The Coen Brothers

When I was in college, I took a film class that required a 30-page, end-of-term paper. It could be on any topic we chose, so I decided to write about the Coen Brothers as one of the few remaining auteurs in Hollywood these days. (And yes, I'm referring to Joel and Ethan Coen as a single entity. One gets credit for directing, one gets credit for producing and both get credit for writing. But the two of them do it all, and folks on their sets have always said the duo thinks with the same brain.) I had a great time researching and writing the paper. I unearthed some interesting perspectives about their work. For example, one author said that all Coen Brothers movies could be classified as both black comedy and film noir. That's a pretty true analysis. Another said that every one of their films has some kind of theme that seems to tie everything together (like the Dude's rug). It could be floors and feet in "Burn After Reading," hats in "Miller's Crossing" or the mysterious box in "Barton Fink."

But no matter what their biographers and authors have said, I've always enjoyed their films. They're shot intricately. They look beautiful. The dialogue is always true to the time and region. They're hysterically funny. The acting is always well measured first class. And yes, the films can be quirky, but there's always a reason for it. They're usually not weird for the sake of being weird. (I think it's a travesty that they've only been recognized for two major Academy Awards. They won for writing for "Fargo" and Best Picture for "No Country for Old Men." But they've produced several films worthy of award-recognition.)

So today, I watched two Coen Brothers movies: "The Big Lebowski" and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" I got to thinking about how I would rank their movies based on my personal preferences. So below, you can find the list of their movies (ones they wrote and directed) to date in order of release, then my completely subjective ranking. Keep in mind that even the films at the bottom of my list I still have a great affinity for. So movie No. 13 is not a movie I dislike. I enjoy all of their films, and I suspect I always will. Enjoy.

Coen Brothers Releases

1. Blood Simple (1984)
   
2. Raising Arizona (1987)
   
3. Miller's Crossing (1990)
   
4. Barton Fink (1991)
   
5. The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
   
6. Fargo (1996)
   
7. The Big Lebowski (1998)
   
8. O Brother, Where Are Thou? (2000)
   
9. The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
   
10. Intolerable Cruelty (2003)
    
11. The Ladykillers (2004)
    
12. No Country for Old Men (2007)
    
13. Burn after Reading (2008)

My Rankings

1. Fargo: This may very well be my favorite movie ever. I love how desolate the Coens make the landscape look. I love the dark comedy that underlies the entire film. I love the subtle characterizations and interplay between the actors. Just a fantastic film with a famous scene involving a wood chipper. Memorable line: "You betcha."
   
2. The Big Lebowski: The Coens have said that after making a dramatic film, they like to relax by writing a loose, fun comedy. Hence, The Big Lebowski in the heels of Fargo. (And Burn afte Reading on the heels of No Country for Old Men.) This movie could be John Goodman's best work. This is truly a film noir, as the Dude gets drawn into detective work just because someone peed on his rug. Memborable Line: "Nihilists! Fuck me. I mean, say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos."
   
3. Miller's Crossing: This could be the closest that the Coens got to making a gangster film. But to call it that would be to pigeonhole it unfairly. It's a taut drama that's wonderfully shot with a hopeless protagonist. Gabriel Byrne's best work. Memorable Line: "Nobody knows anybody. Not that well."
4. O Brother, Where Art Thou?: Based on The Odyssey by Homer, this film follows three jailbirds who busted off the chain gang for freedom. They run into several trials and tribulations along the way. One of George Clooney's finest performances. Memorable Line: "A woman is the most fiendish instrument of torture ever devised to bedevil the days of man."
5. No Country for Old Men: This film was based on a book, and I don't think any other directors could've captured the look and feel of a deserted Western town any better than the Coens. It's a chase movie, but in this one, it's the bad guy pursuing the good guy. Plus, there's a unique twist at the end of the movie that leaves an impact on the viewer. Memorable Line: "Call it."
   
6. Barton Fink
7. Blood Simple
8. The Hudsucker Proxy
9. The Man Who Wasn't There
10. Burn after Reading
11. The Ladykillers
12. Raising Arizona
    
13. Intolerable Cruelty