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B A R T O N
F I N K
Before I even start the review, I must tell you that this is my first time watching the movie. I read that both of you, sean and raul, have watched it at least once. I doubt that you are wondering why I'm telling you this, because this movie isn't exactly your typical film. Also, I can definitely understand why you may anticipate a revisit quite a bit, because I might just find this film to be a "No Country" scenario for me, personally... maybe not in a big way, but in some shape or form, for sure.
When I first watched No Country for Old Men I gave it a mere 6/10. I admired the craft, I loved the look and feel of it and there was no denying about the talent of the people who made the flick. But it felt like the movie was "ahead of me" in some way. Like I had to catch up to its greatness to really see it. Feel it. And now, as you all know, it might just be my favorite film and I definitely most certainly rate it a 10/10.
Barton Fink had some of the same vibes going on. And as another film of theirs, The Big Lebowski, it's not exactly a straight forward movie, neither does it necessarily grab your attention through its plot, per say. No, the plot is the character(s). The plot is built, thematically and morally, around the character(s), together with what the Coens want to accomplish with their film. It's not about a A-Z mystery plot written like a novel. It's an idea or a concept, told with and by a character (or characters), whose encounters almost happen as the story is being written - or that's how it feels like. It's a journey into the unknown, full of ideas, messages and enthusiasm, and it's quite an experience to go along with it. And it doesn't make things worse when the case is great too with an excellent (as always) John Goodman!
When watching Barton Fink, I was always engaged and fascinated and I wasn't always sure where things were going or why, but I never got what you would call frustrated. I enjoyed feeling my way through the movie, I enjoyed being stimulated with atmosphere and the writing of the Coens, which eventually left me in a mute state of wonderment when the credits rolled... like, if the Coens had told me something profound, slightly provocative and certainly perplexing. I sat and thought about the film a lot after I finished, as I had definitely done throughout the film as well. Personally, I think the greatest accomplishment of cinema is when it makes you think... no matter how. If it stimulates you in one way or the other, it did cinema right. And Barton Fink did cinema right. At least for me.
This is a movie that says a lot of different things throughout, without necessarily leaving you with an answer to it all or with a point that goes across every visual or written statement. Some of the things doesn't even have enough filmic breadcrumbs laid out to even get half-way to understanding a particular thing, but that's fine. The movie is very lively overall, and often a film can be more fun when you are holding it between your hands until it jumps out and runs away, rather than catching it and putting it in a enclosed glass cage to study. Sure, there were clear points of this being personal work, for one, by the Coens. The thing about making a follow-up to a succes, more so when Hollywood comes knocking and wants to hold down you artistic roots and make something commercial. Something that isn't you. Being stuck in writer's block, while being frustrated, under pressure, fighting inner demons, having the creativeness sucked out of you, and so on... Barton Fink can definitely be seen as a statement to being your own, creative self. Let your art flow, or run wild, as it should. Barton Fink is the blood, sweat and tears almost being literally translated and presented through a picture, while also being a product, in and on itself, of said hard work...
I’m going to rate this, because I rate all the movies I watch, but as it should be clear with my above writing, this is going to be a “gentle ruling” with an allowance of the film to “breathe” and evolve in my head until I watch it again, and again, and perhaps it won’t even extend much in my rating of it, but as of now, this is a “film in progress” for me and it hasn’t settled quite yet.
I'll show you the life of the mind!!!!
you sure did, Ethan and Joel
++
F I N K
Before I even start the review, I must tell you that this is my first time watching the movie. I read that both of you, sean and raul, have watched it at least once. I doubt that you are wondering why I'm telling you this, because this movie isn't exactly your typical film. Also, I can definitely understand why you may anticipate a revisit quite a bit, because I might just find this film to be a "No Country" scenario for me, personally... maybe not in a big way, but in some shape or form, for sure.
When I first watched No Country for Old Men I gave it a mere 6/10. I admired the craft, I loved the look and feel of it and there was no denying about the talent of the people who made the flick. But it felt like the movie was "ahead of me" in some way. Like I had to catch up to its greatness to really see it. Feel it. And now, as you all know, it might just be my favorite film and I definitely most certainly rate it a 10/10.
Barton Fink had some of the same vibes going on. And as another film of theirs, The Big Lebowski, it's not exactly a straight forward movie, neither does it necessarily grab your attention through its plot, per say. No, the plot is the character(s). The plot is built, thematically and morally, around the character(s), together with what the Coens want to accomplish with their film. It's not about a A-Z mystery plot written like a novel. It's an idea or a concept, told with and by a character (or characters), whose encounters almost happen as the story is being written - or that's how it feels like. It's a journey into the unknown, full of ideas, messages and enthusiasm, and it's quite an experience to go along with it. And it doesn't make things worse when the case is great too with an excellent (as always) John Goodman!
When watching Barton Fink, I was always engaged and fascinated and I wasn't always sure where things were going or why, but I never got what you would call frustrated. I enjoyed feeling my way through the movie, I enjoyed being stimulated with atmosphere and the writing of the Coens, which eventually left me in a mute state of wonderment when the credits rolled... like, if the Coens had told me something profound, slightly provocative and certainly perplexing. I sat and thought about the film a lot after I finished, as I had definitely done throughout the film as well. Personally, I think the greatest accomplishment of cinema is when it makes you think... no matter how. If it stimulates you in one way or the other, it did cinema right. And Barton Fink did cinema right. At least for me.
This is a movie that says a lot of different things throughout, without necessarily leaving you with an answer to it all or with a point that goes across every visual or written statement. Some of the things doesn't even have enough filmic breadcrumbs laid out to even get half-way to understanding a particular thing, but that's fine. The movie is very lively overall, and often a film can be more fun when you are holding it between your hands until it jumps out and runs away, rather than catching it and putting it in a enclosed glass cage to study. Sure, there were clear points of this being personal work, for one, by the Coens. The thing about making a follow-up to a succes, more so when Hollywood comes knocking and wants to hold down you artistic roots and make something commercial. Something that isn't you. Being stuck in writer's block, while being frustrated, under pressure, fighting inner demons, having the creativeness sucked out of you, and so on... Barton Fink can definitely be seen as a statement to being your own, creative self. Let your art flow, or run wild, as it should. Barton Fink is the blood, sweat and tears almost being literally translated and presented through a picture, while also being a product, in and on itself, of said hard work...
I’m going to rate this, because I rate all the movies I watch, but as it should be clear with my above writing, this is going to be a “gentle ruling” with an allowance of the film to “breathe” and evolve in my head until I watch it again, and again, and perhaps it won’t even extend much in my rating of it, but as of now, this is a “film in progress” for me and it hasn’t settled quite yet.
I'll show you the life of the mind!!!!
you sure did, Ethan and Joel
++