Joel Coen

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Suburbicon Review

Excellent

This film feels kind of like what you'd expect from a collision between George Clooney and the Coen brothers: a comical noir thriller with a hefty dose of social commentary. Essentially two films mashed together, it paints a clever portrait of America in the 1950s with repressed rage, racial unrest and deep-seated greed. But the film's most powerful angle is its story of a young boy's rather nightmarish coming of age.

It's set in 1959 middle America, where Suburbicon is the town of the future, an idyllic place to raise a family. Then the Meyers family moves in, the first black family, and the community blames them when the Lodges - dad Gardner (Matt Damon), mom Rose (Julianne Moore), son Nicky (Noah Jupe) and aunt Maggie (also Moore) - are violently attacked. But an insurance inspector (Oscar Isaac) suspects that Gardner knows more about his attackers (Glenn Fleshler and Alex Hassell) than he's letting on. And Nicky knows he does. So as the neighbourhood descends into chaos to protest the Meyers' presence, Nicky quietly befriends their son Andy (Tony Espinosa).

Clooney directs this in a colourful 1950s style, with jaunty music by Alexandre Desplat and vivid production design by James Bissell. This is a community that looks perfect on the surface, but more than a little rotten underneath. And the script lures the audience in with some clever twists and turns that shift perspectives and tones, playing with the way these people are interconnected. Much of this is observed through Nicky's eyes, and he sees everything even if he can't explain why something is happening. All of this builds to a properly intense final act that's laced with wicked humour to gleefully keep the audience off balance. So even as it turns increasingly violent, the suspense and irony keep us entertained.

Continue reading: Suburbicon Review

Hail, Caesar! Trailer


Eddie Mannix is a fixer who works in Hollywood where he tames celebrities and keeps theirs, and movie studios', secrets out of the press - no matter how big the story. It's not the easiest job in the world, and it's certainly not always the most morally fulfilling, but it's about to get a whole lot harder when one studio, Capitol Pictures, presents him with a major problem the likes of which could be career destroying. They're working on a huge production epic entitled 'Hail, Caesar!' starring Hollywood sensation Baird Whitlock, but things go particularly awry when he is kidnapped and held for ransom by a mysterious group known only as The Future. They want $100,000, and after 24 hours, the studio aren't looking any more hopeful. Mannix enlists a feisty and beautiful female star to procure the money, while Whitlook finds himself in a most unusual situation.

Continue: Hail, Caesar! Trailer

Tom Hanks On Working With The Coen Bros & Steven Spielberg On ‘Bridge Of Spies’: ‘It’s Like A Lottery Win’


Tom Hanks Steven Spielberg Joel Coen Ethan Coen Mark Rylance Alan Alda

For Bridge of Spies, Tom Hanks was given the opportunity to work with the Coen brothers and Steve Spielberg. Hanks may be a global superstar, as much admired for his warmth and personality as he is for his diverse acting, but in a recent interview he revealed he was still delighted at being given the opportunity to work with the well-respected screenwriters and the legendary director.

Tom Hanks and Steven SpielbergTom Hanks and Steven Spielberg during filming for Bridge of Spies.

Read More: Tom Hanks Close To Sealing Role As "Sully" Sullenberger In Clint Eastwood's New Movie.

Continue reading: Tom Hanks On Working With The Coen Bros & Steven Spielberg On ‘Bridge Of Spies’: ‘It’s Like A Lottery Win’

Coen Brothers Mock Streaming Services At Cannes Press Conference


Ethan Coen Joel Coen

US film directors Joel and Ethan Coen mocked the influence of streaming services in the movie industry at a press conference for this year's Cannes Film Festival. The Coen brothers head the jury for the annual event, with Jake Gyllenhaal, Sienna Miller and Sophie Merceau also on the panel.

Coen brothersThe Coen brothers head the jury at the Cannes Film Festival

Asked at the presser about the recent surge of film companies like Netflix, Joel gave a rather deadpan response.

Continue reading: Coen Brothers Mock Streaming Services At Cannes Press Conference

Unbroken Review


Excellent

With a true story that's almost hard to believe, this inspiring biographical drama is made with attention to detail and a remarkable resistance to sentiment. And strong acting helps bring the characters to life, even if everything feels a little too carefully staged. But it's the real-life aspect that grabs the attention, and a central figure who's a remarkable example of the indomitable human spirit. The film also marks an auspicious step forward for Angelina Jolie as a director, telling a big story without giving in to the usual sappy moviemaking pitfalls.

