I understand. They are ponderous. I recommend "Raising Arizona" and "Fargo". If you like those try "Miller's Crossing" and "The Hudsucker Proxy" and If you like those try "Barton Fink" -my personal favorite- and "The Big Lebowski". That one is particularly beloved by MANY Coen fans. Then I'd say, should you be inclined, try "The Man Who Wasn't There" which I found to be a very cool film, and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" Some fans are on the fence about this one but personally I love it very much. Unless you are totally hooked by now you might want to skip "The Ladykillers" and "Intolerable Cruelty" and come back to those later. They were considered lesser efforts when they came out. One of the reasons "No Country" was received so well is that it was considered a return to form of two visionary filmmakers who were among the most influential contributors to successfully changing the look and feel of movies throughout the 80's and 90's. And with the exceptions of "No Country", "Intolerable Cruelty" "The Ladykillers" and "True Grit" all of their films are 100% original stories, not adapted from outside sources***, and with screenplays always written by them and always edited by them (under the pseudonym of Oscar winning editor Rodrick Jaynes.) This is extremely rare for American filmmakers.
Of course if you dislike those earlier films don't waste your time with the later ones. And lets not be so angry about this stuff. We all have different tastes. It shouldn't matter to us what other people think. I respect their opinions. I don't disagree with them. I just feel differently about it. If other people don't respect my opinions what do I care? How does that affect me exactly? What a waste of energy it would be going through life basing what I say and do on other people's opinions of me. Those opinions are none of my business. To get so steamed about them is just silly and a waste of my valuable time and emotions.
But back to the Coens, my only suggestion is that when you watch their earlier films it's best to consider what was going on in the world at that time and how their films reflected the modern attitudes of America, be it neo-cynicism, contemporary opinions on circumstantial living or thoughts about authority, societal viewpoints, modern moral issues, even who was in the White House at the time. This will reveal just how much the current "in your face" filmmaking style owes to the Coen Brothers.
I think I'll go watch "Blood Simple" now.
***Note: "O' Brother" was loosely adapted from Homer's "The Odyssey" but that's also part of the gag.
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