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Top Ten Coen Bros. Movies

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The Coen Brohters are nothing short of the greatest filmmaker(s) of all time. Every single film they release is another brush stroke of originality that will, by the end, become the most memorable array of films that a filmmaker’s had to offer. I say filmmaker because whenever speaking of one, you always associate him with the other. That’s probably the reason they’re the best at what they do. They’ve got two brilliant minds working together.

Anyways, let’s get to this list. A list of Top Ten Coen Bros. Movies is one I’ve been working on for a while. The Coen Brothers are my favorite filmmaker(s) so this list had to be nothing short of perfect. I’ve put a lot of thought into it and here’s the result:

10. Burn After Reading

Burn After Reading is a story packed with black mail, murder, double crossings, back dealings, and above all else, stupidity. Burn After Reading is hilarious in the way that it throws a bunch of witless characters, none of which can be considered the main character, into a pointless story just to see what happens. Its an interesting concept and one that only the Coen Bros. could pull off.

9. Blood Simple

The Coen Brother’s first movie was made a little over 25 years ago and still leaves you speechless from beginning to end. It’s a simple tale of murder with real characters and an unforgettable mood of brutality and sleaze. Blood Simple is a fantastic movie that established exactly the kind of masterpieces that could be expected from these filmmakers in the future.

8. Miller’s Crossing

Miller’s Crossing is the Brother’s pitch-perfect take on the gangster genre. A prohibition era tale of a man who learns that empathy is a dangerous trait to have in a world run by sadism and crime. Miller’s Crossing is a poetic look at organized crime that few other filmmakers have been able to surpass. Miller’s Crossing should be held right up there with The Godfather and Goodfellas.

7. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

O Brother, Where Art Thou? is the Brother’s take on pure adventure. Like “The Lord of the Rings”, “Kill Bill” and “Gladiator” we’re on a fantastic quest with our heroes who are after a simple task that lead them to many different experiences and meeting many different characters. In the Coen Brother’s case, this involves three escaped convicts after buried treasure and meeting a string of memorable characters, from “Baby Face” Nelson, a one-eyed bible salesmen, and even Robert Johnson. O Brother, Where Art Thou? is said to be a modernized version of Homer’s “Odyssey”. I haven’t read it, but based on this movie, I think I’d love it.

6. A Serious Man

The Coen Brother’s most recent film is a fantastic tale of the questions we all face in life and probably will never have answered. It’s a tale of a simple college professor who out of nowhere seems to be facing non-stop problems. First from a student attempting to bribe him for a better grade, then a wife who wants a divorce, a brother living on his couch, a daughter who steals from him to get a nose job, etc. He seeks the counsel of three different rabbi’s. What we see is hilarious and morally eye opening. This film, as all Coen Brother’s films do, but especially this film almost forces you to reflect on life’s big questions.

5. The Big Lebowski

The Big Lebowski is not just one of my favorite Coen Bros. films, it’s also by far the greatest comedy ever made. Most comedies, after a second viewing, you know what’s coming and you just don’t find it funny anymore. The Big Lebowski is almost magical in the way that it stays hilarious or is even funnier the more you watch it. I love every single moment we get to spend with, one of my favorite movie characters put on screen, The Dude and his hilarious friends and enemies. There are so many memorable lines and scenes that its making me sad that I’m not watching it right now.

4. True Grit

The Coen Brother’s have directed a versatile selection of films whether that be gangster films, mysteries, comedies or even tales of adventure. Their take on the western genre is a beautiful masterpiece on all accounts. True Grit unlike almost all westerns tells a story of the old west as realistically as possible. The direction and characters transcend into not only the western that feels the most real, but also a western that is one of the most resonant in the way that it truly brings you there and makes you feel for these characters. A truly brilliant film directed flawlessly by two brilliant minds.