Son of Italian immigrants, Louie Zamperini (Jack O'Connell) grew up in 1920s Southern California and by the time he hit his teens is on the way to becoming a criminal. But his brother Pete (Alex Russell) helps him channel his energy to running instead, and his natural skill make him a local champion as well as an American record-holder at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. When the war breaks out, he enlists and serves as a bombardier in the Pacific, surviving a plane crash before later going down at sea and drifting with two colleagues (Domhnall Gleeson and Finn Wittrock) for 47 days before being captured by the Japanese. From here he endures a horrific stint in a prisoner of war camp, taunted by the cruel commandant everyone calls The Bird (Miyavi), who takes particular notice of Louie simply because he refuses to break.

Jolie assembles the film as a big-budget epic, with massive set pieces as the plot cycles through several outrageous episodes before settling in on the prison years. Cinematographer Roger Deakins carefully contrasts Louie's sunny California youth with the much starker visit to Nazi Germany and the astoundingly bleak Japanese prison camp, with those endless days baking at sea in the middle. So the film looks terrific, drawing us into each chapter in Louie's story while building a sense of momentum. It's not quite as complex as it looks; Louie's darker moments feel a bit superficial. But O'Connell adds some weight to each scene, offering a kick of emotion as well as the charisma that convinces the men around him to draw inspiration from his tenacity.

Continue reading: Unbroken Review

'Inside Llewyn Davis' Wins Big At US Critics Society Awards


Coen Brothers Joel Coen Ethan Coen Chiwetel Ejiofor Robert Redford Cate Blanchett James Franco Jennifer Lawrence

Inside Llewyn Davis took home the top honour at the National Society of Film Critics Awards last night, winning the majority of votes from the panel made up of some of America's top film critics from the nation's best-known publishers. Having already found success at the Gotham Awards last month, the latest win for ...Llewyn Davis might further outline the credentials of the latest Coen Brothers film as a potential Oscar contender, having largely been overlooked by most commentators.

Oscar Isaac
The film's star Oscar Isaac was also honoured with the Best Actor award

The film was crowned Best Picture ahead of American Hustle, which came second in the overall voting, and 12 Years a Slave, which placed third. Despite winning yet another award, the Coen Brother's 'a week in the life' tale of a musician traveling through the Greenwich folk scene in 60's New York is still largely considered an outsider for major awards success, however if these gongs keep on piling up for the Coens then the Academy may be persuaded to change their mind somewhat when the votes are cast.

Continue reading: 'Inside Llewyn Davis' Wins Big At US Critics Society Awards

Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst Missed Out On 'Inside Llewyn Davis' Lead Role


Conor Oberst Oscar Isaac Joel Coen Ethan Coen Carey Mulligan Garrett Hedlund Justin Timberlake John Goodman

Now this is an interesting tidbit of movie trivia: Conor Oberst has revealed that he auditioned for the lead role in folk music comedy-drama, Inside Llewyn Davis. Although the Coen Brothers eventually cast Oscar Isaac as the titular folk singer, Bright Eyes' singer Conor Oberst was reportedly considered for the role.

Conor Oberst
Conor Oberst Auditioned For The Lead Role In 'Inside Llewyn Davis.'

"I know I told you this when we met, but I tried out for your role in Inside Llewyn Davis," Oberst told Isaac for Interview magazine. "Thank god for everyone that I didn't get it." Perhaps one of the main reasons Oberst failed to convince the Coen Brothers that he was best suited for the role was because of his non-existent acting C.V. which could have proved risky to take on in such a challenging lead role.

Continue reading: Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst Missed Out On 'Inside Llewyn Davis' Lead Role

Inside Llewyn Davis Review


Excellent

The Coen brothers have a wry twinkle in their eyes as they take us on a lyrical journey with a hugely likeable musician for whom success is only barely out of reach. It's also an engaging exploration of both the the early 1960s New York folk music scene that gave us Bob Dylan and the tenacity it takes to make your dreams come true.

