The Coen Brothers Thread

[brvheart 1,752]

Yeah, many people love the big lebowski, but I think it's underrated as a serious film. I think it's just about perfect. I can totally understand the blood simple thing, right place right time thing. I just don't think it compares to their more polished work that came later.

Yeah, it was certainly groundbreaking, and if I hadn't been like 6 when it came out, I'm sure I would like it much more than I do. Also, it's very important to note that if the Coen's made the movie again right now, it would be infinitely better.

[brvheart 1,752]

I'm dropping Raising Arizona a few spots

You picked the wrong movie in your top 3 to drop. Both of the other two would be a better choice. You definitely need to rewatch Hudsucker Proxy next, because it's much better than Barton Fink, and is easily a top 3 Coen movie.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

You picked the wrong movie in your top 3 to drop. Both of the other two would be a better choice. You definitely need to rewatch Hudsucker Proxy next, because it's much better than Barton Fink, and is easily a top 3 Coen movie.

Nah. I've seen Hudsucker a few times. JJL is good, but just cannot stand Tim Robbins.

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

You picked the wrong movie in your top 3 to drop. Both of the other two would be a better choice. You definitely need to rewatch Hudsucker Proxy next, because it's much better than Barton Fink, and is easily a top 3 Coen movie.

Dropping fargo would not be a better choice. I think you and me and this r/l friend of mine are in the absolute minority of Hudsucker devotee's

[brvheart 1,752]

Dropping fargo would not be a better choice.

agree to disagree.

I think you and me and this r/l friend of mine are in the absolute minority of Hudsucker devotee's

That's because the other people are retarded.

[JoeyJoJo 18]

I think you and me and this r/l friend of mine are in the absolute minority of Hudsucker devotee's

I ranked it third behind No Country and Lebowski, although I think it's in a lower tier than those two.

1. No Country For Old Men2. The Big Lebowski3. Hudsucker Proxy

[frautotenkinder 1,025]

Has anyone else seen A Serious Man?When I saw it I liked it, but the longer I think about it, the more I like it.

[JoeyJoJo 18]

Has anyone else seen A Serious Man?When I saw it I liked it, but the longer I think about it, the more I like it.

I didn't even know it was out yet.This forum is the only place I've seen anything about it.

[brvheart 1,752]

Has anyone else seen A Serious Man?When I saw it I liked it, but the longer I think about it, the more I like it.

How the hell have you seen it already? It won't be in Iowa for another couple weeks.Also... all Coen brothers movies get better with time. I can't think of a single movie they've made, that that doesn't apply to.

[frautotenkinder 1,025]

I live in LA, and saw it at an early screening. It hit theaters October 9th.Coen Brothers memory for me? I saw O Brother when I was out of the country, the film was still in English, with foreign subtitles. The theater was packed, the audience was enjoying things, and then there was a joke about being tarred and feathered. The audience was silent, and you could hear the five Americans in the theater cracking up. I knew jazz, baseball, and Mormonism were American--who knew being tarred and feathered was also American?

[BigDMcGee 3,352]

Also... all Coen brothers movies get better with time. I can't think of a single movie they've made, that that doesn't apply to.

This is a good point. I saw the big lebowski in the theatre, and I didn't quite get it the first time I saw it. I thought it was funny, but I didn't think it was sheer genius. Then I saw it again in college and it just slayed me but also blew me away.

[Mercury69 3]

I think part of understanding just how good the Coen's are is related to how much you know/understand of their source material. Sure, they write most of their own stuff, etc, but they borrow liberally from a number of genres. Big Lebowski, for example, is very much framed as a Film Noir. NCFOM is like the anti-hero Western. O Brother si a combo screwball comedy/musical. Point is, knowing this kind of stuff makes the viewing experience that much richer. Same goes for some other directors, but let's stick with the Coen's...