3. Barton Fink

Barton Fink is nothing short of a masterpiece. An amazing film that is usually overlooked or misunderstood. I love every second of Barton Fink. The story seems simple early on, with a playwright moving to Hollywood, checks into the Hotel Earle, only to have writer’s block when asked to write a wrestling picture. What happens next is he meets his friendly neighbor Charlie, played by John Goodman in what is by far his greatest performance. I’ve already said too much though. I went in blind and what resulted was an fascinating movie experience. If you haven’t seen Barton Fink, I’d recommend doing the same. What makes Barton Fink stand out is the way that it is the kind of film you’ve never seen and will never see again. It’s utterly original and unquestionably brilliant.

2. Fargo

Fargo is nothing short of a perfect film. Fargo is the film where the Coen Brother’s really hit they’re full potential. They took every single thing that makes a Coen Bros. movie amazing and put it into this classic. Fargo takes that simple tale of murder, betrayal and realism they originated in Blood Simple and multiplied it by a billion.

Its hard to put into words what makes Fargo such a masterpiece, but for me I think it’s because how real Fargo seems. Its a story filled with real characters and real circumstances. It says in the beginning that the film is based on real events (any film buff knows that that’s actually not true) and that actually seems completely plausible because Fargo is directed to absolute perfection.

1. No Country for Old Men

When ever I think of No Country for Old Men, even before thinking about one of the greatest villains ever put on screen or the clever game of cat and mouse the film centers on or the resonant symbolism and morals that the makes the film spectacular. Before thinking of any of that, I first think of one word; Flawless. That’s what No Country for Old Men is; flawless, perfect, pure, and above all, a masterpiece.

No Country for Old Men is one of my favorite films of all time. It’s not my favorite, (although it is damn close) but I do consider it, by far, the greatest directed movie ever. The small details that few would notice, the lack of a score that adds to the realism, the shots and editing that forms tension one would never think possible with out music, are just a few of the artistic strokes the Coen’s make to form their greatest achievement in film.

No Country for Old Men centers on a game of cat and mouse between, an ordinary man named Llewellyn Moss (Josh Brolin) who happens upon a drug deal gone wrong and a suitcase full of 2 million dollars and an emotionless bounty hunter by the name of Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) whose task is simple; get the money and kill anyone who gets in the way. The grisly tale is seen threw the eyes of a washed up Texas sheriff played by none other than Tommy Lee Jones. What is learned from this tale of blood and violence is honest, important, and makes for one of the greatest films ever made. Period.

Top Ten Martin Scorsese Movies

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If you know anything about film, you know the name of Martin Scorsese. He’s god’s gift to cinema and one of my favorite directors of all time. Scorsese has literally been making masterpieces since the 60s and hasn’t stopped since. When looking at his illustrious works, everyone has certain films they latch onto and they’re often very different and that’s because he has so much versatility.

He loves what he was born to do and that is making movies. Here is a list that celebrates his magnificent works of art. Here is a look at my favorite films of one of the most marvelous filmmakers of our time.

10. Bringing Out the Dead

Martin Scorsese’s character study of an ambulance driver driven to near insanity is nothing short of breath-taking. It’s incredibly fast-paced and filled with a adrenaline. From a surprsingly great performance from Nicholas Cage to his outrageous partners, rarely are you not entertained.

9. The Color of Money

I’m not a Tom Cruise fan in the least bit, but I can say with out a doubt that this is his best role. He is over shadowed by the great Paul Newman though, but that goeas without saying. The Color of Money is a highly engrossing look into the lives of pool hustlers. I’m not going to lie. I actually enjoy this sequel better than the classic original (“The Hustler”).

8. Casino

If Martin Scorsese could be considered to have a forte, it would with out a doubt be the Gangster genre. No one makes them better than he does. The first one you’ll find on my list would be the fantastic tale he weaves of crime in the city of Las Vegas. It’s one you won’ be able to take your eyes of, but it pales in comparison to some of his other excursions into crime.

7. The Aviator

The Aviator is a down right fantastic biopic about the life and times of Howard Hughes. The movie can be considered long, but every moment is meaningful and a film about someone’s life deserves a good length. I think Leonardo DiCaprio is a fantastic actor and this is the performance of is career. I doubt he will be able to top it.

