The film is about a small group of Jewish-Americans in the United States Army who, lead by Lt. Aldo Raine, played by Brad Pitt, make a pact to single handedly take down as many Nazi’s as they can striking terror and fear into the Nazi regime all the way up (or down) to Adolf Hitler earning them the moniker of “bastards.”

Although the film takes place in the sweeping theater of World War II Europe, the film is so well cut and directed that you literally feel as if you are intricately a part of each scene, whether it be in the field with the bastards, in Hitler’s bunker or in the offices of Winston Churchill (which encompasses a nicely played cameo by Mike Meyers.)

Tarantino has written another wonderfully teased script with all of the nooks and crannies that made him a household name. If the key to a good story is dramatic tension, then Bastards has it in spades. The dialogue and acting in each scene is played as if you are watching a great sporting event and each jab and punch comes at the expense of you writhing on the edge of your seat.

The story also focuses on a young Jewish refugee woman (played by Melanie Laurent) who has come to own a cinema in Nazi occupied France when she catches the eye of a young Nazi soldier (played by Daniel Bruhl) who is being heralded as a Nazi hero. What ensues is a life or death game of cat and mouse that beautifully parallels what the bastards are trying to accomplish.

The acting in this film is superb. Col. Hans Landa, played by Christoph Waltz, truly eats up the screen with each scene he is in and is almost assuredly going to garner himself an Oscar nod for his performance. Brad Pitt, the pretty boy tabloid sex symbol, proves once again that he is far from that stereotype and shows the acting chops he once set out to prove. As Lt. Aldo Raine from Tennessee who swears his crew to bring him “100 Nazi scalps each” he tears into a no holds barred, no excuses …well…bastard.

This reimagining of history is at once something that one wishes did take place. I was hoping to see “based on a true story” but, unfortunately we all know what the real story was. About halfway through the film it dawned on me that I was watching one of the best films of the year. Then about a third of the way through the film, it dawned on me that I was watching the best film I have seen so far this year. By the time Tarantino brings the movie to one of the best crescendos in cinematic history, I then realized I was seeing one of my top ten films of all time. As soon as the movie ended I wanted the projectionist to start it all over again.

What is captured on film here is one of the most brilliant directorial minds who spins such a spell of historical fiction for the audience that the audience is almost mesmerized into believing the fiction as fact. Who knows? Maybe there really was a Lieutenant Aldo Raine, because, as we all know, there more assuredly were bastards.  A+

Building on its strategy of delivering quality branded content to people around the world, The Walt Disney Company has agreed to acquire Marvel Entertainment, Inc. in a stock and cash transaction, the companies announced today.

Under the terms of the agreement and based on the closing price of Disney on August 28, 2009, Marvel shareholders would receive a total of $30 per share in cash plus approximately 0.745 Disney shares for each Marvel share they own. At closing, the amount of cash and stock will be adjusted if necessary so that the total value of the Disney stock issued as merger consideration based on its trading value at that time is not less than 40% of the total merger consideration.

Based on the closing price of Disney stock on Friday, August 28, the transaction value is $50 per Marvel share or approximately $4 billion.

“This transaction combines Marvel’s strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor with Disney’s creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business structure that maximizes the value of creative properties across multiple platforms and territories,” said Robert A. Iger, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. “Ike Perlmutter and his team have done an impressive job of nurturing these properties and have created significant value. We are pleased to bring this talent and these great assets to Disney.”

“We believe that adding Marvel to Disney’s unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation,” Iger said.

“Disney is the perfect home for Marvel’s fantastic library of characters given its proven ability to expand content creation and licensing businesses,” said Ike Perlmutter, Marvel’s Chief Executive Officer. “This is an unparalleled opportunity for Marvel to build upon its vibrant brand and character properties by accessing Disney’s tremendous global organization and infrastructure around the world.”

Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Marvel including its more than 5,000 Marvel characters. Mr. Perlmutter will oversee the Marvel properties, and will work directly with Disney’s global lines of business to build and further integrate Marvel’s properties.

The Boards of Directors of Disney and Marvel have each approved the transaction, which is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, certain non-United States merger control regulations, effectiveness of a registration statement with respect to Disney shares issued in the transaction and other customary closing conditions. The agreement will require the approval of Marvel shareholders. Marvel was advised on the transaction by BofA Merrill Lynch.