The Ballad of Buster Scruggs | The Coen Brothers | Netflix Trailer

[cjfrbw]

Haven't seen this recent one on Netflix, but am a fan in general of Coen-ology. I was an early adopter of The Great Lebowski, apparently years before it became cult. I think that if you have the particular prism tones of existential irony, you will like them. If not, the movies probably make no sense except as a series of odd or oddly comic incidents.

 

[Rob181]

This was never designed (??) to be a movie. The movie initially began life as a six-episode series before the writer-directors compressed everything into a feature film. The Coens & Netflix should have retained the original concept - it would have made a ripper of a 6 part series with each episode shown weekly. - no need for continuity & a much better platform to showcase the Coens real talent.

 

[NorthStar]

"While some reports claimed the work would be a six-part television series, the Coens intended the stories to be seen together, structured them that way in the script they submitted to Annapurna, and shot the script as written.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a 2018 American western anthology film.
It premiered at the 75th Venice International Film Festival on August 31, 2018, where it won the Golden Osella Award for Best Screenplay and was released on November 16 on Netflix after a limited theatrical run. The National Board of Review named it as one of their top ten best films of 2018."
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I knew nothing else than seeing the trailer before I saw this film. It is only now that I am learning of what I saw and very much liked is also very much liked by international expert film pedigrees. They must have seen very similar to what I saw. Can they be wrong? I don't think so, not from my cinema book.

Look, this is no Marvel superhero comic strip. The Coen Brothers aren't into that stuff.
They are much more advanced intellectually. Their sharp writing is their main tool of the trade. Their storytelling is loved by millions across the globe, their cast actors love to be in their films because it's a real job for what they went to school for. They hire the best in the film industry; principal director of photography and music composers and costume designers and locale researchers and they put a tremendous effort in battling all the elements, the forces of nature and of Hollywood. You can easily tell by what you see on screen; the cinematography, the music, the actor's performances. This is cinema magic all across the years of dedication and hard work.

Check it out, open your eyes and your ears. Take the ride as it was intended; you'll succumb to their talented spell and everything around it. Judge the film for yourself and nobody else.
Don't even take my word for it because after all it's only an opinion, mine.
Me, it brought pleasure, entertainment, good time, splendor on the screen with amorous delight. And I'm saying all of this in the most and best positive way. Because that is exactly how I feel from my own eyes and ears and deepest soul.

Don't judge me for it, don't question me, judge the film, question the brothers, and we'll have the best film discussion of any movie forum of the internet. ...One of.

 

[NorthStar]

Yesterday I visited two film lovers, one is a screenwriter and filmmaker.
We were watching the news, watching real paintings, talking about everything worldwide and local...Canada and Scotland. Netflix came to the discussion out of the blue. They told me what they recommended two series and the latest Christmas flick...I think it's with Kurt Russell.
I'm not much into series unless it is based on real facts. The closest to reality the better in my book. We're all different when it comes to movies, series, TV, music, wine, food, cars, sports, cigars, ...all that Coltrane jazz.

Anyway I told them that I really enjoyed watching The Ballad of Buster Scruggs.
And with an enthusiastic reply they both said the same. The writer/filmmaker even said that he watched it twice! They highly complimented on the sharp dialog, the good humor, the beautiful cinematography, the songs...Irish origin. One of them two friends is Irish, an artist.

We had no clue until last evening that the three of us truly enjoyed that flick.
You should have seen the passion from their faces and their words.
One is in his mid sixties, the other late seventies. ...Two super good friends full of artistic values, human values, life's philosophies, travellers, family values.

The lady friend mentioned Shetland on Netflix. She said to give it a shot, a series (crime drrama) with Scotland's background. I think it's Scotland here their main interest. Anyway I might check it out, but I really doubt that I give it more than half hour. We're all different when it comes to series and films and music and economics and the time we take for each hobby and passion of life we have. ...Too many movies not enough time.

For this film here, we sure are on the same page. You would love meeting these two friends, they are the most lovely people around, part of my family.

Christmas is coming up, and there is so much happening. We take the greatest care in caring for our children and all children. Because we care, because music matters, because we love good films. Because everything is important, all of us. ... The Ballad of Buster Scruggs ... à ne pas manquer sur Netflix.

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

The Coen Brothers explained Fargo
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The Top Best Film(s) 2018

Man I tried, could not get through the second one, will try again later.

 

[NorthStar]

The bank robbery in the town where there is only one building...a bank.
The ending, only lasts three seconds, is the best part.

Oh, and when he said "First time?" to the guy crying and standing next to him.

This is ironic dramatic humor.

 

[Ron Resnick]

The trailer does not intrigue me at all.

