No Country for Old Men Discussion Thread

[Brak]

From the Coen Brothers...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=1YLfpDBzhFI

No Country for Old Men (http://imdb.com/title/tt0477348/) on imdb.com

Comes to theatres on November 21st.

See it!

[JeffreyLebowski]

This film looks to be a fine return to form for the Coen brothers. I know a lot of people didn't like Intolerable Cruelty or The Ladykillers (I happened to like them both). Roger Deakins' cinematography will easily get him an Oscar nom (if not the win). Javier Bardem looks to be scary as hell as well. I can't wait to see this once it's out in theaters...even though I doubt it will last very long there, sadly.

[Brak]

This film looks to be a fine return to form for the Coen brothers. I know a lot of people didn't like Intolerable Cruelty or The Ladykillers (I happened to like them both). Roger Deakins' cinematography will easily get him an Oscar nom (if not the win). Javier Bardem looks to be scary as hell as well. I can't wait to see this once it's out in theaters...even though I doubt it will last very long there, sadly.
All sociopathic characters need an out-of-touch-with-reality sinister haircut.

And I, too, enjoyed Intolerable Cruelty and The Lady Killers.

[JeffreyLebowski]

All sociopathic characters need an out-of-touch-with-reality sinister haircut.


It certainly seems to be a pre-requisite for movie psychos nowadays...

[Pancake Rabbit]

Looks great. Can't go wrong with the Coens.

[Rusty Ghia]

Is it still going to be a limited release?

[cochesecochese]

This looks fucking awesome. I saw the preview before Darjeeling Limited and immediately got interested. The only hangup I have is I'm already imagining the assassin killing people because they're not that interested in his poetry.

[Liquid 2]

I can't wait.

[I AM WILLIAM H. MACY]

How long till someone makes the parody trailer, "No Country For Gary Oldman"?

[trq]

Looks brilliant. One of the few instances where I'd rather see the movie before I read the book.

[SneakyPenguin]

Looks fucking amazing. The day after I saw the trailer I bought the book. Have not had a chance to read it yet, but it's next on my list.

[SL4IN]

saw that trailer a few weeks ago and I have to say it looks pretty interesting. i'll prolly go check it out.

[Xevious]

I recently read "Blood Meridian - or an Evening of Redness in the West" by Cormac McCarthy...the same author who wrote the book that is the basis for this movie.

That book is supposely one of the most violent American novels ever written. It doesn't look like this movie will shy away from the bloodshed either.

[darthbudge]

I just saw this preview before "Micheal Clayton". It looks awesome, I can't wait for this to come out.

[Dead of Knight]

The Dude abides.

[Brak]

Opens in select theaters tomorrow.

[Sofa King Kool]

Really hope I get a chance to see this over the weekend. It looks awesome.

[zewone]

My cousin watched it.

Said it was DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPPPPPE!.

[RedvsBlue]

I haven't seen a Coen Brothers movie yet that I didn't like. I had no idea Intolerable Cruelty was a Coen Brothers movie, had I known that I might have given it a shot. The marketing for it seemed to indicate it was yet another romantic comedy.

[cochesecochese]

Gonna go see this tomorrow. Here's hoping.

[Brak]

It's in theatres, miscreants!

[polly]

It was great except for the last 20 minutes. I guess I just didn't like how it ended. Lots of people were bitching as we were walking out.

[prmononoke]

I saw this last night, and holy shit, it is incredible. I haven't been that engaged in a movie in such a long time. From the moment it started til the end, I wasn't bored once. That's impressive. It's probably the best movie I've seen this year.

Really, go watch it. Now.

It was great except for the last 20 minutes. I guess I just didn't like how it ended. Lots of people were bitching as we were walking out.

Ok, that is a good point. Regardless, awesome, awesome movie.

[Liquid 2]

Movie of the year, unless there's some kind of surprise hit.

I liked the ending. It was a bit off, I agree, but it wasn't bad; it was just different.

Everyone needs to go see this.

[Sofa King Kool]

This was finally released in my theater. I'll be seeing it tomorrow night. I can't wait.

[Ikohn4ever]

saw this move couple weeks ago, fantastic, a couple soliloquies that felt a little too long, and one part felt like it was unnecessarily cut out, but one of the best of the year besides it.

[Xevious]

Good movie. I find myself analyzing the film much as "Blood Meridian". Both the movie and "Blood Meridian" had ambiguous endings

Here are a couple of points- Maybe I'm thinking too much about the film:

I noticed how there are some parallels between both the killer and the Llewellyn Moss character

1. Moss was killing deer earlier in the film and Anton Chigurh (the killer) was killing humans almost like they were deer.

2. Both were injuried at one point and bought a shirt off some stranger.

3. Both healed themselves after they were injured. Moss was pulling metal out of his shoulder and Chigurh went to the pharmacy to get medical supplies.


