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Reviews
Blood Simple (1984)
Very stylish film
Blood Simple moves along quite slowly and the dialog is a little clunky (it feels like a Lifetime movie in places), in the end it is a good watch because of its stylish direction. Just as Fargo captured the bluntness of Minnesota and The Big Lebowski displays the zaniness of LaLa land, I don't think Texas has ever been as creepy as in Blood Simple. The film's slow pace creates a creepier setting than the frantic pace of a horror film (such as the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre). While this isn't one of the Coens' best films it is a good thriller that few others could make. The only disappointment is that the characters are much blander than many of their later films and that is what really prevents Blood Simple from becoming a Coens classic.
Who's the Man? (1993)
EVERYTHING you could ever want in a Dre and Lover film. Flawless.
Anyone who is a fan of Dr.Dre and Ed Lover would have certain expectations for any film from the duo. "Who's the Man?" far exceeds those expectations.
And if you are a fan of music or rap in general it is still brilliant. If you are not a fan of any of these things then its brilliance is lost on you so go and watch Gone in 60 Seconds you ignorant fool.
"Who's the Man?" funny, silly, creative, relevant, full of cameos, and includes an impeccable soundtrack (including a complete performance of Naughty By Nature's "Hip-Hop Hooray"). I give credit to Ted Demme, it takes balls to direct a spoof with a straight face, but that's just what he did; and, for the most part, he succeeded (although some jokes do fall flat). An no film has ever gotten so much out of cameos. Everyone who was on MTV in the early 90's was included in this film (except for the disappointing exclusion of Jon Stewart). Over 50 hip-hop stars, and Colin Quinn, Dennis Leary, Kurt Loder, Bill Bellamy... This is movie belongs in the same company of A Hard Day's Night, Purple Rain, Gimme Shelter, High Fidelity, and The Commitments as a movie that perfectly blends film and music. A true cinematic achievement.
The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
God bless the Coens
In reading Roger Ebert's review of the film (after seeing it) he was right in asking why question the Coens for taking too long to tell a story with such style that nobody else can really tell it. The one flaw of the movie is that it does move at a 'deliberate' pace. But I would rather spend the two hours watching this film than 90 minutes watching an equally good film that is not as original. The Coens' strengths are their great plots, unique dialog, and original style. Like most Coen films I have seen (Barton Fink, Fargo, The Big Lebowski), The Man Who Wasn't There has all 3.
Solid film