The Netflix queue has been working a bit on autopilot lately. I have not been actively managing my choices and the titles have not provided much of a discernible pattern. Last week included a humorously violent British jewel heist, a relentless maniacal serial killer, and a bit of polygamy. Each of these topics can be enjoyable in its own right, I suppose, and it is possible that the universe does not always slip messages into random selections. That could just be my interpretation.
The week started out with Guy Ritchie's Snatch (2000). This, like his other movies, brings together seemingly unrelated story threads into an humorously violent heist movie about Jewish gangsters, boxing promoters, gambling, gypsies, pigs, and a pawn shop. The dialog is fast, furious, extremely British, the camera work is quite original, and the violence leans a bit towards the comic-book variety. In general, this is a comedy of errors committed by caricatures from London's criminal underworld. It is a fun romp and an enjoyable flick.
Rating: 3 boxing rounds out of 5.
The lightheartedness of Snatch was followed by the inexorable violence of No Country for Old Men (2007). This is another Coen brothers movie, complete with all of the odd characters you expect, but I found this film to be extremely absorbing. Where I felt that their remake of True Grit (2010) was a little light in plot development, once the scene is set in this movie, it steam rolls everything in its path to reach its conclusion. From start to finish, there is a constant building of tension and excitement. This film definitely wins the best bad guy award for any movie I have seen lately. Javier Bardem is relentless, ruthless, emotionless, business-like, and oddly moral in his pursuit of Josh Brolin - think Terminator with one of the worst haircuts, but best weapons in modern film history.
Rating: 4 cheap motel rooms out of 5
The week ended with a marathon of deceit, gambling, politics, bribery, exotic bird smuggling, and multiple wives. What else could it be but HBO's Big Love: Season 4? (2010). I have been a big fan since the start of this series. Although I am neither married nor a woman myself, I think it provides an entertaining and thoughtful look at both the positive and negative possibilities of polygamy. This season finally moved past the justifications for plural marriage and into the pitfalls of a life lived in public that is very different from the life you live at home. Unfortunately, this series wrapped after five seasons, and without providing a spoiler alert, the series finale was revealed during an episode of NPR's Fresh Air. I guess I will just have to hold this against the show's host, Terry Gross, whenever I meet her. Harumph! Or I can be consumed in searching for hints and foreshadowing of what is to come. No matter, I am looking forward to season five.
Rating: 4 modest prairie dresses and long braids out of 5.
Since my DVR has the summer doldrums and is running on empty, I have been depending on my Netflix account for more and more of my evening entertainment, so this week's queue includes a bonus movie: The Wrestler (2008). This was Mickey Rourke's come-back vehicle which went on to earn him and Merisa Tomei Oscar nominations. As an added bonus, Raleigh's own Evan Rachel Wood played a supporting role as the wrestler's daughter. The movie has a bit of a modernist, slice of life, documentary style that mixes professional actors with New Jersey non-actors and then records the results. The film jumps from vignette to vignette building upon a loose narrative about a professional wrestler well past his prime, who is broke, alone, and only knows how to do one thing. There is a lot of exposed flesh in this picture, some of it not so appetizing, and Rourke's over-use of steroids and bad plastic surgery are a bit distracting (unlike Tomei's smoking hotness - WOW!). It is as if he starting juicing years ago in order to get this one last chance at movie fame - method actors - what can you say? But, no matter how you view it, the approach actually works in creating an entertaining and touching movie. It also served to kick-start Rourke's career - at least for now - as he was quite wonderful as the bad guy in Iron Man II (2010).
Rating: 3.5 smack downs out of 5
For its outstanding storytelling, I think that No Country for Old Men has to be this week's queue recommendation. Next week is all about the comedies, so stay tuned.
No Country for Old Men was certainly an interesting movie. I can't say I liked it, but I can say that 2 years after seeing it, there are several scenes that still haunt/excite me. Coen Brothers rock..... Be sure to watch "O' Brother Where Art Thou" as it is a hoot and almost as good as "Fargo" which I consider a total masterpiece of movie making. (PS...I am your anonymous brother)
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