Here is another thing I analyzed. Chigurh seemed to share some theme with money. He would flip a coin for his victims. He would use coins to open up the grate. And there is the obvious one of he being in pursuit of the satchel of money.

[Sofa King Kool]

Finally saw it last night. Absolutely fantastic. Easily one of the best movies this year.

[tehweezner]

saw this last night. completely blown away, one of the most incredible movies i have ever seen. the realistic violence and terrifying antagonist make this one to remember for the ages.

i loved the ending btw.

[cdubb1605]

saw it earlier tonight and DAMN.... I MEAN DAMN that was awsome. and from a cinematic point it was awesome. quick notes:

1. the no music/scoring through the entire film was done to a fucking T it was perfect.
2. the phone call scene from the hospital to the hotel was some really good back and forth
3. ended well, however i thought the logical end point wouldve been him walking out after killing moss' wife

just my points.

[zewone]

<3

[Brak]

Brilliant ending; Beauty in bleakness.

I'll post more thoughts later.

[Pancake Rabbit]

just saw it...

$

I had no problem with the ending.

[JeffreyLebowski]

I finally saw this film over the weekend...absolutely fantastic! As everyone seems to agree on, the whole movie was very well done. The pacing was great, the action/chase scenes were intense, acting was spot on, humor was subtle (and hilariously dark!) etc. etc. At first, I felt a little unfulfilled with the ending, but after some open analysis with my girlfriend afterwards, I grew to like it a whole lot more. "Beauty in bleakness" is a great way to put it. Not a whole lot of closure, per se, but that's often the way life is.

[trq]

I finally saw this film over the weekend...absolutely fantastic! As everyone seems to agree on, the whole movie was very well done. The pacing was great, the action/chase scenes were intense, acting was spot on, humor was subtle (and hilariously dark!) etc. etc. At first, I felt a little unfulfilled with the ending, but after some open analysis with my girlfriend afterwards, I grew to like it a whole lot more. "Beauty in bleakness" is a great way to put it. Not a whole lot of closure, per se, but that's often the way life is.

Exactly. I actually just saw it for the second time last night, and the ending makes even more sense on a repeat viewing. In fact, I'd say the ending is exactly the point of the movie, if the movie can even be said to have a "point."

[thekeybladewars]

Damn me. I love how I found this topic while I'm in the middle of an important research paper. I'll discuss when I'm good and ready.

[tehweezner]

some points on the ending:

I knew the movie was over when Anton got hit by the car and you saw his broken arm. that's not something that will heal up quickly, and the other point is there's nothing left for him to do. no reason to kill the cop or anyone else. after killing llewleyn's wife everything was squared away. the car crash was the only deus ex machina moment for me but it still felt plausible. the car crash was also one of the most startling moments in a movie i've seen, no warning whatsoever :hot:

and when tommy lee jones starts his monologue i knew it was ending on that note, kind of an abstract non-ending. life goes on, the killer gets away, and people died. you could call it a bleak ending but to me it was simply realistic.



some things that confused me:

Why did Moss go back to the desert? to me the only explanation was to kill the man who was asking for water for if he survived he knew Moss's face. if the intention of the film-makers and of the author is that he went back to give water to the guy... that is just fucking ridiculous and the movie definitely loses some realism points in my book. you can explain it away that Moss felt bad for the guy (and he's really dumb), but WTF who would go back in that situation anyways? like water is going to heal the dude's GUNSHOT WOUNDS :roll:

when the cop(tommyleejones) goes to the motel near teh end, anton seems to be hiding there. the cop sees teh grate with the screws and then leaves. this was the same motel where moss hid the case in the vent correct? was anton really there? or was that just imagination of the cop? and when the cop saw the grate did he realize the money was gone?

and who got the money in the end? was it the mexicans that killed Moss at the motel? or did Anton get the money?



as a whole this movie was shockingly good. i was in awe for the whole thing. at my theater also people were bitching as they left... but they probably weren't expecting THAT :lol:

[Pancake Rabbit]

was anton really there? or was that just imagination of the cop? and when the cop saw the grate did he realize the money was gone?

and who got the money in the end? was it the mexicans that killed Moss at the motel? or did Anton get the money?



as a whole this movie was shockingly good. i was in awe for the whole thing. at my theater also people were bitching as they left... but they probably weren't expecting THAT :lol:

Anton was there and he did get the money, he knew where moss liked to hide it from experience in the other motel. I don't understand the water myself, having him go back to kill the agua guy seems like a more logical idea.

[SneakyPenguin]

Going solely from the book, Moss went back specifically to give him water. Guilty conscience won out, and in the end got him killed. Makes it more sad in a way, that in trying to do somewhat of the right thing, he gets his wife and himself killed.

[thekeybladewars]

My impression was that Anton would kill anything that lay in his path; this is what mortified me, so naturally I got upset that he didn't kill Kathy Lamkin.

