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The Coen Brothers

Joel and Ethan Coen arrived on the scene in 1984 with their twisted neo-noir film Blood Simple . From there they have forged a reputation as subversive auteurs with a string of classics including Fargo (1996), The Big Lebowski (1998), and No Country for Old Men (2007). This year, Ethan Coen stepped out on his own to direct Drive-Away Dolls, and we’ve taken the opportunity to look at what defines a Coen film. Misadventure From a botched kidnapping in Blood Simple , to macabre mishaps in Fargo and mistaken identity in The Big Lebowski , Coen Brothers’ films often centre around shady and inept characters digging themselves deeper into trouble while trying to get themselves out. Harsh justice Characters in their films also receive swift and harsh justice, but it’s not always the bad guys who pay the price. Good people can find themselves injured (or worse) because of the criminal behaviour of others, making for an unpredictable and subversive twist to the respective genre. Déjà vu There’s familiarity to their work and pivotal scenes often come with a sense of déjà vu. It could be criminal flunkies engaged in mindless front seat banter, or meek wrongdoers begging for mercy - or perhaps visual cues and cinematography that resemble past outings. It’s all part of the Coen Brothers’ cinematic language.

MAY

What’s a movie you saw as a child that has left a lasting impression on you? I rewatch The Lord of the Rings

(it counts as one movie) at least once a year. After 20 years, it’s still just as awe-inspiring and near perfection. Absolutely nothing like it. What’s one of your all-time favourite films, and why? Little Miss Sunshine will always sit at the centre of my heart. The most dysfunctional family road trip that’s equal parts hilarious, heartwarming, and dark. One of the few perfect little movies. What’s one of your all-time favourite TV series, and why? It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia is the opposite of your typical sitcom. No one learns their lesson, and they’re all the most unlikeable people on Earth who just yell over each other in the grossest bar in Philly. And it’s hilarious. What have you been watching lately that you’d recommend? I’m in Dune mode. Villenueve’s first is phenomenal, and Part Two is even better. I want to recommend Lynch’s Dune , but that movie is shockingly rough (watch Lost Highway instead).

’ s ROVING REPORTER

On The Radar

JACOB WILLIAMS @ JB Hi-Fi [HOME] Gepps Cross, SA

June is shaping up to be a colossal month, with some heavy hitters arriving

on physical media. Make some room on your shelves for Dune: Part Two, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire , and the latest Blumhouse teddy bear fright-flight Imaginary .

What’s the best thing about working at JB? To be sappy, coming into work and being greeted by a lovely team of like-minded co workers who get along as a cohesive unit.

QUIZ

Carpenter’s movie Escape from New York ? Q3 What were the last two films released in Cinemascope? Q4 Which 1995 thriller movie’s main character has a name that is an anagram of the actor’s real name? Q5 Which legendary British music manager was previously a movie extra appearing in such

Spanish actor to win an Academy Award ? Q7 “Made it Ma - top of the world!” The actor and the film? Q8 What was the first horror movie to win a ‘Best Picture’ Oscar? Q9 And what was the first horror movie to be nominated for the ‘Best Picture’ Award? Q10 Which actor’s final film role features him initially as a caricature of the “Oregon Kid” wearing a long-haired wig and false beard?

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IN DEVELOPMENT

SNL 1975 Director Jason Reitman is teaming up with his Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire co-writer Gil Kenan to bring us SNL 1975 , a biographical film that will chronicle the events leading up to the premiere of the comedy institution Saturday Night Live . The huge ensemble cast includes Gabriel LaBelle ( The Fablemans ) as Lorne Michaels, Dylan O’Brien ( Maze Runner ) as Dan Aykroyd, and Cory Michael Smith ( First Man ) as Chevy Chase. Other players include Finn Wolfhard ( Stranger Things ), Ella Hunt ( Bottoms ), Cooper Hoffman ( Licorice Pizza ), J.K. Simmons ( Whiplash ), and Willem Dafoe ( Poor Things ). Filming is underway with a release date yet to be set.

Q1 In which John Ford movie did John Wayne’s character state several times “Never apologise. It’s a sign of weakness”? Q2 Who provided the voice of the computer in John

films as The Guns of Navarone (1961) and Cleopatra (1963)? Q6 Who was the first

APRIL 2024 (Issue 2234) ANSWERS - A1. Krakatoa: East of Java (Krakatoa is west of Java) A2. John Sturges directed Sergeants Three starring Sinatra and his Rat Pack A3. Lassie the rough collie A4. James Dean in Has Anyone Seen My Gal A5. Red Dust & Mogambo , both starring Clark Gable A6. Sergio Leone A7. Mack Sennett A8. His gun a Beretta, to be swapped for a Walther PPK A9. New York A10. Hidden Fortress , directed by Akira Kurosawa

18 MAY 2024

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