Grindhouse ***1/2
Cast: Planet Terror: Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Josh Brolin, Marley Shelton, Bruce Willis, Michael Biehn, Naveen Andrews, Michael Parks; Death Proof: Kurt Rusell, Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Ferlito, Rose McGowan, Zoe Bell, Tracie Thoms, Kelley Robins
Directors: Robert Rodriguez (Planet Terror, trailer: Machete); Quentin Tarantino (Death Proof); Eli Roth (trailer: Thanksgiving); Edgar Wright (trailer: Don't Scream); Rob Zombie (trailer: Werewolf Women of the S.S.)
Running Length: 3:10
MPAA Classification: R

“Grindhouse” is a double feature, paying homage to exploitation films of the ‘60s and ‘70s. Those movies were poorly made, but loved by many and a bit of a guilty pleasure.

“Planet Terror”, directed by Robert Rodriguez, is an end of the world-zombie movie. Cherry (McGowan) has her leg bitten off by zombies and ends up with a machine gun prosthetic. Aided by Wray (Rodriguez), Dakota (Shelton), and a ragtag group of others, they try to get out of town and hopefully to a safe place where there are no zombies.

“Death Proof”, directed by Quentin Tarantino, is a killer movie with Kurt Russell playing stuntman Mike. He likes to pick women up at bars and take them for the ride of their lives. One day, he picks the wrong women to go after, and is in for the surprise of his life.

“Grindhouse” works because it is an homage. If these movies were marked for today’s audiences, they would be destroyed by the critics. Knowing that the directors are in on the joke makes “Grindhouse” a unique and fun experience. Both movies have their strong points and weaknesses, so I have a hard time choosing a favorite. I would just suggest seeing them together, as some theaters have begun to show them separately. This is probably not the best film from either Tarantino or Rodriguez, but I think that it is easily the most fun.