6. Gangs of New York

Gangs of New York is a fantastically woven tale of vengeance set in a criminal-run New York city in the 1800s. Leonardo DiCaprio is great as the leading man, but the real praise belongs to Daniel Day-Lewis as the sadistic Bill “The Butcher” Cutting. Its a story told on an epic scale ands its truly impossible not to get enjoyment out of it.

5. Shutter Island

Shutter Island from start to finish is a dark and emotional roller coaster ride that never lets up even after the credits role. From the second the movie begins, the mood sets in and you both love and are a bit scared at what you’ve gotten yourself into. It’s a film that’s almost draining because of how intense it is. This is Martin Scorsese’s take on a psychological thriller and its the kind that every film lover has dreamed of being able to see.

4. Raging Bull

Raging Bull is a work of true art showing the raw and emotional life of the boxer Jake LaMotta. Its a poetic look into a life of brutality and pride. Scorsese holds no puches (pun intended) and Robert DeNiro gives the greatest performance he’s ever given. Raging Bull is truly a masterpiece for the way that it tells the tale of man whose not a hero or a villain, but just a man, no more, no less.

3. Taxi Driver

Taxi Driver is an unconventional tale told and acted to perfection. Its a character study of a sociopath dealing with the decay of the world around him. Taxi Driver unprecedented in the way that it tells a horrific tale through the eyes of a terrible person. We get a full examination of a mind that is unlike our own in almost every possible way. What is found is disturbing, cruel and above all, interesting. Robert DeNiro gives an amazing performance. I stand by my comment about the performance of his career would be found in Raging Bull, but I believe Taxi Driver surpasses Raging Bull as a film.

2. Goodfellas

Goodfellas is a movie that can best be described as a crash-course in absolutely everything you’d ever want to know about mobsters. You learn of every in and out of the mob through the telling of the tale of Henry Hill, a young man who had one wish, “to be a gangster”. Most would consider The Godfather to be the mobster movie, but I believe Goodfellas even surpasses that work of genius. Goodfellas is one of those films you can watch over and over and still get enjoyment. It truly is an unforgettable achievement in film and I’ve only seen one other movie Scorsese made that was able to top it.

1. The Departed

The Departed is nothing short of a flawless film. Its work of pure and incredible entertainment. A gritty piece of art that I consider to be one of the greatest films of all time. Each quote, character and scene is another brush stroke in an epic masterpiece of cops and robbers. Every single aspect is well thought out The Departed is the movie that got Scorsese his Oscars for both Best Picture and Best Director. Some would argue that the awards were given to him in recognition for his entire career and maybe that’s true, who knows? All I know is that The Departed is one of the greatest movies of all time and Martin Scorsese’s best work.

Top Ten Quentin Tarantino Movies

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Ranking the films of Quentin Tarantino is something I’ve wanted to do for a while. Once I heard word of Inlgourious Basterds I decided to hold off on this list. Quentin Tarantino certainly has his own style of directing, no one, absolutely no one can produce scenes as good as he can. I’m going to be releasing a list of my favorite movie scenes soon and a lot are from the great mind of Quentin Tarantino. It seems that every single scene is nurtured and treated with respect, making each of his films quite magnificent.

Also, obviously any fan of Tarantino knows that he hasn’t directed ten films, only six. So to fill up the other four spots I’ve decided to include the films that he’s also written or created the “story” for or “special guest directed” (whatever that means). This made the list even more difficult to design because Some of the films he’s written I believe stack right up there with his other masterpieces. Well, here it is. Hope you enjoy.

10. From Dusk Till Dawn

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From Dusk Till Dawn is just down right fun. Tell you the truth, its not a very good movie. It’s pretty darn corny (on purpose). I could pick up and watch this movie any time. You just have a blast with it. Its hard not to. It starts off as a crime caper, following a spree of the fictional Gecko brothers played by George Clooney and Tarantino himself. Half way threw, the movie takes a completely unexpected turn into chaos. I don’t want to go into detail because the less you know, the better the outcome.

