100 Movies - No. 99: No Country for Old Men

99. No Country for Old Men (2007)
Crime, Drama, Thriller, 122 minutes
Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin

Oscar ceremonies are sometimes dominated by one or two films because the opposition is weak, but that definitely wasn't the case in 2008. Nominees included No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood, Juno, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Ratatouille, Once, The Bourne Ultimatum, Into the Wild, Atonement, Michael Clayton, Eastern Promises and American Gangster.

I was torn at the time because I couldn't decide whether I wanted There Will Be Blood or No Country for Old Men to win for Best Picture. In hindsight, my two favorite films from that year are Juno and No Country for Old Men. I think the Academy got it right for once by awarding No Country for Old Men the Best Picture Oscar and Daniel Day-Lewis Leading Actor.

So why do I think that No Country for Old Men deserved its win?

The film contains so many strong elements. It gave us three memorable characters and expertly combined their three viewpoints to give us a compelling story. Roger Deakins did another wonderful job showing us the bleak Texas landscape, while the direction and writing were both superb.

Llewelyn Moss (Brolin) makes a discovery while hunting for antelope. After tracking an injured animal, he finds what appears to be the result of a failed drug deal. Five trucks are surrounded by corpses and he deduces that the last man standing would have looked for shade. He eventually locates the final corpse and finds a case containing two million dollars. Moss lives in a trailer with his wife and the money represents a chance to completely change his life.

The most interesting character is Anton Chigurh (Bardem). We see him captured by police at the start of the film, but he escapes and kills a deputy in the process. He is extremely violent and his motives are unclear. At times he appears supernatural in the way he evades capture. Is he supposed to represent Death or the Devil? Bardem makes Chigurh one of the most memorable villains ever to appear on screen. There's a scene which rivals Tarantino's farmhouse scene in Inglourious Basterds in terms of tension. Chigurh has a conversation with a gas station owner and it ends with a coin flip. The scene is both absurd and chilling at the same time. We know what's at stake.

The other major character is Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Jones). He's old, wise and extremely competent. Some of his choices show that he's more concerned with self-preservation than pursuing criminals, but he somehow gets the job done. One of his strengths is the ability to reconstruct crime scenes. He has a dry sense of humor and uncanny instincts.

The first part of the story focuses on Moss. He's an experienced tracker and a Vietnam veteran and we see him trying to evade pursuit. At first, he doesn't know who will be coming after him, but eventually learns that it's Chigurh. Instead of simply leaving the country, he decides to face Chigurh himself. That might seem to be a stupid choice, but Moss does have some intelligence and appears able to take care of himself.

Chigurh also seems highly competent and we get the sense that he's being doing what he does for a very long time. His pursuit is relentless. When he is injured, he's able to take care of his own wounds. He does bleed, but there's still the sense that he either is, or he at least represents, a supernatural force.

I won't reveal any more of the plot. I have heard two complaints about the film. One is the level of violence present and the other is the unusual ending. I think the ending is partly showing how unpredictable life can be, but I understand the complaints. I thought the ending was appropriate and my only regret was that I couldn't watch these characters for longer.

No Country for Old Men is many things. On the surface, it's the story of an extended chase. The Coen brothers said that it is a story of a good, evil and something between the two. Moss can be perceived as good or evil, but he's definitely committing a crime.

Some of the scenes require us to pay close attention to the events and contain very little dialogue. It reminds me of the opening sequence in There Will Be Blood in that way. It succeeds because of the writing and the tension that's present throughout the story. If you enjoy thrillers, this is one of the best I have seen.

If you like No Country for Old Men:

The Coen brothers have been responsible for a lot of good films and a few which don't quite hit the mark. If I were asked to choose their best work it would either be Fargo or No Country for Old Men. Fargo is similar in structure because it includes a competent police officer, evil criminals and a protagonist who we root for despite the fact that he's breaking the law. Fargo is more comedic in tone, but both films are among the best I have ever seen.

Another good film adapted from a Cormac McCarthy novel is The Road, starring Viggo Mortensen. It's an extremely touching post-apocalyptic story showing the love between a father and son.

Return to index of 100 movies to see before you die.

Return to index of every review on the site.

