True Grit (2010)

[RTSDaddy2]

I've not seen the original with John Wayne, but I certainly know of it.  If it were in the hands of someone besides the Cohen brothers, I'd be worried about the remake, but recent trailer leaves me believing they did what they seem to always do - bring an excellent job to it.  I'm sure it will leave the people who hate remakes ticked off, but it looks as if they did a pretty good job staying faithful to the story.  Only time will tell - out on Dec 17th, I believe (may be the tenth, don't recall exactly).

[AtomSmasher]

It should be noted that this isn't technically a remake since this one is based off of the original book and not the movie.  Okay, so I'm grasping at straws since I generally hate remakes, but I think this one looks pretty good.

Here's the trailer for those who haven't seen it:

[danny_galaga]

Saw the trailer at the movies last night and I have to agree, it looks good. I havent seen the original movie, but then Im not a fan of John Wayne.

[RTSDaddy2]

Thanks for the info Atom, I would have thought it was based off the original film.  I suppose then that it is a "re-invisioning" of the author's story.  I brought up remake simply because some don't want their memories of Wayne's portrayal tarnished by a new guy playing Marshall Cogburn.

It's slowly moving up my list of must-see films.  It seems a great story...and again it's been placed in the hands of two more than capable directors.

[DaOld Man]

Looks pretty good.
Whoever hasnt seen the original should watch it. One of Wayne's good movies, IMHO.

[wp34]

I hope this does well and ushers in some more big budget westerns. It looks really good.

[Ginsu Victim]

They had me at "Coen Bros"

[SNAAKE]

coen bros anything = auto win

[Ginsu Victim]

coen bros anything = auto win

Word. There isn't a single Coen Bros film I don't like.

[Ginsu Victim]

You LIKED A Serious Man?

Loved it, actually. I own all their films.

[SNAAKE]

serious man is hilarious

so is burn after reading

both 8/10 ezez

[Mikezilla]

Even Lady Killers?

[Ginsu Victim]

Even Lady Killers?

I don't count it because it's a remake of another film, unlike True Grit which is a new adaptation of the novel.

Also the only one I haven't watched and don't own.

[Mikezilla]

That movie was god awful, one of the few movies were I actually fell asleep in the theatres. It was unbearable. Its right up there with Xmen 3, and Batman and Robin as worst movie ever...

Back on the western topic, I love Tombstone. Anyone see that one with Kurt Russell, and Val Kilmer?

[AtomSmasher]

I think The Man Who Wasn't There was easily the Coen brothers worst movie.  I'm guessing most of you just forgot about it

and yes, Tombstone was fantastic.  The remake of 3:10 to Yuma was pretty good too since we're talking about recent westerns.

[Ginsu Victim]

I think The Man Who Wasn't There was easily the Coen brothers worst movie.  I'm guessing most of you just forgot about it

I quite enjoy that one. Probably the hardest one to watch is Blood Simple, which is still really good.

[SNAAKE]

I think The Man Who Wasn't There was easily the Coen brothers worst movie.  I'm guessing most of you just forgot about it

http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/man_who_wasnt_there/  
this? 80% on RT cant be too bad. I didnt watch it though. I will check netflix/torrents now.

[Ginsu Victim]

I will check netflix/torrents now.

Most of their films are on Netflix streaming.

[SNAAKE]

can you use same account on multiple devices?? my brother has netflix but he's always watching something on his laptop. can I still use his account on my ps3??

(little off topic)

[Ginsu Victim]

Depends how many discs at a time he has on his plan. I think you get ONE more than the amount of discs you get. (I'm on a 1 disc plan, and can stream to two devices at the same time, and my buddy is on 3 discs and can do 4 devices at once).

[Howard_Casto]

Well they are nnow remaking films that featured the duke... the world has ended.

[wp34]

It should be noted that this isn't technically a remake since this one is based off of the original book and not the movie. 

I started the book tonight.  So far it is pretty good. 

[shmokes]

The original was reworked into a John Wayne vehicle even though the little girl is the main protagonist in the book, from what I understand.  The Coen brothers are adapting the novel as it was meant to be, rather than choosing a star and writing a story around him.  I've not seen the original or read the book, though.  That's all second-hand.

The Man Who Wasn't There was fantastic.  Lady Killers is their worst, but it was still perfectly watchable.  And Tom Hanks's performance was great.  The movie just wasn't that good.

[Mikezilla]

Lady Killers is their worst, but it was still perfectly watchable.  And Tom Hanks's performance was great.  The movie just wasn't that good.

Tom Hanks is one of my favorite actors, but man, if I was watching that movie at home, I would have turned it off and not even have finished it. Tom Hanks couldnt even make that movie good, I see what youre saying though.

[Grasshopper]

I thought the original was hugely overrated. Actually, I think all of John Wayne's movies are overrated with the notable exception of The Shootist.

