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Fargo (1996)

Directed By: Joel & Ethan Coen

Starring: William H. Macey, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, Frances McDormand, John Caroll Lynch, Larry Brandenberg

Rated: R

Run Time: 1h 38m

TMM Score: 5 Stars

Strengths: Acting, Themes, Cinematography, Unique Setting

Weakness: None

Fargo (1996)

April 17, 2019

When Jerry Lundegaard, tired of scrounging for scraps and grinding as a failed car/undercoat salesman, decides to stage a kidnap and ransom of his wife to gain access to his father-in-law’s money and the mild mannered mid-westerner ends ends up in league with a violently pragmatic criminal cohort.

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In Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Noir Tags Michael McDonald, Joel & Ethan Coen, Fargo, 1996, William H. Macey, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, Frances McDormand, John Caroll Lynch, Larry Brandenberg, R Rated, 5 Stars, Mid-Western, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
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No Country for Old Men (2007)

Directed by: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Starring:Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Kelly Macdonald, Woody Harrelson

Rated: R for Strong Graphic Violence and Some Language

Running Time: 2 h 3 m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Writing, Directing, Acting, Cinematography

WEAKNESSES: -

No Country for Old Men (2007)

March 29, 2019

After a man stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong, he seizes the two million dollars left behind and runs, only to be pursued by a ruthless psychopath.

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In Action, Adventure, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Noir, Thriller, Western Tags Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Kelly Macdonald, Woody Harrelson, R, 5 Stars
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O Brother, Where Art Thou (2000)

Directed By: Joel & Ethan Coen

Starring: George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, Charles Durning

Rated: PG-13

Run Time: 1h 47m

TMM Score: 5 Stars

Strengths: Acting, Writing, Music

Weakness: None

O Brother, Where Art Thou (2000)

March 28, 2019

Everett, Pete, and Delmar aren’t just down on their luck during the Great Depression. They are chained together in a chain gang, till they break free in an attempt to find buried treasure that is.

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In Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Fantasy Tags Michael McDonald, PG-13, 5 Stars, George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, Charles Durning, Joel Coen, Ethan Cowen, Joel & Ethan Coen, O Brother, O Brother Where Art Thou, 2000
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Barton Fink (1991)

Directed by: Joel Coen

Starring: John Turturro, John Goodman, Judy Davis

Rated: R for Language, and Some Scenes of Violence

Running Time: 1 h 56 m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Writing, Acting, Dark Humor, Mysterious

WEAKNESSES: None

Barton Fink (1991)

March 27, 2019

Barton has hit the big time after his hit play lands him a big Hollywood writing contract but is the Hollywood dream everything an artist could ever hope for?

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In Drama, Comedy Tags Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Barton Fink, Judy Davis, John Turturro, John Goodman, R Rated, 1991, 5 Stars
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The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001)

Directed By: Joel & Ethan Coen

Starring: Billy Bob Thorton, Francis McDormand, James Gandolfini, Tony Shalhoub, Scarlett Johansson

Rated: R

Run Time: 1h 56m

TMM Score: 3 Stars

Strengths: Cinematography, Characters

Weakness: Impact

The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001)

March 27, 2019

Ed Crane, a small town barber,  has never made a splash in the world or even taken a big risk in his life but when a venture capitalist proposes a partnership he throws caution to the wind to blackmail his wife’s married lover to raise the money to finally get his slice of the pie.

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In Crime, Drama, Mystery, Noir Tags Michael McDonald, Joel & Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Ethan Cowen, Billy Bob Thorton, Francis McDormand, James Gandolfini, Tony Shalhoub, Scarlett Johansson, R Rated, 3 Stars
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Miller’s Crossing (1990)

Directed by: Joel Coen

Starring: Albert Finney, Gabriel Byrne, Marcia Gay Harden, John Turturro, Jon Polito

Rated: R for Graphic Violence

Running Time: 1 h 55 m

TMM Score: 4.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Writing, Acting, Setting, Action

WEAKNESSES: Stalls Towards the End

Miller's Crossing (1990)

March 26, 2019

The Coen Brothers have always been top notch filmmakers, always creating memorable characters, and imaginative stories, whether it be dramatic, comedic, or a little of both, the Coen's have always had a gift for the craft, and Miller's Crossing is no exception.

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In Crime, Drama Tags Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Miller's Crossing, Gangster, Albert Finney, John Turturro
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A Serious Man (2009)

Directed by: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Starring: Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Sari Lennick, Fred Melamed, Aaron Wolff

Rated: R for Language, Some Sexuality/Nudity and Brief Violence

Running Time: 1 h 46 m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Acting, Writing, Directing, Themes, Ending

WEAKNESSES:-

A Serious Man (2009)

March 26, 2019

A college physics teacher tries to find meaning in his life while it unravels before his eyes. 

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In Art House, Drama, Comedy, Mystery, Romance, Thriller Tags Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Sari Lennick, Fred Melamed, Aaron Wolff, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, 5 Stars, R, 2009
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Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

Directed By: Joel & Ethan Coen

Starring: Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Adam Driver, John Goodman, Justin Timberlake

Rated: R

Run Time: 1h 44m

TMM Score: 5 Stars

Strengths: Performances, Music, Cinematography

Weakness: None

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

March 25, 2019

Flopping couch to couch, getting underpaid to perform in bars, and hitchhiking to Chicago may seem like the romantic life of a legendary singer but it’s just a week in the life for LLewyn Davis in 1961, New York City.

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In Drama, Musical Tags Michael McDonald, 5 Stars, R Rated, Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Adam Driver, John Goodman, Justin Timberlake, Joel & Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, 2013, Inside Llewyn Davis
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The Big Lebowski (1998)

Directed by: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Starring: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tara Reid, David Huddleston, Peter Stormare, Flea, John Turturro, David Thewlis

Rated: R for Pervasive Strong Language, Drug Content, Sexuality, and Brief Violence

Running Time: 1 h 57 m

TMM Score: 5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: This is a Perfect Film

WEAKNESSES: -

The Big Lebowski (1998)

March 25, 2019

Slacker ‘The Dude’ navigates LA trying to untangle a mess of a conspiracy.

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In Comedy, Crime, Drama, Mystery, Romance, Noir, Thriller Tags Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Tara Reid, David Huddleston, Peter Stormare, Flea, John Turturro, David Thewlis, R, 5 Stars
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The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

Directed by: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Starring: Tim Blake Nelson, Clancy Brown, James Franco, Liam Neeson, Zoe Kazan, Brendan Gleeson, Tom Waits

Rated: R for Some Strong Violence

Running Time: 2 h 12 m

TMM Score: 4.5 stars out of 5

STRENGTHS: Coen Bros Flair, Irreverence and Poignancy, Clever Writing

WEAKNESSES: Some CGI and Sets Look A Little Cheap

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

November 20, 2018

Six stories set in the Coen Brothers’ Wild West. 

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In Action, Adventure, Anthology, Comedy, Crime, Drama, Musical, Western, Romance Tags Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Tim Blake Nelson, Clancy Brown, James Franco, Liam Neeson, Zoe Kazan, Brendan Gleeson, Tom Waits, R, 4.5 Stars
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