1143. The Big Lebowski

The Big Lebowski

1998

Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen

My sister and I decided to watch this movie with White Russians, because we love a good theme night. We ended up hating the drink, and pretty much hating this movie as well. It was surprising, because I usually like Coen Brothers movies, and I usually like mixed drinks. Maybe I have the pandemic crankies.

Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski is a stoner and bowler in Los Angeles. Two goons for hire mistake him with a millionaire also named Jeffrey Lebowski and assault him in his house. On the advice of his friends, The Dude decides to seek compensation with the other Lebowski, and things just get more complicated from there.

When compared to other Coen Brothers movies, I think this is one really falls short. The performances are still excellent, but I think it was trying a little too hard to be quirky. I could have done without the dream sequence. 

Just doesn't feel as organic as their other movies, and I can see why it was left out of future editions.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

The Dude says "man" 147 times in the movie.

John Goodman's favorite movie in which he appeared.

1096. Inside Llewyn Davis

Inside Llewyn Davis
2013
Directed by Ethan and Joel Coen

Friday was my friend's birthday so I decided to honor him by watching his favorite movie for this blog (you know, instead of giving him a present or something). As I watched, I was shocked that my friend had taken to this movie so much. My friend has a very specific idea of what a man should be, and this lead character wasn't it. So I checked with him and it turns out I got it wrong, his favorite movie is The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. I guess I will have to accept my friendship award over Skype this year.

In 1961, Llewyn Davis is a struggling folk singer trying to make it in Greenwich Village. He gets by by sleeping on his friends' couches. Among these friends are the Jean and Jim Berkey. Jim is oblivious to the tension between Jean and Llewyn, and lets Llewyn record a truly awful novelty song with him. Why does Justin Timberlake keep popping up on this List?

The struggling artist story is one that has been told many times, but the Coen brothers are able to make it feel somewhat fresh here. Or, at least, fresher than the other entries on the List, like A Star is Born. Llewyn was such an unlikable character that it was difficult to watch at moments, but he was redeemed through his music.

The music in this film is predictably great, with the exception of "Please Mr. Kennedy," but that was intentional. There is extraordinary talent here, but I do feel like Carey Mulligan was kind of shunted to the side.

I did finding myself wondering what the point of the whole thing was by the end, but I am pretty sure Llewyn was pondering the same question. Not my favorite Coen Brothers by any means, but still enjoyable.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

The cat story line was thrown in because the Coen brothers were concerned there wasn't a plot.

Suzanne Vega said of the film, "I feel they took a vibrant, crackling, competitive, romantic, communal, crazy, drunken, brawling scene and crumpled it into a slow brown sad movie."

1043. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

O Brother, Where Art Thou?
2000
Directed by Joel Coen

Finally, a Coen Brothers film that I am on the fence about. Usually I either love it (who couldn't love Fargo?) or hate it (The Big Lebowski...White Russians are disgusting by the way). I'm still not sure about this one, but at the very least it was interesting.

Three convicts, Ulysses, Pete, and Delmar, escape from a chain gang. Ulysses claims he hid stolen loot in the area before it was flooded. They set out to find the treasure, meeting many colorful characters along the way, including a one-eyed bible salesman, a young black man who claims he sold his soul to the devil, and Baby Face Nelson.

When this movie began, I was convinced George Clooney was miscast. That man belongs in a suit, dammit! But as the film progressed, I became more and more charmed by the characters. Certain moments of the movie were more effective than others; I loved the Siren scene and the Klan meeting was genuinely frightening. Other scenes like the one with Pete's cousin felt unnecessary.

I guess my main problem with this is that it didn't feel cohesive. It was hard to know where we were in the story but I suppose the Odyssey was episodic. Sidenote: am I the only one who inwardly groans when John Goodman shows up in a movie?

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

The Coen Brothers admitted they never read the Odyssey. Well, that figures.

George Clooney's singing voice was dubbed by Dan Tyminski. I knew it was too good to be true.

1032. True Grit

True Grit
2010
Directed by Ethan and Joel Coen

I was shocked by how normal this movie was; I guess the Coen brothers have gotten tired of having to be original and genre-bending all the time.  I am not complaining; this was a pretty decent western.

