Favourite Coen Brothers film?

MakeEmLaugh

Fairly straightforward, this. What is your favourite Coen Brothers film?

Poll attached.

Roar

I've watched the Big Lebowski more times than I can remember, I absolutely adore it. Might watch it again tonight actually. Wonderful on every level, and Bridges is just fcukin immense.

e_e

3. Barton Fink
2. A Serious Man
1. The Big Lebowski

A Serious Man is their masterpiece in some respects, its quintessential in dealing with their recurrent themes, oddball yet recognizably human characters and black humor. But Lebowski is just so full of entertainment and rewatchability. It's a close call really.

e_e

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUTyEEiulQk

This is such a great scene.

GabbyJay

In this order:

1. The Big Lebowski
2. O Brother, Where Art Thou?
3. Fargo
4. A Serious Man
5. No Country for Old Men
6. Raising Arizona
7. Blood Simple
8. True Grit
9. The Man Who Wasn't There
10. Burn After Reading
11. Miller's Crossing
12. Barton Fink
13. The Hudsucker Proxy
14. Intolerable Cruelty
15. The Ladykillers

The top 5 are all excellent. Quality drops a bit after that, but all good movies excluding the bottom two.

johnny_ultimate

It seems unfair to say The Big Lebowski when they've made several smarter, more elegant films. But yeah, no doubt about it: it's among the funniest films ever made, is endlessly rewatchable and is a brilliantly performed, tightly directed masterpiece. Desert island Coen Brothers would certainly be the misadventures of The Dude.

Objectively, I'd say Barton Fink is their greatest (and a close second personal favourite) - it's cheeky, unsettling and complex. With the exception of the 'infamous two' - although, with sufficiently lowered expectations, Intolerable Cruelty is still good fun - I'd be very fond of the lot, though. They've achieved an impressive consistency over their two and a half decades of filmmaking, and while there are undoubtedly recurring motifs, themes and styles (plus an unending commitment to deconstruct what makes America and American cinema tick), I can't help but admire the sheer diversity and scope of their filmography. You can spot a Coen Brothers pic a mile away, but I was genuinely taken aback how passionately and non-ironically they crafted the relatively straightforward but excellent True Grit. Also few writer / directors with the same talent of marrying mainstream genre norms with arthouse sensibilities.

Tipsy McSwagger

The Big Lebowski. I absolutely loved True Grit and it was the best film I seen last year.

Nervous Wreck

I said A Serious Man. I'd easily watch The Big Lebowski more regularly but A Serious Man really has something to it that's almost indescribable in its genius. Also, I think Michael Stuhlbarg really proved himself in this movie as an actor who could seriously win awards easily for his performances, if given the right roles. Incredibly underrated actor. Just a pity he's attached to the awful Boardwalk Empire...

blue note

I voted for The Big Lebowski. It's probably my favourite, but also it's a genuinely brilliant comedy which is an extremely rare thing. The fact that they managed to create a comedy which I can rewatch as often as I do and that actually excites me as a great film does (as opposed to just making me laugh which lots of comedies do), means in my view it's their greatest achievement.

DazMarz

It was a toss up for me between No Country For Old Men and The Big Lebowski, with the latter just beating out the former as I just loved the story a lot more. The slow-burning action was superb, and I preferred the characters in No Country For Old Men. That said, I also loved The Big Lebowski, so it was a tough decision.

Honourable mention to Fargo, the first Coen Bros. film I ever saw. I love this film a lot and it is still one of my favourites, but it just got edged out of the running for my all-time favourite by the other two I mentioned.

NapoleonInRags

i dont think its their best but I think the Hudsucker Proxy is criminally undervalued.

rednik

Has to be the Dude (Lebowski) for me,great movie with so many memorable moments and performances. Just looking at the list they have made so many great movies.

JP Liz V1

I love Raising Arizona - One of Cage's best performances ever imo

Irish Aris

Miller's Crossing easily.
Clinical direction (plus one of the best roles for Gabriel Byrne ever).

Technocentral

Love most of their stuff but A Serious Man is one of the best American films ever, love it.

quickbeam

I voted for O Brother Where Art Thou because it's my absolute favourite - great music, great story, funny as hell.

But honourable mentions go to Raising Arizona which is just madcap crazy fun; and The Man Who Wasn't There, which is such a dry film, but funny in its own way.

charlie_says

Ended up voting for The Dude, but O Brother Where Art Thou? and a Serious Man are just as good.

What made me vote for TBL was that it would put me in a better mood more so than the other two after viewing.

