Genres

Visitors Review

tomrabil 2013-05-16 20:17:54

Umm, a conclusion would be nice

Too many loose ends ruined what would otherwise have been good work.Note that I am normally a Coen brothers fan, but I'll have to go backto "Raising Arizona" to see them at their best. There's a lot in the film that was good: suspense level incredible,action more than sufficient, photography and mood great, especially thedesert scenes, dialogue like we expect from the Coens, great actingfrom all, even Tommy Lee Jones in his essentially useless role. But, a story without a solid conclusion, especially a story asemotionally gripping as this one, isn't box-office ready. You'll feellet down like I did, and like thousands of others did. Thank God I onlypaid matinée admission.

2013-05-16 14:42:46

academy award??? really???

seriously folks this movie won best picture??? maybe I'm from another planet or something because I just watched this movie and THIS MOVIE SUCKS.

condom-gry 2013-04-28 16:04:54

Oscars beware Javier Bardem is coming.....

With out a shadow of a doubt that is simply the best supporting role Ihave ever seen if they don't give him an Oscar I'm going to kill theacademy! First of all i absolutely thing that the people who thinkthere will be blood is better then this is either in a mental hospitalor has some sort of disease and is extremely delusional. Thecinema-photography is unbelievable and what also make it even moreamazing it is the first film credited to have Joel and Ethan directing.the first time i went to see it i had to sneak in to the movie i reallythought it wasn't going to be that special. but when the credits wentup i was star struck!!! I have to say in the quiet words of ParisHilton This is hot There will be blood it not.

Ben Larson 2013-04-28 05:45:22

Well, okay. What do we circulate? Lookin' for a man who recently drunk milk?

Texas is a perfect setting for a movie like this -- no trees, justdesolate land for miles around. The chicken farmer (Richard Jackson)was from Alpine -a place in the middle of nowhere with a long longstretch of road that literally - I kid you not - has turkey buzzards onthe fence posts along the way. Annie Proulx (Brokeback Mountain)described it perfectly in her 2002 book, "That Old Ace in the Hole."I've been gone from there for five years, but it hadn't changed muchfrom the 1980 setting in the film, an I suspect it hasn't changed muchmore.Llewelyn Moss, played brilliantly by Josh Brolin (Grindhouse, HollowMan) thought he hit the jackpot. But, he didn't account for AntonChigurh (Javier Bardem). Chigurh was methodical, intelligent andpsychotic. He is the human equivalent of the terminator robot afterJohn Conner. Those who believe in souls would not say that Chigurg hasone.Tommy Lee Jones (The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, U.S.Marshals) is a tired sheriff that comes from a long line of lawmen. Heknows that he is no match for Chigurg. It's not Richard Kimble or MarkSheridan he's chasing, but a man who has no match.The dialog is dry and things are not always explained. There isconstant tension knowing what may lie on the other side of the door.Jones' buddy Ellis had it down: "Whatcha got ain't nothing new. Thiscountry's hard on people, you can't stop what's coming, it ain't allwaiting on you. That's vanity." Dying with your boots on is still dying.

suburbannightmare 2013-04-23 19:01:59

No Country For Sane Men...

