No Country for Old Men

[mack 44]

Instant classic and I'm sure most of the grief (if any) comes from people not liking the ending. Now I'll have to dig up the book and give 'er a go and see how the movie held up. Javier Bardem is the scariest person with a dutch boy haircut since the "Berries 'n Creme!" freak for Starburst.

[LegoDoom 0]

Definitely a creepy character. I didn't read the book, but I'd have to think that Woody Harrelson's character has more background in the book. In the movie, he just seemed a bit out of place.

[mack 44]

That he did, especially with how well he appeared to be able to handle himself and then...yeah. Pretty much a waste. As much as I can like the ending though, I don't like the way it was handled with Moss although that may lead into the open-ended ending.

[LegoDoom 0]

What didn't you like about how it was handled with Moss? I think the ending was fine, although it will be far from popular. I liked how it made Anton vulnerable (human). The TLJ dream recollection at the end could have been better. Again, probably something that was expanded on in the book.

And not that I think they'll do it, but it would be a cool prequel to make about how Anton got to be in the police car in the beginning.

[mack 44]

I liked the ending and definitely felt like I was in the minority overhearing people walking out of the theatre around us. The explanation of dreams about lulled me to sleep though.

As for Moss, it seems to work the way it was done but it's always just a wincing feeling when someone who's been built up as a character is dealt with off-screen. What I liked about it is you don't necessarily know what happened to the money, though it does seem Anton knew to look in the vent beforehand.

A prequel would be cool simply for more Anton, but I like how there's no background on him because it adds to the effect off his creepiness.

[LegoDoom 0]

As for Moss, it seems to work the way it was done but it's always just a wincing feeling when someone who's been built up as a character is dealt with off-screen.

I didn't think of it that way, but I see what you're saying. I guess I figured there wasn't much to show and it could be easily gathered what happened to Moss.

What I liked about it is you don't necessarily know what happened to the money, though it does seem Anton knew to look in the vent beforehand.

I assumed he found it in the vent, but I guess that's not even a good assumption.

A prequel would be cool simply for more Anton, but I like how there's no background on him because it adds to the effect off his creepiness.

I like how there's no background as well, but the fact that he's so amazingly good at what he does just adds to the intrigue of how he was in the cruiser at the beginning of the movie.

[mack 44]

Re: the money, we talked about it and the few of us who went to see it had varying conclusions and without reading the book and until I do, it's kind of up in the air what happened. Anton could have found the money and then taken what was left to whomever and just came back for Moss's wife because he had said he would. That said though, the wife sounded like she had received some/all of the money since she said there wasn't any left - not that she never got it. So that could explain the marks in the dust showing the money being removed from the vent.

I'm thinking (well, hoping) the cops got Anton before the movie on something really minor because if they had know what he was capable of it wouldn't have been one deputy, let alone one dumb enough to leave him on a bench with his back to him. I'd settle for a diagram showing who was all involved with the deal/money and why, because you had Jimmy J who hired Wells and Anton; Mexicans all over the place; the guys in suits Anton came to the site with; then obviously someone else in charge because Anton would have given money back to someone after he had dealt with Jimmy J.

Other things that seemed open-ended (and what I presumed was obvious) can be taken other ways too. The instance I'm talking about is with Moss's wife. You see her talking to Anton and then later him leaving the house and wiping/checking his shoes, so I figured he took care of her. Then you see how he's acting a little different, like maybe he had a change of heart(?) and didn't do anything.

[LegoDoom 0]

Anton could have found the money and then taken what was left to whomever and just came back for Moss's wife because he had said he would. That said though, the wife sounded like she had received some/all of the money since she said there wasn't any left - not that she never got it.

I figured he came back for Moss' wife because he said he would. He seems like he does things because he has to and that he has no choice in doing so. The closest thing that he leaves to choice or chance is by flipping a coin. But I honestly didn't catch that she said there wasn't any money left. Either way, he had to deal with the wife because he said he would, whether she had any of the money or not.

[mack 44]

Yeah, that's one of the things I liked about him and that interested me about him. As skewed as they were, he was a slave to some sort of principles even if they weren't as 'normal' as most people's.

I'm pretty sure she said she had mentioned there wasn't (much) money left, because she mentioned bills and how she hadn't even paid for her mother's funeral. I'm sure there won't be another movie off this and can only hope there are other books with Anton in them.

"Look at that fucking bone..."

[LegoDoom 0]

I'm pretty sure she said she had mentioned there wasn't (much) money left, because she mentioned bills and how she hadn't even paid for her mother's funeral. I'm sure there won't be another movie off this and can only hope there are other books with Anton in them.

But didn't Moss give her some money before he left? Am I just making that up?

[mack 44]

Damn, I was thinking about seeing it again anyway and not I know I'm going to have to. I don't remember him giving her any money when they separated, but if he did I can only imagine it was enough to travel and eat on because when he told her to meet him at the Sands motel he was going to give her the rest to take on her plane trip.