[klwillis45]

I saw in Sat. night and my exprience was eerily similar to High Tension. I was absolutley loving it until the last half hour. Killed the rest of the movie for me.

However, it is a Coen flick so maybe a repeat viewing or two will change my mind.

[chunkay]

Awesome f'in movie. Some people dont understand the ending. He spares the kids because he says that they never saw him because anyone that sees him is dead. Ending was perfect imho.

[Sofa King Kool]

I went to go see it again yesterday. Still awesome. I noticed a lot more the second time around too.

[pittpizza]

I just saw it last night and have a few questions. Was intolerable cruelty that movie with Sarah Michelle Gellar? if so I can't beleive it was a Coen bros movie, but OTOH I can because that flick rocked.

allright here is questions bout NCFOM:


1. Who ended up with the cash? Mexicans or Anton?

2. Anton killed the head hauncho in the skyscraper, and this is who hired everybody, so I assume that Anton or the Mexicans just kept the cash?

3. Do you think he killed Mrs. Moss (I think he did).


4. How funny was this line "I previsioned it!"

5. Hasn't this coin flipping thing been a little played out? See: Twoface from batman, and the head Secret Service guy from the Sentinel. <--super nitpicky I know.


Overall this movie gets a 10/10 and only leaves me with the nagging task of figuring out whose films I like more: Wes Anderson's or the Coen bros'. (I have great taste in movies don't I?)

[kevlar51]

I saw in Sat. night and my exprience was eerily similar to High Tension. I was absolutley loving it until the last half hour. Killed the rest of the movie for me.

However, it is a Coen flick so maybe a repeat viewing or two will change my mind.


I say give it a couple days so it sinks in. I was really upset with how it ended while I was in the theater. 3 days later, it's one of the best films I've seen in years.

[kevlar51]

I just saw it last night and have a few questions. Was intolerable cruelty that movie with Sarah Michelle Gellar? if so I can't beleive it was a Coen bros movie, but OTOH I can because that flick rocked.

allright here is questions bout NCFOM:


1. Who ended up with the cash? Mexicans or Anton?

2. Anton killed the head hauncho in the skyscraper, and this is who hired everybody, so I assume that Anton or the Mexicans just kept the cash?

3. Do you think he killed Mrs. Moss (I think he did).


4. How funny was this line "I previsioned it!"

5. Hasn't this coin flipping thing been a little played out? See: Twoface from batman, and the head Secret Service guy from the Sentinel. <--super nitpicky I know.


Overall this movie gets a 10/10 and only leaves me with the nagging task of figuring out whose films I like more: Wes Anderson's or the Coen bros'. (I have great taste in movies don't I?)


1. It's ambiguous. I can really see it going either way given the way the movie played out. a) despite all the conflicts in the film, the Mexicans come out of nowhere and get the money, or b) Anton gets the money, but still finds it's necessary to kill Mrs. Moss.

3. Also ambiguous. His attitude leaving the house can be interpreted different ways: a) he killed her, and thus has no reason to fear an attack from behind, or b) he didn't kill her, but he doesn't fear an attack from behind because of his ego (or he knows she's broken).

5. The coin flipping, while it can be a bit cliche, works well with the themes of the film, such as the unpredictiblity of evil and the role of fate (or its absence).


That's really the beauty of ambiguity. There doesn't have to be a right or wrong answer to enjoy thinking/talking about it. Once people can embrace that, and I'm not saying you haven't, films, books and even some games become that much more intriguing.

Sadly, the bulk of society wants clear-cut conclusions and definite right or wrong answers spelled out for them, or else the piece was "too confusing" or "unclear."

[SneakyPenguin]

Question number 3:

According to the book, he flat out kills her, as she lost the coin toss, but only after explaining reasons about it and all, and placing all blame on Moss. No ambiguity there.

[Brak]

I wouldn't use the book for answers, being that this is a film adaptation.

[RedvsBlue]

I don't usually have a problem with ambigious endings but for some reason I just didn't care for the end of this one. Hell, I loved the series finale of Sopranos and really felt like that episode helped solidify it as my favorite TV show of all time. Like I said though, I just don't like the way they did this one. On the one hand they buck the hollywood trend and leave the movie with an open-ending but on the other hand they skipped out on the killing of the heroes. As people are indicating these deaths were handled in the novel but they left them out of the movie to save us or something?

There was a lot of really awesome cinematography and writing in this movie though. It had a very realistic feel to it. I mean the average guy hero worked really, really well in it. Let's talk about Anton as the villian, chilling, truly chilling. The last 30 minutes just really felt like a let down though. The buildup was spectacular but the finish just felt a little lackluster.

[SneakyPenguin]

I wouldn't use the book for answers, being that this is a film adaptation.

I'm only using it, because everything I've heard so far has made it seem like the book was a script (like Fear and Loathing). I hope to see the film soon though.