The Coen Brothers are, truly, one of the finest the quintessences ofawesome film-making. No Country For Old Men demonstrates thisperfectly. OK, it's an adaptation of a book. And we all know how manytimes that concept results in cringeworthy failures and the loss ofimportant factors. Like plot. But, the Coens make good on their turn.Very good.Cormac McCarthy's book is as desolate and sparse as the harsh, dusty,barren South-American desertlands it sets itself in, but it's highlydescriptive and powerfully jarring. McCarthy's ability to convey pagesand pages in one sentence is brilliant, and it makes it a very directand jolting reading experience, whilst at the same time beingslow-burning and steady. The story is a classic deadlycat-and-mouse-style intrigue, but it's not a story that's wrapped up ina neat little bow with all the bad guys in prison and the all the goodguys sipping margaritas in a Mexican sun-trap! The ending to say theleast is ambiguous (which is personally why I think a lot of peopledisliked the movie version) and the pace is sharp but slow.Josh Brolin is excellently cast as Llewellyn Moss, (although it was thelighting courtesy of Robert Rodriguez in his audition tape that caughtthe Bros' eyes as opposed to his acting. Oops.) the grizzledVietnam-Vet-Turned-Welder-Turned-Hunter who stumbles across a fortunein heroin and a satchel of cold, hard cash in the outback open countryof Texas. Cue: Moss is plunged into a chase with a madman - all hellbreaks loose. Brolin's performance is amazing, he's baffled,disbelieving, cynical, yet sets about his surreal situation with grimdetermination. And a large shotgun. Whilst I suspect millions ofdollars would be a sturdy motivator for most people to go head-to-headwith a psychotic, weird-haircut-wearing hit-man, Moss still has moregrit than a fleet of ice-trucks.Javier Bardem's Anton Chigurgh is the first time since Darth Vader thata film character has truly disturbed me. Just like Darth, I had theinescapable feeling that bad things were imminent and people weresurely going to expire horribly whenever this guy coolly sauntered onscreen. His complete cold detachement is chilling - he is a completedyed-in-the-woool killing machine, and his menace is only furtherenhanced by his truly strange 'do, his love of pneumatic weapons, andhis complete trust in that fickle master of horrors himself, Fate. Aman who thinks nothing of flipping coins to determine a person'ssurvival is a man who is monumentally insane. Or just sociopathicallyambivalent towards human life. Look out for the self-surgery scene,which is a testament to Chigurgh's overall inhuman detachment. Amazing.Tommy Lee Jones is also fantastic as always, he's a perfect old schoolTexan Sheriff, who is truly appalled at the carnage exploding aroundhim, and having a murderous ghost like Chigurgh around, the body countsoon mounts up. Sheriff Bell is one of the most human elements of thefilm - he does his grim duty and tries gallantly to put a stop to thekilling and general decline of society, but he's a man sensing hisbattle is a lost cause. It's all he can do to keep his head above waterand he finally retreats, world-weary and battle-drawn into retirement,longing for the days of old where sheriffs never wore guns and hit mennever used cattle bolts to kill people.Kelly Macdonld isn't bad as Carla Jean either, Moss' southern-belleyoung wife. Her accent's good (she's a Scot! Cool!) and she's the onlycharacter who gives Chigurgh what for - admittedly she's like a scaredrabbit caught in headlights when she finally meets him, but she stillstops him in his tracks a bit. Which is a great juxtaposition, as heputs paid to burley fellow hit men, hard-ass mexicans with awell-stocked cache of very large guns and scores of poh-lice with greatease. Not to say Carla Jean escapes unscathed, but she's still somewhatvictorious! This movie is understated excellence, the script remainsrespectfully true to it's source material, the characters arewell-defined and explored (enhanced by fabulous acting, which is alwaysa plus) and it deserves recognition as a stand-alone film, not just anadaptation. The whole film also looks beautiful, with stunning, epicsun-baked desert-esquire vistas, and claustrophobic, dusty,edge-of-Mexico motels. The violence is just like McCarthy's writingstyle - pared-down, to the point and jolting, without ever crossing theline into gratuitous, Tarantino-like caricature (which is not a badthing, but would be completely at odds with the slow, almost delicatelypaced story and the careful dialogue). This is a class film,well-acted, gorgeously shot and faithfully reproduced from a fantasticsource material. It's an amazing movie, but I would suggest a read ofthe book, because for me, it made the film's ending sit much better.Although the amount of fellow movie-goers who were vociferouslydeflated with the lack of conclusion would disagree with me. Andprobably hit me with a pressurised cattle bolt or something.

Kansas-5 2013-04-23 01:54:56

Bardem was truly scary

I have been around scary people for much of my life and have scared ahell of a lot of people whom I think deserved to be frightened. I spenttwo years in Vietnam, worked in prisons, with alcoholics and addictsand mentally ill street people who occasionally, unmedicated, can getpretty worrisome. I've found myself on the wrong end of too many guns.A white guy, I've lived in ghettos. I've been around more than my shareof heavily armed and angry drunks. I've been attacked with murderousintent in foreign countries and while riding a motorcycle on U.S. ruralroads, a la Easy Rider.Despite this, I can only think of a few instances in my life when Ihave been truly afraid, such as when I've fought a raging forest firewith middling chances of escape, and being in the middle of an ocean ina hurricane on a small ship.I'm not someone who is easily able to suspend disbelief. I have foundfew science fiction movies of any interest, save for comedies such as"Mars Attacks." None have been fear provoking.But sitting there with my wife in a darkened theater, I found JavierBardem's portrayal of Anton to be truly a frightening and believablecharacter. From his first encounter with a storekeeper, he wascompletely convincing. When he had the upper hand over a competitorassassin and he was described by the latter as "a psychopath," Ithought, "Well, that sure fits." The only thing I couldn't understand was the failure of a character(trying to avoid a spoiler here) to dare the coin toss. People cling sotightly to life, it seemed difficult to believe.What a great movie. What great actors and directors.

