Anticlimactic, but certainly not surprising.
Anticlimactic, but certainly not surprising.
1. No Country For Old Men - wow this one left a mark, pretty good portrayals all 'round
2. Barton Fink - very curious, very arty
3. Fargo - nice structure, nice palette, awesome film
4. O Brother, Where Art Thou? - anyone know where I can get that hair (balm?) dapper dan! the man!
5. The Big Lebowski - depending on the occasion, I can bowl (damn town, changed the bowling alley to yet ANOTHER liqour store! bastards!
6. Burn After Reading - I must, I must, I must increase my bust! (look it up he he he)
I've seen them all but Intolerable Cruelty, which from what I understand won't rank too high on anyone's list anyway.
1. No Country/Big Lebowski. They both represent the extremes of what they do so well, I couldn't imagine putting one on top of another.
2. Blood Simple. For such a limited amount of experience and budget, they pulled this off so well you'd be forgiven for not thinking this was their first.
3. Hudsucker Proxy. Such a bold and brash production of something that was perhaps not what the world was wanting, but I still enjoy it now.
4. True Grit. Such a weird yet traditional Western, and a really fun time at the theater.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs was a damn masterpiece.
I watched A Serious Man a couple weeks ago for the first time in about 10 years and I kind of loved it. I wasn't sure what to think the first time I saw it and have been meaning to give it another viewing ever since. Finally got around to it, no idea why it took me so long. Such a great movie, and hardly anyone talks about it.
I don't know why I haven't watched that yet...welp time to do it.
i went on a Coen binge a couple weeks ago, watched most of what was available on the streamers i subscribe to.
True Grit - 2nd viewing, holds up well. i like this one.
Hudsucker Proxy - 2nd viewing, first time i was probably 10. didn't get it then. enjoyed as a 39 year old.
Raising Arizona - 2nd viewing, hadn't seen for a long time. i find parts of it grating. the screaming in the car for example.
A Serious Man - 2nd viewing. I like this one.
Intolerable Cruelty - hadn't seen before, was ok. Didn't have the Coen vibe as strong as most.
Ladykillers - hadn't seen before, it was amusing but not too special. Probably won't watch again.
none of those crack my top five probably.
My faves are (in no order):
Fargo
Lebowski
O Brother
No Country
Inside Llewyn Davis
Buster Scruggs
Have not seen the Man Who Wasn't There or Blood Simple (i think)
been a while since i saw Miller's crossing and Barton Fink
YES.
I'm always so happy whenever I encounter someone else who appreciates this movie as much as I do.
A Serious Man is my favorite Coen Bros movie, hands down. I only discovered it a couple years ago, but I fucking love that movie now. It kinda gets overlooked, I think, because there's very little action or violence, nor is it one of their crazier comedies. It's maybe the most subtle and "normal" film they've ever done. But god, it just hits me so hard every time. There's something about this movie that feels very me, like a good summation of how I often feel about my own life and the people around me. I often struggle with this sense of randomness and absurdity in life, particularly as it pertains to things like violence, poverty, suffering, etc, both in my own personal experience and on a broader societal level. I've spent so many of my years craving purpose and interpretation and narrative as means of coming to terms with the darker aspects of existence that I have an unhealthy tendency to dwell upon, and this movie perfectly captures the hilarious futility of that. It honestly IS a comedy, just an incredibly sad one. It depicts pain and suffering with a perfect mixture of sincere human empathy and incredibly black humor. Like that Junior Rabbi telling Larry, "Look at the parking lot Larry! Just look at that parking lot!" It's so horribly sad but so incredibly funny at the same time. God I'm obsessed with this movie.
YES!!! That's awesome! I don't think I know anyone who has seen it, except maybe my brother (and I haven't had the chance to ask him). I think it's going to end up being one of those movies I revisit from time to time and it is definitely a film that I am trying to introduce a lot of people to. I'm hoping maybe I can do a Netflix Party thing to watch it with my friend in Colorado, as she was my movie buddy up until a few months ago when she moved out of state (and, you know, the plague descended upon us). Like, I am just so so excited to share this movie with people. The humor is super subtle and dry but that's exactly what I love about it. And I love the characters, especially Larry. Michael Stuhlbarg knocks it out of the park. And Richard Kind- holy crap. I really like that guy anyway but he is SO GOOD in this. I really felt for him, especially the scene where Spoiler: he breaks down crying in the motel pool while talking about his pending trial. The movie is also, like, SO specific. It really feels lived in, if that makes sense. This world feels real and yet just a bit off at the same time. And it feels authentic. You can tell the Coens really put their own experiences growing up into it. At least it seems that way to me.
And yes! The futility of all of it, the search for meaning where there may not be any, it is such a great concept to explore and was so wonderfully done. And I loved the way they explored the idea of paradoxes, specifically taking Spoiler: Schrödinger's cat and actually using that as a template for the entire movie, basically. Like, at the end, when Larry opens the envelope and accepts the bribe- THAT'S when everything comes crashing down. Did he have cancer or not? Well, now that he has accepted the money, the two possibilities collapse into one and, hey, he just got a phone call from his doctor that I think we can safely assume is bad news. His kid might be about to die. It looks like he may not be receiving his tenure. Like, this all happened right when he decided to take that bribe. But then you have to ask yourself: is that REALLY what happened? Did the universe sort of collapse into one of those possibilities, did he seal his fate with his decision, or did that have nothing to do with it? Is it all just chaos? Are we looking for meaning in this thing when there really isn't one there? And isn't that the point of the whole movie? Maybe there's a meaning, maybe there's not, but prooooobably not. Either way, stop worrying about it and just live your life and try to be a good person. That's basically the point, right? But on a meta level we as the audience have to decide if this is all just coincidence or if there really is something to this, something behind this. Just like Larry is trying to figure out. And maybe the whole point is that we shouldn't be worried about it either. God, I don't know. But I love that. I love everything about that. And this movie.
Same! My friend got me to sit down for a rewatch a few weeks ago (my first since it was in theaters!!) and I was blown away. I remembered liking it when it came out, but I totally fell in love upon finally seeing it again.
"Accept the mystery." <3
Also, me and that same friend watched Miller's Crossing tonight which was my first time. I knew *nothing* about it going in which made it an extra fun experience. What Coens flick should I watch next? I still need to see Blood Simple, Hudsucker Proxy, O Brother, etc.
Have you seen The Man Who Wasn't There? That film is amazing.
Granted, I haven't seen it in about 20 years, but I remember absolutely loving it. O Brother is great, too.
I was hoping someone would say this! Will report back...
It's been on my mind a lot: 1) part of me just wants to start from the beginning and go in chronological order, 2.) I was watching an interview with the Coens conducted by Guillermo del Toro (!) and of course they discuss it, 3.) I still regularly think about comparing Blood Simple's final shots with its storyboards. Frances McDormand talks about how important it is to her that she sees storyboards for the movies she works on. As a 'board artist, I always find stuff like that very heartening.