The Coen brothers have been making films since the early 1980s. With their distinct and beautiful style of cinematography and storytelling, these movie making brothers have gained a huge following (myself included). Since "Hail, Caesar!" was released recently and has been getting quite a bit of praise, I decided to write a list of my favorite Coen brothers' films. Now this is by no means an exhaustive list (they've made over twenty movies), but these are 5 of my favorites.
1. "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?" (2000):
No one does dark comedy quite like the Coen brothers and this is a great example. Loosely based on "The Odyssey," this film follows three escaped convicts, and the obstacles they encounter while trying to find a mysterious treasure. George Clooney, John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson do an absolutely brilliant job of playing off of each other's characters and bringing this trio to life. The visuals of Mississippi landscapes and southern life in the 1930s are stunning. Mixed with a soundtrack of bluegrass, gospel and blues, this film sets the stage for this epic adventure perfectly. Speaking of the soundtrack, it is absolutely flawless. A variety of fantastic artists created an album that perfectly encompassed the time period. It also went on to be certified platinum and won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2002. Not only is this movie fantastic, but I also have a sentimental attachment to it. It's my Dad's favorite film, and, being from the south, I'm a sucker for anything that touches on southern history (even in the problematic time period it is set in).
2."Fargo" (1996):
"Fargo" is held up as basically the epitome of the Coen brothers' style; a neo-noir black comedy that hits all the right notes. Set in Minnesota and South Dakota, a man's plan to stage his wife's kidnapping and collect ransom money from his father in law goes horribly awry. The stereotypical "midwest nice" that surrounds almost all of the main characters just adds to the strange charm this movie creates. A frequent actress in Coen films (and Joel Coen's wife), Francis McDormand does a phenomenal job playing the pregnant sheriff investigating the case, Marge Gunderson. McDormand landed an Academy Award for Best Actress for this role, and the Coens took home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Not only did it win these awards at the 69th Academy Awards, but The American Film Institute named it one of the 100 greatest American movies of all time. It has since spawned its own TV show, which is equally as fantastic, and marked its place in film history.
3."The Big Lebowski" (1998):
Ask almost anyone what their favorite Coen brothers movie is, and they'll probably tell you "The Big Lebowski." "Fargo" aside "The Big Lebowski" is probably the Coen's most popular film and the one with the biggest cult following. So big, in fact, that Lebowski Fest started in Louisville, Kentucky in 2002. The film follows Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski and the mayhem that ensues with a case of mistaken identity. Jeff Bridges performance as The Dude is practically untouchable, and he fully embodies the slacker character from start to finish. John Goodman and Steve Buscemi are equally as priceless, and the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman is also a part of the cast. This movie is surreal, strange, hilarious and wonderfully quotable.
"Yeah, well, you know. That's just like, your opinion man."
4. "No Country for Old Men" (2007):
Now I'll probably get angry comments for not putting this higher, but like I said this isn't an exhaustive list, and I love almost all Coen movies. This thriller about a hunter and a hit man on his tail is one of the Coens' finest. It is one of their most critically acclaimed as well, earning them 8 Oscar Nominations and 4 wins at the 2008 Academy Awards. Javier Bardem won Best Supporting Actor for his role as hit man Anton Chigurh, and man did he deserve it. He played the stone wall character beautifully, and his performance combined with the stunning cinematography in this film made the entire movie. This film also won Joel and Ethan another Best Screenplay Oscar. Though this story was adapted from a novel, the Coens know how to make a story original and their own.
5. "Raising Arizona" (1987):
"Raising Arizona" is the story of a married couple, one a criminal and the other a police officer, that are so desperate to have a baby that they decide to kidnap one. This film pleasantly surprised me. I knew that the Coen brothers could do comedy, but this being only their second directorial effort and Nicolas Cage being the lead actor, I was a bit skeptical. Boy, was I wrong. This film is utterly hysterical, and really showcases the early stages of the Coen brothers' style. Nicolas Cage's over the top acting style fit his character, "Hi", perfectly and it didn't seem out of place at all. Holly Hunter was also wonderful as "Ed", and this was her first of many Coen brothers' roles.
With their vast library of work, this list only scratches the surface. "Lady Killers" aside (we don't speak of Lady Killers), the Coen brothers can basically do no wrong. What are your favorite Coen movies? Let us know!
