Bad movies with great starts

[Rev. Powell]

took this to mean enjoyably bad movies which just had particularly good starts, lol...

as for movies that start good then go downhill, in my opinion, INGLORIOUS BASTERDS... that early 'hiding jews' scene is one of the most tense scenes in cinema history. after that it becomes totally mediocre (I stress this is just my opinion)

I basically share your opinion. The first scene is an absolute stone cold classic of suspense. After that it goes downhill (although not all the way down to "mediocre," IMO).

[ER]

took this to mean enjoyably bad movies which just had particularly good starts, lol...

as for movies that start good then go downhill, in my opinion, INGLORIOUS BASTERDS... that early 'hiding jews' scene is one of the most tense scenes in cinema history. after that it becomes totally mediocre (I stress this is just my opinion)

I basically share your opinion. The first scene is an absolute stone cold classic of suspense. After that it goes downhill (although not all the way down to "mediocre," IMO).

Huh, and here I think of that as a great movie, if slightly wayward.

[zombie no.one]

I'm so out the loop I had to look up ROGUE ONE... as it's part of the Star Wars universe I'll take your word for it :)

talking of Tarantino I also enjoyed the first half of DEATH PROOF... up until the car crash... after that it seems to morph into a totally different film, which I did not like at all. his obsession with using that stuntwoman at any opportunity seemed really forced

Again, spot on. The first 45 minutes of DEATH PROOF, up through the "Hold Tight!" crash, is among Tarantino's BEST - most controlled, most suspenseful, most cool - work. Then immediately thereafter he starts to blow it, consciously, just to be a wacky goofball. That second half is preposterous (and mostly boring). Ugh.

I'm wondering if he'd reached the stage where no one could suggest to him that maybe it wasn't a good idea to do that? (...except he's probably never not been at that stage)

After that it goes downhill (although not all the way down to "mediocre," IMO).

maybe that was a bit harsh... but I can't help holding everything he does to PULP FICTION standards!

[RCMerchant]

I like Tarintino up until he stared going off into those Twilight Zone endings- like Hitler getting shot in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, ONCE UPON TIME IN HOLLYWOOD where the heros kill the Manson Family, and some parts of KILL BILL- which is total fantasy. RESEVOIR DOGS, PULP FICTION, and JACKIE BROWN are his best.

[Trevor]

I like Tarintino up until he stared going off into those Twilight Zone endings- like Hitler getting shot in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, ONCE UPON TIME IN HOLLYWOOD where the heros kill the Manson Family, and some parts of KILL BILL- which is total fantasy. RESIVOIR DOGS, PULP FICTION, and JACKIE BROWN are his best.

I watched Reservoir Dogs on my own in a theater in 1994.

[M.10rda]

I'm wondering if he'd reached the stage where no one could suggest to him that maybe it wasn't a good idea to do that? (...except he's probably never not been at that stage)

This is a likely explanation.
During promotion for GRINDHOUSE he bragged about loving (and wanting to make) movies that change course abruptly midway and become totally different in terms of tone. Well that's DEATH PROOF... unfortunately, DEATH PROOF the long talky character drama and then DEATH PROOF the climactic madcap slapstick comedy are far less interesting and well-executed than the opening stretch of chilly menace and suspense. It was an offbeat idea but not a manageable idea for a 90 minute feature.
Actually, if he and Rodriguez really wanted to recreate the "grindhouse" experience, GRINDHOUSE could have opened midway through DEATH PROOF, w/ the cops in the hospital. We get the second half of DEATH PROOF, trailers, all of TERROR PLANET, more trailers, first half of DEATH PROOF... then the celluloid gets caught and burns, "ending" the double feature.  
Of course, I dunno if anyone could make it through 30 minutes of Tracie Thoms and Zoe Bell delivering Tarantino's weakest dialogue in order to get to the remaining 2.5 hours...