My Top 10 Horror Movies: Part 1, #6-10

My Top 10 Horror Movies

Horror isn’t my favorite genre, but there are good movies to be found in almost any genre. Over the next two days, I’ll reveal my 10 favorites. Feel free to comment on my choices and leave your own lists on my blog. What have I overlooked that you feel should definitely be on the list?

10. Planet Terror (2007)

Directed by Robert Rodriguez

Starring Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez and Josh Brolin

I’m not generally a fan of horror films which rely on comedy, but Planet Terror is an exception. Nothing in this film is supposed to be taken seriously. Josh Brolin and Bruce Willis play it straight, but their roles are ludicrous. The premise is that there’s a deadly gas in the air that has the effect of making people’s skin break out in hideous ways. The victims soon turn into zombies and look to eat anyone who crosses their path. Rose McGowan plays a one-legged babe with a machine gun fixed to her bad leg, while Freddy Rodriguez has legendary fighting skills. The whole thing is a lot of fun and has plenty of replay value.

9. Cronos (1993)

Directed by Guillermo del Toro

Starring Federico Luppi, Ron Perlman and Claudio Brook

The first two acts of Cronos are superb. The acting, pacing and atmosphere are close to perfect and the sense of mystery makes for an intriguing story. An alchemist has invented the Cronos device which is capable of reversing the aging progress and prolonging life indefinitely, but there are consequences. Is it a blessing or a curse to have eternal life? The film focuses on the relationship between an old man and his granddaughter. It’s interesting how she’s able to accept him in whatever form he happens to appear. The third act is a little disappointing and explores the same territory as movies such as Dracula, but it’s a good film overall.

8. Needful Things (1993)

Directed by Fraser Clarke Heston

Starring Ed Harris, Max von Sydow and Bonnie Bedelia

Stephen King adaptations are a mixed bag, but Needful Things is one of the better ones. Ed Harris is a sheriff in a small town where hardly anything ever happens. The inhabitants are generally well-behaved and friendly. Everything changes when a new shop opens. It’s run by Leland Gaunt (von Sydow) and he seems to be able to stock any item you’d wish for. His prices are low, but he also asks that buyers perform a deed as well as paying the cash price. The deeds start off as little pranks, but soon progress to more serious crimes. Is he the devil? He soon has the town in a state of chaos and normal behavior starts to break down.

7. The Omen (1976)

Directed by Richard Donner

Starring Gregory Peck, Lee Remick and Harvey Stephens

The Omen is a character-driven story with very little action. Donner relies on the audience to imagine the worst, and suspense builds throughout the movie. The story is essentially about Robert and Katherine Thorn (Peck and Remick). Their young son, Damien, is believed to be evil. Some think that he’s the son of Satan. Thorn investigates the child’s origins and has to decide whether the accusations are true. If they are, what will he do about it?

My full review can be found here.

6. Alien (1979)

Directed by Ridley Scott

Starring Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt and John Hurt

Ridley Scott’s Alien was a sensation on its release in 1979. The setup looks like that of a traditional science fiction movie, but it evolves into a battle for survival. The crew of a mining ship encounters an abandoned ship and decides to investigate. Its origin clearly isn’t human. Those investigating are allowed back onto the ship without undergoing proper quarantine procedures and a life-form is inadvertently brought on board. The creature evolves fast, increasing in size and adapting to its situation quickly. It starts to pick off the crew. Who will survive and what will happen to the creature? The first hour is the strongest half of the story due to the air of mystery surrounding the derelict ship, but the second half is far from weak and contains most of the action. It’s a movie with a lot of replay value and was popular enough to spawn three more films in the series.

Click here to see 1-5 on my list.

Return to index of every review on the site.

My Top 20 Dramas: Part 3, #6-10

My Top 20 Dramas (continued)

Most of my favorite movies are dramas. It’s largely because important stories told in a serious way tend to be dramas. Acting is generally better and the story means something.

It’s incredibly difficult to rank films. Much depends on mood or which ones you have seen recently. The order constantly changes and new titles are added as I see titles for the first time.

