscripted movie scenes is a great compilation featuring some of the most iconic scenes in film history. Scenes you wouldn't expect, were apparently spur-of-the-moment, authentic improvisations, which might just explain why they made such a significant impact on audiences, and continue to resonate after so many years.

Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon

Urge Overkill's cover of "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon", just came up on my iPod shuffle - yes, of course I've got the entire Pulp Fiction soundtrack on there. As always, I felt like watching this scene for the millionth time. Just cuz. Tarantino is the master of choosing the best pop songs for his soundtracks and the Pulp Fiction track-list is no exception. Eclectic beyond words, he mixes classic rock and roll, soul, and of course, the surf music that has come to represent Pulp Fiction, to perfection.

The music doesn't act as simply a filler, playing in the background of whatever's happening on-screen. It IS what's happening. Tarantino brings the music to the forefront, seamlessly weaving it with the characters and plot. Somehow it seems natural when characters start dancing and singing along to a track that's playing, at least in Tarantino's world.