Blog Archives
Movie Quote of the Day – Fargo, 1996 (dir. Joel and Ethan Coen)
Marge Gunderson: Have you done an inventory recently?
Jerry Lundegaard: The car’s not from our lot, ma’am.
Marge Gunderson: How can you be sure without doin’ a. . .
Jerry Lundegaard: Well, I would know. I’m the executive sales manager.
Marge Gunderson: Yah, but I understand. . .
Jerry Lundegaard: We run a pretty tight ship here.
Marge Gunderson: I know, but how do they establish that? Are the cars counted daily, or what kind of a routine here?
Jerry Lundegaard: Ma’am! I answered your question.
Marge Gunderson: I’m sorry, sir?
Jerry Lundegaard: Ma’am, I answered your question. I answered the darn. . .I’m cooperating here, and there’s no. . .
Marge Gunderson: Sir, you have no call to get snippy with me. I’m just doing my job here.
Jerry Lundegaard: I’m. . .I’m not. . .I’m not arguin’ here. I’m cooperating and there’s no. . .We’re doin’ all we can.
Marge Gunderson: Sir, could I talk to Mr Gustafson?. . .Mr Lundegaard.
Jerry Lundegaard: Well, heck! If you wanna. . .if you wanna play games here. . .I’m workin’ with ya on this thing here, but. . .okay, I’ll do a damn lot count.
Marge Gunderson: Sir, right now?
Jerry Lundegaard: Yah, right now. You’re darned tootin’.
Movie Quote of the Day – Barton Fink, 1991 (dir. Joel and Ethan Coen)
Charlie: I could tell you some stories. . .
Barton: Sure you could and yet many writers do everything in their power to insulate themselves from the common man, from where they live, from where they trade, from where they fight and love and converse and, and, and. . .So naturally their work suffers and regresses into empty formalism and. . .well I’m spouting off again, but to put it in your language, the theatre becomes as phony as a three-dollar bill!
Charlie: Well I guess that’s a tragedy right there!
Barton: You’re alright, Charlie. I’m glad you stopped by.
Movie Quote of the Day – Raising Arizona, 1987 (dir. Joel and Ethan Coen)
Nathan Arizona: Who the hell are you?
Leonard Smalls: Smalls. Leonard Smalls. My friends call me Lenny; but I got no friends.
Oscar Vault Monday – A Serious Man, 2009 (dir. Joel Coen & Ethan Coen)
Joel and Ethan Coen’s 14th feature film was also their third film (out of four) to be nominated for Best Picture (1996’s Fargo was the first, 2007 Best Picture winner Now Country For Old Men the second, 2010’s True Grit the fourth). It’s also probably the most insular of their films; those who love it really love it, but many who saw it just couldn’t relate. The setting of the film, St. Louis Park, Minnesota in the late 1960s, adds a slight autobiographical element to the film and its plot deals heavily with Jewish mysticism and spirituality. The film was only nominated for two Academy Award, winning none: Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture. The other films nominated for Best Picture that year were: Avatar, An Education, District 9, Inglourious Basterds, Precious, The Blind Side, Up, Up In The Air and winner The Hurt Locker.
New Posters For “True Grit,” “How Do You Know”
A whole series of character posters have been released for the Coen Bros.’ remake of True Grit and a really cute one-sheet for James L. Brooks’ dramedy How Do You Know.
Trailer For The Coen Brothers’ Remake of “True Grit”
I recently saw the original film, for which John Wayne won his only acting Oscar, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I’m usually pretty wary of Hollywood remakes, but I almost universally love Coen brothers films, so I’m hopeful for this. Also, I have lots of love for Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Josh Brolin and Roger Deakins’ cinematography looks to be as lush as ever.
You can watch the trailer here on iTunes. The film is due in theaters on Decemeber 25th.
Jeremy Renner and the Best Actor Race
I’ve yet to see A Single Man or Crazy Heart, mostly due to living in the middle of nowhere, and thus can only comment on the three performances I have seen. I enjoyed George Clooney in Up In The Air, but he was better in Michael Clayton. My opinion on Morgan Freeman in Invictus will come up later on in this post. That leaves Jeremy Renner in The Hurt Locker. And of the three I’ve seen, he has my vote. It’ll be a difficult race for him, but I think he has a chance of pulling it off. He had perhaps my favorite reaction to his nomination when interviewed on Good Morning America yesterday. When asked about his competition, he replied, “I’ve gotta break some serious legs.”
the diary of a film history fanatic 