[LegoDoom 0]

I remember him taking out a few stacks of money, which i assumed to be in stacks of $10k. But maybe I'm not remembering right, because that would have had to have been before he found the transmitter. Right?

[mack 44]

He did take some money out, but I thought that was when he went out and bought the shotgun, tents, etc. I'm curious as to how much was in the satchel because at first I saw about 6 stacks of $10k across, figuring that went down around maybe 10 stacks deep. Then you see some of the stacks had $1s and I thought $10s in there.

Another thing I wondered about and I guess I have to give it up to it just being a movie, is why did he get rid of the .45 and H&K he found at the drug site? He stashed them under his trailer but didn't have them on his road trip. Then later on after he fought Anton at the hotel, he took Anton's Tek-9 but then apparently never kept it after that.

[LegoDoom 0]

I'm curious as to how much was in the satchel because at first I saw about 6 stacks of $10k across, figuring that went down around maybe 10 stacks deep. Then you see some of the stacks had $1s and I thought $10s in there.

I figured the only stack with the $1's was the one that had the hole cut out for the transponder. But I guess you can't be sure. It was a crap load of drugs, so I figured it was a lot of money.

[mack 44]

It was definitely in that stack but I thought I saw it in other stacks when he was looking for the transponder. As for the drugs, I keep thinking that Anton was sent out to make sure his boss got the drugs and cash, like they were out to screw the Mexicans.

[Jason Harris 31]

As you are the only two discussing the movie, I must say the repartee reminds me of Siskel and Ebert.... :D

[mack 44]

Hah, I guess I should have figured it wouldn't be a movie the majority of members would see.

[LegoDoom 0]

I just caught Gone Baby Gone this afternoon and could spend some time talking about that one as well ;)

Michael Clayton was on my list, but it just stopped playing at local theaters last week.

[mack 44]

So GBG is good? It didn't last long enough in theatres here for me to see it, though I wanted to. I'll have to check it out at the beer theatre or DVD then.

I didn't want to see Michael Clayton and had minute interest in Lions for Lambs but that's already down to one showing daily.

[LegoDoom 0]

As for the drugs, I keep thinking that Anton was sent out to make sure his boss got the drugs and cash, like they were out to screw the Mexicans.

I was thinking this as well, but it still doesn't explain the shootout that allowed Moss to stumble across the whole thing. Unless the initial idea was for the buyers to kill the Mexicans and it didn't turn out quite as planned.

So GBG is good? It didn't last long enough in theatres here for me to see it, though I wanted to. I'll have to check it out at the beer theatre or DVD then.

I liked it. The characters were good. The plot was good. I thought it was a little too obvious/predictable, but there were some twists and there was definitely some depth that sparked some good conversation afterwards. Although I'm wondering if Ben Affleck knows that there are other places in the world other than Boston.

[mack 44]

Well it's his first movie that I know of, so I guess he just wanted to shoot where he knew. I liked his anecdotes about shooting on-location and paying extras at bars with rounds of drinks.

As for the No Country, I'm thinking there's just no explanation for the mess at the beginning other than that's what sets off the movie. I also wonder what Anton was going to be there for as it seemed like he didn't know about the transponder at first.

[LegoDoom 0]

Well, I guess I was thinking of Good Will Hunting as well.

I guess the only thing I didn't like about NCFOM was that it seemed kind of similar to Fargo. Maybe just as far as how the scenery and some of the locals were depicted. Even still, that wasn't much of a detractor at all.

[mack 44]

You know, during the movie it never once reminded me of Fargo but people told me that it reminded them afterwards, then it made sense. I have to say I like this one a lot more though. Maybe I just like Southern accents over those god-awful midwestern ones.

I loved how it didn't have a score though; I think that's what really set off some of the tension.

[LkptTiger 1]

Based on the conversation here and on a review recently published in a local "artsy" paper I was reading whilst on the shitter, I've come to the conclusion that No Country for Old Men is probably worth a look. I haven't set-foot in a movie theatre in quite awhile, but it looks like this movie is going to get me out to one sometime in the not-too-distant future.

I'll likely end-up checking in on Gone Baby Gone, too; I've never seen a bad movie set in Boston - with or without Matt Damon.

(I might swing by Hollywood Video on my way home from the rink tonight and rent Fargo - I've heard terrific things and people keep telling me that I HAVE to see it. I'm in the mood for a sure thing this evening.)

[LegoDoom 0]

Re: the money, we talked about it and the few of us who went to see it had varying conclusions and without reading the book and until I do, it's kind of up in the air what happened. Anton could have found the money and then taken what was left to whomever and just came back for Moss's wife because he had said he would. That said though, the wife sounded like she had received some/all of the money since she said there wasn't any left - not that she never got it. So that could explain the marks in the dust showing the money being removed from the vent.

When talking about it with a friend who also saw it, he pointed out that Anton paid the kid a $100 for the shirt. Not saying that it's unusual to have a $100 bill, but it certainly gives a hint to the idea that he wound up with the money.