[BigSpoonyBard]

Here's my take on the ending:

The movie has to end the way it does. There is nothing left to say or do. This was really the sheriff's story. He feels completely out of place in a world where a killer like Anton can exist. There's no point to Anton being caught or killed. Anton is a symbol of the world passing Sheriff Bell by. It doesn't make sense anymore. He knows that if he doesn't retire, he's going to die, hence the dream about his father passing him in the cold, lonely valley (the new world) and waiting for him at the end with a warm fire. If Anton is caught or killed, the world is still too different for him. You can't kill a symbol. It wouldn't provide us with any further satisfaction (contrary to my wife's wishes).

[tehweezner]

Here's my take on the ending:

The movie has to end the way it does. There is nothing left to say or do. This was really the sheriff's story. He feels completely out of place in a world where a killer like Anton can exist. There's no point to Anton being caught or killed. Anton is a symbol of the world passing Sheriff Bell by. It doesn't make sense anymore. He knows that if he doesn't retire, he's going to die, hence the dream about his father passing him in the cold, lonely valley (the new world) and waiting for him at the end with a warm fire. If Anton is caught or killed, the world is still too different for him. You can't kill a symbol. It wouldn't provide us with any further satisfaction (contrary to my wife's wishes).
exactly!

there is seriously nothing left to say or do for any of the characters. moss and his wife are dead, woody, the boss man, mexicans, etc.. all dead. anton and the sheriff are the only ones left and then anton busts his arm. movie is done. and even if he didn't get in the accident the sheriff is NOT going to look for anton himself.

and i like your analysis of the dreams, makes a lot of sense

i hope this movie kills at the golden globes, bardem deserves best supporting actor for sure.

[Chacrana]

There was a lot of really awesome cinematography and writing in this movie though. It had a very realistic feel to it. I mean the average guy hero worked really, really well in it. Let's talk about Anton as the villian, chilling, truly chilling. The last 30 minutes just really felt like a let down though. The buildup was spectacular but the finish just felt a little lackluster.

I felt the same way about the last 30 minutes. Before that, the movie was excellent though. I got the ending and all that, but I just didn't like that they make everything so ambiguous towards the end. You just randomly find out that Moss is dead, you don't know what happened to his wife, and you don't know who got the money (unless I missed something.) While I realize that the ambiguity is sorta the point, I personally didn't like it.

[hiccupleftovers]

Going to see this movie agan probably tomorrow after work. Incredible film. My favorite-non Hollywood blockbuster sort of film of this year.

[strayfoxx]

Anton obviously killed Moss' wife, he checked the bottom of his feet after he left, which keeps in line the times when he was careful about leaving footprints behind when he killed someone. When he initially went after Moss in the motel room he made sure to take off his shoes to leave no tracks behind.

Moss heading back to give the guy water most likely extended his life. The money had a tracking device inside it, so search parties would have eventually found him anyways, and Moss most likely would not have been as prepared. Ending was great, I find those who complain about it are the ones who want Hollywood to hold their hand through the whole cinematic voyage.

[kevlar51]

I don't usually have a problem with ambigious endings but for some reason I just didn't care for the end of this one. Hell, I loved the series finale of Sopranos and really felt like that episode helped solidify it as my favorite TV show of all time. Like I said though, I just don't like the way they did this one. On the one hand they buck the hollywood trend and leave the movie with an open-ending but on the other hand they skipped out on the killing of the heroes. As people are indicating these deaths were handled in the novel but they left them out of the movie to save us or something?

There was a lot of really awesome cinematography and writing in this movie though. It had a very realistic feel to it. I mean the average guy hero worked really, really well in it. Let's talk about Anton as the villian, chilling, truly chilling. The last 30 minutes just really felt like a let down though. The buildup was spectacular but the finish just felt a little lackluster.

But skipping out on killing of the heroes is part of bucking the Hollywood trend. In real life, which according to the film is often very brutal, we don't have the benefit of rising action, spectacular climax and denoument. Same thing here.

[kill3r7]

I just saw it last night and have a few questions. Was intolerable cruelty that movie with Sarah Michelle Gellar? if so I can't beleive it was a Coen bros movie, but OTOH I can because that flick rocked.

allright here is questions bout NCFOM:


1. Who ended up with the cash? Mexicans or Anton?

2. Anton killed the head hauncho in the skyscraper, and this is who hired everybody, so I assume that Anton or the Mexicans just kept the cash?

3. Do you think he killed Mrs. Moss (I think he did).


4. How funny was this line "I previsioned it!"

5. Hasn't this coin flipping thing been a little played out? See: Twoface from batman, and the head Secret Service guy from the Sentinel. <--super nitpicky I know.


Overall this movie gets a 10/10 and only leaves me with the nagging task of figuring out whose films I like more: Wes Anderson's or the Coen bros'. (I have great taste in movies don't I?)


