My Favorite Movies

With 4 decades of nominations, Jeff Bridges would have been completely, undoubtedly gypped if he hadn't won at the Oscars this year. At first I was happy for him for finally winning one, and then I actually saw the movie. It was such an obvious outcome. Without giving away too much, I'll just say this: he did everything perfectly. No one in a lead role last year...no one in the past 5 years...maybe even the past 10...has given a performance in a movie that measured up Jeff's "Bad Blake." Oh, my goodness...so many little things that just...WOO!
But let's give recognition where recognition is deserved! T-Bone Burnett and Ryan Bingham were masterful songwriters and producers and musicians, making this movie wonderfully wonderful.
Colin Farrell would have had me believing he really was a good ol' boy from the Southern States if I didn't know the truth. Great supporting role and greatly acted.
Robert Duvall even had a bit of singing to do. I'd like to go fishing with him now and just listen to him talk.
Maggie Gyllenhaal...Definitely a new direction for her, and hopefully one she will stick with. She has lots of potential, and seemingly a knack for this kind of film. In my opinion, whatever it's worth, "Jean" was her best performance yet, and look at how many years she could have ahead of her.
I respect the cast. I respect the crew. I respect the author of the book.
"I've been loved and I've been alone. All my life I've been a rolling stone. Done everything that a man can do, everything but get a hold on you."

I agree with nadirairdiana's review of this film, and would add that Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Paul Giamatti all give performances worthy of Oscar nominations. Even Jeffrey Wright, for the limited screen time he has, is an enourmous presence. George Clooney deserves a nomination for directing as well. And, oh my goodness, such wonderful writing! Never a dull moment, never a confusing set of circumstances, story brilliantly communicated...Hallelujah.

If you want to compare this movie to anything, compare it to the book by Charles Portis. Forget the John Wayne "classic." This can't even be called a re-make legitimately. It's not a remake of a movie. It's a film adaptation of a book. You don't call every version of A Christmas Carol a remake, do you? No. You say it's based on the book by Charles Dickens. This is just like that. John Wayne was not the original Rooster Cogburn. Rooster Cogburn was a character created and described by Charles Portis for us to imagine. It's sad how many people say, "It deviates from the original movie." That sentence itself shows lack of education. Sorry for that rant, now on to the review!

From the first frame, I knew I was in for a treat. The entire story was expertly crafted, expertly detailed, and expertly delivered to the audience. Something I find great about the actors in this movie is the fact that when I watch, for example, Matt Damon, I don't see him...I see LeBoef. I don't see Jeff Bridges...in fact I NEVER see Jeff Bridges...I see Cogburn, or whoever he is playing in any movie. The only times I have ever seen Jeff Bridges are in interviews. You cannot get to know that man by the characters he plays. That is fantastic acting!
Thanks for letting me go on and on about the veterans, but let me also say that Hailee Steinfeld in her first big-screen role was phenomenal! And to be so young! This is one girl whose talent we will very likely be seeing for years to come. I had read that she was good at what she did, but there is no way to convey just how amazingly she performed in this role. If I were still a teenager, she'd be my new crush.
The supporting cast members were every bit as believable and in-character as the leads. Major love to Barry Pepper, Josh Brolin, and...good golly...EVERYONE!

Now for matters of viewer discretion...I am with earlier reviewers who noted the thin line that could have easily been crossed between PG-13 and R. Being classified as a western, and given how realistic movies make things look these days, there are not many extremely or brutally graphic moments in this film, but the very few that exist are brief and foreseeable if you need to turn away.

To wrap this review up, I will simply say that the Coen Brothers have delivered another outstanding masterpiece. The screenwriting couldn't have been more perfect, nor could the cinematography, which Roger Deakins can be credited for. I saw it the day it opened, and I hope to see it again before it leaves the cinema.

This musical blends a lot of the things I love. The editing leaves a bit to be desired, but that doesn't take away from the enjoyability!

Talk about surprise endings! I was almost certain Styx would start blasting "Come Sail Away" in the cinema...but they didn't. All I have to say now is those kids better not eat the fruit off of that tree, or we'll have Earth all over again.

I'm very glad Danny Elfman's scoring included music to go along with the poems recited by the Oompa Loompas in Roald Dahl's book. I'd say this film and the previous version directed by Mel Brooks are equally matched in level of enjoyment. But once again, major props to Danny Elfman. The entire score is actually very fitting and creative for this story.

This film has amazing acting and musicianship, not to mention the cool part played by award-winning blues musician Keb' Mo'. The cast is a wonderful ensemble, each member contributing a great deal to the work of art. The soundtrack is something for the ages as well.

Other than the fact that all these Germans were speaking English (I know, I know, it's so the audience could understand and not have to read subtitles), I thought everything about this movie was great. It's a realistic telling of how young lives were affected by the terrible government of Nazi Germany set to a pretty swingin' soundtrack. It's also really cool to see how this cast worked together. Barbara Hershey was already well-established, Robert Sean Leonard had recently gained his respect after Dead Poet's Society, and the unknown Christian Bale measured up. I think I would nominate Frank Whaley for best supporting actor, too.

I would also be horribly depressed if Smokey or Bob or one of the Beatles told me I was a terrible songwriter. Ah, but this movie is pretty good for what it is. All the characters were enjoyable for me. I honestly did not expect to feel so good after watching, but it actually made me want to watch it again. So I did.

I found myself enjoying this all the way through. I'm not sure if it was one of those kinds of films you have to be in the mood for, because I've only seen it once, but I have have a few weeks to think about it, and I really want to see it again. Unfortunately the DVD is out of production, and it has not come to BluRay. Amazon is a handy source though, and I have ordered Coffee & Cigarettes on DVD.
The scenes are put in a good order, I think. This is more about realism than fanciness and thrills. I love it. My favorite vignette is probably the one with Alfred Molina and Steve Coogan. Renee French follows closely, but perhaps largely because I have not seen a woman who looked so classy, so beautiful, so alluring, and so thoughtful as her any time in my generation. Cate Blanchett acting with herself shows extreme talent. Steve Buscemi with the Lee twins is full of goodness that just can't be explained, so watch! Alex Descas and Isaach De Bankolà (C) play out a scene that could very easily be one of my pals and me, or any two people in the world for that matter...easily identifiable. Oh, my gosh, Tom Waits and Iggy Pop! Pure genius on the part of the writers AND the actors on this one. Jack showing Meg his Tesla coil...okay, rather than going through the rest of them, I'm just gonna say, if you appreciate any aspect of life, this film has something for you; if you don't, this film has something for you. The ambiguity is perhaps the most endearing quality of the production as a whole.
Now...if you'll excuse me, I'm craving black coffee and the Djarum box in my coat pocket is full of other little joys...just need to find a conversational companion.