2013-04-20 09:50:31

Nihilism

No, you don't have to see all my reviews. I try to write reviews with the hope of others finding them helpful. In this case, I just want to submit my opinion.This movie is clearly an expression of nihilism, a philosophical position which argues that life essentially has no objective meaning, truth, purpose, or hope, and so everything is meaningless or pointless. I found sitting through this movie pointless and a waste of time and money. Unfortunately, since the way this film is crafted, I had to wait to the very end to learn this. Why is a film, which takes considerable time to develop, then rendered meaningless by its pointless ending, considered great? Why is this not instead considered irresponsible and unimaginative? I think it actually reflects a type of deception that "the Academy" proclaimed this best picture of the year. This movie is simply a very violent expression of nihilism dressed up in a cloak of competent film-making ability and acting. One would not tolerate this kind of pointlessness in other areas of one's life. I think that meaning should be a serious criteria in judging films, but it appears to be out of vogue.There were better performances in other movies, with better film making, and with far more meaning. For instance, I thought Gone Baby Gone was superior in film making, and much more clever, thought provoking and meaningful.

crix-4 2013-04-19 22:52:40

Emperor's New Clothes

I was looking forward to seeing this film. I have enjoyed several ofthe other films by the Cohen brothers and was expecting something good.Obviously others were too and are too timid to say anything negativefor fear of actually saying that the Emperor is in fact naked. I amdisturbed to see that the American version of an art house film is tomake each scene painfully slow and this follows in that vein. Then addto that dialogue not only spoken in a thick southern accent but makesure that all dialogue is mumbled. Actually being able to understandthe dialogue may have helped but I reached the point that I just didnot care.

2013-04-05 00:39:17

Great Movie

This review is from: No Country for Old Men (DVD) "No Country," is an old time western set in 1980 Texas. The bad guys are still bad, their product of choice is drugs and the end result is as usual, greed and ultimately death.. Well acted and beautifully shot, it is one movie that will stay on your mind for a while.

grsnider3 2013-04-04 11:30:19

No Ending For "No Country"

The Coen Brothers brilliantly gave us 120 minutes of excellence in aruntime of 122 for "No Country for Old Men." A gripping edge of yourseat emotional heart-stopper of a film offers the story of a man,played expertly by Josh Brolin, who found something that he wasn'tsupposed to find. Now he doesn't want to give it back. However, hot onhis trail is one of the most despicable on-screen characters in cinemahistory portrayed by Javier Bardam. His character is so bad, he bleedsevilness! The third leg of the stool is the role of the sheriff, playednostalgically by Tommy Lee Jones. Incidentally, at no time do any ofthe three major characters ever appear on screen at the same time. Ifnothing else, the Coen Brothers are great storytellers. The film iswonderful, BUT .............***** FAIR WARNING ****** Do not read any further if you do not want ageneral sense of how the film ends.The movie ends with no resolution. We never are clearly told whathappens to Josh Brolin. Nor do we know what happens to Javier'scharacter. We never find out whether or not Tommy Lee Jonesaccomplishes anything other than retirement. We are left to guess. Ifelt really cheated. What should have been a "10" on a scale of 1 to10, is kicked down to an "8." I despise being cheated when watching afilm. I want resolution and I do not want to have to guess at what theending is all about. I expected an extremely violent confrontationbetween all three men and got zilch. There was no explosive climax tothe film as promised on the DVD cover. I suppose the Editor got scissorhappy - or the Coen's ran out of money.