However, the Coen brothers know their ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---, so I might just check out the remake.

[wp34]

I just finished the book "True Grit" today and it was really good. Judging from the previews the Coen Brothers are making a faithful adaptation.  The book is 100% from the girl's perspective in the way the Harry Potter books are (mostly) with Harry.  You are not made aware of anything happening when she is not around except in flashback.  I expect they will change that in the movie just to keep Bridges and Damon on screen more.  From the trailer it looks like the major plot-points from the book are all in the movie.

I can say I pictured Bridges and not Wayne while reading the book.  Bridges is a great choice and fits the role much better than Wayne-- and I am a Wayne fan.  Damon does not seem like a good fit for Le Bouf but will probably do a good job.

I'm not as much an expert on Coen movies as some of you but one thing I really like is their dialog.  It is usually very quirky and you have to pay attention to get the true meaning.  This makes repeat viewings more enjoyable IMHO.  The book is written in a similar style and I expect this is part of what drew them to the material.  I could imagine much of the dialog from the book making it into the movie unchanged.

[drventure]

Damn. Just got back from True Grit.

One dang fine movie!

Very unlike what you'd generally consider a Coen Brother's movie. They stayed +very+ true to the "old western" motif. No quirkiness and whatnot. But the acting, characters and dialog were all spot on.

[Gray_Area]

Damn. Just got back from True Grit.

One dang fine movie!

Very unlike what you'd generally consider a Coen Brother's movie. They stayed +very+ true to the "old western" motif. No quirkiness and whatnot. But the acting, characters and dialog were all spot on.

It was pretty good. I thought it would be a bit darker. I wouldn't have paid full price for it.

[drventure]

Yeah, I saw the matinee for 4$. Pushing 10$ for a regular movie ticket is tough to justify in any case.

I thought the comedy was really well done, though. It was just dark enough, IMHO.

[Ginsu Victim]

I have plans to see it Jan 1st with some friends. Really looking forward to this one.

[SNAAKE]

watched serious man again last night easily up there with big lebowski.


also watched "the man who wasnt there". thought it was pretty good. kinda like fargo.

[Mikezilla]

Talk about a franchise sucking... I HATED Transformers. The only redeeming thing that Michael Bay did was give Optimus his original voice. Peter Cullen I believe. But then bam. Gave him lips and flames. "Gee, lets see how gay we can make A 30 foot tall robot that turns into a truck." Ugh.

Didnt mean to derail the thread, I still want to see True Grit.

[shmokes]

The only redeeming thing that Michael Bay did . . .

No matter what the subject, no matter what the movie, I pretty much know that I can stop reading right there because whatever follows will be nonsense.   

In other news, going to True Grit tonight.  Got the babysitter.  Excited.

[Ginsu Victim]

Watched Winter's Bone last night.  It's an extremely similar and superior movie.  Reminded me why I'm scared witless in rural Missouri and Oklahoma.

 

I have that in my disc queue. Looks pretty good.

[drventure]

Then it says "Transformers 3" and about 20 guys in the audience simultaneously said "ahhhhh.... ---steaming pile of meadow muffin---."

Were you in the audience when me and my wife saw Tron? 

The EXACT same thing happened!

[boykster]

Still havent' seen True Grit (I rarely see flicks in the theater) but I'm a bug Coen brothers fan.  I also REALLY enjoyed Winter's Bone - it was depressing and entertaining at the same time...

[shmokes]

I saw it.  It was really good and Jeff Bridges was excellent.  But it wasn't near Coen brother's best.  It was far too conventional for them.  There was almost no trace of their typical quirkiness.  Still worth a watch, though.  It was well acted and beautifully shot and the story was interesting enough.  It's just no O Brother or No Country or Fargo or Raising Arizona or Barton Fink or Miller's Crossing, etc.

[Ginsu Victim]

I saw it.  It was really good and Jeff Bridges was excellent.  But it wasn't near Coen brother's best.  It was far too conventional for them.  There was almost no trace of their typical quirkiness.  Still worth a watch, though.  It was well acted and beautifully shot and the story was interesting enough.  It's just no O Brother or No Country or Fargo or Raising Arizona or Barton Fink or Miller's Crossing, etc.

Well, you're comparing several of their original works to a faithful book adaptation, so of course it won't have the quirkiness of the majority of their work. I did laugh a LOT during this movie, though. The story is predictable, but when you consider the age of the story, it makes sense that it would be.

I loved the movie.
9.5/10

[Ginsu Victim]

It was definitely quirky, it just wasn't Barton Fink/Raising Arizona levels of quirk (nor should it have been).

What I don't get are the comments that say it has no humor. THAT is a gigantic lie!

[CheffoJeffo]

Saw it today, went in without any prejudice about what a Coen brothers flick should be (some of you folks should try that sometime) and loved it.

Well done.