9. Jackie Brown

Jackie Brown is a fantastic film about the double crossings that occur when $500,000 in gun runner money is up for grabs. This is the only Tarantino movie he directed that isn’t an original script. And though it’s great it is the worst film Tarantino directed. Its based off a book and I believe that’s the reason it doesn’t stack up to the caliber of his other movies. Don’t get me wrong, I love the movie, its just not nearly as amazing as a lot of the other movies on this list.

8. Sin City

Quentin Tarantino was the “special guest director” of Sin City. I’m not sure exactly what that means, but I could certainly see some of his style in this film. Sin City is probably the most visually appealing movie I’ve ever seen. It’s quite the beautiful film about not so beautiful crooks. It tells three violent tales involved in the same brutal city. I love every one in this star studded cast and I can never get enough of the film itself. I could and have watched this film an outlandish amount of times.

7. True Romance

True Romance is the first script Quentin ever wrote. Its also one of his best written scripts. I love True Romance it offers a story of violence, drugs, criminals, cops, but most of all, true love. Its the story of a loser who falls mutually falls in love with a call girl. When he accidentally steals a suit case full of cocaine, it sets off a chain of events that lead to chaos. Also, there is a particular scene shared between Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper. It is literally one of the greatest scenes ever put on screen. Don’t take my word for it though, you have to watch for yourself.

6. Reservoir Dogs

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Reservoir Dogs is the first movie Quentin Tarantino ever directed and it is nothing short of amazing. It tells the tale of a heist gone wrong with out actually showing the heist. Its really a brilliant film showing the aftermath of a heist gone wrong. The fact that one of them just so happens to be a cop offers a bit of fun to the mix. One character I particularly love is the downright sadistic Mr. Blonde. Watch for a scene where he cuts off a mans ear while listening to “Stuck in the Middle With You”.

5. Death Proof

Most people didn’t like the Grindhouse experience or Death Proof for that matter. I for one wasn’t a huge fan of Planet Terrror, I did how ever love every moment of Death Proof and I mean every moment. Death Proof is “the” guilty pleasure movie for me. I look at it and can see that its not that great of a movie. To me it’s a masterpiece though because of how much enjoyment I get out of watching it and trust its been a large amount. I love Kurt Russel, but I never enjoy him as much as when he plays Stuntman Mike. I also love a good car chase, but no car chase is as enjoyable to me as the one at the end of this film. I absolutely love Death Proof and I always will.

4. Kill Bill

If any of Quentin Tarantino’s films can be considered epic, it’s Kill Bill. Kill Bill is a four hour masterpiece driven by the greatest female hero ever put on screen and a fantastic antagonist played to perfection by David Carradine. Kill Bill is the greatest story of well -deserved revenge ever. We know exactly what she’s after, we can’t wait till she achieves in her actions and when she finally does, there’s not much else that is as satisfying. There is an incredible amount of memorable moments from the battling of an entire army of ninjas to a fight between a one-eyed nemesis. I’d also like to mention that Kill Bill has the greatest beginning in film.

3. Pulp Fiction

Pulp Fiction is one of the greatest films ever made. A masterpiece made up of amazing characters, writing and directing. Has the most quotable script of all time. It’s really amazing how wildly entertaining and amazing a film that Pulp Fiction is. It tells many different stories with many different characters and many memorable moments. Its almost impossible to compete with the palette of awesomeness that is Pulp Fiction. Its hard to express into words my love and admiration for this piece of art. You really have to see this brush stroke in originality for your self. Pulp Fiction basically defines great filmmaking.

2. Django Unchained

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Quentin Tarantino knows characters, he knows writing and he sure as hell knows how to make a film. That is a perfect combination and Django Uncahined is a perfect movie. Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson make a savage team as the slithery and horrible Calvin J. Candie and his house slave Stephen. Standing against them are the cunning and friendly Dr. King Schultz and the freed slave Django, a hero through and through.

