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Promoting this video and sending it back into the queue for one more try; last queued Thursday, November 25th, 2010 9:51am PST - promote requested by JesseoftheNorth.

Coen brothers + Western Movie + Jeff Bridges= huge movie win. Can hardly wait!

Remaking True Grit seems...wrong.

But I guess if one can't make something original, then it makes some sense to copy the good stuff.

Sorry to say but I do detest the Cohens. Vastly overrated and seemingly incapable of developing characters or vaguely interesting scripts. Some of their direction is good so maybe they should stick to that rather than developing films.

Anyone catch the ending of Old Country or whatever it's called? Absolutely rubbish and typically contrary behaviour.

They really haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona.

Finally why, oh, why are they remaking True Grit? Run out of ideas?

>> ^Deano:

Sorry to say but I do detest the Cohens. Vastly overrated and seemingly incapable of developing characters or vaguely interesting scripts. Some of their direction is good so maybe they should stick to that rather than developing films.
Anyone catch the ending of Old Country or whatever it's called? Absolutely rubbish and typically contrary behaviour.
They really haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona.
Finally why, oh, why are they remaking True Grit? Run out of ideas?


They haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona...? You didn't like Fargo? The Big Lebowski? O Brother Where Art Thou? Miller's Crossing?

Incapable of developing characters? If nothing else, The Dude is one of the most iconic characters of the '90s. I know opinions are subjective and all that, but... you are incorrect. The Coen brothers are awesome.

>> ^Deano:

Sorry to say but I do detest the Cohens. Vastly overrated and seemingly incapable of developing characters or vaguely interesting scripts. Some of their direction is good so maybe they should stick to that rather than developing films.
Anyone catch the ending of Old Country or whatever it's called? Absolutely rubbish and typically contrary behaviour.
They really haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona.
Finally why, oh, why are they remaking True Grit? Run out of ideas?
Typical internet "opinion-wielder" who can freely tell you how much he hates something but is utterly ill-equipped to explain the reasons why. It's rather humorous.

This is going to be great.

>> ^shuac:

>> ^Deano:
Sorry to say but I do detest the Cohens. Vastly overrated and seemingly incapable of developing characters or vaguely interesting scripts. Some of their direction is good so maybe they should stick to that rather than developing films.
Anyone catch the ending of Old Country or whatever it's called? Absolutely rubbish and typically contrary behaviour.
They really haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona.
Finally why, oh, why are they remaking True Grit? Run out of ideas?
Typical internet "opinion-wielder" who can freely tell you how much he hates something but is utterly ill-equipped to explain the reasons why. It's rather humorous.


Sometimes it's ok to have an opinion without having to back it up. Things like movies really don't need much of a reason, it's just how the person feels about it. Having said that, if I'm really passionate about something, I would probably want to know a good reason why, but sometimes there isn't one

>> ^alien_concept:

>> ^shuac:
>> ^Deano:
Sorry to say but I do detest the Cohens. Vastly overrated and seemingly incapable of developing characters or vaguely interesting scripts. Some of their direction is good so maybe they should stick to that rather than developing films.
Anyone catch the ending of Old Country or whatever it's called? Absolutely rubbish and typically contrary behaviour.
They really haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona.
Finally why, oh, why are they remaking True Grit? Run out of ideas?
Typical internet "opinion-wielder" who can freely tell you how much he hates something but is utterly ill-equipped to explain the reasons why. It's rather humorous.

Sometimes it's ok to have an opinion without having to back it up. Things like movies really don't need much of a reason, it's just how the person feels about it. Having said that, if I'm really passionate about something, I would probably want to know a good reason why, but sometimes there isn't one


I couldn't disagree more.

The ability to explain yourself has the effect of validating an opinion, whether people agree with it or not. I'm far more interested in hearing why Deano hates the Coen Brothers than hearing how much he hates them. I may never agree but at least he'll have exhausted due diligence. Additionally, I don't see how Deano's feelings will be negatively affected. In fact, if Deano were to properly articulate himself I think he'd find his own opinion will have been fortified, not diminished.

And as a bonus, I may get a new perspective on the Coen brothers.