GoneWithTheTwins 2013-04-02 19:32:17

No Country for Old Men Movie Review

Relentless in method, challenging in presentation, and unforgettable inexecution, the Coen Brothers' adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's acclaimednovel glimpses upon pure genius in its characters and suspensefulbuild, but sacrifices much of the clarity (though not the power) of itsnarration in the strict adherence to its source material. Boasting someof the finest performances of the year, the Coen's fantasticallyintricate thriller demands an astute mind and a perceptive eye todecipher the multi-layered parallels that lie in No Country for OldMen.When Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrongand leaves with $2 million in cash, he is relentlessly pursued byseveral interested parties, including cunningly vicious psychopathickiller Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), cocky hit-man Carson Wells (WoodyHarrelson), and Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) . While Llewelynstruggles to stay alive and protect those he loves, the inevitableconfrontation with his pursuers steadily closes in on him, as doesunflinching fate and its inescapable finality.From the existentialist perspective on life, death and theinevitability of the revolutions of the future, No Country for Old Menexamines several complex subjects, many requiring further investigationinto the symbolisms of the characters and events portrayed. But whatthe film sacrifices in its quest to fully represent Cormac McCarthy'sspeculations and musings on human life is the conventionality ofstorytelling that many moviegoers all but demand. Initially the filmfollows Llewellyn's struggle to survive against the unyielding force ofAnton's steely-eyed psychotic killer. The film builds with suspense andflawless pacing, allowing the audience to acknowledge and becomefamiliar with these two characters and their missions. But the harshtransition back to Sheriff Bell's narration and story arc is adifficult change for viewers who were so heavily immersed in thechaotic thrills of Moss' and Chigurh's riveting chase.Almost as if we're cheated out of seeing each subplot through tocompletion, No Country for Old Men jumps around not in its timesequencing, but with its time lapses. Events most viewers woulddetermine to be crucial to witness are not shown, instead displayingaftermaths and subsequent events that are supposed to appease ourwandering minds. While this method of storytelling is both radicallyunique and faithful to the source material, it lessens the appeal togeneral audiences who expect basic information to be served up in arelatively understandable manner. Here is a film that actually appealsto critics more than to fans, and sadly the balance is a littleoff-kilter, resulting in too much Barton Fink and not enough Fargo.Although one gets the distinct feeling that the Coen Brothers chosethis novel based on the similarities in its story and narrative totheir own style and previous films, the result is one that still feelsspecifically like a Coen Brothers movie, despite the adaptation ofanother's story.While No Country may not find perfection in its unorthodox narrative,what has found cinematic sublimity are the performances. Josh Brolin asLlewelyn Moss pulls the audience in to his desperate situation andthough his motives aren't noble by any means, never is there a doubtwho you should be rooting for. A victim of greed, obstinance, andunfortunate circumstances, Llewelyn provides an antihero whose pressingjourney never ebbs in intensity or moral conflict, and ultimately neverceases to intrigue. Almost destined for an Oscar nomination, JavierBardem's monumental portrayal of ruthless killer Anton Chigurhreinvents the notion of an unstoppable juggernaut and also realizes oneof the most imaginative instruments of murder ever given its wielder.Violently dispatching his victims with a fateful coin toss and anincomprehensible code of honor, Chigurh blends the best of stone-facedserial killers from the finest slashers with the cold and calculatingdemeanor of the most intelligent of his kind. Rarely does such adeviously twisted character create such a mesmerizing presence. WhileTommy Lee Jones provides much of the sarcastic, witty dialogue inherentto the Coen Brothers' films, he also represents a narrator of sorts andoffers the audience an untainted view of the horrific events unfolding.The supporting cast all turn in admirable performances as well, mostnotably Woody Harrelson as the egotistic Carson Wells, and KellyMacdonald as Llewelyn's innocently naïve wife.A brilliant examination of unavoidable fate and unconventionalstorytelling, the Coen Brothers' latest effort is one of masterfulprecision. Though the story is based on McCarthy's famous novel, NoCountry for Old Men still retains the unmistakable mark of thedirecting duo, and combined with phenomenal characters in a brutallyunforgiving world, this thrilling saga of murder, mayhem, and destinyshould not be missed.- The Massie Twins