With Django Unchained, Quentin Tarantino has crafted a spaghetti southern surrounding the dark tragedy that is slavery. Along with his new found friend, Django is the stuff of legend. he’s a hero filled with love and rage. His journey is one of purpose and vengeance. Purpose being the rescue of the woman he loves with vengeance against the onslaught of slavery. Django Unchained manages to surpass the greatness that is Pulp Fiction. Django Unchained offers a folk tale of a movie that is unstoppably gripping.

1. Inglourious Basterds

Back in 1992, with the release of Reservoir Dogs , Tarantino showed that he’s a force to be reckoned with. Than he released a masterpiece in 1994 entitled Pulp Fiction. A film so utterly amazing that no one thought (including me) it could ever be topped. He came close in 2003 and 2004 with the release of the epic samurai tale, Kill Bill. Even that wasn’t  able to top Pulp Fiction. It took him 15 years, but he finally did it. He created one of the greatest movies of all time. A film I’m sure he’ll never be able to top. What he created was a spectacle of everything that makes a movie fantastic. I can honestly say with out a doubt in my mind that Inglourious Basterds is Quentin Tarantino’s greatest piece of cinema.

It’s the story of three very memorable characters whose stories intertwine and collide within the darkest time in history (WWII). One character is a young jewish woman (Shosanna) bent on avenging her slaughtered family. Another charcter is a renegade American Lieutenant ,with a penchant for scalping Nazis, who’s hired to lead a band of jewish soldiers whose intentions include causing as much damage as they can to the Third Reich. The last character is one of the greatest ever put on screen. Colonel Hans Landa, played pitch-perfectly by Christoph Waltz, is a nazi detective whose motives are clear to him and him alone.

In the film Inlgourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino has a blast telling the exact story he wants to tell. He holds no punches and has fun with it and as a result I have fun. I love every moment of Inglourious Basterds because Quentin cares about every single moment of this film. Each moment is pivotal to the tale at hand and you never want to take your eyes off the screen. Inglourious Basterds is a masterpiece in every single sense of the word.

Top Ten Tarantino Characters

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The original minds of the Coen Brothers and Quentin Tarantino. Their love for violence, their fantastic and memorable writing and their ability to never let you down, just to name a few. But I think Quentin Tarantino tops the Coen Brothers in his creation of some of the most memorable characters in film. Tarantino puts such a graceful brush stroke on every single one of his characters, making each one (no matter how manner) just plain awesome.

As always it was a difficult list to make because I love practically every character Quentin creates. I unfortunately was not able to make room for many characters I would love to find on a top ten such as this. Mr. Pink and Mr. Blonde are my favorite criminals from Reservoir Dogs who weren’t able to make to list. I wish I had room for Shosanna Dreyfuss of Inglourious Basterds, but she just missed the cut. Anyways, here they are, my favorite Quentin Tarantino characters…

10. Calvin J. Candie (Django Unchained)

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If Candyland is the mountain surrounded by hellfire that Dr. King Schultz describes in his german legend, than Calvin J. Candie is the fire breathing dragon. Leonardo DiCaprio never fails to show off his chops as an actor and he really shines here as a sadistic, savage and charismatic plantation owner. He’s the kind of villain you just despise from the moment you meet him and DiCaprio sells out. It’s a brilliant character that deserved a brilliant performance.

9. The Bride (Kill Bill)

The Bride is my favorite female hero in all of film. Period. Her determination and bloodlust drive the epic force that is Kill Bill. I love every moment of the four hour movie and it tells the tale of her escapades. Of course I love her. She puches her way out of a coffin buried 6 feet under, kills “88” people (not really, but still a large number) with out breaking a sweat and gouges out a rivals eye with her bare hand. Black Mamba is a samurai and the deadliest woman in the world.

