Originally Posted by Rain Man:
Raising Arizona
O Brother Where Art Thou
No Country For Old Men (the first one on the poll, not the second one)
That would probably be my vote, though I would have to put a lot of thought into whether O Brother or The Big Lebowski takes the 3rd slot.
The Coens, along with Tarantino, are on my autopass for movies. I've never been disappointed in anything they've done. Not once. Even their 'worst' is usually at least a lot of fun. And their best is the best there is.
Gotta admit, TBL took multiple viewings to absorb, just because somehow you expect it to be something different than it is, so your initial viewing is a little disoriented and you miss so many hilarious and beautifully crafted bits that just drift by.
I have a lot of affection for Barton Fink because we first watched it on a quasi group date type thing. 4-5 guys and their GFs all lounging around for a movie night, back in college, and the guys LOVED it and the girls HAAAAATED it. Not in an angry or 'charges of misogyny' kind of hate, but just they all thought it was too weird and convoluted and 'stupid,' while the guys were laughing their asses off. Never seen such a gendered divide in reaction before or since.
I don't know how many people have seen Blood Simple, because it was their first movie and didn't do a lot of box office, and it kind of even predated home rentals. But I highly recommend it, because it's like a thesis on their style. It's great the first time around, and when rewatching it you see so much of their signature flourishes that still liven up a movie to the present. It's a noir black comedy with a good bit of blunt, but not overly gory, violence. As much as I love Tarantino, Blood Simple is 10x the debut film that Reservoir Dogs ever dreamed of. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Baby Lee:
That would probably be my vote, but The Coens, along with Tarantino, are on my autopass for movies. I've never been disappointed in anything they've done. Not once. Even their 'worst' is usually at least a lot of fun. And their best is the best there is.
Gotta admit, TBL took multiple viewings to absorb, just because somehow you expect it to be something different than it is, so your initial viewing is a little disoriented and you miss so many hilarious and beautifully crafted bits that just drift by.
I have a lot of affection for Barton Fink because we first watched it on a quasi group date type thing. 4-5 guys and their GFs all lounging around for a movie night, back in college, and the guys LOVED it and the girls HAAAAATED it. Not in an angry or 'charges of misogyny' kind of hate, but just they all thought it was too weird and convoluted and 'stupid,' while the guys were laughing their asses off. Never seen such a gendered divide in reaction before or since.
War of the Roses says hi. I saw it in the theater with a date. The guys cheered on Michael Douglas; the girls cheered on Kathleen Turner. Couples starting fighting before it ended, and were going at it on the way out of the theater. I had the first (of many) arguments with that particular girlfriend that night. What a shitshow. I actually thought going in that it was a sequel to Romancing the Stone because it had Douglas, Turner and Danny DeVito in it. Oops. Had I known what it was actually about I would have never gone to see it. The poster should have a warning label on it - DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE WITH A DATE. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Frazod:
War of the Roses says hi. I saw it in the theater with a date. The guys cheered on Michael Douglas; the girls cheered on Kathleen Turner. Couples starting fighting before it ended, and were going at it on the way out of the theater. I had the first (of many) arguments with that particular girlfriend that night. What a shitshow. I actually thought going in that it was a sequel to Romancing the Stone because it had Douglas, Turner and Danny DeVito in it. Oops. Had I known what it was actually about I would have never gone to see it. The poster should have a warning label on it - DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE WITH A DATE.
War of the Roses WAS a shitshow, but everyone I watched it with, male and female, hated it.
It wasn't ineffective in what it did. It was professionally written and acted. But it somehow went too far. I like black comedy, but WotR was like black death speed metal comedy. Maybe it's a testiment to the writing and acting, but it was TOO affecting. You left the theater feeling like you actually watched a married couple hate each other to death. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Baby Lee:
War of the Roses WAS a shitshow, but everyone I watched it with, male and female, hated it.
It wasn't ineffective in what it did. It was professionally written and acted. But it somehow went too far. I like black comedy, but WotR was like black death speed metal comedy. Maybe it's a testiment to the writing and acting, but it was TOO affecting. You left the theater feeling like you actually watched a married couple hate each other to death.
I don't think I ever went to see another movie in the theater without reading a review first. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Frazod:
War of the Roses says hi. I saw it in the theater with a date. The guys cheered on Michael Douglas; the girls cheered on Kathleen Turner. Couples starting fighting before it ended, and were going at it on the way out of the theater. I had the first (of many) arguments with that particular girlfriend that night. What a shitshow. I actually thought going in that it was a sequel to Romancing the Stone because it had Douglas, Turner and Danny DeVito in it. Oops. Had I known what it was actually about I would have never gone to see it. The poster should have a warning label on it - DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE WITH A DATE.
Romancing the Stone did have a sequel. Jewel of the Nile. But it paled in comparison to the original.
I vaguely remember War of the Roses? Didn’t they both die at the end? Hope that’s not a spoiler?
As for the Coens, tough one, but probably Raising Arizona, Inside Llewyn Davis and No Country. [Reply]
Originally Posted by rabblerouser:
O Brother Where Art Thou
Big Lebowski
Raising Arizona
I agree, but my top two are O Brother and Big Lebowski. TBL is in my top 5 of all movies anyway.
There are a lot that could be third. Miller’s Crossing is great. Hudsucker Proxy doesn’t get its due. Fargo could easily be third, as could No Country. I loved their True Grit. Intolerable Cruelty is another one that doesn’t get its due.
I’d watch their movie If I know nothing more than their involvement. [Reply]