Life is not what it seems for a small-town California barber in the Coen brothers’ 2001 film noir, The Man Who Wasn’t There. Even this is a film noir, the Coens bring their own ideas into the genre. It’s not your typical film noir. The lead character does not intentionally set out to commit any crime. It just kind of happens. But if you read any of James M. Cain’s work, you’ll find characters behaving…
"The Man Who Wasn’t There: A Film Noir"Tag: Frances McDormand
The Coen brothers get back to basics with Fargo by going back to their home state of Minnesota for one of the best films in their career. Fargo earned seven Oscar nominations, winning Best Actress (Frances McDormand) and Original Screenplay. The film’s other nominations were for Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (William H. Macy), Cinematography, and Editing. AFI would later honor the film in their initial 100 Years…100 Movies list and 100 Years…100 Laughs. Marge…
"Fargo: One of the Best Coen Brothers Films"
The Coen brothers did not suffer from the sophomore slump as their second film, Raising Arizona, is a complete 180 from their first. My rewatch of Raising Arizona over the past weekend was my first viewing in just over 15 years. I went back to my original notes from the 2009 viewing in which I wrote that it was funnier than Fargo. To be fair, the AFI 100 Years, 100 Laughs list has this film…
"Raising Arizona: Coens Go For Humor in Second Film"
Premiering in 1984 and released in theaters in 1985, Blood Simple is the neo-noir crime film that put the Coen Brothers on the map. The Coens head to Texas for their first feature film. It’s hard to believe that March 2024 will mark the 40th anniversary of Blood Simple’s world premiere. A festival run would follow, including Sundance in January 1985. The film would also launch a number of careers and collaborations. Meanwhile, the script,…
"Blood Simple: The First Coen Brothers Movie"
Hail, Caesar! isn’t just a love letter to the final years of Hollywood’s Golden Age but a brilliant satire about the 1950s studio system. “Would that it were so simple?” – a line that Hobie Doyle struggles with in a sophisticated costume drama Hail, Caesar! had been some ten years in the making by the time of its release in 2016. Things reached a point where George Clooney messed with them by listing the film…
"Hail, Caesar! Is A Love Letter To The Hollywood Studio System"
The French Dispatch, Wes Anderson’s love letter to journalism especially The New Yorker, is a mostly good film that’s well worth the wait. This film is a series of vignettes focusing on a travelogue, art, student protests, and a police kidnapping. The four stories come from the final issue of The French Dispatch, based in the fictional French city of Ennui-sur-Blasé. Outside of the city, nothing ties them together. Together, the vignettes do feature an…
"The French Dispatch Is Short of Masterpiece Status"
In addition to joining the Paramount Presents line, Almost Famous arrives on 4K Ultra HD for the first time with new bonus content. I first reviewed the film last year when Cameron Crowe’s instant classic celebrated the 20th anniversary of its theatrical release in 2000. Anyway, both the 4K UHD and limited-edition Blu-ray include the theatrical and bootleg (aka Untitled) cuts of the film. Cameron Crowe draws on his real-life experiences writing for Rolling Stone…
"Almost Famous: Cameron Crowe Film Arrives On 4K"
Fresh off of its Best Picture, Director, and Actress wins at the Academy Awards, Nomadland is now available to bring home on Blu-ray. The film was among the few films to play all the major film festivals last year. It became the first film to take home the top awards at both Venice and Toronto. Chloé Zhao is a phenomenal filmmaker and and the Oscar wins and nominations show it. It’s been a long awards…
"Nomadland Arrives On Blu-ray"
When the last award of the night was announced this evening, viewers were stunned to learn Anthony Hopkins beat Chadwick Boseman. I apologize if none of this is coherent as I am still in a state of shock. Hopkins gave a commanding performance in the film but Chadwick Boseman all but locked it up. When Joaquin Phoenix opened it up, I was shocked. I mean, I had the tweet ready to go and then suddenly…
"Anthony Hopkins Over Chadwick Boseman: A Shock"
The Coen brothers find a way to mix both political thriller and dark comedy in Burn After Reading to give us a beautiful piece of cinema. Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich) quits his job as a CIA analyst and uses this newfound time to write his memoir. His wife, Katie (Tilda Swinton), sees this and continues having an affair with U.S. Marshal Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney). It feels like everybody is having an affair as we…
"Burn After Reading: A Comedic Political Thriller"