With that in mind, here’s #6-10 in my favorite genre:

10. Jackie Brown (1997)

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Starring Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster and Robert De Niro

Based on an Elmore Leonard novel, Jackie Brown still feels like a Tarantino movie. At 154 minutes it never feels long. Tarantino takes the time he needs to properly introduce the characters and we know them well by the end of the movie. It’s essentially a heist movie with a little romance thrown in. It’s shunned by some because it appears to feature older actors and may be intended for a different demographic than his first two movies. I love every minute and enjoy seeing everything unfold. Jackson is always good when he works with Tarantino, but Forster and Grier have never been better. If you have avoided this due to bad reviews and like Tarantino’s style, check it out. Chances are you’ll end up appreciating it.

9. Inglourious Basterds (2009)

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Starring Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz and Mélanie Laurent

This time Tarantino gives us his version of a war movie, but it’s not like any war movie you’ve ever seen. The opening 20-minute scene is about as tense as it gets and is reminiscent of Hitchcock. The film is driven by dialogue in four different languages, so subtitles are used frequently. Waltz won an Oscar as Hans Landa, the Jew Hunter. The film is typical Tarantino fare with plenty of dark humor, violence, references to film, chapters and outrageous scenes. As always, the music fits the action perfectly. The screenplay was Oscar-worthy and the acting strong throughout. The 153 minutes race by and Tarantino casually changes history with his version of events. It’s a lot of fun.

8. The Double Life of Veronique (1991)

Directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski

Starring Irène Jacob and Philippe Volter

This film won’t appeal to everyone. It’s subtitled and tells the story of two women; one French and the other Polish. They look alike and have similar interests. Kieslowski’s story has several different layers of meaning and it’s something for viewers who like to reflect on what they have seen. It’s not a traditional narrative and there’s no obvious plot. This is not a Hollywood production. We never learn why the two women look identical or why they seem to share some of their feelings and experiences. That’s for us to decide and everyone will have a different answer. Irène Jacob, who later starred in Three Colors Red, is stunning in the role and plays it with a lot of emotion. The film is also about relationships and music. In fact, it explores several kinds of love. It’s shot beautifully and watching it is like entering into a fantasy world. If you like to think and find your own meaning, this might appeal to you. If you don’t like subtitles or prefer things to be neatly explained, skip it.

7. No Country for Old Men (2007)

Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen

Starring Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem and Tommy Lee Jones

Llewelyn Moss (Brolin) finds a suitcase full of money while he’s out hunting and decides to take it and go on the run. It’s a weird choice considering he could have left the country and never be seen again, but all of his other actions make sense. We see how he hides, fearing that he’ll be pursued. His caution is justified when Anton Chigurh discovers his identity and tries to recover what he claims is his money. The story is told from the viewpoint of the local sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Jones) and the resolution isn’t an obvious one. Chigurh is an interesting character and is afraid of nothing. There’s always tension whenever he’s on screen. The Coens picked up Oscars for Best Directing, Best Picture and Adapted Screenplay, while Bardem won Best Supporting Actor. It’s a unique film.

6. Fargo (1996)

Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen

Starring Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi and William H. Macy

It’s tough choosing between Fargo and No Country for Old Men, but there’s so much to love about Fargo. The acting is excellent and the characters memorable. It’s full of dark humor and witty dialogue, and the story moves along at a brisk pace. The setting suits the mood of the film and Roger Deakins captured the desolation of Minnesota perfectly. I have a lot to say about the film, so feel free to check out my recent review if you want to know more.

Here’s the full review.

See #16-20 on my list here.

See #11-15 on my list here.

See #1-5 on my list here.

I’ll reveal the final five films tomorrow.

Feel free to let me know what you think about my selections, and what would make your Top 20.

Return to index of every review on the site.

True Grit (2010) - A remake worth seeing

True Grit (western, drama, adventure)

Directed by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen

Starring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Hailee Steinfeld and Josh Brolin

Paramount Pictures | 2010 | 110 min | Rated PG-13 | Released Jun 07, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Audio:

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

French, Portuguese, Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles:

English, English SDH, French, Spanish, Portuguese

Discs:

50GB Blu-ray Disc

Digital copy

DVD copy

The Film 4.5/5

True Grit was nominated for 10 Oscars, but failed to win any. Jeff Bridges was unlikely to win after finally being recognized a year ago, but Roger Deakins (cinematography) and Hailee Steinfeld (supporting actress) were particularly unlucky to lose.

