Barton Fink

This was my third time watching the film and I have to say that I think it is a masterpiece. Sure, not everything is spelled out, but I didn't mind that. The ending is very poetic and worked on me on a few levels. I think Turturro is a brilliant actor with the right script, and this was the right script. He's funny and odd but he can also play a complex range of emotions like sadness, defeat, manic delusion. He's a firecracker of an actor.

The cinematography is incredible, using yellows and browns primarily with some peeling wall paper and distinguished doorways, which brings me to the sound design: very funny. Every time a hotel door opens or shuts, we get a whirring sound, as if the hallway is some sort of other worldly vaccuum.

John Goodman also does amazing work as the easy going next door neighbor with his own story to tell..if only Barton would listen!

Everyone in this film is amazing...the secretary, the alcoholic writer, the agent in particular is so funny I almost spit my drink out. The studio head has a jazz quartet speech rhythm. The Coen's took really good care casting apt players for their very classy comedy thriller. Surprisingly, the only cast member who didn't shine like the rest was Steve Buscemi, because his role was so limited, although there is one scene where he rubber necks for a good spell and I got a nice laugh out of that elongated moment.

Also, the writing in this movie is tremendous. Not so much just the dialog, which is crisp and tasty, but the actual screenplay..we get loud close ups of a typewriter after Fink ruminates for a long while, we think he is going to work, but alas, it's just a scene change starting with a hum drum office secretary where it's soon revealed, that Barton is waiting to report on his progress nervously in the corner.

This is truly great film making and may be one of, if not my very top nom, so far...