1. Anton gets the cash, in the book he returns it to the guy who hired him to do the job.

2. I don't think that guy was the head honcho, I think he was the middle man but I could be wrong...these is all based off the book.

3. Yes he did.(i think he killed her because he checked his feet for blood on the way out). Afterall, Anton lives by a set of rules and moral values. Thus, Mrs. Moss had to die or win the coin toss

[kevlar51]

As Brak said, I really wouldn't look to the book for answers that might be absent from the film. It's not fair to the filmmakers who may have left questions unanswered for a reason, and being as everyone's concerns have the potential to be major plot points, I doubt they would have been left out on accident.

[pittpizza]

How cool would that be if Tommy Lee Jone's character just blows Anton away with dual wielded machine guns while wearing nothing but a cowboy hat, cowboy boots and whitey tighties?

[kevlar51]

How cool would that be if Tommy Lee Jone's character just blows Anton away with dual wielded machine guns while wearing nothing but a cowboy hat, cowboy boots and whitey tighties?

Way to spoil it, jerkface. ;)

[Whambamm]

My take on a couple of things people feel are unanswered:


1) Anton got the money. There'd have been no point in him realizing that's where Moss was hiding the money in the first motel if they didn't intend on using it later. Remember, Moss didn't know that Anton had seen where he hid the money in the first motel, so he would have hidden it in the same place in the last motel.

2)Anton also did kill Moss's wife. There'd have been no point in showing him check his boots if he hadn't. What else would he be checking for except for blood.

3)And from everything I've read, the movie follows the book pretty much exactly. The only differences I've read were the not showing the deaths of Moss and his wife. Which leads me to...

4)For those who don't like the ending, blame Cormac McCarthy. The speech by Tommy Lee Jones at the end is apparently word for word the ending from the book.

Anyway, it seems like some of the people here did get the ending and understood that it was Tommy Lee Jones's story about the rest of the world changing and passing him by.

[pittpizza]

Very insightful stuff. Thanks.

[Drnick]

My 2 word review of this movie.... Blood Complex

it was great, classic Coen brothers, had a few slow points but all in all one of the better movies in theaters right now.

[kevlar51]

My take on a couple of things people feel are unanswered:



Anyway, it seems like some of the people here did get the ending and understood that it was Tommy Lee Jones's story about the rest of the world changing and passing him by.


I saw the ending more as Tommy Lee Jones's character acknowledging that there is evil in the world, and the only thing you can do is try to be a good man in spite of the world around you. And in the end, you'll reach the light (hope for a better future or death). "And then I woke up."--when he realized at the last part that it was just a dream. So I think the only part about the end on which we disagree is the character's take: I say the character is getting older and the world is staying the same, you say it's the world changing.

[pittpizza]

I really think its both, character gettin older in a changing world. There is no country for old men, the man gets older and the country (and crime in it)changes. A "no rest for the weary" type of message.

Either way the ending didnt bother me. Label me closed minded and unimaginative if you like, but I prefer clear endings. While I am fullly able to appreciate what the Producer of Sopranos did, what the Coen bros did in their movie, and what Cormac McCarthy did in his book, I still would have loved to see Tommy Lee Jones' character take down the antagonist.
BTW, best antagonist in a movie EVER!

[Whambamm]

I saw the ending more as Tommy Lee Jones's character acknowledging that there is evil in the world, and the only thing you can do is try to be a good man in spite of the world around you. And in the end, you'll reach the light (hope for a better future or death). "And then I woke up."--when he realized at the last part that it was just a dream. So I think the only part about the end on which we disagree is the character's take: I say the character is getting older and the world is staying the same, you say it's the world changing.




As long as you feel the same way about the other stuff, I feel it's fine. Tommy Lee Jones's speech at the end I feel is something along the lines of Jones's character no longer feeling like he belongs. All the views point to the title of the movie though.

[darthbudge]

I saw this again today. Still freakin awesome. I definately think everyone should see this movie twice. You will notice alot more in it.

[BigSpoonyBard]

I saw the ending more as Tommy Lee Jones's character acknowledging that there is evil in the world, and the only thing you can do is try to be a good man in spite of the world around you. And in the end, you'll reach the light (hope for a better future or death). "And then I woke up."--when he realized at the last part that it was just a dream. So I think the only part about the end on which we disagree is the character's take: I say the character is getting older and the world is staying the same, you say it's the world changing.



Probably not a "spoiler" per se, but just to be sure
This take on the sheriff's perceptions goes against the one thing he says repeatedly in some way, shape or form: "I just don't understand it anymore." Anton's actions leave him at a loss as it does not fit into his schema for the world around him. So while I normally would say all interpretations have validity, you would have to overcome this hurdle to convince me.

[kevlar51]

Probably not a "spoiler" per se, but just to be sure
This take on the sheriff's perceptions goes against the one thing he says repeatedly in some way, shape or form: "I just don't understand it anymore." Anton's actions leave him at a loss as it does not fit into his schema for the world around him. So while I normally would say all interpretations have validity, you would have to overcome this hurdle to convince me.
Yeah, probably smart to label "spoiler."