I’m generally not in favor of watching remakes, or Westerns, but this one is worth it. The Coens don’t make bad films. The acting is superb and there’s just the right balance between action, drama and humor.

The story is narrated and told from the viewpoint of Mattie Ross (Steinfeld), a 14-year-old girl who wants to hire someone to catch the man who killed her father. After hearing the qualities of the potential candidates, she approaches Rooster Cogburn (Bridges). He’s a one-eyed drunk with a reputation for getting the job done. Perhaps she wanted someone with the same strength of character as her own?

One of the best scenes in the movie comes early. Mattie argues with a horse trader, wanting compensation for a horse of her father’s stolen while under the trader’s care, as well as a refund for four ponies her father bought. This is where we see that Mattie, although young, is intelligent and capable of looking after her interests. The trader meets most of her demands and is relieved to see her leave.

Cogburn’s character is revealed when he gives evidence in court. It’s clear that he’ll kill if necessary, and that he thinks it’s often necessary. After another negotiation, Mattie secures his services to search for Tom Chaney (Brolin), her father’s killer.

The other main character is LaBoeuf (Damon), a Texas Ranger who has been tracking Chaney for another crime. He wants to team up with Cogburn as both have the same goal, but they are unable to convince Mattie to stay behind and the trio end up together.

The dialogue doesn’t follow that of traditional Westerns. The characters are generally well-spoken and intelligent and don’t use contractions. This has the effect of making the dialogue sound formal and more important. Some of the accents are thick, but you’ll soon get used to it.

After an argument with Cogburn, LaBoeuf departs and leaves Cogburn and Mattie to fend for themselves. They look for shelter and find a shack occupied by two men. Cogburn finds out some valuable information to aid the search and learns that Chaney has joined a gang which is due to arrive at the shack. Cogburn and Mattie hide and wait for them to show up.

LaBoeuf later rejoins the pair and the main action occurs when the trio meets the gang. Mattie proves her worth and both Cogburn and LaBoeuf have important parts to play in the conflict. Cogburn is not always drunk and proves very capable when the situation calls for it.

While not as quirky as other Coen films, True Grit contains plenty of humor. The dialogue is fast and the wits of the main characters are sharp. Each has some memorable lines. There isn’t a huge amount of action. It’s more about the setup and the dynamic between the trio. We see more of the journey than the eventual confrontation. It has the effect of making the story well-rounded and there’s enough background information for us to feel like we know the characters by the end of the movie.

The conclusion jumps forward 25 years and we are shown what happens to the characters. It's a good way to end the story.

Video Quality 5/5

The Texas and New Mexico locations look stunning in this presentation and colors are bright and well-defined. Fine detail is exceptional and you can clearly pick out patterns in the dirt and see individual pieces of straw. Grain is barely visible in the majority of scenes, but there’s no loss of detail. Paramount has delivered a wonderful transfer and I can’t think of a better-looking live action movie.

Audio Quality 5/5

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track also shines. Whether it’s horses galloping, insects, wind or gunfire, everything sounds the way it should. What really impresses me is the depth of sound in quieter scenes. There is so much detail. The excellent dialogue is well-defined and there’s nothing to fault in the audio presentation.

Special Features 3/5

There are just over an hour of additional features on the release and all are in full HD:

Mattie’s True Grit (5:13) – Telling the story of Steinfeld’s audition, her preparation for the role and working with the Coen brothers.

From Bustles to Buckskin – Dressing for the 1880s (8:02) – Interviews with the costume designer and some of the cast.

Colts, Winchesters & Remingtons: The Guns of a Post-Civil War Western (4:41) – Explaining the choice of guns used by the main trio.

Re-Creating Fort Smith (11:20) – Showing how the set was put together.

The Cast (5:25) – Interviews with Bridges, Damon, Steinfeld, Brolin and Barry Pepper.

Charles Portis - The Greatest Writer You've Never Heard Of (30:54) – An extensive look at the career of writer Charles Portis.

Cinematography (2:57) – Roger Deakins talks about some of the shots in the movie.

Trailer (2:33)

There should be an Oscar for best Blu-ray presentation. True Grit would certainly be nominated. If you’re a fan of the film, you’ll be delighted with the whole package. The crew researched the time period thoroughly and the result feels authentic. I would recommend this even if you’re not a fan of the genre.

