Blood Simple (1984), this is where it all began for cinema's grea-*test*-('") filmmaking siblings, Joel and Ethan Coen. A modern, noirish thriller set deep in the heart of Texas, involving murder and money, rather like a certain Oscar-winning film they would make over 20 years later!! ;) This one has bar-owner Julian Marty (Dan Hedaya), who finds out that his wife Abby (Frances McDormand) is cheating on him with Ray (John Getz). In a fit of jealous rage, Marty hires private detective Loren Visser (M. Emmet Walsh) to kill his wife and her lover, but it turns out Visser has his own agenda planned out, and things get very complicated from there on out. Made for a meagre $1.5 million, this is perhaps the grea-*test*-('") film debut of any director in cinema history, because it feels professional, and from looking at it, you'd think they'd made films long before this one. It's a complex but gripping thriller which set a standard for Coen's films, it's very offbeat but it was the start of one of the best careers in cinema, since the Coen's started making films, the world hasn't been the same since!! :D 5/5
Barton Fink (1991), The Coen Brothers had a bout of Writer's Block whilst they wrote Miller's Crossing, so they wrote a film based on that experience of being blocked creatively, and this is the result. Set in 1941, it has playwright Barton Fink (John Turturro) making a successful debut on Broadway with his play Bare Ruined Choirs. He is given an offer to go to Hollywood to write for Hollywood mogul Jack Lipnick (Michael Lerner) of Capitol Pictures. Lipnick wants Fink to write a Wallace Beery B-movie wrestling film. However, he is staying at the eerie and decrepit Hotel Earle, and he becomes friends with his next door neighbour Charlie Meadows (John Goodman). However, Barton can't seem to get started on this seemingly simple idea of a film, he feels closed in by his surroundings and nothing is what it seems. This is one of the Coen's weirder offerings, but it is a horror film disguised as a satire on the Hollywood system of old. It's mostly metaphorical, the Hotel Earle is really hell, Barton has sold his soul to the devil, he's gone to hell, but he won't accept that, because he doesn't listen to anyone else. Oh, and the peeling wallpaper is as weird as they come. But, it's an exceptional piece which captures it's era well, and the Coen's capture that "Barton Fink feeling" perfectly, whatever it is. :P 4/5
4/10
8/10
Seraphim Falls
Excellent first hour with loads of hand over eyes bits and gasps of surprise.
Pierce and Neeson worked well together although they were on opposite sides the tension certainly worked.
Didn't explain itself until well past the first hour and a bit of an odd ending but even so still worth a view.
Two unexpected cameo's from Angelica Huston and Wes Studi both huge fav's of mine.
3/5
4/10
Much better than expected but a little too sympathetic. Great turns from Josh Brolin (Dubya), Jeffrey Wright(Colin Powell) and the Scarily accurate Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice. Shame it only scratches the surface of Dubya's life.
8/10
I'm reviewing this again after a second viewing and realised how poor it is due to a bad script, crap villian and a director who should not have been let near this type of film. Plus points are Daniel Craig and Olga Kurylenko.
5/10
Pride and Glory
Disappointing and mediocre story despite some great performances from its lead actors.
6/10
Stephen King's tale of a novelist held against his will in a snow-bound house in the middle of New England by a psychotic ex-nurse is still gripping, still spell-binding viewing.
And I still look away at the "hobbling" scene! :oops:
Daft and OTT, yes, and quite a deviation from its source material, but fucking good fun nonetheless! I just love the scene where Wesley finally makes a stand against his boss - I'd LOVE to do that! :lol:
I'm currently spending a bit of time with my good friend, Mr. John McClane, as I haven't seen him in a long while... ;)
Next - 5/10
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