AD: FYC - A Serious Man...

Awesome new ad for A Serious Man. Haven't seen the film, but it's the Coens, so it needs to be in the Oscar hunt.



(Via Awards Daily)

Go see something good!

NEWS: Matt Damon and Josh Brolin In Talks For True Grit...

Talk about one remake that I am ACTUALLY interested in.

For a while now, the brilliant duo known to us normal mortals as The Coen Brothers, have talked about a remake of the Henry Hathaway-directed, John Wayne-starring 1969 Western, "True Grit." Actually, they have discussed the possibilityn of this film for about two years now, and only recently with the allegedly casting of Jeff Bridges as the lead, which was the role Wayne performed, has this project truly made any headway. However, that has changed drastically after this afternoon.

It appears that Matt Damon and Josh Brolin, the latter was the star of No Country For Old Men, the Coen's classic from two years ago, are now in talks to take up two of the other primary performances.

Oh, and it's going to get started rather quickly, as Paramount is going to fast track this thing, putting it into production in March, hoping for a later 2010 release (Oscar anyone?). Here is how The Playlist breaks down the story:

And it's happening sooner than you think. Paramount is putting the project into production next March for late 2010 release. The film is basically your average Western revenge tale about a young girl whose father is double crossed and killed by a helping-hand/outlaw. She hires a drunken U.S. Marshal (Wayne/now Bridges), later joined by a Texas Ranger, to seek revenge.

Damon is in talks to play the lawman/Texas Ranger (Glen Campbell in the original) who teams with the drunken U.S. Marshal (Bridges) and a 14-year old girl to track her father’s killer into hostile Indian territory. Brolin is in discussions to play the killer. The young girl has yet to be cast, just don't make it one of the Fanning sisters, please.

I've never seen the original, but after seeing and loving No Country For Old Men, I have total faith in the idea of Coen directed Western. While that film isn't directly a Western, there are many Western elements, and the story seems to be one that the duo could hit out of the park, as they do with pretty much every film they decide to make. Hell, these two could film a midget reading the phonebook in spanish, and I'd watch it. Actually, that would be one hell of a David Lynch film. Tell me you wouldn't watch that thing?

The interesting aspect of this news is that Damon is involved, and is set to have a MONSTER freaking '10. He's in "Liberace", Eastwoods "Hereafter", all hoping for a release in that big year. This guy is set to have a huge year, and is really setting himself up to be the next true Hollywood style movie star. And I must say, this is one guy I will definitely support in that role.

What do YOU think?

Go see sometihng good!

REVIEW: Burn After Reading...

Today I had a religious experience. To me, not many directors today do what the Coen Brothers do. There last film, No Country For Old Men, won them a few much deserved Oscars, but their entire canon has been filled with masterworks. I think they are the best duo of filmmakers out there, and possibly the best directors we've got on this planet. They started off with what I consider their best film, Blood Simple, a small little film noir classic, and have since created one of the most formidable set of films to date. Sure there have been a few stinkers, really only their comedy, Intolerable Cruelty, but this weekend sees the release of their latest comedy, Burn After Reading. From Raising Arizona to the Big Lebowski, they have created many exceptional comedic films, but does this one fit that mold.

The film features an outstanding cast. It stars John Malkovich as Osbourne Cox, a CIA Agent who has quit his job, and can not accept that he has a big time drinking problem. His wife, Katie Cox (Tilda Swinton), is cheating on him with the horny womanizer, Treasury Agent, Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney), and she is in the midst of finalizing a divorce from Ozzy. This is where the story begins. Katie gives a disc of financial info, along with the beginnings of a memoir Ozzy was working on, to a law firm secretary, who misplaces it over at Hardbodies Gym. This disc is found by a janitor, Manolo, who then gives the disc over to the bumbling dork, Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt), who decides that this disc is full of "the raw intelligence". He and Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand) attempt to blackmail Ozbourne Cox, and the plot unravels from there. However, the two main characters are plagued by the same problem. Vanity.

Ozbourne Cox is a former Princeton grad, who can not take that he has a drinking problem. He is an arrogant guy, who thinks everyone else is a bumbling idiot, when it is he himself who has a few problems. He is intellectually vain. Then there is the physically vain Linda, who only wants to blackmail Mr. Cox to pay for four separate cosmetic surgeries, so she can finally find someone who will love her. In the midst of these two stubborn heads, is a story steeped in lying, cheating, deceit, and a lot of hilarious idiocy. Brad Pitt is great as a trainer who is just looking to be a "good Samaritan", Clooney gives a great performance as a womanizer who loves a good run, and small performances from J K Simmons and Richard Jenkins really add some depth to this already strong cast.

Another star is the tone of this film. As the film begins, it's a really airy and light film. There are a ton of laughs and the opening of this film may be some of the funniest five minutes of this entire year. However, there is a moment near the middle of the film that really takes the film in a different direction. It's still light and airy, but it's much more of a dark comedy. The film is not visually stunning, but it's the Coen's style of squared off frames, but when there are little visual flashes, such as the following of feet through a hallway, it adds a lot to the film. It's also really interesting in that they switched D.P.'s with Emmanuel Lubedski from the great Roger Deakins who they had used since Miller's Crossing. The shot style, the hues, and the feel to this film are exactly what you would expect from the Coens.

This film is the epitome of what a good comedy is, at least to me. This is the opposite of a film like Step Brothers. In Step Brothers, the comedy is much more joke based. Take the use of vulgarity for example. John Malkovich curses up a storm in this film, however, it's who his character is. He's a drunk intelecutal with people problems, not some guy stuck in an adolecent state. George Clooney creates a sort of pleasure machine, but it's all the funnier, because you could see his character making the said machine. The humor in Burn After Reading is story based humor, which makes it all the better. The film is airy and full of laughs, but filled with much darker themes, and that adds to the quality of this film. However, with every comedy, the tell all sign of quality is the amount of laughs, and in this case, it's one of the best films of the year. I can not say this enough, but Pitt steals every scene he is in. From him describing what is on the disc, to him simply helping a customer stretch, there is not a lame scene when the guy is on screen. Clooney seems to be having the time of his life, hamming up the womanizing image of himself, and even Frances McDormand gets a lot of good moments. The film was a blast for the people making it, and it was one for me to watch.

That all said, there were a few flaws in this film. While he was fine, Richard Jenkins began to wear on me near the end. He plays a nervous gym owner, and while it was a fine performance, it slowly began to be a little annoying. Actually, that's about it. This film is funny, subversive, dark, and chock full of great performances. Please, come one, come all, join me in the cult of Coen.

Here's the trailer...


BURN AFTER READING - 8.5/10
After the great No Country For Old Men, the Coen's return with a subversive, dark comedy, featuring A-class performances, great Coen visuals, and most importantly, and endless amount of laughs.

Thank you guys for reading my review of Burn After Reading. I would love to hear what you guys have to say about this flick!

Burn After Reading International Trailer...

This is the second (third if you count the redband trailer) for the upcoming Coen Brother's film, Burn After Reading. This is such a great trailer, and it really has me excited to get out and see this movie, if it's possible to get me any more excited...Really guys. What more do you need other than, Clooney, Pitt, Swinton, Simmons, and the Coen's in a dark comedy. Watch out for this one when it gets released sometime in Septemer...