Overall score 4.5/5

Return to index of every review on the site.

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger (comedy, romance)

Directed by Woody Allen

Starring Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin, Gemma Jones and Freida Pinto

Sony Pictures | 2010 | 98 min | Rated R | Released Feb 15, 2011

Video:

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC

Video resolution: 1080p

Aspect ratio: 1.78:1

Audio:

English, French: DTS-HD Master Audio 3.0

Subtitles:

English, English SDH, French

Disc:

Single 25GB Blu-ray Disc

The Film 4/5

When you watch a Woody Allen film, you can expect several things: There will almost certainly be a narrator, the story will be dialogue-driven, the cast will be fantastic and there will be a few insights about human nature. He'll probably make you laugh too. There’s an honesty about his writing that’s often lacking in similar films.

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger is about an old married couple, a younger married couple and a few single people who are woven into the mix. They all live in London, England. The older couple is Helena (Jones) and Alfie (Hopkins) and they are separated. Helena reacts by trying to commit suicide and Alfie by proposing to Charmaine; a woman half his age.

Their daughter, Sally (Watts), has a relationship with both parents and is married to Roy (Brolin). Sally and Roy have become bored with each other and are starting to notice other people. Sally has a crush on her boss, Greg (Antonio Banderas), while Roy has his eye on an attractive neighbor, Dia (Pinto).

Helena regularly visits a psychic who assures her that her life is about to get better. She will find a new love and be happy. Sally plays along to keep her mother happy and hopeful.

We learn that Alfie’s wife-to-be is called Charmaine and he lies about how they met. She was actually a call girl. Her motivation seems to be to take Alfie for all the money he has. Roy meets Dia for lunch and continues to pursue her even when he learns that she’s engaged. Sally doesn’t notice Roy’s behavior because she’s too busy spending time with Greg.

Roy’s other motivation in life is finding a publisher for his latest book. His first was a success, but he’s having trouble selling his fourth. When tragedy strikes some of his friends, Roy’s true nature becomes clear.

The four principal characters are all flawed. They lie routinely to protect their fragile relationships and we rarely see a true exchange between them. When we do, the outcome is usually damaging to their relationships.

Each character has hopes and dreams and is willing to make big changes in order to fulfill them. All four suffer setbacks when their lies and unethical behavior catches up with them. These are not bad people; they are just tired with their boring existence. It’s human nature to reach for something better, but it’s not always easy to do so without hurting people you are supposed to love.

Allen is a master at exposing the weaknesses in people. He realizes that we all have them to some degree. His actors all do the material justice and I would expect nothing less from such a talented group.

The stories and subplots held my attention throughout. I found myself wanting to see what happened to these well-defined characters. There are a few twists and turns and Allen doesn’t tell us what happens to every character. He doesn’t need to. This is a fascinating snapshot of people’s lives and it’s entertaining as it is.

As our narrator tells us at the end, “sometimes the illusions work better than the medicine.”

How many people are doing exactly that in their lives? It’s often easier to fool yourself rather than face up to the truth.

Video Quality 4/5

The Blu-ray presentation of the film isn’t something you would choose to show off your home theater, but it looks decent enough. Detail is moderate, but the images are clean and natural-looking. I have seen similar settings in London and felt completely at home.

Audio Quality 3.5/5

It’s rare for a film to feature a DTS-HD Master Audio 3.0 mix, but it works. Sort of. Allen’s films tend to focus on dialogue and this track presents it clearly. Where it misses the mark is in scenes featuring background noise. The rear speakers won’t enhance the sound of heavy rain or traffic in the way that you would expect. That doesn’t detract from the experience too much because of the nature of the film.

Special Features 0/5

Aside from a trailer and a few promos, there’s nothing included apart from the film itself.

Would I recommend the film? If, like me, you enjoy Woody Allen’s films, this is well worth seeing. Its structure is similar to other Allen films or something like Mike Nichols’ Closer (which is superior). Casual viewers might be disappointed as the film deals with the subtleties of human nature. It’s interesting rather than thrilling.

Overall score 4/5 for Allen fans, 3/5 for those unfamiliar with his work.

Return to index of every review on the site.