Best Coen Brothers'

[rocketrogerhood]

Man who wasn't there----hands down

[fuzzy_nolan]

I think the best film they've ever made is Fargo. Seemed the pinnacle of everything they'd tried before.

In spite of that, I must have seen The Big Lebowski 50-60 times. I just piss myself at the same jokes everytime.

[JustaFied]

IMO, "O Brother Where Art Thou" is their best flick. Had so much going on, different levels and whatnot, the damn thing's almost literary. Repeat viewing, it just gets better. A truly unique movie.

"The Man Who Wasn't There" is a very good movie, but it seems a little off, in some way, to me. A little too cold of a story for a true "film noir" movie. Same complaint I have about "Miller's Crossing".

"Fargo" is definately their most accessible movie. That's why it's their most popular movie to date, and why it's the only one for which they one an Academy Award.

These guys are still so young, it'll be great to see what else they've got up their sleeves...

[Johann]

These brothers haven't made a bad film yet. I'm waiting for the COEN COLLECTION gargantuan box set...I don't think calling them "masters" is in error.

Do you know they had final cut on every film? Not too shabby...

[oscar jubis]

Originally posted by Johann
These brothers haven't made a bad film yet.
The Coens are so consistent it feels odd to pick one. Their nine features reveal the Coens' visual imagination, technical prowess and ability to incite superb performances. I'll say that Fargo and Big Lebowski come closest to "masterpiece". I think it's no coincidence that these film's environs (contemporary Minnesota and L.A.) are the most familiar to the auteurs and that my least favorite Coen takes place 70 years ago in Mississippi. Blood Simple, Barton Fink and Miller's Crossing are close runners-up. The only thing that ocassionally bothers me is a certain smart-alecky cynicism here and there. I read the term "gargoylelike" used to describe "Coen characters" and y'know, at times they laugh AT characters, especially peripheral ones. But all nine movies gave me pleasure.

[rocketrogerhood]

Does anybody know of any good coen brothers sites? official or otherwise.

[HorseradishTree]

I'd have to agree on the Man Who Wasn't There thing; things were just so perfect about it. But I also don't forget to shun Raising Arizona, another one of my favorites.

[rocketrogerhood]

1man who wasn't there
2fargo
3barton fink
4blood simple
5big lebowski

[Russ]

For mine, Raising Arizona is their best by a country mile. It's got the best lines - 'Not unless you think round's funny.' - ha

"the Man Who Was Not There' treads a fine line between being a GREAT film and an arty farty waste of time - but lands on the the side of the former with aplomb

[HorseradishTree]

What the bleedin' hey is aplomb?