No Country For Old Men

[j_garcia]

Have you seen it? What did you think? I blind bought this one on BD for a good price, so not really complaining. I thought it was a good film, but was a little underwhelmed compared to the hype and the whole Best Picture thing...

 

[cbraver]

Same here. I thought the movie was entertaining and overall pretty good. Only thing was that I really didn't care about any of the characters other than Tommy Lee Jones and the serial killer.

The guy who played the serial killer did a really good job, that guy was truely spokey. The weapon choices were top notch too, how about the can on that shotgun?!

As far as the soundtrack, the dialog was really well done (clear, didn't hear different noise floors when they switched mics) and the gunshots were top notch. The movie industry is finally figuring out how to do good gunshots (3:10 to Yuma, this movie, Open Range).

For a little side note... we were talking about Trainspotting in that other thread... did you notice the guys wife was the girl from Trainspotting?

 

[j_garcia]

No, I didn't notice that...I haven't seen Trainspotting in a while. I am going to probably have to break down and buy that one.

I thought the characters were paper thin in NCFOM though. Woody's whole presence was disappointing as well. I actually thought Brolin did a pretty good job as well. Movies that don't tell you everything are fine, but when they don't tell you enough, it makes it harder to really get into it and I think that is what happened here.

 

[Matt34]

I thought the characters were paper thin in NCFOM though. Woody's whole presence was disappointing as well. I actually thought Brolin did a pretty good job as well. Movies that don't tell you everything are fine, but when they don't tell you enough, it makes it harder to really get into it and I think that is what happened here.

Agreed, when it ended the wife and I looked at each other like .

 

[stratman]

The story can be interpreted on so many levels, the last thing this movie wants from the viewer is to be taken at face value. There are some many levels open for interpretation, for instance the hitman/serial killer is seen as the "unstoppable" force of evil and what happens when persons willingly or through no fault of their own (man in dessert with jumper cables) meet evil face to face, it's also a moral play: don't take what isn't yours, good deeds can sometimes backfire (returning to the crime site to bring water to a dying man), arrogance (woody) and innocence (the kids that help the killer escape) are portrayed as well as fate and random chance (killer flips coin), yes I can see where this movie can fall flat on it's face, but I found that if you watch without expectations it unfolds like an ironic play.

 

[j_garcia]

Yes, I realized when the story didn't seem to be telling the "whole" story, that there were other layers and it was clear that it is some sort of morality play. Each character representes a different aspect of man, and how he reacts in a given situation. The choices made and the way they affect our lives. It didn't fall on its face, but it seemed like the ideas were almost TOO far beyond the surface to make them useful to the story.

 

[darien87]

I thought it was all right. The killer was deninitely cool. But I kept expecting there to be some showdown between him and Tommy.

On a side note, I was watching The Goonies last weekend, and noticed that the cable guide said Josh Brolin was in the movie. So I kept looking for him to show up. I assumed he must have been one of the dad's or something. Then it hit me, he was the older brother!!!! What a trip.

 

[stratman]

Yes, I realized when the story didn't seem to be telling the "whole" story, that there were other layers and it was clear that it is some sort of morality play. Each character representes a different aspect of man, and how he reacts in a given situation. The choices made and the way they affect our lives. It didn't fall on its face, but it seemed like the ideas were almost TOO far beyond the surface to make them useful to the story.

Hey J,

That's the beauty of the movie, you expect something, but what you expect isn't obvious, only under the surface. This movie will fall into the like/don't like camp, it has to, just look at the posts, some were expecting shoot outs and explosions, this movie is so far from that, it's like you said, a study in human interaction with the randomness of life, human choices and consequences, it's a moral/ironic play not a shoote'm up. The props (pneumatic gun, shotgun with "silencer") are there to add intensity to the level of evil (like Dracula's black cape or the devil's horns or pitchfork) and the violence it brings, the killer's almost supernatural resilience to bullets, again, to inensify the brutality and resilience of evil (you can squash it, but it comes back again.) My wife didn't care for it, I really enjoyed it.

 

[jonnythan]

Most people who don't like the movie seem to complain about it not falling down Hollywood norms.

