No Country For Old Men - (No River for Dead Manthas)

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No Country For Old Men - (No River for Dead Manthas)

Postby TheStuboy » November 26th, 2007, 12:48 am

No Country For Old Men is the Coen Brothers (most notable for their films "Fargo" and "The Big Lebowski") latest cinematic gold achievement, or is it?

I was able to attend the 7:40 showing today at my favorite crime ridden cinema in the worst crime city in the valley, south salt lake. While I was down there, eating at the very good Subway across the street, I witnessed a gang of gringos loitering by a local food mart.

They was like, hey ese, wanna go listen to some XERF, and I was like no holmes, I done got that station already. They was like, yo ese, you should try to hear that gringo station on 1070 eh. I said oh yeah, that KATQ station from Montana, yo dog, I got it in G town two days ago. Happy thanksgiving mutha fuka. I proceeded to pull out my uzi and lay waste to the gringo gang that dxed.

Anyway, after that, I saw No Country For Old Manthas, or as we'll call it, NCOM.

NCOM stars Tommy Lee Jones, who is just skin and bones (no rhyme intended), Josh Brolin, aka Brand from the Goonies, Woody Harellson, some creepy bad guy named Javier Bardem and Kelly Macdonald.

With this cast, and the Coens directing/writing, we're expected to see a great film right? I mean, who can go wrong with Josh Brolin, or Tommy Leeroy Jones? Well hmmf.


SPOILERS:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::NO PEAKING::::::::::::


NCOM opens in Texas, where Josh Brolin is beeeing weeery quiet, he hunting pronghorn. He shoots one and it gets away, and he goes to investigate his kill. He finds a trail of blood that leads to a Mexican Drug deal gone bad. After stealing some of the guns off the dead gringos, ese, he done find out theres a shit load of money waiting for him. He takes it, unknowing that the scary bad guy Javier is one step behind him. Javier knows where the money is, and for some unknown reason, wants it and will do anything and kill anyone to get to it. This leads to several shootouts between the ever wise Brolin, and the ever scary Javier.

Tommy Lee Jones is called in as he is a sheriff, and he knows something doesn't smell right, and it isn't his bad breath either. He wants to help Brolin and seeks out his wife (Kelly) to try and track him down. Its a race across the border of the Us and Mex, and a wound-off to see who can shoot and cause more damage than the other.

Then the story up and falls apart. Granted, this was a novel before being a film, but did the book really end like this? I'll probably never know. The final part of the movie sees -------(its a secret) getting killed and the scary guy getting away scott free, thats all I can say.


END SPOILERS::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::YOU CAN LOOK BELOW NOW


I went into this movie with only the trailer in my head, and even the trailer made little sense, it just looked like a cool shoot'em up bad guy vs good guy kind of thing.

The Coens previous work was also on my mind, from the classic Fargo, to the Duded up Big Lebowski. Does this film measure up to those cinematic triumphs? Meh, I don't think so.

Needless to say, the first 3/4 of the movie or in otherwords, up until the final (fourth) act, was good. The movie bottomed out, literally, at the end, and it shows. The story had nowhere to go, and I now know why the Coens took this to Paramount Vantage and Miramax. No major major uber Hollywood studio would have allowed this film to end the way it did.

I wont reveal the ending but I can say that I left disappointed.

The film has its slow moments, especially the beginning, but the action picks up and doesn't stop until the final act, when, like I said, the film hits a wall.

I'm guessing they didn't know how to end it, I have no idea what happened, but it was obvious to say the least.

Come on Coen guys, you can do better than that, I don't want to leave the theater disappointed, it doesn't feel good. I should only have to leave the theater disappointed if I see some utter crap like ATL or anything to do with Disney.

Try again, and maybe you will redeem yourself, that or just change the ending of this film and I'll be happy. You can keep the first 3/4 of the film as is, but take out or change the ending, PLEASE!

2.7 stars out of 4, disappointing, but entertaining... the first 3/4 is.

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God I wish I was a Goonie again, back then, I didn't get shot at by some lunatic friend, we know your out there.

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"We're trying to figure out why this scene was necessary, and how to end this, so for now, just close the door and pretend that the scary guy is there."
The Coens, wondering what happened to the final act of the film.


Please note, subsequent viewings of this film may change my mind, I was interrupted constantly by an asshole on his/her cell phone throughout the movie, I had a hard time concentrating thanks to that dickhead, so this is just a notice. If you guys like it, maybe I'll go back and see it again, catch the stuff I missed.
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No Country for Old Mantha's

Postby Kaing of Kaings » December 1st, 2007, 3:04 pm

I must say, at first, after walking out of the theater, I agreed with stu. The ending was abrupt and anti-climatic. I too agreed with Stuboy that the first 3/4 of the film were close to excellent. I really ended up caring for Josh Brolin's character even though you knew once he took the money, shit was going to hit the fan.

Anton Chigurh (played by the excellent Javier Bardem) takes the money because everybody wants money and everybody is looking for a quick fix except for Tommy Lee Jones who realizes it is hopeless with all the violence and evil in the world to stop greed and killing from going on.

I didn't understand the ending but after reading a couple of forums on IMDB, I think I have a better appreciation for it. There is a lot of symbolic references throughout the movie that were done well (TV/Door Lock reflections) and something to do with shirts. I definitely would consider seeing this movie again now that I think I have a better understanding of the ending. I guess at the very end of it all, the point is, according to Tommy Lee, this is No Country for Old Men.

That aside, this is The Coen's best film since Fargo and The Big Lebowski. I saw O' Brother Where Art Thou? and I thought it was alright but nothing special. I haven't seen any of their work since then but this movie is good , with a little extra explanation for us slow people or people who are too used to Michael Bay films.

The acting in this film is excellent and I think all three leads (Jones, Brolin and Bardem should get acting nods. Woody Harrelson had a short part, but he is always good in what ever he is in. The direction is good too from the Coens and I would like to see more films like this from them (with maybe a little more explanation at the end). This film does have some of the most intense thrilling sequences I have scene this year. I guess the book ends the same way so you can't blame the abrupt ending totally on the Coens.

That being said, I must give this film 3.4 stars for now. If I view it again, maybe it will come clearer to me (especially the ending) what it is all about.

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Postby TheStuboy » March 2nd, 2008, 3:58 pm

I officially update my stars on this one, 3.4 stars out of 4. Sorry I ever rated it so low.
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