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.

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