I just watched a commercial for No Country for Old Men, the new film by the Coen brothers. Something I saw astonished me; more about that in a sec. After seeing the trailer I immediately fished up Roger Ebert’s review; he places on par with Fargo. His review concludes,
So, I’m dying to see it.
But what struck me when watching the ad was the blazing series of media endorsements. Rolling Stone … Entertainment Weekly … The Onion.
No–really. I really do think I saw that. Joke or clueless advertising people? I’m not sure I really care; I just find it hysterical, since it occurred in connection with a Coen movie.
I didn’t catch that when I saw a commercial for the movie, but at a guess, it’s a serious quote. The Onion’s A/V Club plays it straight, I believe. Confused the hell out of me when I first encountered it, I can tell you that.
I’m curious about the press this flick is getting. I used to be quite a fan of C McC’s, but found this a very forgettable book. Strikes me as curious that so many folk are expressing so much interest in it. Oh well, should be a beautiful bloodbath on the screen.
The trailer for No Country for Old Men reminded me of A Simple Plan, which is a great movie based on a great book as well. I’m not familiar with Cormac McCarthy; I’ll have to look him up.
I enjoyed the book myself and am looking forward to the film. It’s not opened over here yet. I’m still curious, though, why McCarthy went into so much detail in a couple of places in the book about the gas chamber in Texas when Texas has never had the gas chamber. It was the electric chair at the time period of the book.
I’m confused. I could swear I saw trailers for this movie several months ago. So when I saw another one last night, I thought they were advertising the DVD.
Was there a delay in the movie’s release? Or did I imagine seeing the trailer back in June?
Was recently at a talk by a couple of the Onion’s editors. They said the A/V Club was independent of the Onion’s editorial staff, and both expressed how impressed they were with its content and the individuals responsible.
I’ve read nothing but very positive reviews for this flick, so I’d like to see it, too. However, it might be a bit too grim and disturbing for me. I’ll let y’all test it out and see if a film wimp like me can tolerate it. I’d like the Coen Bros. to redeem themselves after those last two stinkers.
One reviewer said the CBs film it most reminded him of was Blood Simple, which I loved. The Mexican villain in this new flick is said to be an awesomely chilling character, and Tommy Lee Jones is supposed to be stellar, as well.
I don’t remember a mobile phone per se, but rather I think it was a policeman using some sort of mobile communication unit that I think did exist at that time. Sort of like the one Danny Glover uses early in Lethal Weapon to talk to the staff psychologist about Mel Gibson, I think, although that was a few years later.
All right, in the interest of full disclosure, Fargo is my favorite movie of all time and Millers Crossing is in my top 25. Basically, I like the Coens, they’re my favorite filmmakers.
So I got back from seeing this movie about six and a half hours ago and I refrained from writing a review because the movie really takes a lot out of you and I wanted to take time to really decompress before I wrote a review. There won’t be any details.
Having done that, this movie is the best movie of the year so far by miles and miles. It starts of slow and plodding slowly building tension, through remarkable editing, to the climax. Music was used sparingly but brilliantly and there are entire scenes with no music at all. The sound design is remarkable. One of the major climaxes in the movie contains two sound effects - it’s a terrific scene.
One can’t forget the acting. The casting was terrific and every performance was great. If Javier Bardem doesn’t get a best supporting actor win something is wrong. Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones, and Kelly MacDonald were terrific as well. One scene with her had me with tears in my eyes.
People groaned at the ending in the theatre I was at and those that have read the book can probably guess why. Personally, I thought the ending was perfect. The movie (and presumably book as I understand the Coens didn’t change much) wouldn’t work with any other ending.
As a bit of an aside, when I left the theatre I became a bit depressed. As a aspiring filmmaker, who is in serious debt due to his desire to make movies, the first thought that came into my head was, “I don’t have it in me to make a movie that good. That movie is on a level far above me.” Then it crossed my mind that nobody else has it in them to make a movie like that either, so I’m in good company.
It’s quite a treat that There Will Be Blood is going to be released in the same year. It’s supposed to be terrific.
I pretty much agree with everything you say about the movie drm.
I’ve heard other people reference the ending and I’m wondering exactly what they’re referring to. Except for the sudden shock of Brolin being dead and you not getting to see it happenI don’t remember anything unusual going on. Is that what people are talking about? How close did the movie follow the book?
Oh yes. The previews, strangely enough, make it look terrible, but I know better. I am PTA’s bitch, and I’ll be there opening day.
[spoiler]That (which was necessary because it really helps establish Ed Tom as the protagonist/central character figure) and also the fact that a lot of people at the theatre (the three or four I talked to) didn’t really know whether or not Carla Jean had been killed. For me, it isn’t even up for debate. He wipes blood off of his shoes as he leaves the house and on top of that we know enough about Anton to know that if Carla Jean refuses to call it (and she would) that Anton WOULD kill her, no question about it.
I thought that, topped off by Ed Tom’s recounting of his dream, was a perfect ending.
I dunno, I suppose Anton getting away could piss a few people off but that seems to me at least to be kind of the point of the whole movie.
[spoiler]I knew she was a goner as soon as she said “You don’t have to do this” because that’s what Woody’s character said right before Anton blew him away.
I also assumed he killed the poor nervous guy at the gas station, even though they didn’t show it. I think not showing those murders made Anton even scarier, if that’s possible. Bardem is one of our finest actors. I love that he’s now played an iconic character that will never be forgotten. Anton “Sugar.”
I never even thought about that monologue from Tommy Lee Jones. I guess I could see why people would be bored by it, but I’m never bored by anything uttered by TLJ. [/spoiler]How great was it to see Tess Harper in a movie again?
I just saw this last night thanks to comp tickets from MIT.
I thought it was amazing. Granted, I’m a big fan of the Coens, but this was stunning. I was struck by how silent our theatre was as the credits began to roll. No one moved or spoke for a least a minute, and then there was this release of tension from everyone. The last time I witness a movie striking an audience like that was Eternal Sunshine. Which is why Kaufmann and the Coens are my favorite people in the business.
As far as the ambiguity goes, I much prefer that to an ending that beats you over the head with the moral or the “twist” (looking right at YOU Illusionist). Ed’s dream was the perfect ending monologue, it almost brought tears to my eyes when he describes his father waiting for him.
The sound editing deserves an award. The scene previously described, when the sound of the phone almost lulls you into complacency was absolutely brilliant.
I want to watch it again just to catch all the parallels. The various dogs, the times in which the characters are barefoot, or remove their hats, there’s so much going on it really warrants a good observant viewing after the first view.
Sadly, I didn’t love the film.
It was better than OK, but the audience I saw it with all groaned and a few even laughed at the ending, which I was also not happy about.
Actually, up until the ending, I was thinking “this is a really great film”…but to me, it was a totally unsatisfying ending.
No, I am not someone who insists all films wrap up with a tidy bow, but this one just seemed like someone ripped up and ditched the last chapter before I had a chance to see it.
No–really. I really do think I saw that. Joke or clueless advertising people? I’m not sure I really care; I just find it hysterical, since it occurred in connection with a Coen movie.