[brvheart 1,752]

I think part of understanding just how good the Coen's are is related to how much you know/understand of their source material. Sure, they write most of their own stuff, etc, but they borrow liberally from a number of genres. Big Lebowski, for example, is very much framed as a Film Noir. NCFOM is like the anti-hero Western. O Brother si a combo screwball comedy/musical. Point is, knowing this kind of stuff makes the viewing experience that much richer. Same goes for some other directors, but let's stick with the Coen's...

[insert a picture that Joey would love]

[JoeyJoJo 18]

[insert a picture that Joey would love]

Here's one:

[brvheart 1,752]

Here's one:

exactly what I was thinking.

[Theraflu 1,035]

I live in LA, and saw it at an early screening. It hit theaters October 9th.Coen Brothers memory for me? I saw O Brother when I was out of the country, the film was still in English, with foreign subtitles. The theater was packed, the audience was enjoying things, and then there was a joke about being tarred and feathered. The audience was silent, and you could hear the five Americans in the theater cracking up. I knew jazz, baseball, and Mormonism were American--who knew being tarred and feathered was also American?

I was wondering if anyone had seen it yet...It's only showing in the small indy-theatres in Boston, which I'm too lazy to go to. The trailer is amazing and I want to go see it, but I'm so god damned lazy. Maybe I'll make the effort this weekend into the city. It's tough when all their films are better enjoyed in multiple viewings; why spend the dough to see it the first time and not understand it fully?

[brvheart 1,752]

Today, Encore Mystery showed Barton Fink, Miller's Crossing, and No Country. Love it.

[qyayqi 11]

I would like to point out that I took this advice about 6 months ago, and DAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMNNNNNNNN!!!!!! That's all I will say. DAMN!!!

indeed. indubitably indeedy do.

[Mercury69 3]

Today, Encore Mystery showed Barton Fink, Miller's Crossing, and No Country. Love it.

Miller's Crossing is awfully good.

[rjkdb8 1]

this looks promising:http://screencrave.com/2009-10-26/matt-dam...join-true-grit/

[brvheart 1,752]

Barton Fink 2

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Blood Simple Remake in Chinese

[brvheart 1,752]

UPDATED LIST! (I've seen Miller's crossing, Blood Simple, Burn After Reading and A Serious Man since the OP)

Here are my list of Coen Brothers movies in the order that I love them....1. No Country For Old Men2. The Hudsucker Proxy3. The Big Lebowski4. Raising Arizona5. Miller's Crossing6. Burn After Reading7. Fargo8. Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?9. Barton Fink10. The Lady Killers11. Intolerable Cruelty12. A Serious Man13. Blood Simple14. The Man Who Wasn't There

I've only seen A Serious Man one time, so it's almost certainly getting an unfair rating. I've now seen Miller's Crossing three times, and it's pretty high on my list. Blood Simple seems like the Coen's first movie, not in a good way.

[frautotenkinder 1,025]

Watched No Country this weekend, getting ready for True Grit.What a fantastic, fantastic movie. I love all of it. I love the scenery, how big the environment feels. I loved Tommy Lee Jones' face, all craggy and personality and just t-h-e-r-e. I love the small bits of humor, as well as the horror that Bell (Jones) has for violence and killing.Yes, Anton Chigurh is as catchy as a pop song, catchy as Satan, but this movie didn't let me forget the toll all of this blood and loss was going to take.

[frautotenkinder 1,025]

Serious Man and True GritSerious Man really held up for me. I know the Coens get knocked sometimes for excessive character torture--but I felt a general affection for Larry Gopnik. He has a terrible time of it, but the character keeps struggling toward hope and understanding, and still has friends and family at the end of the movie.True GritI really, really liked it. I think it'll be in my top five of the year. general structure, but no plot

This is definitely the most straightforward of any Coen Brothers movie I can think of. I mean, have you ever tried to describe the plot of Lebowski? True Grit has a beginning, a middle and an end. It's verse-chorus-verse, and I mean that as a compliment. They managed to make a movie that probably has the standard page 17 conflict, but is still beautifully shot by Roger Deakins, and has all the fantastic language that lets me know I'm in another time and place.