8. Lt. Archie Hicox (Inglourious Basterds)

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He only makes it in three scenes of Tarantino’s WWII masterpiece, but one of them just so happens to be almost a half hour long and quite possibly the best scene in the movie. Hicox is an english officer bent on helping the Allies in any way he can. What makes him a shoe-in for this list for me is a scene when he’s told of his imminent death. With pride he sucks down his cigarette, picks up his glass of scotch and says one of my favorite lines in film, “There’s a special rung in hell for people who waste a good scotch and since I may be wrapping on the door momentarily…(finishes the glass)… I must say, damn good stuff.”

7. Stuntman Mike (Death Proof)

I absolutely love Death Proof. Is it that good of a movie? Most would say no probably, but I have a blast with every single time I’ve watched it. I think for the most part I love the movie because its driven by a character I love. The psychopathic killer, Stuntman Mike. A sweet talkin’ charmer who happens to kill girls with his car. He has played many bad asses in his illustrious career, but I don’t enjoy watching Kurt Russell nearly as much as I enjoy him as this bad ass.

6. Bill (Kill Bill)

Bill is simply what he calls himself, “a murdering basterd”. Look deeper though and he’s still a murdering basterd, but also a wise samurai with a broken heart. Every single line Bill has is uttered with sauch subtle grace and beauty by David Carradine. Every single moment is made quite epic by his presence. We don’t even see his face for the first half of the movie. Instead, we get a few shots of his hands, his sword and his cowboy boats slowly walking over to the half dead corpse of the woman he loves and is about to shoot in the head. Bill has a way a about him that makes him hated and loved by all he’s touched by. I for one just love the guy.

5. Dr. King Schultz (Django Unchained)

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I like to imagine that Tarantino sees a bit of himself in Dr. King Schultz, a man who could never truly understand Django’s pain and struggle, but who would never the less help Django in any way he could. Dr. King Schultz walks into Django’s life very suddenly and they instantly hit it off. He says it himself, Schultz “despises” slavery and he sees to the freedom of a man he was meant to meet. Together they form a bond willing to stand up against the atrocious tyranny of slavery. He’s a charming man, a wise mentor and a friend.

4. Lt. Aldo Raine (Inglourious Basterds)

Known to his enemies as Aldo the Apache is a nazi-scalping aficionado and the leader of the band of renegade jews sent to do as much damage as they possibly can against the Third Reich. He bares a lynching scar across his neck and we don’t know why, but I love it. Aldo goes through no transition or arch as a character and that’s the reason I love him. We know what to expect out of him. We know what he loves and we know he’d like to be doing it till the day he dies and that is “killin’ nazis.”

3. Jules Winnfield (Pulp Fiction)

Jules Winnfield is by far one of the greatest movie characters of all time. A notorious hitman touched by the grace of god and changed spiritually forever. This is by far Samuel L. Jackson’s best and most iconic performance. “Hmm, that is a tasty burger.” I love every single violent and philosophical induced moment with this “Bad Motherfucker”. You can’t talk about Quentin Tarantino movies and not mention the awesomenous that is Jules Winnfield. From the bible verse he recites before killing somone to his rightfully stitched wallet, I can never get enough of him.

2. Django (Django Unchained)

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In Django Unchined, you’ll find the greatest hero Quentin Tarantino has ever created. I never want anything bad to happen to Django and his love, Broomhilda. From the moment he is released from his chains I am rooting for him. He’s the definition of a badass and he’s a righteous man, a hero looking for retribution. Django is reminiscent of a mighty knight riding in to save the woman he loves. You love him and his woman and his journey, you hate the villains that stand in his way and to watch his wrath unleash when it goes down is nothing short of breathtaking.

1. Col. Hans Landa (Inlgourious Basterds)

“The Jew Hunter” is one of the greatest characters in film and by far the greatest character Quentin Tarantino has ever created and probably ever will create. It took him 15 years to top the character Jules Winnfield. I seriously doubt he’ll ever be able to top Hans Landa. A nazi is probably the most hated figure in history, but finally someone had the guts to give one some depth, and Col. Hans Landa is the result (played to nothing short of perfection by Christoph Waltz).

