Really? How did I miss it? I know there were elements in some of their other movies... actually in many of their other movies. I'll try and look it up. ::later edit::Of course, True Grit!!!!! I saw it in the theater as well as on DVD. I loved it. I think I blocked it out because I was thinking of originals rather than adaptations from the novel. Nice catch.
True Grit, of course. You probably just forgot that. Also, many could make the case that No Country for Old Men is a present-day Western in the sense that Hell or High Water was. It's the sheriff after the outlaw style Western. just present day. I'm a firm believer that Westerns don't have to be set in the 1800s.
Yeah, I was counting No Country for Old Men as Western Elements. Those exist in many Cohen's brothers movies. Bottom line is that I'm psyched for this movie.
Okay @B-Bob, your task should you choose to accept it is to go see this in the theater and give us a review. https://deadline.com/2018/10/netfli...anne-bier-bird-box-sandra-bullock-1202493369/ I've already largely forgotten about The Sisters Brothers based on your non-recommendation.
Accepted! It's not here yet, but I'll be all over it. [EDIT: got it. It shows up here next week at the Embarcadero.]
I hear you and am concerned. I'm especially nervous about the six separate stories aspect. Got tix. Mrs. B-Bob and I will see this Saturday and then update everyone here.
@Buck Turgidson @FranchiseBlade @sealclubber1016 , et multi alia. Caught this movie last night in SF. General, fairly spoiler-free comments. This piece completely overwhelmed my (low) expectations and Mrs. B-Bob's (medium) expectations. We were amazed and very happy we saw it on a big screen (instead of waiting to watch it via Netflix.) I honestly think it's one of their better works over the last ten years. Our SF audience, in a small theater, was alternately laughing or hiding their eyes with tension. I was worried about a multiple-story format, but to me, they really pull it off. Some of the pieces have more going on, plot and character-wise, than whole other films. Some are slower and more philosophical than others, but they work well together, painting different aspects of the legendary American west (in a fable type of format, as opposed to hyper-realistic). Script, direction, acting, cinematography (some of their best visuals and the details): all at the top of their game, at least for us. Best of all, I've always thought the Coens were surprisingly strong action directors, when they let themselves go for it. For my eye, this movie holds their best action sequences since, say, Miller's Crossing. Definitely as good as No Country, but this movie has the kind of beyond-reality am-I-laughing-or-horrified sort of stuff that Miller's or Raising Arizona had. I love that line where it visually stunning but realistically on the cusp of a well-done cartoon. This is old school story-telling, that may be slow for younger audiences even, and old school western themes, almost Twain-like in places, but the darkest version imaginable. There is violence, there is philosophy, and there is humor by the wagon-full. And I have to mention, somehow, in all of that, some fantastic musical numbers (if you like cowboy / frontier music with dark humor, of course). Structure of movie and specific topics, if interested. You can see some of this in the weird and not-worthy trailer(s): Spoiler There are six different stories, running well past two hours total. You have: singing gunslinger (shown in previews), unlucky outlaw (shown in previews about to be hanged), disabled thespian (seriously), lone gold prospector (Tom Waits!), my favorite piece then the stage coach love story, and in the end, a kind of claustrophobic and thoughtful ride on a strange stage coach.
