Weekend Movie Review: 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood' And 'Skin'

This weekend, 1969 Los Angeles comes to life in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt as best pals struggling to stay afloat in Hollywood.

Also making its debut this weekend is the crime drama, "Skin," in which Jamie Bell plays a troubled young man in search of his personal redemption.

Here's what to see and what to skip this weekend:

Movies Out This Weekend

“Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” — Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie; directed by Quentin Tarantino

A love letter to 1969 Los Angeles, Quentin Tarantino’s latest film turns the spotlight to the dawn of a new Hollywood era, where icons must face their looming irrelevance.

At the center of the storyline is Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), a fading Western TV star who is struggling to maintain his leading man status in Hollywood. To save his languishing career, he is now even contemplating moving to Rome to star in spaghetti Westerns. However, in spite of it all, Rick manages to maintain a carefree lifestyle with a predilection for lavishness and luxury, all complete with pop culture coolness and delight.

As for Rick's lifelong relationships, his best pal is his former stunt-double, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), who now chauffeurs the actor all over LA in an incredible Cadillac land yacht. Like his buddy's misfortune, Cliff’s big-screen career is also on a downward spiral.

In contrast, Rick's next door neighbors, director Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha) and his wife Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), are basking in their newfound celebrity status, thanks to the director's much-hyped new film, “Rosemary Baby.”

It will just be a matter of time before Rick’s happy-go-lucky world collides with Polanski's sensational world.

See it. “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” shines with the leads’ exceptional performances, intimate cinematography, and Tarantino’s mesmerizing freewheeling style.

Watch the trailer:

“Skin”— Jamie Bell, Danielle MacDonald; directed by Guy Nattiv

The first American feature from Israeli writer-director Guy Nattiv’s is a startling chronicle of redemption that is based on the life story of Bryon Widner (Jamie Bell), a real-life white supremacist who, in 2006, decided to confront his dark past and start a new life devoid of hatred and violence.

In the film, Jamie Bell paints a reprehensible man finally facing his personal demons and his burning doubts about the toxic beliefs his parents (Bill Camp and Vera Farmiga) have long embraced. Widner’s path to redemption will be an uphill battle, but when he meets the love of his life, Julie (Danielle MacDonald), her resilience becomes his guiding light.

As his tumultuous journey unfolds, so does the painful removal of Widner’s facial and body tattoos that signify his troubled past.

See it. Jamie Bell delivers an Oscar-caliber performance, though at times, the movie is hard to watch.

Watch the trailer:

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