I'll never be uninterested in hearing someone explain why they possess "opinion x." That is, in fact, the reason why we should expect a full explanation: because we're interested. I'm interested in hearing Deano's views on Fargo. How Marge Gunderson is a poorly fleshed-out character. Or why he thinks the last scene of No Country was such a failure. I want to know why he thinks the themes of Barton Fink are so ineffective. If we let him off the hook, then nothing of substance gets shared. Just empty words, utterly bereft of substance.

So I think that attitude is quite defeatist, Alien.

As a preemptive retort, "because they suck" and the like will not at all count as a proper articulation of "why" the Coen brothers are bad storytellers. Just so you know. If you didn't go to school then at least pretend like you did.

Did I just get really elitist at the end there? Oh well. I'll survive. And so will Deano.

I wasn't saying that it wouldn't be better all round if people explained why, when they have an opinion on something, I just think calling someone out on it and accusing them of being a typical internet opinion-wielder, might have been a bit strong under the circumstances...

And I wouldn't say I'm defeatist either, just perhaps less passionate.

No, didn't like any of them. I definitely credit them with getting these films made. They're wantonly unconformist and that's something to be applauded but their films feel shallow, if good-looking concoctions.

And often, sad to say, quite boring. I recall Barton Fink especially and felt especially burned by that as I'd journeyed to the cinema for that.

I loved O Brother Where Art Thou for the music which really got me into Bluegrass. I haven't seen all their films but probably most of them. No Country for Old Men just confirmed they're never going to change their ways. But they have their fans and that's cool. Better than standard Hollywood fare.

>> ^Sarzy:

>> ^Deano:
Sorry to say but I do detest the Cohens. Vastly overrated and seemingly incapable of developing characters or vaguely interesting scripts. Some of their direction is good so maybe they should stick to that rather than developing films.
Anyone catch the ending of Old Country or whatever it's called? Absolutely rubbish and typically contrary behaviour.
They really haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona.
Finally why, oh, why are they remaking True Grit? Run out of ideas?

They haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona...? You didn't like Fargo? The Big Lebowski? O Brother Where Art Thou? Miller's Crossing?
Incapable of developing characters? If nothing else, The Dude is one of the most iconic characters of the '90s. I know opinions are subjective and all that, but... you are incorrect. The Coen brothers are awesome.

Much like you then.

>> ^shuac:

>> ^Deano:
Sorry to say but I do detest the Cohens. Vastly overrated and seemingly incapable of developing characters or vaguely interesting scripts. Some of their direction is good so maybe they should stick to that rather than developing films.
Anyone catch the ending of Old Country or whatever it's called? Absolutely rubbish and typically contrary behaviour.
They really haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona.
Finally why, oh, why are they remaking True Grit? Run out of ideas?
Typical internet "opinion-wielder" who can freely tell you how much he hates something but is utterly ill-equipped to explain the reasons why. It's rather humorous.

This'll probably be a big improvement on the original...

>> ^alien_concept:

I wasn't saying that it wouldn't be better all round if people explained why, when they have an opinion on something, I just think calling someone out on it and accusing them of being a typical internet opinion-wielder, might have been a bit strong under the circumstances...
And I wouldn't say I'm defeatist either, just perhaps less passionate


"Typical internet opinion-wielder"

Hmm, you may be right. That was WAAAAAY over the top, wasn't it? <shakes fist and screams toward the ceiling> How can I ever live this shame down? HOW??

Just havin' some fun.

I disagree with you again, of course, as I think my words were quite tame and also quite true.

Such that no one can call me a hypocrite, let me illustrate why being able to explain yourself is always a good thing: I recently watched a shitload of the Election08 channel videos and sort of re-experienced the great entertainment value that the election actually was. If you have a couple hours to kill, I highly recommend doing the same.

There are two sifts from this collection I'd like to introduce into evidence, your honors.

1) http://videosift.com/video/Joe-the-Plumber-Wont-Explain-Death-to-Israel-Remarks
2) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nokTjEdaUGg (Sarah Palin on Russia)

Video 1 features Joe the Plumber asserting that a vote for Obama means death to Israel. Fox Host Shepard Smith tries to get Joe to explain himself a bit further but he is ultimately unsuccessful.

Video 2 is the famous "Well, it certainly does" comment. Couric presses Palin to explain exactly why Alaska's proximity to Russia has provided her with foreign policy credentials.

