Happy Birthday, Geoffrey Rush
In my previous birthday post, I did not forget Geoffrey Rush among the film folk sharing the day with Sylvester Stallone. I wanted to single him out. The Australian Oscar winner, who turns 60 years old today, is one of my favorite actors.
For me, he runs at basically two speeds: perfect and near-perfect. Even in movies I am less than thrilled with, Rush stands out. I am a big Coen Brothers fan, but was sorely disappointed in “ Intolerable Cruelty .” Not so with his performance, though. Or with those of George Clooney or Catherine Zeta-Jones, for that matter. (Why, oh why, couldn’t the writing have been better?)
To me, he is never anything less than authentic and real, whether playing broad or subtle. I would gladly wile away a day watching and listening to him, yes, recite the phone book.
Cohen Brothers Movies - News
EXCLUSIVE: The Coen Bros. told an audience at New York's Lincoln Center earlier this month that they were working on a music-related film, but didn't offer any specifics. Now a clearer picture is emerging on the subject of that movie: the Greenwich
For me, he runs at basically two speeds: perfect and near-perfect. Even in movies I am less than thrilled with, Rush stands out. I am a big Coen Brothers fan, but was sorely disappointed in “Intolerable Cruelty.” Not so with his performance, though.
won the Academy Award for foreign language film. www.americancinematheque.com The New Beverly Cinema presents two films dealing with Hollywood screen writers Thursday evening: the Coen brothers' "Barton Fink" and Billy Wilder's "Sunset Boulevard.
won't get Sam a job until John Malkovich sends him to the mailroom, and then Frances McDormand struts in as the head of National Intelligence and John Turturro returns as that wacky former agent, and where are the Coen brothers when you need them?
Not because she's bad -- far from it -- but because her scenes with John Tuturro just made me wish that the Coen Brothers had gotten the Transformers franchise instead of Bay. Sam comes off as an has-been shut out of something he should be a part of
Movies That Molded a Geek: O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Most of the previous Movies That Molded a Geek have been films that I saw as a child. Still, we never stop growing (inside), and our new favorites come to define us. I recently realized that one of my favorite movies is over ten years old. I saw it when I was still in high school, and if it didn’t directly determine my future taste in movies, it’s at least indicative of the trend. Not to mention, this is a seriously geeky movie. Thus, let’s talk about the Coen Brothers’ O Brother, Where Art Thou? , set in Mississippi during the 1930s. Despite rumors that the Coen brothers never actually read the source material, it’s loaded with references that make English teachers giddy, from a blind prophet to Sirens to a Cyclops. However, it’s probably more widely known for its soundtrack: a mix of bluegrass (referred to in the movie as ‘Old-Timey’) , gospel, and blues.
When you think about it, though the soundtrack is a perfect complement to this film, the genres seem an apt metaphor for most Coen films: Light on the surface, deceptively simple, but with a dark and macabre aftertaste. At any rate, I loved the arrangements and usage in the film, and I was not alone: the next year, as a freshman music major, I watched my school’s top choir put on a concert of spirituals and similar songs.
It’s easy to geek out to O Brother , and not just from references to Homer; Film geeks, history geeks, and music geeks can all find something to love, too. For a movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously, it brings serious research cred.
But why is it one of my favorite films? Why do I like it so much more than any other Coen Brothers film, more than most other films, period?
Well, it hits just the right tone for me when it comes to humor. From Clooney’s smart lines that consistently make me smile to slapstick that catches me off-guard when I haven’t seen it in awhile, it’s just perfectly balanced to my sensibilities. There are certainly dark parts to the film – Mississippi in the 30′s wasn’t necessarily the friendliest place – but those parts are all more implied (the cow doesn’t count) . As such, I’ve got a pretty well-rounded view of the South.
Cohen Brothers Movies - Bookshelf
The Coen brothers, the story of two American filmmakers
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The philosophy of the Coen brothers
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There's a surreal quality to their movies that defies logic or intellectual analysis. A Coen brothers film doesn't really make much sense. ...Complete Information Directory
Coen brothers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The brothers write, direct and produce their films jointly, although until recently Joel ... Together, the brothers remade movies they saw on television with a ...
Joel Coen - IMDb
Photos and filmography for Joel Coen, the other half of the Coen Brothers, who's always credited as the director of their movies, including Fargo, The Big Lebowski, Raising Arizona, and Miller's Crossing.
Coenesque: The Films of the Coen Brothers
Fan site dedicated to filmmakers and brothers Joel and Ethan Coen and their movies, the actors they frequently use, and offers links to Coen Brothers merchandise.
Ranking The Films Of The Coen Brothers
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Coenesque - Movies
A website discussing the films of the Coen Brothers, Joel and Ethan. From Blood Simple to Fargo, and from Raising Arizona to the Big Lebowski. ...