Coen Brothers 14 DVD Set Review, 8-14+1

8. The Hudsucker Proxy - C+ - This movie revolves entirely around two odd plot conventions, the God from the Machine and the Magic Negro. Conveniently enough, they actually combine both of these conventions into one character (the clock master, blech) saving the audience the time of having to forget two separate people. Now don't get me wrong, the movie is funny. Tim Robbins, pre-Sarandon stick up his ass, is quite funny as the imbecile and Paul Newman does devious board member better than anyone. Many of the bit players are recognizable Coen brothers favorites and do good work. Three scenes just ruin it though. First, about 45 minutes in, the female lead essentially stops the movie and recaps the entire plot up to that point for the crowd. She might as well have been writing the script. Second, the God in the Negro character appears and explains to the audience how he controls the clock and everything the clock controls. The scene serves no purpose other than to green light problem scene 3 where Tim Robbins falls off the roof and is the suspended in mid-air just a few feet from the ground because the Negro God in the Magic Clocktower put a mop handle in the gears. I swear the Magic Negro is always a caddie or a janitor. Maybe the NAACP can look into that. Anyway, Robbins was saved only so that scene 3 could continue with the appearance of an angel who explains the entire plot of the movie up until that point, then reveals a letter that renders the entire film up until that point completely pointless. 10 more minutes of a sappy ending and voila! Done.



9. Barton Fink - B- - I found myself oddly entertained by this movie which is surprising considering it didn't have a discernible point. Struggling screen writer clashes heads with studio execs, producers and satanish mass murders? Interesting? Yes. Entertaining? Yes. Meaningful? Nope. It's possible that the whole movie was a critique of the movie making process (an accurate one no doubt) but even if that's the case it's still unfulfilled. I don't care about the struggles of screen writers, I don't care how the sausage is made I just want the sandwich, understand? That John Goodman is a damn fine actor though.



10. Miller's Crossing - A - This movie is awesome. It always amazes when someone makes a Road to Perdition (solid movie) or Gangs of New York (P.O.S.) and all the movie reviewers talk about it being the pinnacle if Irish gangster movies As an Irish guy I can confidently say "We already have one!!" Not only is it a good Irish mob movie, it manages to include Jewish underworld figures as well, although the anti-Defamation league can't be happy about all the use of the slur sheeny. While there are a number of good performances, the best belongs to Gabriel Byrne. Anybody who has been poisoned off Byrne by the god awful "In Treatment" or "Madigan Men" should be forced to watch this movie Clockwork Orange style.



11. Raising Arizona - D+ - Clearly I missed the boat on this one. People talk about this movie like it's some kind of timeless comedic classic but I ask anyone who watches it for the first time today, where's the laughs? The big problem is that it was made in the culturally defrauded 80's, 1987 to be exact. Hard to believe it was made when Reagan still had some good time left in his second term. I'm sure in an era where Moonstruck, Ironweed and Throw Momma From the Train were all gathering Oscar nods (seriously, Anne Ramsey nominated for Throw Momma), Raising Arizona might have seemed edgy and hysterical. Much like the Cold War though, that time is gone and were all better off for it. The ungodly accents also rear their ugly heads, luckily to be counterbalanced by a better than you think Nic Cage, with his original hair.



12. Blood Simple - A - This is a great movie that somehow survived being made in the 80's. I had never heard of it until Netflix recommended it to me but it's easily one of the darkest and least appreciated pics in the set. One of the great things about it is how quite the movie is One of my frequent complaints is that the characters spend too much time yammering away to properly set the mood. Not so here, the silence sets the mood and the movie paces along quite nicely. I was never bored and never checked my watch. Good signs.



13. No Country for Old Men - A+ - After repeat viewings, this movie deserved to win the Oscar for best picture. It's just really good. Surprisingly, it is actually better than the book it was based on. Cormac McCarthy's book is almost exactly the same but it reads a little dry while the movie is compelling the whole way through. All you people complaining about not seeing Brolin's death or the whereabouts of the money, get over and use your mind a little.



14. Burn After Reading - B - I just don't understand the hate this movie gets (Ragu). Since when did a trainer blackmailing a CIA agent for a new rack while dating a Treasury officer whose building a manic looking sex chair while screwing the CIA agent's wife on the side get to low brow for America? I didn't realize the movie going public was turning up their collective nose for anything less than The Crying Game or The Pianist. You elitests sicken me. You go watch Eat Pray Love and pretend it's meaningful and I'll go laugh my ass off at George Clooney's highly affordable relaxation device.



***BONUS REVIEW***
A Serious Man - D- - This movie is many things; a examination of Jewish culture and religious tradition, a retelling of the Book of Job, a metaphysical journey into life and karma. One thing it most certainly is not though is funny. I've seen it described as a dark comedy but there is no comedy, it's all black. I realize that the marketing campaign isn't the fault of the filmmakers but this things is comically misrepresented. I felt like choking myself to death with a yarmulke when it was over. I understand making a movie as way of furthering an idea or concept put forth in other media but at the end of the film I should think that I would somehow have greater insight into the meaning of Job instead of feeling a bit like Job himself and hoping that the mighty wind would knock down the theater instead of poor Larry Gopnik house.