Coen Brothers

[kannannn]

My take was that the more innocent and well meaning the person is the more certain they are to get trampled over.

Yes Complicateur!! I agree . That's what makes it dark. The Coens seem to have trampled (as you put it) with glee upon the innocent, letting the more deserving characters get away with lesser punishment.

As for the Katie Cox character, being the b*itch she is, she shouldn't find it hard to get on with her life. In fact, all the female characters embody a degree of cunningness and manipulativeness not apparent at the first instance.

BTW, thaks for reminding about Tilda Swinton. She had me spellbound whenever she appeared on screen . I don't think there is anyone else who could have played Katie Cox with such ease. Two scenes deserve mention - at bed with Clooney, she is taken aback with indignation when Clooney refuses to acknowledge the same about his wife after badmouthing John Malkovich, her husband and the one at her office, where is threatening the kid in front of his mother, very much contradicting the image of a paediatrician.

[complicateur]

BTW, thaks for reminding about Tilda Swinton. She had me spellbound whenever she appeared on screen

She first caught my eye in a movie called Female Perversions. She plays a cold lawyer with masochist inclinations and I remember being completely haunted by her paleness and angular features. And then when they literally cast her as an ice-queen in the Narnia movie I couldnt help thinking that there couldn't be a more perfect casting choice.
But then I happened to catch 2 movies one called Thumbsucker where she plays an insecure housewife obsessed with an actor and Michael Clayton (She is quite evil in the movie but it at least seemed like the character had a conscience). It is simply lovely to watch an actress with her range.

[Nerd]

Watched Raising Arizona on TV. An 80s masala with the usual Coen ingredients. The script has some loose ends and guess this one's definitely not from the Coens' top shelf. Worth a watch nevertheless. Kannan's theory fails w.r.to this movie I think. Holly Hunter was the worst affected at the end of it all :P

[kannannn]

AppO theory rejeeted . I have watched Raising Arizona only in bits and pieces. With Thilak raving about it and you not being very sympathetic, I am a bit torn now.

[thilak4life]

With Thilak raving about it and you not being very sympathetic, I am a bit torn now.

The truth is somewhere in between...

[thilak4life]

Watched "Burn after reading". Certainly not one of Coen's best films (ala Fargo say). This is certainly not a conventional comedy, but there are genuine moments of

I'm in agreement with Kannannn about the film's male-female predestine in Coens' world.

The three women in the film (Katie, Linda, Sandy) are all self-absorbed. Sandy and Katie are both guilty of infidelity, and behind their husbands back, approach divorce firms to get rid of them (relationship). Linda, a gym instructor/worker, not exactly guilty, but equally disruptive for her selfish interests. She forces her hardbodies manager (ex-priest), and Chad to enter Ozzie's house, and things turn ugly. She shows some dangerous mor(m)onic nature in taking the tape to Russian embassy too. This female persuasion and infidelity(in both the marriages) pivots the male characters and provides the twist. Coens doesn't show a slight bit of empathy to the men.

[spoilers]
The simpletons (Chad), benignant (Ted) are not spared, for breaking the Osbourne house, or IOW, acting for Linda. Ozzie is coarse on the outside, but for his straightforward and honest inclinations, turns all his anger to Ted ("Oh yes. You see, you're one of the morons I've been fighting my whole life. My whole fucking life. But guess what. Today I win.." with whiskey in his hand) Coens in return, were sympathetic enough to award Ozzie a lifelong Coma. Womanizer Harry (with an excellent turn by George Clooney) is spared by Coens..but he is just romantically "broken" (and quivered). Most generously awarded for being the least deserving man (of the bunch).
[/spoilers]

[Sid_316]

//dig

Hey thilak wats ur disp pic? and whr's ur quote from?

/end dig/

[thilak4life]

//dig

Hey thilak wats ur disp pic? and whr's ur quote from?

/end dig/

The moment (Display pic) is narrated by Sandy Bates (Woody allen) in the film Stardust memories. Woody Allen's "8 1/2". The quote is part of what he narrates.

The full quote is,

"Just a little while back, just before I died in fact. I was on the operating table and I was searching to try to find something to hang onto, you know, cause when you're dying your life really does become very authentic and I was reaching for something to give my life meaning and a memory flashed through my mind:

It was one of those great spring days, it was Sunday, and you knew summer would be coming soon. And I remember that morning Dorrie and I had gone for a walk in the park and come back to the apartment. We were just sort of sitting around and I put on a record of Louie Armstrong which was music I grew up with and it was very, very pretty, and I happened to glance over and I saw Dorrie sitting there. And I remember thinking to myself how terrific she was and how much I loved her.

And I don't know, I guess it was a combination of everything, the sound of the music, and the breeze, and how beautiful Dorrie looked to me and for one brief moment everything just seemed to come together perfectly and I felt happy, almost indestructible in a way. It's funny, that simple little moment of contact moved me in a very, very profound way."

Dorrie is the lady in picture, she looks great in this scene, arguably one of the beautiful moments ever captured in film. :P

- an instant of indestructible blitheness (As he put it), and I sort of related to its profoundness after watching that scene and the movie.

Louis Armstrong's Star Dust playing in the background adds greatly to the effect. Btw, the reactions of the audience follows this recollection by Allen. It ranges thus: "Cop-out artist!", "That was so beautiful." "Why do all comedians turn out to be sentimental bores?", Contrasting reactions.

The film is not an answer from a filmmaker, but an elucidation of his works in context of his personal life (From upbringing, parents, siblings, to the relationships), and non-personal inspirations - influence of Fellini, the impact of a friend's "death" (His shift to serious drama from slapstick comedy), religious inclinations, and of course, that mandatory Wild strawberries dream (hence, influence of Bergman), surrealism, etc. It encompasses stereotyped reactions of critics, and fans - which came off as sincere humour, and not arrogant in any form. Through this character, Allen canvasses himself (as a "filmmaker" foremost, the only time he ever did so to this effect).

I heard the film is regarded as one of his personal best (That is, the one that comes closest to what he set out for).

[MrJudge]

Watched 'Burn After Reading' - Good one from the brothers.

[ajithfederer]

NCFOM again