Tough poll!

Raekwon

Fargo, The Big Lebowski & No Country For Old Men.

Honourable mention for Miller's Crossing.

e_e

poor Ladykillers! :P

Princess Peach

Hands down Big Lebowski, but Fargo and Raising Arizona are a close tied second!

I do a great impression of the Fargo pregnant cop :pac: or so I believe...

MakeEmLaugh

My favourite is Miller's Crossing. There are so many memorable lines of dialogue in it, the Coen's practically invented their own lexicon.

- "What's the rumpus?" [What's up?]
- "Dangle" [Leave]
- "Let it drift" [Forget about it]
- "The High Hat" [Disrespect]
- "Twist" [Woman]
- "Yegg" [Thug]

Not to mention Barry Sonnenfield's gorgeous cinematography, which he regarded as his best work, and the beautifully lilting score.

A masterpiece, all round.

Miguel_Sanchez

Very tough to call.

I'd say Big Lebowski is my favourite followed closely by Miller's Crossing, Raising Arizona and Fargo.

SuperGrover

I voted for The Man Who Wasn't There. It rarely gets a mention, strangely a lot of people haven't even heard of it.

But there is something in the quality of that film that gets me every time. I just feel right after watching it.

Great performances, great music, some brilliant scenes.

FlashD

They are hit or miss for me. Ladykillers was brutal!

I went for Fargo.

True Grit was close second.

ceekay74

Got to be The Big Lebowski - one of my all time favourites.

I also love The Hudsucker Proxy. I'm in a minority on that one though!

Not sure why.

Technocentral

Surprised that "A Serious Man" isn't getting more votes, maybe not as funny as Lebowski and O Brother, but if you distill down the essence of the Coen brothers you'd get "A Serious Man".

leakyboots

Probably not popular opinion but I love Burn After Reading, found it absolutely hilarious. Am I the only one? Or is it just suffering from the quality of other choices available?

Decuc500

I voted for Millers Crossing but I could have picked any of 6 or 7. Probably the Tommy gun assasination attempt swayed it!

The Ladykillers is definitely minor Coen Brothers but I thought it was hilarious.

e_e

leakyboots wrote: »

Probably not popular opinion but I love Burn After Reading, found it absolutely hilarious. Am I the only one? Or is it just suffering from the quality of other choices available?

Nah it's a very funny film, though it was definitely them winding down and having some fun after No Country For Old Men.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUC9hygkhME

Rothko

My top 5:
Fargo
Barton Fink
The Big Lebowski
Blood Simple
No Country For Old Men

livinsane

leakyboots wrote: »

Probably not popular opinion but I love Burn After Reading, found it absolutely hilarious. Am I the only one? Or is it just suffering from the quality of other choices available?

I loved Burn After Reading. It was so weird and funny.

My favourites are a toss between Miller's Crossing and Fargo but I went for Fargo for sentimental reasons. It was one of the first films I saw at the cinema, at the tender age of 11. It was hugely responsible for my love of movies.

Gbear

Fargo.

I'd probably like TBL more if I had watched it enough. It's unquestionably genius but I've only really seen it once.

Fargo, on the other hand, I've seen at least a dozen times.

The haunting music at the start is just incredible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4NCC0dUXks

As much as I liked Javier Bardem in No Country, I didn't actually enjoy the film that much. Technically it was perfect but I just didn't like the story - I suppose that's not the Cohens' fault though.

pixelburp

Choose only one? I think it's a bit unfair lumping all the Coen movies into one list - it's generally acknowledged that they tend to flip between serious & silly (or just plain quirky) on a regular basis - Burn After Reading as a morning-after to No Country... is a perfect example of that; both fine films but not a whole lot to compare & contrast with (unless 'weird hairdos' count)

I suppose if push came to shove I'd have to pick my favourite from a shortlist consisting of Millers Crossing, The Man Who Wasn't There (feels like an underratted gem people are quick to forget), Fargo and perhaps No Country For Old Men; I don't actually remember seeing True Grit, or if I even liked it for that matter.

A gun to my head? I'd choose Millers Crossing - a perfect film, pure cinema joy. And if I'm doubly honest, I find Lebowski ... a bit overrated.

Technocentral

livinsane wrote: »

I loved Burn After Reading. It was so weird and funny.

My favourites are a toss between Miller's Crossing and Fargo but I went for Fargo for sentimental reasons. It was one of the first films I saw at the cinema, at the tender age of 11. It was hugely responsible for my love of movies.

