Top 25 Countdown — No. 20


Today I continue my Top 25 countdown with a Coen Brothers film, the first by them on this countdown.

No. 20 — Miller's Crossing (1990)
Starring: Gabriel Byrne, Albert Finney, Marcia Gay Harden, and John Turturro
Director: Joel and Ethan Coen
Quote: "Nobody knows anybody. Not that well." — Tom Regan
About: The Coen Brothers are American treasures when it comes to film. But when most people think of them, the bigger commercial hits come to mind — "Fargo," "The Big Lebowski," "O Brother Where Art Thou." For me, I've always been drawn to their smaller films, particularly from a certain era in their career. For a long time "Miller's Crossing," the duo's third film, was my favorite of their films. And I still have it put pretty high on my personal list, as you can see. To me it is part of a sweet spot the Coen Brothers hit — beginning with "Miller's Crossing" and moving through "Barton Fink" and "The Hudsucker Proxy." What I love about "Miller's Crossing" is the dialogue and the characters. It's a gangster film, but it's unlike most other gangster films I've seen. I love Byrne in the lead role and some of the action sequences, but I love the story and the back-and-forth. Plus, to me, it has some of their most iconic visuals, particularly the forest sequence. It's a smaller film for them, one that's lesser known, but one that I come back to time and again. If you like the Coen Brothers style of filmmaking, this is a must see.
Rating: R. Enter with caution.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Burial a courtroom drama with heart

Image
Willie Gary (Jamie Foxx) is a brash trial lawyer who is good at rallying a jury to his cause. Jeremiah O’Keefe (Tommy Lee Jones) is a quiet grandfather who is trying to ensure the business his family built remains viable after he’s gone. These two don’t appear to have much in common on the surface. But when they’re brought together by young lawyer Hal Dockins (Mamoudou Athie) brings them together, a connection is formed over their shared background of working hard to become self-made men. And it turned out that Willie was just who Jerry needed in his corner to win the fight of his life. The new Prime Video film The Burial, which opened in theaters October 6 and started streaming October 13, captures that trial against the Loewen Group that changed the course of their lives. The film is based on the true story and covers the trial, but more importantly captures the relationship between the men. The film plays out like a traditional courtroom drama. Foxx is solid as Willie Gary, while Ju
Read more

Broncos Draft Targets

Image
  The NFL Draft is just a few days away. On April 25, the Denver Broncos will head into the draft in the midst of something of a rebuild. In the draft, the Broncos have the No. 12 pick in Round 1, then have a Third Round Pick, Fourth Round Pick, three Fifth Round Picks, a Sixth Round Pick, and a Seventh Round Pick. So, what might they be targeting? Let's dive in and look at possible positions. Quarterback : The team clearly needs a long-term quarterback. Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are there but the team could certainly use someone else. Could they move up for Drake Maye or J.J. McCarthy? Yes, they could. Will the take Bo Nix at 12? It's possible. Or will the Broncos wait until next off-season to make a move? Anything is in play for the Broncos in 2024, but quarterback is surely a need. Tight End: The team brought back Adam Trautman and still has Greg Dulcich, but it's still a need. Dulcich hasn't been able to get on the field and Trautman hasn't been great. Co
Read more

Favorite Westerns, No. 43

Image
  Do you like a good Western? It's a classic genre in film and this year I've decided to look at some of my favorite Westerns. So, join me each Friday as I count down my favorite Westerns from No. 50 to No. 1. Rooster Cogburn : [ watching Mattie ford the river hanging on the back of her horse] By God. She reminds me of me. True Grit (1969) Starring : John Wayne, Kim Darby, Glen Campbell, Robert Duvall, and Dennis Hopper Director : Henry Hathaway About: This is the third straight week with a film from Wayne. As you might guess, we're not done. As I've mentioned, he sets a standard for the genre. Here, we seen him bring to life an iconic character. This one is based on a novel, and it has endured. He's great as Rooster Cogburn, so good that he got a sequel in the same character. But this is a later film in his career. This is a different, more grizzled Wayne. He's still quite good and this is a film that really has stood the test of time. It's not the only ve
Read more