Eire_Movie_Fanatic 2013-04-02 06:02:01

Overall

Overall it was very good.Not the best ending though but veryentertaining.13 deaths from Chigurh overall.Mad bastard.The Coenbrothers really out did themselves with this one.I hope they go on tomake more films similar to this one.Great acting From Tommy Lee JonesJosh Brolin and of course Javier Bardem.For me i would have to give ita good 9/10.I don't know where they got the idea of a cattle gun frombut it sure as hell worked for Chigurh.It's really one of those filmswere u want it to keep going.I Highly recommend this Film. !!!.Bestfilm of 2007 from my point of view and I really hope it goes on to winsomething in the Oscars.Bardem really does deserve the award for BestSupporting actor.The role suited him perfectly.Tommy Lee Jones fades inand out in this film but when it's his time to shine he really doesperform well.Brolin Gives a solid performance and definitely suitedthis role.That's Just My Opinion NOT YOURS !!!!!!!

ironscity 2013-03-25 10:36:03

What??????? The 2 is because of Javier.

I'm sorry but this comment is a spoiler as there really is not much totell. Will anybody who rated this movie over a 4 please email me andlet men know what I missed in the 2 hrs that went by. Yes Javier playsa brilliant role of a psychotic killer but other then that what else isgoing on. I would truly like to see the genius of this movie that wonso many awards and that has a rating of 8.5. Psycho guy, Javier,walking around killing people with what I can only assume is an oldscuba tank. Brolin, finds a drug deal gone bad takes the money and thegets chased by men who want it back. And then Tommy on the other hand,chasing both of them, while trying to tell a non existent story. Oh Ialmost forgot, the ending, WOW, where was it? Let's see 2hrs down tofive sentences. OK so what did I miss that had to be prolonged into twowhole boring hours of very incredibly annoying and tedious dialogs andscenes, like watching grass grow. Waste of two hours unless you bring ayour grandma's knitting gear.

come2whereimfrom 2013-03-24 21:04:50

No former glories for old directors.

A huge fan of their early work and pretending that the last few filmsthey made didn't happen I had high expectations for Joel and EthanCoen's latest project. Based on the Cormac McCarthy novel 'No Country'is a return to form for the sibling filmmakers or at least it is forthe first hour and a half. What starts off with some amazingcinematography and a Tommy Lee Jones voice-over boils over into afrenzied chase movie that has genuine tension running through its everypore and then sadly it doesn't really have an ending and all the goodthings that have come before seem somewhat spoilt. Javier Bardem isamazingly creepy as sociopath Anton Chigurh, his hair nearly as bizarreas his favourite method of killing, every line he delivers is unnervingand yet you hang off his every word. Josh Brolin Is great as LlewelynMoss the Welder turned wanted man after he stumbles across a drug dealgone wrong and steals a case full of money so he and his wife can starta new life. Cue every man and his dog, literally, after Moss from copsto Mexicans and of course Nutcase extraordinaire Anton. There is verylittle screen time for either Lee Jones or Harrelson and if you blinkyou could be forgiven for missing either of their performances. Thereare some beautiful shots, some great lines and a fitting score but itis by no means perfect which is a shame. But for the most part theCoen's flourishes can be seen and there is nearly as much tension andsuspense as there is blood but with such a strange ending and so manyloose ends like not actually telling the viewer what happened or why Ifeel they still have some way to go to regain former glories, but thisis at least a start.

2013-03-18 04:23:00

There should be no country for "No Country for Old Men"

I am giving this movie two stars only because of the great acting in the movie. If it hadn't been for that, I would have written Amazon and asked for a negative star addition for just this movie.I understand that some people are going to enjoy this movie and get something out of it. Personally, I wish I had taken a very well deserved nap instead. My problems with the movie are numerous, but to name a few:1. There are no characters to care for. Even if a movie is based on real life and is trying to recreate this, there should still be a character to care about. Every character in this film, however, seems to be just walking through the script not really caring about what is going on around them. The sheriff doesn't care, the guy who takes the money doesn't care, and the killer surely doesn't care. If none of these people care about what's going on, why should I?2. There are characters who appear and do nothing to move what plot there is. One character appears for just three scene, one of which is his death scene. If you were to remove this character, the movie would not change. If you can remove a scene and the movie doesn't change, you should probably remove the scene. The Cohen's should have known this.3. Some reviewers seem to think that this movie is trying to say something about violence in society. While they have the right to their opinion, I'm going to have to disagree. If you want to make a statement about violence, you show just how that violence has an effect on those around it. What you don't do is have so much violence that the viewer becomes insensitive to the fact. This goes back to the not caring problem. The "bad guy" goes around killing people who I do not care about because they do not care. This says nothing about violence in society. There are many other problems with the film, in my opinion. I do not understand why this movie was even nominated by the Academy. The only thing this movie does is show just how out of touch those at the Academy really are.

cermwolf 2013-03-17 15:35:14

Another great movie ruined by a weak ending.