Like Ellis said, "What you got ain't nothin' new .... This contry is hard on people." Ellis described his Grandfather's murder (around the turn of the century) to Ed Tom Bell in an effort to quell his idolation of the past. While Jones's character believes throughout the better part of the movie that the good ol' days were just that, his dream helps confirm to him Ellis's lecture, and that brings in the title--it's no country for old men, and it never has been.

[strayfoxx]

I've been aware of the Coen brothers up until No Country but just haven't delved into their back catalog. Just saw The Man Who Wasn't There tonight and it was pretty good. I'd suggest anyone who hasn't seen it to watch it.

[pittpizza]

What other movies have they done besides The Big Lebowski? I didnt know they did cruel intentions, doesnt seem like a C bros flick to me.

Did they do the bowling movie with Woody Harrelson and Bill Murray? I forget the name.

Edit: Okay I got off my lazy ass and actually googled them. Here is a chronological list of their movies and what I would rate them on a scale of 1-10:

Blood Simple: Never saw it.
Raising Arizona: 10
Miller's Crossing: Never saw it.
Barton Fink: Never saw it
The Husucker Proxy: 8.5
Fargo: 10
The Big Lebosky: 11 (As a smoker, it's one of my fav. movies ever).
O Brother, Where Art Thou?: 10
The Man Who Wasn't There: Never saw it.
Intolerable Cruelty: 8.5
The LadyKillers: 9
No Country for Old Men: 10

[BigSpoonyBard]

Yeah, probably smart to label "spoiler."


Like Ellis said, "What you got ain't nothin' new .... This contry is hard on people." Ellis described his Grandfather's murder (around the turn of the century) to Ed Tom Bell in an effort to quell his idolation of the past. While Jones's character believes throughout the better part of the movie that the good ol' days were just that, his dream helps confirm to him Ellis's lecture, and that brings in the title--it's no country for old men, and it never has been.


Well played. I now concede the validity of your argument. :applause:

[kevlar51]

Well played. I now concede the validity of your argument. :applause:

Thank you, validity is all I ask. :D

[projecteightysix]

What other movies have they done besides The Big Lebowski? I didnt know they did cruel intentions, doesnt seem like a C bros flick to me.

Did they do the bowling movie with Woody Harrelson and Bill Murray? I forget the name.

Edit: Okay I got off my lazy ass and actually googled them. Here is a chronological list of their movies and what I would rate them on a scale of 1-10:

Blood Simple: Never saw it.
Raising Arizona: 10
Miller's Crossing: Never saw it.
Barton Fink: Never saw it
The Husucker Proxy: 8.5
Fargo: 10
The Big Lebosky: 11 (As a smoker, it's one of my fav. movies ever).
O Brother, Where Art Thou?: 10
The Man Who Wasn't There: Never saw it.
Intolerable Cruelty: 8.5
The LadyKillers: 9
No Country for Old Men: 10


The Lady Killers a 9? Over Hudsucker Proxy?
*vomit*

[pittpizza]

Just my opinion. I really liked the "feel" and "atmosphere" of the Ladykillers. It was a very unique and artsy movie. There was a lot of symbolism and I just felt enveloped by the mood of teh old deep south. I really enjoyed it.

To be fair, I only saw the hudsucker proxy once and it was a long time ago.

[BigSpoonyBard]

Thank you, validity is all I ask. :D

Yeah, I had forgotten that part of Ellis' speechifying. There's simply a lot to chew on in the movie, which I love.

[kevlar51]

Yeah, There's simply a lot to chew on in the movie, which I love.

No kidding; I really need to see it again.

[pittpizza]

Did anybody else think that the wife was really hot? The first scene she is in really made me want to fuck her brains out.

[Chacrana]

Did anybody else think that the wife was really hot? The first scene she is in really made me want to fuck her brains out.

She was hotter in that first scene, but towards the end it was sorta like "eh, not worth it... it'd probably lower my social status anyway."

[SneakyPenguin]

Finally saw it today, and it was worth the wait. Pretty much followed the book as a script, minus a couple of speeches.

[Zen Davis]

I appreciated the ending but it's not necessarily a film I enjoyed. As others have said, the first 90 minutes of the movie are great but to squander and provide no payoff for the rising action is just sloppy overall.