11? Not exactly suitable for kids (bloke shot in the face, bloody disposal of body, use of the word c*nt, sex scenes etc)!

FlashD

pixelburp wrote: »

it's generally acknowledged that they tend to flip between serious & silly (or just plain quirky) on a regular basis -
.

Thats's true, though in a really serious film, there are quirky or silly elements. It swings the other way too.

Personally I prefer when they do serious with characters that have some quirky traits, Fargo and True Grit are the perfect examples.

MakeEmLaugh

Technocentral wrote: »

11? Not exactly suitable for kids (bloke shot in the face, bloody disposal of body, use of the word c*nt, sex scenes etc)!

When do they use the word "c*nt" in Fargo?

Dietsquirt

I really didn't like True Grit

e_e

livinsane wrote: »

I loved Burn After Reading. It was so weird and funny.

"I have a drinking problem? **** you Peck, you're a mormon. Compared to you we ALL have a drinking problem!"

livinsane

Technocentral wrote: »

11? Not exactly suitable for kids (bloke shot in the face, bloody disposal of body, use of the word c*nt, sex scenes etc)!

Well so far, I haven't shot anyone in the face or disposed of a body but I do use the word cúnt quite a bit. Although seeing as it is spoken in Swedish in the movie, "Jävla fitta" (meaning fúcking cúnt), I can't really blame it for my foul mouth!

elWizard

Miller's Crossing for me, though I could have easily said No Country For Old Men. A friend once dismissed the Coen films as "fireworks" (enjoyable to watch but insubstantial). Think NCFOM was where they really properly matured, and it's just a peerless adaptation.

The Big Lebowski is fine (as nearly always with their films, I was disappointed first time I saw it, but then the second time...) but it's rabid cult makes me like it less and less. It needs to spend a few years in the Academy of the Overrated.

Iwannahurl

Blood Simple, because it was their first.

I'd like to see this poll stratified by age and according to which films voters have actually seen.

I can't claim to have seen them all, so I have a bit of (no doubt highly enjoyable) catching up to do...

Decuc500

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Blood Simple, because it was their first.

That tracking shot in Blood Simple where the camera is moving along the bar top, comes to a drunk asleep with his head on the bar, moves up and over his head, drops back down again and continues on down the bar is genius.

Technocentral

livinsane wrote: »

Well so far, I haven't shot anyone in the face or disposed of a body but I do use the word cúnt quite a bit. Although seeing as it is spoken in Swedish in the movie, "Jävla fitta" (meaning fúcking cúnt), I can't really blame it for my foul mouth!

Pretty sure Bescumi says it in english once or twice too, in general I'm sure though you'd agree it isnt a film for kids, was an 18 cert when I seen it on its cinema release.

krudler

O Brother for me, I adore that film.

Iwannahurl

Decuc500 wrote: »

That tracking shot in Blood Simple where the camera is moving along the bar top, comes to a drunk asleep with his head on the bar, moves up and over his head, drops back down again and continues on down the bar is genius.

First five minutes or so of Blood Simple, including M. Emmet Walsh's opening monologue:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjVWvBSIbN4

FlashD

Decuc500 wrote: »

That tracking shot in Blood Simple where the camera is moving along the bar top, comes to a drunk asleep with his head on the bar, moves up and over his head, drops back down again and continues on down the bar is genius.

I know what you mean, keeping it simple.

If that was Fincher, he would be in one earhole, tour of the brain for 3 minutes and exit a nostril then carry on down the bar.

Riddle101

No Country For Old Men for me. It's just really well written and directed. I especially liked the fact that there was no music in it, so it was pretty intense and eerie.

Gustavo Fring

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

I love Raising Arizona - One of Cage's best performances ever imo

True, 'cause he doesn't have many


I voted for this as well but in all honesty it was nearly impossible to pick one

The only one i dont get and didn't do it for me was Hudsucker just cant take to it

Lennonist

The Coen Brothers are my all time favourite filmmakers. They are film buffs who have perfected the art of filmmaking and manage to pay homage to all the different genres of filmmaking in their work. My fave Coen film is Lebowski, followed by No Country for Old Men and Fargo.

Kylo Ren

Voted for Fargo but I love O Brother too.

I watched The Big Lebowski for the first time a while back and found it meh.

I have to watch Raising Arizona soon.

Miguel_Sanchez

Keno 92 wrote: »

I watched The Big Lebowski for the first time a while back and found it meh.

Give it another go. It really benefits from a second viewing.

I watched Miller's Crossing again last night and forgot how damn funny the dialogue is.