The movie had a fantastic, gritty, real feel to it. Not everything is explained. There's no clear concise wrap-up at the end. There's a lot of anguish, desperation, and greed that the movie captures in a very human way that few movies do. The extremely human feel of the movie is contrasted brilliantly with Chigurh's distinctly non-human actions and manner. The fear his character instills is very real.

The movie was fantastic. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I didn't walk away having learned a lesson, or content to walk away satisfied with the nice Hollywood ending. I kept thinking, especially about Ed Tom and his life and retirement.

The acting was superb all-around, as well. Tommy Lee Jones delivered his character better than I've ever seen him do.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I can see that this movie is a literature piece.

But after everything that is said and done, I thought this movie was 100% boring.

I cannot believe it won BEST PICTURE and BEST DIRECTOR?

The villian and his murder weapon were great. That was it.

It's one of those movies where you just want to watch once and put away forever -- actually just rent.

AVP Requiem was 100% stupid, but at least it was FUN and I can watch that again.

 

[jonnythan]

I've already watched NCFOM twice.

I'd never put an AVP movie into my DVD player

 

[j_garcia]

I thought the directing and acting were very good, but it seemed like it was trying too hard to be so smart. I didn't find it boring at all though. Personally, I LIKE movies that don't have a typical Hollywood ending where everyone is happy and all loose ends are tied up... I did however feel that There Will Be Blood was a better movie than this one.

I also had a similar reaction to Monster's Ball - I thought it was good, well acted, well directed, but the movie as a whole didn't strike a chord with me. In that case also, I didn't feel it lived up to the Best Picture status.

On a side note, I was watching The Goonies last weekend, and noticed that the cable guide said Josh Brolin was in the movie. So I kept looking for him to show up. I assumed he must have been one of the dad's or something. Then it hit me, he was the older brother!!!! What a trip.

Hahaha. We were trying to figure out where he was from...that is too funny.

 

[jonnythan]

I really loved There Will Be Blood, but NCFOM was a better movie.

Monster's Ball did nothing whatsoever for me.

 

[cbraver]

Movies that don't tell you everything are fine, but when they don't tell you enough, it makes it harder to really get into it and I think that is what happened here.

I completely agree.

(Oh, and PM me after you watch Trainspotting again... I want to hear if you think of it any different after another watching, especially after our conversation in that other thread!!)

 

[j_garcia]

(Oh, and PM me after you watch Trainspotting again... I want to hear if you think of it any different after another watching, especially after our conversation in that other thread!!)

I'll try to pick it up this weekend.

 

[dem beats]

I haven't seen this one yet. It looks interesting but I don't need my movies lawyered like onions or anything.

I think classic movies did this much better. Think harvey a drunk who sees a 6' tall bunny. That's what I call deep

=)

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I liked the movie FARGO (also by the Coen Brothers) a lot better.

 

[j_garcia]

Same here. I don't claim to have understood all of their other movies either... Like Hudsucker Proxy?

 

[adk highlander]

Watched this tonight and I liked it. It was different, but as usual with a Coen brothers film the dialog was exceptional. All of their movies have great character interaction like the scene with the coin flip in this one.

My wife on the other hand only made it through about 45min and went to bed. She did not like it and felt the pace just did not hold her attention. I thought that was part of what made this movie but oh well to each their own.

I don't know if I will buy it unless I put together a Coen collection. I do have many of their comedy's already.

 

[corysmith01]

I bought it just last weekend and really liked it. I already own Barton Fink, The Big Lebowski, The Man Who Wasn't There, Fargo, and O Brother Where Art Thou, so I figured "why not."

I meant to see it in the theaters but didn't. Did see There Will Be Blood. Having not seen NCFOM prior to the oscars, I was shocked that TWBB didn't win best picture...more shocked PT didn't get best director. However, after seeing it, I can see how it go best picture...but I'm still stumped on the best director. The Coen's always bring a certain touch to the direction of their films, even down to being involved with the cinematography, color correction and look of the film. NCFOM was definitely well directed and looked beautiful, but TWBB was still better in my mind in terms of directorial accomplishment.

I enjoyed NCFOM and am certainly glad I purchased it on DVD. I'm sure I'll watch it more than once.