dimarts, de novembre 13, 2007
Movie Machete: No Country for Old Men
This past weekend, for the first time in a long time, I made a concerted effort to go watch a certain movie. The whole theatre experience was more of a backup, nothing-to-do, kind of deal that I had (justifiably) neglected for months if not years. The thing is that I had caught some trailers for the Coen brothers’ new movie No Country for Old Men and I wanted to get a 2 hour dose of what that snippet had made me feel. Any movie that can play off the greater society’s cynicism in subtle and startling tones is going to inevitably pique my interest, but the “made by the Coen brothers” stamp was enough for me to forsake patience and $11.50.
I’ll be forthcoming and elaborate a little on my admitted admiration of the Coen brothers. Not everything they’ve done ranks high on my lists, but the greater body of work is undeniably superb. This would usually be where I the other Coen brother movies I’ve enjoy, but instead I’ll just say there are about 3 or 4 of them. Those other movies have nothing to do with No Country for Old Men other than being projects that helped Joel and Ethan grow to the point where they could helm the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s neo-western novel into a stunning masterpiece.
The muted colors that populate backwoods Texan expanses and the warm tones in ubiquitous hotel rooms typify the attention to detail evident throughout the movie. This heightened awareness by the filmmakers goes a long in way in creating a cohesive world that reminds you of the world you live in fear of. Years of perusing tragic story after epic catastrophe over a plate of eggs and toast is a common scenario that begins to tell the complex story behind the inherent Western notion that we are simultaneously well removed yet well aware of that which is most dangerous.
Overall the movie is meant to be enlightening experience at best where emotions and questions were mentally raised, then verbally qualified. The movie has something to say about the materialistic culture in America but I am not able to put my finger quite on it. The most prevalent point to me is that from each generation further corrupts the American dream for the following generation, leading to a point where one’s ideals are extinct or bastardized once old age has been reached.
This type of gritty drama wrapped in home cooking is something the Coen brothers have done well with in the past, and some of the same setups used in those movies are evident here (you’ll have to trust me and look for them). By the end you will swear that Javier Bardem went to Hell to research Satan for his role as Anton Cigurh. Josh Brolin’s turn as Llewelyn Moss, a cowboy with the biggest balls this side of the Mississippi, will leave you forgiving him for all his prior celluloid sins (see: Hollow Man, or Thrashin’). From end to end the movie is packed with suspense, thrilling action, and enthralling characters. Submitting oneself to the drama that unfolds in No Country for Old Men is anything but a waste a time.
I’ll be forthcoming and elaborate a little on my admitted admiration of the Coen brothers. Not everything they’ve done ranks high on my lists, but the greater body of work is undeniably superb. This would usually be where I the other Coen brother movies I’ve enjoy, but instead I’ll just say there are about 3 or 4 of them. Those other movies have nothing to do with No Country for Old Men other than being projects that helped Joel and Ethan grow to the point where they could helm the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s neo-western novel into a stunning masterpiece.The muted colors that populate backwoods Texan expanses and the warm tones in ubiquitous hotel rooms typify the attention to detail evident throughout the movie. This heightened awareness by the filmmakers goes a long in way in creating a cohesive world that reminds you of the world you live in fear of. Years of perusing tragic story after epic catastrophe over a plate of eggs and toast is a common scenario that begins to tell the complex story behind the inherent Western notion that we are simultaneously well removed yet well aware of that which is most dangerous.
Overall the movie is meant to be enlightening experience at best where emotions and questions were mentally raised, then verbally qualified. The movie has something to say about the materialistic culture in America but I am not able to put my finger quite on it. The most prevalent point to me is that from each generation further corrupts the American dream for the following generation, leading to a point where one’s ideals are extinct or bastardized once old age has been reached.
This type of gritty drama wrapped in home cooking is something the Coen brothers have done well with in the past, and some of the same setups used in those movies are evident here (you’ll have to trust me and look for them). By the end you will swear that Javier Bardem went to Hell to research Satan for his role as Anton Cigurh. Josh Brolin’s turn as Llewelyn Moss, a cowboy with the biggest balls this side of the Mississippi, will leave you forgiving him for all his prior celluloid sins (see: Hollow Man, or Thrashin’). From end to end the movie is packed with suspense, thrilling action, and enthralling characters. Submitting oneself to the drama that unfolds in No Country for Old Men is anything but a waste a time.