It's as if in Ghostbusters, after this dialogue -


Dr. Peter Venkman: This city is headed for a disaster of biblical proportions.
Mayor: What do you mean, "biblical"?
Dr Ray Stantz: What he means is Old Testament, Mr. Mayor, real wrath-of-God type stuff.
Dr. Peter Venkman: Exactly.
Dr Ray Stantz: Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies. Rivers and seas boiling.
Dr. Egon Spengler: Forty years of darkness. Earthquakes, volcanoes...
Winston Zeddemore: The dead rising from the grave.
Dr. Peter Venkman: Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together - mass hysteria.
As the music revs up, the crowd chants 'Ghostbusters! Ghostbusters! Ghostbusters!" and the ground breaks apart, only to have the Ghostbusters pop up and head towards the apartment building, when suddenly the military steps in and decides to send the SWAT up the stairs instead and the ending of the film revolves around SWAT defeating Gozer; not the Ghostbusters. It leaves everyone who isn't a hardcore film connoisseur unfulfilled and thus the escapism aspects of film are completely defeated.

It's not that I hated the film. I didn't. I just feel that it didn't deliver the story it was promising to tell for the first three quarters of the movie. And if you look step back and look at it in an abstract way, you can tell me, well that's exactly what the Coen brothers were going for, but I personally don't agree with that choice.

If the film had lead to an Anton Chigurh and Llewelyn Moss showdown where all parties were killed off, only for the Sheriff to step up, look at the aftermath, retire, and have the exact same outro the film had with Tommy Lee Jones talking about his dad, the film would have been better for it, not worse.

[Azumangaman]

I avoided the thread to avoid spoilers, sorry if its been asked already:
Do you know when to expect a DVD/Blu-Ray/HDDVD release? April-June range?

[hiccupleftovers]

The Big Lebosky: 11 (As a smoker, it's one of my fav. movies ever).
O Brother, Where Art Thou?: 10
The Man Who Wasn't There: Never saw it.
Intolerable Cruelty: 8.5
The LadyKillers: 9
No Country for Old Men: 10

Intolerable Cruelty and The LadyKillers absolutely sucked. O Brother is a classic. The man who wasn't there deserves to be in the upper echelon of film noir or modern film noirs at least.

[red flare graf]

I avoided the thread to avoid spoilers, sorry if its been asked already:
Do you know when to expect a DVD/Blu-Ray/HDDVD release? April-June range?
Pretty sure it's slated for March 11th. Though, I'm not sure about the formats.. According to dvdaf.com, there's going to be a blu-ray version. I really hope it goes HDDVD.

EDIT: http://forums.highdefdigest.com/showthread.php?t=30084 Aww, they say blu-ray exclusive.

[SneakyPenguin]

If the film had lead to an Anton Chigurh and Llewelyn Moss showdown where all parties were killed off, only for the Sheriff to step up, look at the aftermath, retire, and have the exact same outro the film had with Tommy Lee Jones talking about his dad, the film would have been better for it, not worse.

And the entire point of the movie (and book) has gone completely over your head. Life doesn't play out like a hollywood movie. Things never end all nice and neat.

[jmcc]

Things never end all nice and neat.Never where Cormac McCarthy is involved anyway.

[Zen Davis]

And the entire point of the movie (and book) has gone completely over your head. Life doesn't play out like a hollywood movie. Things never end all nice and neat.
Of course I understand the point.

I knew prior to watching the movie that there wouldn't be any real resolve after having read the festival reviews for NCFOM months and months ago. You're not telling me anything new.

But to get avant garde on a story that doesn't necessitate it feels indulgent to me. No different than The Village or Lady in the Water by M. Night Shyamalan. Night thought he could get away with what I consider sloppy storytelling because he had earned the right to do so by being successful earlier. No difference here. War of The Worlds is another good comparative example.

And again.

I understand the point.

I just don't agree with it.

Besides what you're exclaiming as the point of the film is wrong. The point of film was to show a crazy world passing the Sheriff by as he didn't know how to handle it anymore and hence he retired (and most likely looked forward to an early grave to be laid alongside his father).

[jmcc]

Of course I understand the point.

I knew prior to watching the movie that there wouldn't be any real resolve after having read the festival reviews for NCFOM months and months ago. You're not telling me anything new.

But to get avant garde on a story that doesn't necessitate it feels indulgent to me. No different than The Village or Lady in the Water by M. Night Shyamalan. Night thought he could get away with what I consider sloppy storytelling because he had earned the right to do so by being successful earlier. No difference here.

And again.

I understand the point.

I just don't agree with it.What's avant garde about it?

[Zen Davis]

What's avant garde about it?
Nothing outward in terms of direction. Just the subtle way the last 30 minutes crashed into a wall simply because the directors thought the story was fine the way it was. The Coens built the tension on violence and instead of resolving that tension, they chose to end the film on a philosophical note instead. Had they resolved the cat and mouse game between Moss and Chigurh, the story would have been better for it.

Just my opinion.

[jmcc]

Nothing outward in terms of direction. Just the subtle way the last 30 minutes crashed into a wall simply because the directors thought the story was fine the way it was. The Coens built the tension on violence and instead of resolving that tension, they chose to end the film on a philosophical note instead. Had they resolved the cat and mouse game between Moss and Chigurh, the story would have been better for it.

