The Coen Brothers
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Notable Festivals: Berlinale (Opening Night) Joel and Ethan Coen’s most recent film, 2010’s TRUE GRIT, also happens to be one of their best. Positioning itself as a second adaption to Charles Portis’ original novel (as opposed to a remake of the 1969 film starring John Wayne), it would go on to become one of the…
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Over a career spanning nearly three decades, Joel and Ethan Coen have built up one of the most impressive bodies of work in cinematic memory. Their feature work is often held up as the gold standard of directing excellence, made all the more special by their independent roots. So color me surprised to learn (when…
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Notable Festivals: Toronto, London Independent Spirit Awards: Robert Altman Award In the late 2000’s, Joel and Ethan Coen were experiencing a career resurgence in the wake of their Best Director win at the 2008 Academy Awards. After shooting BURN AFTER READING (2008), a comedic palette-cleanser of sorts, the Coens again defied expectation by tackling subject…
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Notable Festivals: Venice (Out of Competition) Hot off the career highlight that was the dual Oscar wins (Picture and Director) for 2007’s NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, Joel and Ethan Coen found themselves the subject of lofty expectations regarding their next project. While a short contribution to the TO EACH HIS OWN CINEMA anthology project…
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In 2007, the organizers of the Cannes Film Festival undertook an ambitious project to celebrate the festival’s 60th anniversary. Their plan was to contract world-class directors from around the world to create short, three-minute love letters to cinema in their own distinctive voice. Joel and Ethan Coen, who were taking their 2007 feature NO COUNTRY…
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Notable Festivals: Cannes (In Competition), Toronto, New York Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Adapted Screenplay The year 2007 was a watershed year for me in regards to my development as a filmmaker. For starters, it marked ten full years that I had been making films– I was only eleven when I…
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Notable Festivals: Cannes (Un Certain Regard) In 2006, a film called PARIS, JE T’AIME premiered with a unique concept. It was an omnibus film, consisting of twenty separate shorts directed by twenty different directors. The common thread uniting them was that timeless city of light, Paris. It was well-received, spawning a series of similar anthology…
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Notable Festivals: Cannes (Jury Prize) I had never seen Joel and Ethan Coen’s 2004 feature, THE LADYKILLERS, until only recently. However, funnily enough, I do remember its release. I remember seeing posters for the film displayed at Pioneer Place mall in downtown Portland, OR, which had a theatre that I frequented in those days. I…
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The Coen Brothers are generally regarded as two of the finest living American filmmakers. Each of their films has been released to some modicum of critical acclaim and/or box office success. However, they are people like you and I, and are prone to mistakes. Every career has its mis-step, and the Coens’ tenth feature– 2003’s…
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Notable Festivals: Cannes (Best Director), Edinburgh, San Sebastian The success of O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? propelled the Coen Brothers into the hearts of Middle America, broadening their fanbase considerably. So how did they capitalize on this large, captive audience? By making a small, black-and-white murder noir that would alienate those heartland sensibilities entirely.…
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Notable Festivals: Cannes (In Competition), Edinburgh, San Sebastian It was around the year 2000 when I started really becoming cognizant of cinema as a cultural phenomenon. Sure, I knew everyone liked movies, and many of them liked the same movies I did, but at the age of 14 I was growing more aware of a…
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Notable Festivals: Berlinale (In Competition) Inducted into the National Film Registry: 2014 When the Coens made their debut with BLOOD SIMPLE., they managed to develop a personal friendship with their sales rep, Jeff Dowd. The brothers were fascinated by Dowd’s eccentric character, known throughout LA as a good-natured stoner/slacker nicknamed “The Dude”. Around the…