Grindhouse is a gloriously entertaining (if grotesque) return to the films of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's youth. A time when exploitation films (of various genres) not only reigned supreme, but were quite often played in double bills. That right! Two times the exploitation for the price of a single ticket. Of course, the 70's were a much different time. Will today's audiences embrace three hours and ten minutes of exploitive madness from two of the greatest film making auteurs of the last twenty years? We can always hope.

Grindhouse explodes on to the screen with the promise of something we haven't seen the likes of in over twenty five years; the double feature (complete with retro commercials and upcoming movie trailers). Tarantino and Rodriguez not only set out to give audiences more bang for their buck, but to bring back the excitement of going to the movies. And Grindhouse makes good on its promise. It isn't merely a movie, but an experience. And even when it's floundering in self indulgent excess, this twofer is an exhilarating, ambitious, whale of a good time at the movies. Adding to the 70's feel, the film makers have even given the movie a scratchy, worn quality complete with burns, coloration changes, and missing reels (the missing reel title cards conveniently appear during the film's more steamy scenes–oh the humanity!)

Having said all of this, Grindhouse isn't a flick for everyone. It is extremely violent and has a tone that will mostly appeal to those who love exploitations flicks. Simply put, it's a fanboy film. But unlike the recent 300 and the upcoming Hot Fuzz, Grindhouse isn't nearly as accessible because it's paying homage to cult movies that many of today's audiences might not be familiar with.

For those who are familiar, or for those of you who simply enjoy the work of these directors, you're in for a big treat. First out of the gate is Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror.

Planet Terror is a glorified zombie movie and while it doesn't really put any sort of fresh spin on the genre (as Edgar Wright did with Shaun of the Dead and James Gunn did with Slither) it does emerge as a terrifically creative homage piece. Rodriguez simply takes all the elements of the various zombie flicks he's worshiped through the years, and re-shapes them into a hyper kinetic horror/action extravaganza that plays like the final act of From Dusk Til Dawn - only stretched out to eighty-five minutes. It's icky, gooey and a lot of fun.

What I like most about Planet Terror though (aside from the fact that one of the key locations in the segment is called The Bone Shack – hear that Boneman?), is how it feels like a film John Carpenter might have made in his heyday. Freddy Rodriguez plays the hero of the story, a tough as nails loner who jumps into action when an army of the undead ascend upon a town and wreak havoc. Freddy puts a kind of Snake Plissken spin on the role and it's immensely entertaining. Adding to the Carpenter tone is Robert Rodriguez's score, which has a distinct Escape From New York ring to it.

Also along for the ride is a luscious Rose McGowan who appears as Cherry Darling, a Go-Go dancer with attitude. McGowan is certainly a looker, but I must confess, she isn't particularly sexy. In the opening dance numbers, I found her surprisingly wooden. Once the "Charmed" actress engages in a little action however, she appears far more comfortable in what surely must have been a physically demanding role. After losing a leg to a pack of zombies, Darling spends the rest of the film with a machine gun fastened to her bloody stump. Where the proceedings go from there is beyond description (although I will say the machine gun/leg gag reminded me a bit of Ash's chainsaw hand in the Evil Dead films). Rodriguez gets a lot of mileage out of a cast that really appear to be having a fun time. Bruce Willis, Naveen Andrews, Josh Brolin, Michael Parks, Tom Savini and Quentin Tarantino look to be having the time of their lives, but it's 80's staples Jeff Fahey (Body Parts) and Michael Biehn (The Terminator) who steel the show as bickering brothers brought together by a complete and utter zombie massacre. Their final moments are amongst Planet Terror's finest.

In the end, Planet Terror is a little long winded. It certainly could have been tightened up a bit, but overall, I appreciated it's over the top attitude. Props to Rodriguez for keeping things moving along at a brisk pace.

Following Planet Terror, we are treated to three hilarious faux trailers. First up; Rob Zombie's Werewolf Women of the S.S. featuring Nicolas Cage, Sybil Danning, Udo Kier, Bill Moseley, and Sheri Moon Zombie in a tale of villainous Nazis who set out to create a race of super beings in a bid for world domination. Next; Edgar Wright gets in on the action with a hilarious little ditty called "Don't," a riff on those trailers that encourage folks to not go into that creepy house at the end of the block. "If you're thinking of going into that house...Don't". Absolutely hilarious. The most twisted of the trailers though, has to be Eli Roth's Thanksgiving. This throwback to holiday themed horror movies features a slasher who dresses up like a pilgrim and takes out unsuspecting teens. Punctuated by music from Creepshow and a creepy voice over by Roth himself, the trailer ends on a moment so audacious and bizarre, that to spoil it here doesn't seem fair. So I won't.