Col. Landa is actually a man who doesn’t buy into the nazi propaganda and instead is just doing his duty and he’s damn good at it because the S.S. officer is also a detective. It really doesn’t get much more interesting than an intelligent nazi colonel who intertwines through the threads of the events and people around him, eventually betraying his country in order to secure his survival and happy future. Col. Hans Landa is a despicable mastermind with no cap on his malevolence.

Top Ten Coen Characters

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In the universe of the greatest directors known to man, The Coen Brothers, there’s always a lot going on. Most of it unorthodox and all of it enjoyable. These feats are made possible through the amazing characters they develop or sometimes just randomly throw in there for a bit of fun.

In each Coen film there’s always some type of entertainment that can be brought from almost every character. Maybe its because of his/her sick and twisted humor they crack at random moments, maybe its because of their affection and kindness towards even the rudest person, or maybe its because their penchant for laziness. Either way, there’s so many different ones to choose from, these are my favorites.

10. Loren Visser (Blood Simple)

Out of the Coen Brothers first movie comes one of the sleaziest dirt bags known to film, Loren Visser. Everything he does is unethical and everything he says is made somehow disturbing. There’s not much he won’t do to bring in a quick buck. He’s the ultimate dirt ball you’d absolutely never want to meet. Not to mention he has one of the greatest maniacal laughs ever put on screen.

9. Chad Feldheimer (Burn After Reading)

Chad is down right stupid and dimwitted. If you really look at his dialogue, your kind of wondering why anyone would find it funny because its almost too forced. Brad Pitt plays it to perfection and I am in stitches every single time he’s on screen. You really couldn’t see it played any other way after seeing Mr. Pitt do it so hilariously. I love Feldheimer to death by the end of it all.

8. Mattie Ross (True Grit)

The quick-witted and persistent 14-year-old who drives the plot of the Coen Bros. masterfully made western is an unquestionable candidate for this list. She’s young but at the same time smart and she’ll stop at nothing to see the avenging of her father through. A truly entertaining character that you can’t stop feeling for based on the way the character is perfectly performed and what the character’s endgame is.

7. Leonard Smalls (Raising Arizona)

Even though I love the Coen Brothers and find basically everthing they make a masterpiece in one way or another, I’m actually not a huge fan of Raising Arizona. Its not that I don’t like the movie, it’s that I don’t believe it stacks up to their other films. I can not, however, deny my love for the motorcyclist from hell, Leonard Smalls. You don’t get to see him much in the film, but when you do, your eyes are wide with appeal, at least mine are.

6. Marge Gunderson (Fargo)

Among a lot of terrible people in the world of the Coen Brothers, Marge Gunderson is by far the most kind hearted. She makes it her duty to not only protect and serve (she’s a pregnant police officer), but to also be incredibly sweet whenever she can, even if its towards someone she knows doesn’t deserve it. Marge has a great husband, a child on the way and an important job she’s committed to. This is Frances McDormand at her best, one of the greatest female performances I’ve seen. Period.

5. Walter Sobchak (The Big Lebowski)

The Dude is of course iconic and one of the greatest characters in film, but not all of the laughs come from Jeff Bridges. John Goodman’s character is definitely a huge part of the puzzle piece. Honestly, every action, every facial gesture, every word he utters or shouts at the top of his lungs, I’m usually laughing uncontrollably or at least chuckling. The vietnam vet Walter Sobchak makes every scene he’s involved in memorable, to say the least.

4. Reuben J. “Rooster” Cogburn (True Grit)

Rooster Cogburn is such a fascinating character to watch develop. At times he’s dark due, in part, to a checkered past, while at other times we know far well that this is the hero of the story. Also, he never fails to draw out a chuckle from time to time. A unique and interesting character in every sense. Jeff Bridges puts every ounce of performance he’s got into Rooster and the result is one of the greatest western heros that a lover of films can ask for.