Just my opinion.It wouldn't have been at all faithful to the novel, then. Plus, they DID resolve it when Chigurh visited his wife.

[Zen Davis]

It wouldn't have been at all faithful to the novel, then. Plus, they DID resolve it when Chigurh visited his wife.
Jaws the movie wasn't faithful to Jaws the book. Was the movie any worse? No. Lord of The Rings wasn't true 100% to the books either. Were they horrible? I'd like to think not.

The main source of tension in the film was derived between Chigurh and Moss.

Not Chigurh and Moss' wife.

Just look at the phone conversation between Chigurh and Moss while Moss is in the hospital. The Coens built the tension to an amazing level and instead of resolving that, they squander it.

[tehweezner]

Jaws the movie wasn't faithful to Jaws the book. Was the movie any worse? No. Lord of The Rings wasn't true 100% to the books either. Were they horrible? I'd like to think not.

The main source of tension in the film was derived between Chigurh and Moss.

Not Chigurh and Moss' wife.

Just look at the phone conversation between Chigurh and Moss while Moss is in the hospital. The Coens built the tension to an amazing level and instead of resolving that, they squander it.

moss was bluffing on the phone, he was a dead man from the moment he took the money. this was not a battle between equals where the final battle occurs and then good or evil triumphs. this was a one-sided manhunt with an obvious conclusion.

while i understand your points, i think making it more "final" would actually detract from the film. i liked it tremendously because it managed to create a feeling of realism throughout which i found very impressive.

[Brak]

... avant garde?

[jmcc]

... avant garde?I guess. What was the last movie you saw [in theaters] where the good guy didn't win in the end?

[Zen Davis]

I guess. What was the last movie you saw [in theaters] where the good guy didn't win in the end?
Sweeney Todd.

Dog Bite Dog. Exiled. After This Our Exile.

Avant Garde may be a bit too over the top expression to define the story structure so I apologize for that. Make no mistake though, I thought the direction was absolutely masterful and amazing.

I just don't agree with the route the story went and the notion, 'But look! It's unHollywood!' is just an illegitimate reason/excuse for how the story played the way it did.

moss was bluffing on the phone, he was a dead man from the moment he took the money. this was not a battle between equals where the final battle occurs and then good or evil triumphs. this was a one-sided manhunt with an obvious conclusion.

Moss wasn't bluffing. Otherwise he would have given the money back. It was the unforeseen consequences of the mother-in-law that lead to Moss' demise. He genuinely believed he could take Chigurh out. This was proven to him when he managed to hit Chigurh with his shotgun.

Besides, evil did triumph.

[jmcc]

Sweeney Todd.

Dog Bite Dog. Exiled. After This Our Exile.

Avant Garde may be a bit too over the top expression to define the story structure so I apologize for that. Make no mistake though, I thought the direction was absolute masterful and amazing.Despite the story not being close, I felt the movie was similar to Seven, myself. John Doe and Chigurh are from the same cloth, I think.

[Zen Davis]

Despite the story not being close, I felt the movie was similar to Seven, myself. John Doe and Chigurh are from the same cloth, I think.

I feel that John Doe had more purpose to his life. Chigurh was just a hitman. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Question.

Why'd he kill those two guys in the desert?

[Brak]

Chigurh was more than a mere hitman -- he was a raging sociopath.

[Zen Davis]

Chigurh was more than a mere hitman -- he was a raging sociopath.
A sociopathic hitman is still just a hitman.

John Doe was a martyr.

Although I have to say that Javier Bardem easily gave a more memorable performance than Kevin Spacey.

And by the way, just because I don't describe Chigurh as a sociopath doesn't mean I don't understand he is one. Regardless, he is nothing more than a hitman in comparison to the character of John Doe whose purpose in life was above simply killing people for money, but instead delivering a message to the masses through the people he killed.

Huge difference.

[Brak]

You said he was just a hitman, though. :|

And I think jmcc's loose comparison was to say that both John Doe and Chigurh were more than human -- they were forces.

[Zen Davis]

You said he was just a hitman, though. :|

And I think jmcc's loose comparison was to say that both John Doe and Chigurh were more than human -- they were forces.

Sorry for not clarifying. I was speaking simply in terms of each character's particular purpose. I'm sorry.

[JJSP]

I've heard nothing but good things about this film, and the girlfriend and I are seeing it tonight. Stoked.

[ITDEFX]

I've heard nothing but good things about this film, and the girlfriend and I are seeing it tonight. Stoked.

Yea I heard good things about it too and heard about nominations for it. I wanted to watch something good on XBL and saw this and gave it a shot. Like I said in the other thread it was "ok". I may give it another viewing before the timer expires tonight.

[anomynous]

yay for old thread bump

[Nephlabobo]

I've heard nothing but good things about this film, and the girlfriend and I are seeing it tonight. Stoked.

I liked it a lot. I thought the ending was fine despite other people griping about it.