Review: Raising Arizona

 I've reviewed a couple of Coen Brothers films in the past, The Big Lebowski and True Grit. I've discussed the Coen Brothers' uniquely absurd style that combines the realistic with the fantastical. While True Grit didn't do this as much, The Big Lebowski certainly did and Raising Arizona is in a similar vein. It is considered by some to be Nicolas Cage's best film. Which isn't really saying much considering his recent run of awful movies, but there was once a time where Mr. Cage was a respected actor who in 1996 won a Best Actor Oscar for Leaving Las Vegas. This film was released in 1987 long before Cage lost all of his money and perhaps his mind. It's delightfully strange film that offers a modern take on the screwball comedy. At times this movie thinks it's being funnier than it is; quirkiness can only get one so far in terms of comedy. However, there are a few genuinely funny moments in this truly inspired script.

Review: The Big Lebowski

     I've written about the Coen brothers already on this blog, but that was in a review of their least Coen brotheriest film True Grit. This films is probably on the other end of the spectrum. Unlike True Grit, The Big Lebowski is not a strong genre film, in fact I would argue it doesn't even have much of a plot. This is the Coen brothers in their most undiluted state. The film is full of surreal situations, eccentric characters, and just the right blend of comedy and violence. 

Review: True Grit

     The Coen brothers are known for their genre-defying films. Their films can generally be described as both quirky and dark, surely an odd combination. As such, I was expecting more besides the traditional western fare in 2010's True Grit. But the Coens do not deliver any new twists on the western. What they do deliver is a terrific, yet classical western film. I have not seen the original 1969 adaptation of the Charles Portis novel starring John Wayne, but from what I have heard, and what I know about The Duke, this adaptation is truer to not only the original source material, but also the actual old west.