3. Charlie Meadows (Barton Fink)

It’s hard to top Walter Sobchak and Rooster Cogburn, but Goodman is able to do it with his portrayal as Fink’s hotel neighbor, Charlie Meadows. Charlie has such an unbearable presence in each scene. You just can’t wait until he pops in for a chat the next time. He’s the epitome of the classic neighbor whom you just love sitting back and talking with. Then the character turns in a completely different direction and John Goodman plays it to absolute perfection.

2. Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski (The Big Lebowski)

The Dude is quite possibly the most iconic character The Coen Brothers will ever create. That’s surprising because he doesn’t do much at all. He’s usually just smoking weed, bowling or drinking a white russian. It’s difficult for me to put The Dude at number two because most would have put him at number one. I absolutely love The Dude. The Big Lebowski, the funniest movie of all time, is centered around him and his laziness. The plot is driven by the insane events going on around him and even more so, his insane friends. But no matter what happens you can always expect The Dude to just sit back and ride along. “Fuck it” he might say, but I think he puts it best when he says “The Dude abides”.

1. Anton Chigurh (No Country For Old Men)

By far one of the greatest villains and characters ever put on screen is Anton Chigurh. And he wouldn’t seem as evil if it weren’t for the perfect concoction. I’m speaking of course of the of the original writing by Cormac McCarthy, transfered to the screen by the two of the greatest writers working in film, directed by the aforementioned writers and performed to absolute perfection by Javier Bardem. Through these ingredients, we get one of the darkest presences ever put on screen. What we get is a confident and intelligent killer basically representing death itself. Killing is routine for him, almost to the point of being an art form. The modern day movie villain that lies at the heart of their greatest feat in film is with out a doubt the Coen Brothers’ greatest character.

Shutter Island Review

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Shutter Island is a pretty difficult movie to review. First of all, it’s hard to express into words exactly how much I loved this film. Second of all, there’s so much going on in this story and its hard to talk about loving this film with out risking giving something away. I’ll try my best though. First, let me start by saying that Martin Scorsese is among the three directors working today (others being Tarantino and Coen Brothers) that I truly can not and will not let me down by. That opinion is once again justified by his release of this masterpiece.

I absolutely love when each character in a movie is able to give a great performance, even the minor ones. That is exactly the case here. Each character realized his/her importance and expressed that in their performance. The main characters were the stand outs though of course. Mark Ruffolo was fantastic as the partner, but even better was Ben Kingsley as the mysterious owner of the institution, he was subtly, but surly able to chew up every moment he was on screen. The masterful performance here was DiCaprio’s though. He really threw everything he had into this one. I’m going to have to re-watch some of his other movies before officially stating this, but this might be the greatest performance he’s ever given.

This isn’t the horror movie that the trailers are making it out to be, and to tell you the truth, I really wasn’t really expecting it to be. What it was, was an intense and almost draining psychological thriller, and possibly the best I’ve seen. The movie really takes a lot out of you because of its edge-of-your-seat intensity. That’s not a bad thing though, it was really an adrenaline rush at every turn, a roller coaster ride of the mind, which is exactly what the main character Teddy goes on.

!!! SPOILER !!! !!! ALERT!!! !!! IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN THE MOVIE, DON”T READ THIS PARAGRAPH!!!

!!! SPOILER !!! !!! DON’T READ !!!

I love this movie because it starts off with such a simple story. Two U.S. Marshall’s looking for a dangerous patient who has escaped from her cell. Then it takes you in so many different directions and you never know what to expect. There are so many questions circling your head because you have so much information to work with and really no answers. You are brought on a journey with Teddy and you feel every bit of insanity he does. Shutter Island is really the greatest depiction of insanity ever put on screen.

!!! END OF SPOILER PARAGRAPH !!!

Shutter Island is directed so mind-numbingly well, its hard to believe. But that pretty much goes with out saying, it’s Scorsese. Even for this masterful director, this film was an amazing feat in story telling. I truly think this film stacks right up there with all of his other masterpieces. Shutter Island isn’t just an unforgettable film, it’s an unforgettable experience.

Grade: A-