The TV Addict 

Due to the hectic holiday season, these reviews are somewhat delayed from when the movies actually arrived on DVD. However, that should not deter you from checking them out, especially those of you looking for New Years Eve viewing for either young or old(er).

BURN AFTER READING

Though BURN AFTER READING remains stylistically quintessential Cohen Brothers, as a follow up to NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN it’s certainly a sharp turn some might find jarring. That’s all the more the case when you realize it’s little more than an inconsequential manic lark that’s not a legitimate film so much as a showcase of how ridiculous it can make its stellar cast look. If not that, then it’s at least a showcase for how ridiculous and frivolous the Coen Brothers can get.  That’s not to say the film isn’t worth watching. It’s definitely absurdist, anarchic fun that may never amount to anything - which is, admittedly, the point - but should let you have a hell of a fun time watching these losers of varying degrees trying to get ahead in a race that’s been rigged from the start for them to fail. You’ll just finish watching, mutter “Huh,” and get on with your life after. Burn after viewing, if you will.

Overall rating: 3 out of 5 REELs

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The Coen Brothers’ latest film is just seemingly getting better and better in my view. Not only did we get the hilarious Red Band trailer recently, but the Coens have once again proven their admirable love for old genres and films by having the poster for BURN AFTER READING designed to be an obvious homage to the work of the legendary poster artist Saul Bass. Bass is one of those guys whose names you don’t know, but as soon as you see one of his posters you’ll immediately recognize them, and his particular style. You can check out several pages of his work here.

Now that the Coen Brothers have remerged into the spotlight with the help of No Country for Old Men, erasing everyone’s memory of some of their more recent films (Intolerable Cruelty, The Ladykillers), they seem to be lining up projects to keep them busy and riding their new wave of adulation. One of those projects will now be the adaptation of the critically well-received novel The Yiddish Policeman’s Union, by Pulitzer-Prize winning author, Michael Chabon.

I’ll admit that I’m slightly torn about this news. On the one hand, I’m excited about the idea that the Coen Brothers are adapting a book from the author who wrote one of my favorite novels, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, and whose earlier novel spawned one of my favorite films, Wonder Boys. 

On the other hand, the book quirky, humorous amalgam of noir-homage, murder mystery, and alternate history, which admittedly, sounds like something right up the Coen Brother’s alley. But you see, the reason I liked No Country so much was in a rare instance, they did a movie straight up serious, with very few moments of humor in it. Don’t get me wrong, the Brother’s have a great sense of absurdity, and I have enjoyed some of their more witty outings, but Blood Simple, Miller’s Crossing, No Country for Old Men, and Barton Fink (which, admittedly has a lot of humor in it, but it’s pretty dark, and it’s about Hollywood, so how could it not?) are the films of their that count as my favorites. I guess I’d like to see Ethan and Joel stick to films with the tone of No Country for a while longer. Regardless, you can rest assured I’ll still be checking out whatever they have in store for us next. Even Yiddish Policemen.

What about you, fair readers? Which incarnation of the Coen Brothers do you prefer? Funny and quirky or dark and serious?  Or a little of both?

Source: Variety