 

[NorthStar]

Watch the movie instead Ron, it'll warm your heart with beautiful cinematography and fun humor.
Even the music tunes are superbly recorded. The motion picture music score is also top notch.
The acting is first rate. The dialog is impeccable. The six stories have all their own unique magic touches. This is filmmaking well artistically done with messages told between tears of drama and laughs of joy. This is moving theater across the American landscape. And what a beautiful landscape some parts where we are so lucky to live on; check chapter 4...All Gold Canyon.
Tom Waits even sings in it.

 

[NorthStar]

Then after watching it you tell me what you like and don't like; it'll be fun sharing our impressions.

 

[Folsom]

Ron, don't watch it. You'd be better off staring at more interconnect cables.

 

[NorthStar]

Ron, don't watch it. You'd be better off staring at more interconnect cables.

I like your positive attitude...one-way-street, your own.
You don't need to tell Ron, he doesn't like the trailer...end of the story. C'est la vie.
I said it before; we all have our own personal taste on movies, on music.
It's not because we hate something that someone else has to hate it too.

Last night I revisited The Tree of Life, the extended version on Blu-ray...3 hours long.
It's a beautiful film, but it's not for everyone. It's not a Western with western cowboy music, and it's not comic Disney Marvel flix. It's a masterpiece by a master filmmaker, emotionally impacting, human touch to the deepest soul, a film for adults with heart and spirit.

Each person makes his own judgement, we're all free. We review stuff, we write comments, we are true to ourselves, everyone is free to check for themselves. Without checking it means nothing, without being fully involved an opinion is not fully involving.

I highly recommend it; if you don't like it there is nothing to question your opinion, zero.
Live and let live. Be nice, skate on thin ice. This ballad is a beautiful ballad.
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Extra (because movies matter):

 

[cjfrbw]

You forgot the Coen's expression shots. They get their expression shots to perfection. Most movies are glad to have a couple of good ones. In Coen films, they are more or less continuous.

Look at the girl's expression as Lebowski is at the check out with the milk on his mustache.

 

[NorthStar]

Except that Lebowski is not a chapter in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, it's another film in itself.

I like 'True Grit' too, with the same actor...The Dude.

Carl, you have one of the best senses of humor here among all the WBF members, did you check 'The Ballad ...' yet?

 

[ngamountains]

This is my second post ever here so maybe my opinion doesn't count for much, but I watched this last night with my wife after reading this thread and seeing the debate about the quality/lack thereof. I am a big fan of other Coen brothers work (Big Lebowski, Burn After Reading to name three favorites), so figured I'd draw my own conclusion(s).

While I agree that there were certainly some clever elements intermingled throughout the six vignettes, overall I (and even moreso my wife) found this to be two plus hours of our lives we wish we had back. Sitting there paying attention for those clever elements amidst the ongoing tedium and wonderment was neither a productive nor terribly entertaining use of time. I can't even begin to grasp the attraction of repeatedly posting in this thread to micro-parse the elements of this film. If not a huge fan, proceed at your own (time wasting) risk, IMHO.

 

[NorthStar]

It doesn't matter if it's your first post or second or billionth one, your opinion matters.

When we are are passionate about the pursuit of the best sound from our audio gear it is normal to be deeply involved in this beautiful hobby. It is normal to describe our journey and share with others. It is normal to interact and without limitation of our passion. ...Music, films, paintings, ballets, operas, chorales, fine wines, cigars, cars, travels, architecture, theater, books, etc.

One question: This is not a debate, we like or we don't. ...The music, the film, etc.
What is it exactly that you and your wife lost on those two hours?

 

[ngamountains]

The ability to have been doing something more rewarding

 

[NorthStar]

Of course, we could always have done better. ...Go to a nice restaurant, cook a nice supper and dine by the candlelight, romance with a fine French wine, listen to Beethoven's Sixth, watch the world news, relax in the bathtub with our lover for couple hours, visit our daughter with our two grandchildren, etc.

Not long ago a friend asked me: "Bob, if you could go back in time what would you change?"
Guess what my answer was?

 

[NorthStar]

It is still very nice of you to share yours and your wife's view, waste of time watching this film, right here in this thread. It means something; what we like and don't compel us sometimes to share with others.

I mentioned if before and I mention it again; I know that I will watch it again, 100% certain.
I knew that before I even learned more; like my friend scriptwriter and filmmaker who watched it twice already.

By the way, this film was written on and off over a period of 20-25 years...more or less, life or death. The six chapters is one book, one film, one journey common to all mankind.
And it sure is an American Western, set in the West frontier of American history, which has many common traits with universal world history.

 

[ngamountains]

I would agree with an earlier poster that if this had been presented as a six-part series, each episode separate from that before and after, the way Netflix often delivers its content, in my opinion it would have been more effective. To each their own...

 

[NorthStar]

But this is not Netflix's film, it's the Coen Brother's film.
Netflix is just a theater, a money machine streaming theater.
The Coen Brothers are artists in the pure sense; they don't give a squirrel about money.

* Check the first paragraph of post #23