When leaving an advanced screening of the New Coen brother's film, while walking past a queue of film geeks eager to take their seats for the very same film, don't exclaim very loudly 'fucking hell what was that ending all about, I mean the main guy he .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Censored .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . at the end.
On an aside I went to the cinema with a group of friends who all arrived with different degrees of lateness, of course the person who had booked the tickets was latest of them all, one chap, who happened to be black arrived while I was loading up on cider, yes they sold cider, and popcorn. He said hi and the next time I saw him he was talking to the people at the ticket desk. We don't see him again, so when the tickets arrive I assume he's managed to get his ticket from the desk and has gone in, by this time the film has almost started and we're told in no uncertain terms by the usher to go in, now, if we want to see the film. When the film ends I give away the ending to the next showing and Pete gets on the phone to our missing friend.
It turns out he's been arrested. He had popped out to make a phone call and been mistaken for a drug dealer by the police and arrested. Did I mention he is black, just an aside, so that was a bit of a shock.
And for what it's worth my opinion on the film without giving away the plot, I hope:
No Country For Old Men - Joel and Ethan Coen
This story seems to be so at pains to be unconventional that they throw the baby out with the bath water and neglect to include a proper narrative straying dangerously into Ukranian Animation territory. All the main characters failed to deliver except the dark nihilistic anti-hero who is just depressing. A pretentious slasher flick with lovely scenery. Cinematography 10/10 story 2/10. Try harder.
This movie is a masterful evocation of time, place, character, moral choices, immoral certainties, human nature and fate. It is also, in the photography by Roger Deakins, the editing by the Coens and the music by Carter Burwell, startlingly beautiful, stark and lonely.
Roger Ebert
As I said Ukrainian Animation territory.
Update: This film now has 8 Oscar nominations. I still think it is poor, end of. I mean that dream at the end about his Dad being dead, what's that go to do with deranged killers people!
Update 2: O.K. it now has four Oscars - I'm just going to use this as further proof of what I've been suspecting for a while I'm right they're all wrong.