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23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The easiest way to become a Coen brothers junkie, May 21, 2008
The Coen brothers -- Joel and Ethan -- burst onto the scene with 1984's "Blood Simple", a slow-moving noirish crime drama that expanded the universe of those films in ways most Americans were not familiar. For one thing, it wasn't clear right away what the crime was. Second, it wasn't clear who the crimial was. Third, as that guy stated in one of the film's great lines, "Where's my jacket?" indicated the complete irony every character found himself facing in this very original production.
And thus began the career of two of America's most celebrated filmmakers from the past 25 years. The Coen brothers grew up in Minneapolis and present a very Seinfeld-esque Midwestern view in their films, even those that take place in unnamed large cities including the oddball mobster movie "Miller's Crossing" or "Barton Fink", which begins in New York and moves onto Los Angeles.
The latter film -- always one of my favorite Coen brothers' works -- was almost completely misintrepreted by critics when it arrived in 1991. None could identify the obvious symbolism that it was about a conflicted playwright (John Turturro) who took his great success from New York's theater community and went West to become a screenwriter in Hollywood, where he encounters all sorts of evil including the Devil incarnate. Even during all these very unMidwestern transacations, the Coens stayed true to their upbringing and brought hardworking pull yourself up by your bootstraps elements to their movies, where every hero was challenged by the unusual, original and sometimes even the insurmountable. They did this even when mixing film metaphors as they so often do.
The greatest advantage of this package is it includes none of their later higher gloss but emotionally empty movies with George Clooney. It I was the one packaging this, I'd have deleted "Raising Arizona" and added "The Big Lebowski", a better comedy and a film that features a much better cast than "Arizona". But that's small potatoes because, for less than $35, you have get a handful of the Coens' best early films for home enjoyment anytime you want, including their great masterpiece "Fargo", an American Film Institute top 100 movie that takes place in their hometown and is based on events that really happened.
So don't waste too much time if original filmmaking, clever writing, wonderful character acting, and originality are assets you seek in entertainment. Take advantage of one of the offers Amazon Marketplace provides you to get this package for a very attractive price and bring treasurable art into your home for consumption anytime you want. [...]
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15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
5 Coen Classics!, December 17, 2007
I'm not sure if a better 5 film collection exists right now. While this collection is missing one big thing, "The Big Lebowski", it is nevertheless the essential Coen brothers set to own. Whether you have been a fan since "Blood Simple" or you have just been introduced to the Coen's magic with their amazing new film "No Country for Old Men", then this set will appeal to you. Containing 5 films, "Blood Simple", "Raising Arizona", "Miller's Crossing", "Barton Fink", and "Fargo" this set covers all the bases of the Coen brothers brand of film making. From the ridiculously hilarious (Raising Arizona), to the dark and dramatic (Miller's Crossing and Blood Simple), and finally to a hybrid of the two (Fargo and Barton Fink), these films show the Coen brothers at their best.
One thing you will notice throughout these films is that the brothers use the same stable of actors in several of their movies. I have heard some people complain about this, but I think it is fantastic. The reason they do this is because they know how to get the exact performance that they want from each of these great actors (John Goodman being a prime example). And the characters throughout their films are so quirky and distinct, that you will never have to worry about seeing the same performance twice.
If you don't own any Coen films then nothing should be stopping you from picking up this set, but even for fans who may own a film or two, or three, it is a great way to have 5 of the brothers best films in one place. Pick up "The Big Lebowski" and, if you like, "O Brother Where Art Thou", and "The Man Who Wasn't There" and you will have every Coen film worth owning.
And whether you enjoy any or all of these films, go see "No Country for Old Men", it is an extremely good film, one of the best of this decade. The Coen's are back, and I'm sure they have exciting things planned for the future.
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16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An outstanding Coen Brothers collection., March 11, 2008
I'll cut to the chase and say that these five films are the best films The Coen Brothers made from their early years. "Fargo" is genius and should have won the Oscar for Best Picture and Best Director over "The English Patient" back in 1996; "Miller's Crossing" is the most original gangster film ever made; "Barton Fink" is one of the most original films ever made, period; "Raising Arizona" shows The Coen Brothers at their most hilarious and quirky best; and "Blood Simple" is a masterful and truly remarkable debut film. While some might include "The Big Lebowski" or "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" in place of some of the films listed here, we'll just have to wait for the second box set to come out which will undoubtedly include "No Country for Old Men" in the new collection. Highly recommended.
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