The New York Times calls Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood “a dream of a movie” and that’s an accurate description on multiple levels. The film features a dream of a cast, with lead actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie, along with support from Al Pacino, Kurt Russell, Dakota Fanning, Luke Perry, Emile Hirsch, Bruce Dern, Brenda Vaccaro, Lena Dunham, Clu Gulager and Rumer Willis. It’s also a dreamy look at a Hollywood gone by, fondly remembered and reimagined by its talented director, who is at the top of his game. Tarantino’s title tells us this is a fairy tale, something that might have been, perhaps better than the original. It presents 1969 Hollywood at a time of change for both the film industry and its particular cast of characters. The town seems alternatively golden or gritty, and of course, there is violence. “Once Upon a Time” paints a portrait of a city and an era, along with that of a talented, but nearly washed-up actor, Rick Dalton, and his personal stuntman and friend, Cliff Booth (DiCaprio and Pitt, respectively). It’s very funny, but also contains notes of dread and impending doom because Cliff lives next door to the house Roman Polanski and Sharon Tate are renting. In fact, Margot Robbie’s brief portrayal of Tate is one of the delights of the film, along with Pitt’s secondary costar, his pit bull, Brandy, portrayed by Wilmington, Delaware’s own Sayuri Klosowski (though Cerberus Klosowski performed the stunts). The film includes many memorable scenes, especially Cliff’s all-too-frequent comic meltdowns. It also features incredible attention to detail, including a period soundtrack that includes recordings from actual radio stations. Tarantino even created fictional brand-name products, including a beer and dog food, along with a brand of cigarettes that appears in some of his other films.You don’t have to be a Tarantino fan to enjoy Once Upon A Time In Hollywood because the story is lovingly and beautifully told. At about 2-1/2 hours, it’s a long film, but the time goes fast, except for Pitt’s scene at the Spahn ranch, which keeps you on the edge of your seat since that was the home of the Manson family. Willow Macklay of Curtsies and Hand Grenades describes “Once Upon a Time” as “a fantasia of a dead Hollywood brought to life in rich detail” and that’s one reason for its artistic success. David Keys of cinemaphile.org thinks “the movie’s greatest strength is how it isolates precious moments among characters - some loving, others sad, many foretelling darker realities.” Just remember though, it’s very funny too. 2:39. Rated R for language throughout, graphic violence, drug use, sexual references and men weeping.