On with the final feature; Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof.

With Death Proof, Tarantino continues his streak of fashioning strong roles for women, but we'll get to that in a second. In this sharply written flick, Kurt Russell is Stuntman Mike, a cool-looking brutr of a man who stalks unsuspecting women, and murders them with his car. Essentially, Death Proof is a slasher film, but it goes somewhere completely unexpected in the final act, and that's one of the many things I so loved about it. There's been much talk about the slow, methodical pacing in this piece, but (as was the case with the recent Zodiac), the slow build serves a distinct purpose. Tarantino has several surprises up his sleeve and he wants us to know stuntman Mike's prey before he unleashes those surprises. What's more, the early parts of Death Proof are hardly boring, because Tarantino bewitches us with his colorful dialogue (which, not surprisingly, showcases the film maker's infinite knowledge of movies – most notably the films that inspired this segment), and subtle directorial touches (I love the moment in which Tarantino uses a haunting piece of music from Pino Donaggio‘s Blow Out score) . I've had conversations with a few female friends who've watched Grindhouse and while they liked the movie, they say girls don't really talk the way the girls in this film do when they're alone. That may be true, but the point is, we like to think they do. Just like the hit-men in Pulp Fiction, these women have character as do most of he folks in Quentin Tarantino's universe.

The cast is exceptional. Kurt Russell returns to bad ass mode in a role that recalls his 80's work (see Escape From New York, The Thing, and Big Trouble in Little China – all John Carpenter films – go figure!), and he's simply outstanding here. In the early goings on, he's chilling and darkly hilarious as a soul-less killing machine, but in the final minutes of Death Proof, he becomes something else entirely. What, you ask? There's no way I'm going to spoil it for you in this review. Let's just say Russell is an absolute riot here, and Stuntman Mike is one of his more memorable characters in years. As for the women, they are picture perfect. Throughout Death Proof, we are introduced to eight lead female characters (played, respectively, by Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Jordan Ladd, Vanessa Ferlito, Rose McGowan, Rosario Dawson, Zoe Bell, Tracie Thomas, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and all are given a chance to shine, but there are stand outs. Poitier (daughter of Sidney) oozes self confidence as the feisty and assured radio D.J. Jungle Julia. Rosario Dawson is an absolute knock out, and she's excellent as Abernathy, an adventure seeking movie make up effects artist who's in for the ride of her life. Tracie Thomas is hilariously energetic as the spunky, confident Kim, an adrenalin junkie who you definitely want on your side if you get into a scrape. Had this character been written for a man, she probably would have been played by Samuel L. Jackson. The real feather in Tarantino's cap however, is Zoe Bell. Bell is a stunt woman by trade (she did most of Uma Thurman's double work in Kill Bill) but the big surprise here is this girl can act. What's more, Tarantino doesn't have to trade her out in the film's climactic, death defying car chase. This gal does all her own stunts.

Speaking of death defying car chases, Death Proof contains one of the greatest car chases I've ever seen in a film. We're talking French Connection, Blues Brothers, Road Warrior great. The last fifteen minutes of this picture had me clinching my seat. I was so tense, I could barely move. This adrenalin pumping sequence is positively breathtaking, and the cars actually serve as characters in the piece. Tarantino gives these automobiles just as much personality as the characters driving them.

Of the double feature, I'd say Death Proof affected me the most because rather than just paying homage to the films he loves, Tarnatino actually managed to create an original work. I bare no ill will towards Planet Terror. I thought it was a terrific entertainment, but Death Proof is in a league all its own.

Grindhouse is yet another reason for movie geeks to rejoice. Sadly, the film underperformed at the box office and now Harvey Weinstein has suggested he may recall the movie and release it as two separate films. Personally, I like Grindhouse as one massive, slam bang double feature. That's the way it was meant to be seen, so that's how everyone should see it. However, I'd like to see more Grindhouse films in the future, so if releasing Planet Terror and Death Proof as stand alone films ensures further exploitive adventures (like, say, feature length versions of Werewolf Women of the S.S., Don't, and Thanksgiving) , then I'm all for it.