Barton Fink
Barton thinks highly of himself and claims to write about the common man and for the common man, when in truth he knows very little about the “common man” (he never listens – and he thinks Charlie is a nice guy when he’s actually a serial killer). And at any rate, the sad fact is that the common man doesn’t care about his “poetry of the streets” anyway. They’d most likely prefer a good wrestling picture.
The box is a metaphor for the ego – the mind. (After all, there may very well be a head inside.) The words “mind” and “head” are constantly said throughout the film. Barton has a big ego at the start of the film but by the end he realizes how naive he is. His favorite writer is even a fraud. When the woman on the beach asks what’s in the box, his reply is “I don’t know” and “I’m not sure.” He’s finally been humbled. The photograph of this woman on the beach represents the inspiration – “the muse” – that he needs to write. (He also seeks a real muse, Judy Davis, to help him.) Once he’s been through hell (some say literally) and been truly humbled – lived a little – he can finally sit down and write something real (the irony is that Hollywood doesn’t want it). Now that he’s enlightened, he sees things as they really are, both himself and the photograph are no longer fake.
Ultimately, I think it’s the Coens smartest and funniest script. The characters are hilarious (the producer and studio head kill me) and the sound, music and cinematography are all pitch perfect. A masterpiece.
Raising Arizona
Bizarre, hilarious and strangely engrossing. A one of a kind story with a wonderful cast.
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Enjoyable and zany. George Clooney does a pitch-perfect Clark Gable impersonation. I suppose it kick-started the blue grass interest…
Burn After Reading
The Coens take a break from the darker material of No Country and release this very funny and zany comedy. In typical Coens fashion, the characters are highly original and the plot is ridiculously screwy. Clooney as a sex-addict is particularly hilarious. Ultimately though, this is light-weight Coens and I much prefer their material with greater substance. It was enjoyable but somewhat forgettable.
Intolerable Cruelty
The Thin Red Line
A Zen masterpiece on war. Malik has returned with such profound perspective and insight. The viewer gets three movies in one. First, it’s a riveting story with elements of suspense and intense action revolving around “seizing a bunker.” Second, there’s such a collection of strong actors and characters that linger with you long after the film is over. The unconventional narration helps identify emotionally with each soldier. Third, Malick takes us on an odyssey for the ages that is both meditative, spiritual and aesthetically beautiful. From man to nature to animals, we are constantly reminded of beauty and horror co-existing. After my fifth viewing, the film still feels fresher that most everything else in recent memory. Ultimately, this is a strong contender for the greatest war film ever made.
The New World
Malick does it again. Not just a beautiful love story, but a film about “how to live.” Poetic, emotionally devastating, visually sumptuous and exquisitely written.
Days Of Heaven
Visually Malick’s greatest achievement. The screenplay is also one of the most underrated masterworks. True visual storytelling. I particularly love the way Malick focuses so much attention on animals and nature – a true Buddhist. In the end the film is about how we are all human – flaws and all. Devils and angels. Gorgeous cinema at its finest!
Badlands
Poetic, bold, haunting and profound. It’s a combination of Bonnie and Clyde and Natural Born Killers but with far more elegance. Perfectly cast and impeccably written. And this was his first film! Malick excels in understatement.
2001: A Space Odyssey
The greatest motion picture ever made. A truly cinematic experience. The more you see it, the more you see in it. Kubrick transcended all other science fiction films. There is nothing else like 2001. It is the story of the evolution of mankind. Talk about ambitious!
