Austin Improv

Posted: **December 3rd, 2007, 6:26 pm**

Anyone want to see "No Country For Old Men" at 9:40 tonight at the Alamo downtown? Mike McGill, Gene Joe and myself will in the lobby buying tickets about 9:20.

Yes, this has nothing to do with improv.

Posted: **December 3rd, 2007, 6:34 pm**

Yes and ...

I was just going to post a very similar message, same time, same theatre. You will definatly see myself, Ann Wilson and possibly the ghost of Edsel Ford as well.

Posted: **December 3rd, 2007, 6:49 pm**

Awesome.
I have a meeting scheduled, or I'd join you.

I'm halfway through the book right now and I really like it. I'm going to see if I can't finish the book before I see the film.

Posted: **December 3rd, 2007, 8:28 pm**

Mayyyy be.

Posted: **December 3rd, 2007, 8:57 pm**

This movie is stunning. Vintage Coen Brothers. Fantastic dialogue, performances, and choreographed scenes of suspense.

And yet, a key narrative shift happens toward the end that, in my opinion, nearly derails it. Or, some may say, reveals the movie's true themes. I'd be curious to know if that happens in the book as well.

Posted: **December 3rd, 2007, 9:16 pm**

I haven't read it yet, but the AV Club has an article comparing the book to the movie:

http://www.avclub.com/content/blog/book ... ry_for_old

Posted: **December 4th, 2007, 11:23 am**

troy wrote: And yet, a key narrative shift happens toward the end that, in my opinion, nearly derails it. Or, some may say, reveals the movie's true themes. I'd be curious to know if that happens in the book as well.

this scene is almost the heart of the movie... I wouldn't even call it a shift. Don't really want to get into specifics due to spoilers though.

the movie and the book are very similar, but have a couple small differences... if you haven't read the book AND seen the movie, I would avoid any articles comparing the two.

Posted: **December 4th, 2007, 1:12 pm**

this movie had such a terrific use of stillness and quiet to build suspense
one of the best movies I've seen this year, hands down

hands.

Posted: **December 4th, 2007, 2:37 pm**

Lants wrote:
troy wrote: And yet, a key narrative shift happens toward the end that, in my opinion, nearly derails it. Or, some may say, reveals the movie's true themes. I'd be curious to know if that happens in the book as well.
this scene is almost the heart of the movie... I wouldn't even call it a shift. Don't really want to get into specifics due to spoilers though.

the movie and the book are very similar, but have a couple small differences... if you haven't read the book AND seen the movie, I would avoid any articles comparing the two.

"spoiler alert"
"spoiler alert"

This comment doesn't actually contain any spoilers. I just wanted to encourage by example the use of spoiler alerts. Luckily I've seen the film already, but I think the two above comments contain spoilers. Spoilers bad. To elaborate, they don't reveal actual content, but they potentially "spoil" a viewing experience by framing it with a certain preconception. I'm grateful my viewing experience wasn't framed like that.

Posted: **December 4th, 2007, 3:09 pm**

I enjoyed this movie a lot! Homerun!

But...

I have a few concerns that I will gladly discuss with anyone else who has seen the movie...

Posted: **December 17th, 2007, 1:29 am**

Saw this today. It was wonderful. Vintage Cormac McCarthy. (Call back)

Posted: **December 17th, 2007, 7:58 am**

I saw the film this weekend. I really enjoyed it. Very thoughtful and mature. I absolutely loved the very last scene.

Posted: **December 17th, 2007, 11:05 am**

I liked this film, but...

<<don't read this if you don't want to learn my critcal feedback on this film... use [ctrl +] to make the font bigger and easier to read...>>

...there was too much buildup in the media about it for me to really enjoy it. I should have seen it the first week it came out.

And, it was too violent. I had to look away... often.

Also the last scenes seemed kind of preachy. I got a lot of that w/o having to be told. Show it, don't say it. There seems to be a trend in heady movies that want to end the film by explaining what it was about... in case the audience didn't really get it. Blech. But I guess that is part of Hollywood cinema -- appealling to the masses.

Did Blood Simple, or Fargo end like that?

Posted: **December 17th, 2007, 11:12 am**

sara_anm8r wrote:

...there was too much buildup in the media about it for me to really enjoy it. I should have seen it the first week it came out.

And, it was too violent. I had to look away... often.

Also the last scenes seemed kind of preachy. I got a lot of that w/o having to be told. Show it, don't say it. There seems to be a trend in heady movies that want to end the film by explaining what it was about... in case the audience didn't really get it. Blech. But I guess that is part of Hollywood cinema -- appealling to the masses.

Did Blood Simple, or Fargo end like that?
fargo had a similar theme, although it was obviously a much funnier film. i don't think blood simple had an ounce of didacticism. i'm sorry you got infected by the hype. i really love the movie. maybe give it some time and come back to it...?

Posted: **December 17th, 2007, 1:35 pm**

The Brigadier wrote:
sara_anm8r wrote:

...there was too much buildup in the media about it for me to really enjoy it. I should have seen it the first week it came out.

And, it was too violent. I had to look away... often.

Also the last scenes seemed kind of preachy. I got a lot of that w/o having to be told. Show it, don't say it. There seems to be a trend in heady movies that want to end the film by explaining what it was about... in case the audience didn't really get it. Blech. But I guess that is part of Hollywood cinema -- appealling to the masses.

Did Blood Simple, or Fargo end like that?
fargo had a similar theme, although it was obviously a much funnier film. i don't think blood simple had an ounce of didacticism. i'm sorry you got infected by the hype. i really love the movie. maybe give it some time and come back to it...?

TOTAL SERIOUS SPOILERS... be careful swiping
There was a lot of hype before this movie was ever even released and I think this movie is one of the rare cases of being worthy of the hype.

I assume you're not talking about the last last scene, but about the scene where Bell and whatshisfacewiththecats are chatting... I don't think that was restating what the movie already said, I think it was taking Jones' point of view and showing how he was wrong... it's not the times, it's always been that way... There's always been an Anton Chigurh out there.