Wow.. Here's a prime example of wasted talent. You have a slow moviethat builds and builds has great character development, Then instead ofhaving a great ending the brings everything together and puts thismovie at a 10 ranking and puts it right up there with the best theygive the viewers the weak cop-out ending and it gets a ranking of a (2)for the ending. wow how could they miss this.! Did the Soprano'swriters make this movie or what.! I can not believe they would ruinotherwise a very good movie with such a weak and just terrible ending.Three great characters, good plot development, all leading to a superbending that ends in a fizzle...can you hear that?

2013-03-16 10:57:40

Once is not enough for this one, friend-o.

By far the best film of 2007! The only one I immediately watched a second time. I'm not a fan of a lot of Coen Bros. movies, but this one is their best since "Fargo". (The two films share many themes, as well.) There is a lot of black humor in "No Country" as in Fargo, but this film is far bleaker and darker. The "Old Men" of the title are also the good men, and unlike Margie in "Fargo" the future offers them little hope. The pure evil of a hired killer, and the culture of violence spawned by the drug trade is simply too much for the once mighty lawmen. The film is deliberately downbeat and pessimistic--so those with a Pollyanna-like world view would do well to avoid this one. For viewers who see the ever increasing amorality of our culture, however, this masterpiece will hit home. The controversial ending is the only logical outcome for this sad tale of a world gone mad--a country taken over by the likes of the unstoppable, inhuman serial killer played brilliantly by Javier Bardem. The average man or woman becomes merely a minor obstacle to the tidal wave of evil that destroys everything that once was decent society. A harsh message, but one that is all too true.

RevSykes 2013-03-15 17:19:17

Why would anyone make this movie?

Maybe I'm admitting to old fogey-hood, but, to me, this movie is badfor society, though it's effective, disturbing cinema. I can see twopowerful fallouts from it: 1) people with a violence problem have founda new hero. The movie makes it seem realistic that this Terminator-likeavenger could actually be that continually successfully lethal andimpregnable. Someone will channel that guy. 2) Is anyone going to stopto help a stranger after seeing this? Is anyone actually going to wantto interact in any way with a stranger??? These points, thoughheartfelt, are somewhat ironic. The movie could also be looked at as astatement ABOUT our society which glamorizes violence. Yes, it waseffective, but I worry about its impact

bsaisham 2013-03-13 15:04:57

Hands down

This was just a hands down great film. I and others in the theater wereon the edges of our seats For me it was an action packed, suspensefulwestern, by way of the Coen Brothers. The acting from everybody wasdown to a T. Javier Bardem, he just immersed himself into cool butcrazed hit-man. What this movie does that very few others do is leavesthe audience to fill in the blanks for themselves. Instead of givingthe audience all of the answers and wrapping it up, it leaves theaudience to draw their own conclusions of the mysteries within. Ipersonally recommend Javier Bardem for Best Supporting Actor. Tommy LeeJones and Josh Brolin were no slouches either. This is going to be afavorite at the Academy Awards. Hey, if the Coen Brothers win bestdirector, that would be a first in the Academy history, two brothersearning Best Director.

Chris Gomez 2013-03-13 09:25:35

Mostly gripping, but lost its way

After settling us into the landscape, the film got into gear as atense, engaging thriller, with great performances from all concerned,some fantastic characters and dialogue that fit perfectly into thesetting. (I particularly enjoyed Tommy Lee Jones's ageing sheriff andJavier Bardem's psychopathic pursuer, but that's merely a selection.)However, I found the editing a little over-indulgent, and beyond acertain point the film meandered more and more until it seemed to beunsure of what the subject was.If it had lost about 20 minutes and focused more on either onestoryline or the other, I feel it would have made a more satisfyingexperience overall. Nevertheless, most of the film was a real treat tobehold.