Two of the most renowned filmmakers go back to back with Grindhouse, a double dose packed to the gills with guns and guts. The unprecedented project from the longtime collaborators presents two original, complete films as a double feature. Inspired by the unique distribution of independent horror classics of the sixties and seventies, these two shockingly bold features are presented together on a drive-in style double bill, replete with fake trailers, missing reels and plenty of exploitative mayhem.

In Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror, married doctors William and Dakota Block (Josh Brolin and Marley Shelton) find their graveyard shift inundated with townspeople ravaged by gangrenous sores and a suspiciously vacant look in their eyes. Among the wounded is Cherry (Rose McGowan), a go-go dancer whose leg was ripped from her body during a roadside attack. Wray (Freddy Rodriguez), her former significant other, is at her side and watching her back. Cherry may be down, but she hasn't danced her last number. As the invalids quickly become enraged aggressors, Cherry and Wray lead a team of accidental warriors into the night, hurtling towards a destiny that will leave millions infected, countless dead, and a lucky few struggling to find the last safe corner of Planet Terror.

In Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof, dusk offers Austin's hottest DJ, Jungle Julia (Sydney Tamiia Poitier), an opportunity to unwind with two of her closest friends, Shanna and Arlene (Jordan Ladd and Vanessa Ferlito). This three fox posse sets out into the night, turning heads from Guero's to the Texas Chili Parlor. Not all of the attention is innocent: Covertly tracking their moves is Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell), a scarred, weathered rebel who leers from behind the wheel of his muscle car. As the girls settle into their beers, Mike's weapon, a white-hot juggernaut, revs just feet away...

Recently I tried to identify why I loved Quentin Tarantino’s movies so much, I mean they are basically rip off’s of every movie Quentin has ever seen done more over the top and more outrageous. I think Grindhouse answers the question of why I love Tarantino films so much and it's because he loves film so much as well. You can see it in any part of any film he has ever done there is this unadulterated passion and love for cinema that just seems to seep through the screen and make you love movies and film that much more. Until seeing Grindhouse I had not associated that level of uber-movie geekdom with Robert Rodriguez that I always associate with Tarantino but now I may have to rethink my stance on Rodriguez’ love for cinema as well.

At the very core of this movie is the love for cinema, the love for a golden era where people sat through crappy but fun B movies in crappy theatres because it was fun and they loved movies. I mean we see it throughout the production of the film as they did everything in their power to give that grindhouse cinema kind of feeling from scratching the film for authenticity, to cutting out reels for the film (probably in this case just never shooting them) in a comical manner, and to getting directors to shoot them fun and silly fake trailers to fill in the gaps between the films. I mean its like taking a time machine back to the 1970’s and enjoying some cheesy, fun and in a critical eye crappy movies but because they are done on purpose you realize the talent and love for film Tarantino and Rodriguez have for film.

You start with Planet Terror a throwback on the old zombie genre done with a level of campiness that would make legendary directors like Romero have to laugh. I mean films like Night of the Living Dead were about redefining a horror genre, while Planet Terror is about reveling in it and having fun with it. Mix in a little modern day gore and bloodshed and the movie is fun, cheesy and an action ride as they go from one set of zombies to the next as they keep coming and coming. Of the two films Planet Terror easily wins the gore battle which is odd because I have always thought of Tarantino as more of the gore master but then again after rethinking some of Rodriguez earlier films this film falls in perfect with From Dusk Til Dawn and the Faculty. As far as careers go Rodriguez has had the more diverse filmography as he has done camp horror in From Dusk til Dawn, to action films like Desperado, to kid films like Spy Kids so this is like a tribute to his earlier films.

Following Planet Terror comes Death Proof from Tarantino, which is quite a bit light on the gore but quite a bit more on the comedy side. I tell you what the ending to Death Proof almost had me tearing something internally from laughter, as I could not stop laughing. I had always known that Tarantino had a love for earlier martial arts films especially those from the 1970’s but Death Proof showed his love for earlier car chase and gearhead movies. I mean that was quite a surprise to me as he takes a whole new turn from films like Kill Bill as he references a number of fun and great car chase movies from the 1970’s like the Vanishing. The movie is fun, it is silly and we get to see Kurt Russell return to his former badass form instead of all the kiddie fair he has been doing lately.

I have to admit of the two films I enjoyed Death Proof a lot more, I am not the biggest horror fan and while I like them as a genre, and while Planet Terror was funny and action packed, Death Proof was just more my style. More comedy, and some fun car chases and crashes just appealed to me more. But you are getting two for one with the admission to Grindhouse, you can enjoy the silly campiness of Planet Terror then the comical action of Death Proof mixed in with some hilarious fake trailers and love for cinema by two of my favorite directors in today’s cinematic world, what more could you ask for. Can’t wait to see it again.

Grade: A