Embedding trailers in posts is a lazy way of filling up blog-space, and so I have one question (for myself): Why haven’t I done more of it? Well, I’m not sure, but being as one of my weaknesses is the Coen brothers, I couldn’t resist. Here’s a trailer from their new film Burn After Reading, centered around the character of Harry, played by George Clooney (you might have to let it play through once to load it into your cache before it’ll run smoothly):
The Coens seem to be returning to their typical pattern of alternating Serious Big Movies (in the present case, No Country for Old Men) with a flat-out, crowd-pleasing comedy. I hope that they’re returning to form, because their last two before No Country — the totally unnecessary Ladykillers remake and Intolerable Cruelty — tried the patience of even the most ardent Coen fan like me.
Here are pointers to three more trailers revolving around characters played by Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt and John Malkovich.
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“Why haven’t I done more of it?”
Good question! I need to ask myself that, too…
It sure does fill up that empty blog real estate. I’m not sure — and this is blasphemy for a Coen fan like me — that from the trailers I like the looks of the film. But then again, you can never tell too much about a movie from its trailer.
I disagree about “Intolerable Cruelty” – I think it’s highly underrated. It runs out of steam in the last act, but there’s some great, funny stuff, especially from Edward Hermann and Billy Bob Thornton.
There are some great trailers I saw over at Cinema Styles. One was for an October thingy and the other was some kind of Fall Spectacular preview. Anytime you want to fill up blogspace you should put those up. Over and over and over again. Just alternate between the two. Your readers will love you for it. I guarantee it.
Pat — I don’t think it’s a bad movie, but after masterpieces like “Barton Fink”, “The Man Who Wasn’t There” and “Fargo,” none of which run out of steam in the last act, it felt minor and was a disappointment, especially after the unnecessary remake of “The Lady Killers,” which even so I liked better than a lot of folks.
One of my criteria is the re-watch factor, and every time I watch Find, Man, Fargo, O Brother and Lebowski, I enjoy them and find more stuff that I missed. The two before No Country don’t do that for me. I watched both a second time, and didn’t enjoy either nearly as well.
Jonathan — all right, ya big baby. Stay tuned.
One thing about The Ladykillers remake that nobody ever talks about is how beautiful it is. Maybe, given that it’s the Coens and Deakins, that aspect is being taken for granted, but seriously, look at that movie. Gorgeous!
And, yes, the movie was unnecessary, but it wasn’t actually bad. There’s stuff to like. Hanks, for one thing.
I agree, Bill … it is gorgeous. And I’ve been to where it was partially filmed, in Natchez Mississippi, and they captured it in sort of a hyper-real way.
And you’re right … it wasn’t bad. Hanks was hilarious, in kind of an over-the-top way, and so was J.K. Simmons, one of my favorite character actors.
It’s just … compared to their other stuff, it was minor.
Oh, sure, it’s minor, but I enjoy it anyway. Another thing I like about it are the scenes where Hanks discusses Edgar Allan Poe, talking about how Poe lived in a dream. Wouldn’t it have been great if, instead of remaking The Ladykillers, the Coens had instead made some sort of dark, fantastic (in the sense of “fantasy”) comedy about Hanks’s character, and, I don’t know…his obsession with Poe? Like I say, I don’t know what kind of movie I’m thinking of, but from the first time I saw the film I felt there was some untapped potential there.
I think you’re right; they kind of wasted a chance of really working against the grain with Hanks … they could have really done a number with him working against his good-guy image, going really dark, instead of comic-dark. I think Hanks is capable of it … it would have taken a different property, though
Hi.
I just wanted to reach over the Bill & Rick shoulder rubbing session and give Pat a hi-five for defending Intolerable Cruelty.
So noted. Now, pass the lotion.