10 Reasons the Coen Brothers are Like the Beatles

Movie: Barton Fink, The Big Lebowski, O Brother Where Art Thou?, Miller's Crossing, more...

The writer-directors clearly have a select bunch of favorite actors to work with, and these two Johns are at the top of that list (along with Steve Buscemi, of course). Aside from their equally riveting turns in BARTON FINK, they have both given us gems both large and small in a slew of the Brothers’ movies, and Goodman will again be appearing in Coen-land in their upcoming INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, starring Justin Timberlake.

And remember:

“Nobody fucks with the Jesus.”

Movie: Tuileries, Short Film in Paris Je T'aime

Among a very mixed bag of Paris-based shorts in PARIS JE T’AIME, the Coen brothers (surprisingly) came up with one of the warmest and simplest of stories in this love letter to the City of Lights, with Buscemi in a decidedly tamer role as a wayward tourist (no wood chippers in sight).

Movie: No Country For Old Men

The film that finally tipped the scales and won the Brothers their first Best Picture Oscar, NO COUNTRY was a bold and somewhat horrifying examination of the dark side of human nature (the film even garnered awards from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films). Of course, the source material comes from the man who also wrote THE ROAD.

Movie: Barton Fink

This old-school classic celebrates Old Hollywood and the screenwriting process in a whimsical tale featuring star-making performances by John Turturro and John Goodman. With a somewhat good-natured feel and a very retro (but still darkish) ambiance, this is a different film that still bares the unmistakable mark of all things Coen.

Movie: The Hudsucker Proxy

Another favorite amongst fans, this is one of those films that makes you think, “They don’t make ‘em like they used to.” A period piece that doesn’t feel dated in the slightest, HUDSUCKER is a great companion to that other Tim Robbins favorite, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION.

Movie: O Brother, Where Art Thou?

This film has, hands down, one of the best film scores of all time, and is high on most Coen fans’ lists in general. Which isn’t surprising, since the gorgeous music is so utterly intrinsic to the action. It was a truly inspired decision on the part of the Brothers Coen to infuse Homer’s Odyssey with the spirit of American Country.

Movie: Fargo

FARGO has, to date, elicited more re-quotes, mis-quotes and just plain quotes than any other Coen Brothers film, and for good reason:

“Oh, I just think I'm gonna barf...!”
“I’m cooperatin’ here!!”
“He was kinda funny-lookin’…He wasn’t circumcised!”
“You're darn tootin'!”

Granted, none of these sound too funny on paper, but take a minute to remember how everyone sounded in this movie.

Movie: True Grit

Another entry in the Brothers’ largely successful contingent of western-inspired films, TRUE GRIT featured the Oscar-nominated performance of then-13-year-old Hailee Steinfeld, who wouldn’t take shit from anyone (even The Dude himself, Jeff Bridges).

Movie: The Big Lebowski

The Dude, immortalized by Jeff Bridges, is already a keystone in the stoner pantheon of American wastoid culture, right up there with Cheech & Chong.

As The Dude posits unendingly on various stoner-existentialist topics, the film goes from the giddy delight of bowling to the creepy paranoia of German nihilists and their pet otters in a flash…just like last night’s high.

Movie: Raising Arizona

Nic Cage has been taking a lot of heat recently. And not for a bad reason – the man seems to have one policy in selecting his screenplays: say ‘yes’ to everything (for those who beg to differ, let GHOST RIDER: SPIRIT OF VENGEANCE and SEASON OF THE WITCH be evidence). But let us not forget, this is the man who made LEAVING LAS VEGAS, ADAPTATION, and THE ROCK. But before all of them, he played the dumb-sexy hick H.I. McDunnough (pronounced ‘hi’ or ‘hah’ by everyone in the movie) in RAISING ARIZONA, proving his comic chops and then some.