In both videos, one can easily recognize the flaccid attempts to justify outlandish assertions. Do you think a well-reasoned response on the part of either of them would have helped or harmed their respective cases? For Joe the Plumber, it's particularly embarrassing because he freely admits that he "knows just enough to probably be dangerous." At the very least, Palin provided some explanation, laughable and transparent (and plenty of both) though it was. Had either Joe the Plumber or Ms. Palin provided explanations, even ones that merely grazed at the periphery of sense, the GOP might have been placed in a different position, election-wise.

If you haven't yet gotten the point, let me say that the assignment of an opinion as "valid" or "invalid" is independent of agreement with the opinion. The deciding factor? Whether an opinion is backed-up in an effective way. The fact that one may not be able to (because it's "just a feeling" they get) is rather the whole point, isn't it?

>> ^Deano:

Much like you then.
>> ^shuac:
>> ^Deano:
Sorry to say but I do detest the Cohens. Vastly overrated and seemingly incapable of developing characters or vaguely interesting scripts. Some of their direction is good so maybe they should stick to that rather than developing films.
Anyone catch the ending of Old Country or whatever it's called? Absolutely rubbish and typically contrary behaviour.
They really haven't done a decent film since Raising Arizona.
Finally why, oh, why are they remaking True Grit? Run out of ideas?
Typical internet "opinion-wielder" who can freely tell you how much he hates something but is utterly ill-equipped to explain the reasons why. It's rather humorous.



You were saying?

Hmm, well thank you for that shuac, you made your point

I Lurve the Coens. Great characters, intelligent writing, superb direction, inspired cinematography, great career defining performances. Their only real stinker was Ladykillers. The most underrated Coen production was Hudsucker Proxy.

Coens (plus) Western = Awesome

I'd love to see them make a horror film.

Got high hopes for this, but i worry. I have to agree with what someone said earlier - no country for old men was the most trite, anticlimactic, self indulgent waste of 3 hours i've ever had the misfortune to sit through. I'm sure opinion on that film is split right down the middle.

Looks like there might be some sort of climax/resolution to this though, the inclusion of which - alone - would have made no country for old men a good film.

For those who criticize No Country for Old Men as being anti-climactic or self-indulgent (@Deano and @dannym3141), I'll counter that the movie is the most faithful production of a novel that I've ever run across. The Cormack McCarthy book ends in exactly the same way.

^Thank you TRB.^ That movie was absolutely beautiful, visually and otherwise. Full of fantastic acting, pacing, and genuine suspense. I love that people can't seem to tolerate the ending and think that it ruins the movie as a whole. And then blame it on the Coen's writing. I found it troubling but what grade were we all in when the teacher covered the idea that some stories don't have a typical ending? 2nd? 3rd?

Thanks though Deano for at least giving credit to Raising Arizona, one of Nick Cage's finest performances. But it sounds to me like you're just jumping on the, "It's cool to dislike this because so many people do like it" bandwagon. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt though. I'm not trying to be a dick.

Couldn't agree more about "The Hudsucker Proxy" DFT. That movie is one of the greatest examples of comedic timing ever. I find when I show it to people, especially actors, that their biggest problem with the whole movie is that their modern, sitcom inundated minds can't pay attention to any sentence longer than ten words and they just zone out. It's really unfortunate. There are so many great performances there.

EDIT: Wow, for once a youtube comment intelligently sums it up:

"But the Coens aren't remaking this film. They're adapting the book. I think there's room for different film versions of books. If there wasn't, we would've never had Peter Jackson's version of the Lord of the Rings as we've be left with Ralph Bakshi's version."

Heh, weirdly Raizing Arizona is the one Coen Bros movie I'm kinda meh about...

Fascinating discussion. I have a bit of a mixed experience with the Coens. I find my opinion of their films improves with a second viewing, which is rare for me. I saw The Big Lebowski, O Brother and No Country in the cinema, and found them all to be enjoyable but suffered from a sense of style over substance. They were all shot really well, but something was missing for me. For example, Lebowski came out in the late 90s, and I felt at the time the Dude was a bit of a trite character. Now, of course, I see him for the classic he is, but on first watch something didn't sit right for me.

Having Wikied them, I'm going to check out The Man Who Wasn't There, Barton Fink and Miller's Crossing. Feel free to recommend any others.

Opens tomorrow, I'll be there... I'll save you a seat on the aisle.

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Promoting this video back to the front page; last published Thursday, November 25th, 2010 8:43pm PST - promote requested by therealblankman.

Isn't that the girl that played Kitara in "The Last Airbender"?