Joel and Ethan Coen (collectively known as the Coen Brothers) are two of the finest living filmmakers working today. Since the 1980s, these auteurs have made their mark on cinema history by supplying audiences with dark comedies and dramas that are not only entertaining but thought-provoking and very smart. Their style is unmatched by any other writer or director and they almost always hit the mark with expert detail and exquisite precision. From 1984’s Blood Simple up until 2013’s Inside Llewyn Davis, they definitely know what they’re doing and each film is brilliant evidence of that. Unfortunately however, their latest effort, the tongue-in-cheek period comedy Hail Caesar! doesn’t live up to the hype and is one of the Coen Brothers’ weaker efforts. It tries hard and does contain very humorous bits of comedy sprinkled throughout but is a lackluster film at best and not one the Coen Brothers’ better entries.
Tag Archives: Coen Bros.
Bad Turn Worse
Crime stories are often filled with colorful characters, interesting plot points and evoke everlasting emotions. The Coen brothers and Quentin Tarantino are notorious for bringing noir and crime to movie audiences in fresh and original ways. However, they aren’t the only filmmakers to delve into the crime/thriller genre with decent results. Directing team (and brothers) Simon and Zeke Hawkins have come out with Bad Turn Worse, an independent western thriller that has all the elements necessary for a disturbing yet highly entertaining film but sadly because of its indie flavor, mass audiences will probably overlook it.
Lebowski Fest New York 2014
There are many movies out there that contain lines of dialogue that are not only memorable but are ingrained in the collective conscious of civilization. Cult films in particular warrant constant recitation of lines and scene reenactment. The 1998 off-beat comedy classic The Big Lebowski is one such film and fans of the Coen Bros. gem flock every year to pay tribute at Lebowski Fest, a traveling event which celebrates the film. This weekend, the festivities took place in Manhattan and the Big Apple was treated to two days of fun, dress up, trivia, and bowling.
Unger the Radar 