After outlaw Tom Chaney murders her father, 14-year-old Mattie Ross is determined to see him hang.  She hires Rooster Cogburn, a trigger-happy drunk, to bring Chaney to "justice."  Mattie insists on accompanying Cogburn, much to his dismay.  They are also joined by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf, who is pursuing Chaney for murdering a senator.

Like I said, this was a decent western.  I was particularly impressed with Steinfeld's performance; we all know how horrific the outcome can be when child actors are involved.  Her character was clever, determined, and didn't have to resort to seduction to get the men to do what she wanted.  I did find the spanking scene to be disturbing; it seems that women in movies have to be degraded and humiliated in ways that men do not.  I understand that they were demonstrating that it was a different time and that women were pretty much treated like property (LaBoeuf's pervy comments about kissing Mattie when she was asleep accomplished this already).  But it was still unsettling.  I was googling it earlier to see what other women thought about it.  Based on the many spanking blogs singing its praises, I guess the general reception was positive.

Anyway, as far as modern westerns go, it's this or The Hateful Eight.  So...


RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

Body count of 14.

Hailee Steinfeld was only 13 when she was cast.

998. No Country for Old Men

No Country for Old Men
2007
Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen

With only four more movies to go, it is hard to keep my focus on the remaining titles.  Still, I will do my best to give each film the attention it deserves.  Just know internally I am freaking out (but what else is new?).

While hunting in West Texas, Llewelyn Moss stumbles across the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong.   He finds one wounded man who is begging for water, several dead bodies, and two million dollars in a case.  Moss takes the money, and surprisingly enough, his theft doesn't go unnoticed.   He is pursued by Mexican drug dealers and Anton Chigurh, a hired sociopath with the world's dorkiest hair cut (and I thought I had secured that title when I got bangs in ninth grade).  Sheriff Bell is hired to investigate, but he laments that he is too old for this shit.  Well, I paraphrased.

I always gush over Coen Brothers films, and this entry will be no exception.  This was a very exciting movie that featured one of the best movie villains in recent memory.  Javier Bardem did such a good job of portraying someone who was truly soulless that I might be frightened to meet him in real life.  The visuals were stunning and I thought the ending was absolutely brilliant.

This is going on my reading list.  Soon I will have more free time...

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Anton Chigurh's weapon, a captive bolt pistol, is commonly used to kill cows to minimize risk of flying bullets.

Body count of 22.

903. Fargo

Fargo
1995
Directed by Ethan and Joel Coen

This is one of those films that is seemingly impossible not to love.  It's dark and funny with a great cast. Does it get better than this?

A sleazy and financially strapped used car salesman hires two criminals to kidnap his wife so he can collect a large ransom from his rich father in law.  However, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry and a complication arises in the form of a pregnant police officer.

What is there to say about this film that hasn't already been said?  It's pretty much a perfect movie: atmospheric, gripping, and witty.  The cast is flawless; Frances McDormand is quickly becoming a favorite.

Sorry for the short review, but really, I would only need to provide an adequate defense if I disliked this film.  Otherwise, I am just stating the obvious.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Frances McDormand's character does not appear until the 33 minute mark.

Body count of 7.

761. Raising Arizona

Raising Arizona
1987
Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen

I have an embarrassing movie secret to reveal: I have never seen The Big Lebowski.  I know, I know.  It is very shameful.  I plan on getting around to it eventually, since I do really enjoy the Coen brothers.  But for now, I must live with my shame.

A convenience store robber and a policewoman fall in love, but are unable to conceive.  They learn that a local furniture tycoon's wife has given birth to a set of quintuplets and decide to steal one of the babies.  It is strange that such an upsetting topic actually turns out to be convincingly light hearted.

I know I keep saying this, but I am shocked about how much I am enjoying 80s comedies.  Since comedies tend to feel dated, I had kind of resigned myself to never really finding these films laugh out loud funny.  But this was great and Nicolas Cage actually didn't creep me out.  Or, at the very least, didn't creep me out more than he was supposed to.

It certainly isn't the best Coen brothers movie I have seen, but it is still definitely worthy of its place in The Book.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

All of the main characters cry except the baby.