It's 1961, and Llewyn Davis (Isaac) isn't sure he wants to fight anymore. His career has stalled, and he's moving from couch to couch trying to pick up gigs. But he doesn't have anything to lose, and when he inadvertently acquires a pet cat he has a bit of purpose for a change. On the other hand, his longtime friendship with husband-and-wife folk duo Jim and Jean (Timberlake and Mulligan) is strained when Jean tells him she's pregnant with a child that might be his. In need of cash, he takes a job in Chicago, taking a long road-trip with two nutcases (Hedlund and Goodman). And he even considers re-enlisting in the Merchant Marines.

Despite Llewyn's quiet desperation, the Coens keep the film's tone light and endearing, with constant comical touches that keep us smiling right to the cleverly elliptical ending. They also pack the movie with folk music that's gorgeously produced by T Bone Burnett, offering emotive counterpoints to Llewyn's sardonic sense of humour. His snappy wit often gets him into trouble, but we can immediately see his depth of character as well, and Isaac is terrific in the role, the kind of guy we would happily spend a lot more time with.

Continue reading: Inside Llewyn Davis Review

Video - Adam Driver And The Coen Brothers Spotted At 'Inside Llewyn Davis' NYFF Premiere - Part 3


Adam Driver talks about celebrity photographer Terry Richardson to paparazzi at the 2013 New York Film Festival premiere for 'Inside Llewyn Davis'. He is joined on the red carpet by the movie's directors, brothers Joel Coen and Ethan Coen.

Continue: Video - Adam Driver And The Coen Brothers Spotted At 'Inside Llewyn Davis' NYFF Premiere - Part 3

Inside Llewyn Davis Trailer Strikes A Chord With The 60's Folk Scene [Video]


Ethan Coen Joel Coen Oscar Isaac

It looks like the Coen Brothers have done it again, as Joel and Ethan Coen's latest film, Inside Llewyn Davis, looks like it could be the filmmaking sibling's latest hit. The teaser trailer was released on Monday (July 1) and gives us our first look at the struggling folk musician Llewyn Davis as he hitchhikes through a bleak New York winter with a beat-up guitar and a stray cat as his main companions.

Inside Llewyn Davis cast
Garrett Hedlund [L], Justin Timberlake [middle L], Carey Mulligan [middle R] and Oscar Isaac [R] star in the film

In CBS Films' new trailer for the upcoming movie, we get a closer look at the storyline as it follows the young titular folk singer (played by Oscar Issac) as he tries to make it a name for himself in New York's Greenwich Village folk scene in the early 1960s. The clip features Isaac's character struggling to make a ends meet as a musician during a harsh New York winter, finding himself low on money, and even lower on decent companionship. The clip also features John Goodman as a stuffy record exec, Carey Mulligan as Isaac's disgruntled lover, Garrett Hedlund as an equally downtrodden folk artist and a sweater-clan Justin Timerlake as a much more acknowledged folk artist.

Continue reading: Inside Llewyn Davis Trailer Strikes A Chord With The 60's Folk Scene [Video]

Joel Coen

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Joel Coen Movies

Suburbicon Movie Review

Suburbicon Movie Review

This film feels kind of like what you'd expect from a collision between George Clooney...

Hail, Caesar! Movie Review

Hail, Caesar! Movie Review

An intelligent ode to a time when Hollywood made wildly inventive movies without pressure from...

Hail, Caesar! Trailer

Hail, Caesar! Trailer

Ever since his wonderful appearance in Wes Anderson's The Grand Budapest Hotel, we've been waiting...

Bridge of Spies Movie Review

Bridge of Spies Movie Review

Steven Spielberg takes on the Cold War with a stately, sentimental thriller that gurgles along...

Hail, Caesar! Trailer

Hail, Caesar! Trailer

Eddie Mannix is a fixer who works in Hollywood where he tames celebrities and keeps...

Unbroken Movie Review

Unbroken Movie Review

With a true story that's almost hard to believe, this inspiring biographical drama is made...

Inside Llewyn Davis Movie Review

Inside Llewyn Davis Movie Review

The Coen brothers have a wry twinkle in their eyes as they take us on...

Inside Llewyn Davis Trailer

Inside Llewyn Davis Trailer

Llewyn Davis is a struggling folk musician attempting to find his place in the world...

Gambit Movie Review

Gambit Movie Review

Remade from a 1966 romp starring Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine, this con artist action-comedy...

Gambit Trailer

Gambit Trailer

Harry Deane is a pretty hopeless British art curator who has suffered years of condescension...

True Grit Trailer

True Grit Trailer

True Grit is a 1968 Western book by author Charles Portis, Ethan & Joel Coen...

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