interesting take on foster's character. although i kind of saw it as a mix of helping his brother ("because you asked, little brother", starting to cry in his mom's room, killing his dad that beat on all of them) and what he saw as his destiny in prison or death (tells pine's character his son will be alright if he turns left where i turned right, not flinching when the kid at the gas station pulled a gun, etc).

Yeah, I definitely saw hints of both sides with him. Just felt like I was supposed to assume I know why he ended things the way he did, without them really developing that side of him. But I'm probably being too picky.

The ending scene was so perfect.

Marcus drives out to Toby's ranch to "talk it out". There is a moment of tense confrontation which is diffused when Toby's family drives up. Later, Toby tells Marcus that he is renting a place in town and he is welcome to come by to finish the conversation. There is talk about "giving each other some peace". The first time I saw the movie I thought this was an attempt at reconciliation. But the second time I saw it I thought, whoa, they would like to blow each other away.... Toby to avenge his brother and Marcus to avenge his partner. I'd love to hear some thoughts on it.

So the criticism that it is too much like No Country for Old Men is incorrect?

That is way incorrect. It will remind you of NCFOM, but it's not nearly as dark and brutal.

The only reconciliation they want to make is to off each other...with extreme prejudice.

wesag said:

---

So the criticism that it is too much like No Country for Old Men is incorrect?

---

Well, they are both "modern Westerns" that are set somewhere in Texas--but yeah, I don't see them as too similar.

The Chigurh character in No Country embodies metaphysical questions about the nature of evil and our reaction to it. His way of being is elemental to the story, and there is no attempt to explain it.

The decisions made by the characters in Hell or High Water are all very understandable, even those we don't agree with.

Oscars were announced this morning. Jeff Bridges nominated for best supporting actor.

Running list of nominations


BEST PICTURE
SUPPORTING ACTOR - Jeff Bridges
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
EDITING

I loved HoHW, but I agree. unfortunately it won't win. It's tied as my top movie of the year with Manchester by the Sea. I'm hoping the latter wins best picture...It at least has a shot.

Just saw this movie. Holy hell, best movie I have seen in a long time. Jeff Bridges is fantastic and so is Ben Foster. I'm so so on Pine. He just couldn't pull off West Texas boy. Still seemed to scream Hollywood to me the whole time. But damn, what a movie! I won't say I saw the ending coming bc I didn't; But it was definitely one of the several directions I thought it could go.

This movie was outstanding.

i agree about Pine but not because I don't think he did a good job in this role. I just think foster and bridges came across so natural in their roles it devalues his performance.

Great movie!

ttha_aggie_09 said:

---

i agree about Pine but not because I don't think he did a good job in this role. I just think foster and bridges came across so natural in their roles it devalues his performance.

Great movie!

---

If there's an early trend on Sheridan written films, it's that his supporting roles are fantastic and can sometimes drive the story over the lead.

It makes sense considering he says his writing style is to keep plots as simple as possible and focus on the characters. That tends to lead to very strong ensembles.

Isn't there another Sheridan film coming out soon?

ttha_aggie_09 said:

---

Isn't there another Sheridan film coming out soon?

---

Wind River. His directorial debut.

I saw the film a few weeks ago. It came across as a poor man's NCFOM. No Country captured that Texas essence and feel perfectly. Hell seemed like it was just trying to rip it off.

None of the characters were likeable - I wanted them to get busted by the fuzz. I like Bridges, but you can't beat a true Texan being Texan like Tommy Lee Jones. A solid meh from me.

I drove bus said:

---

To each their own. But you're in the minority.

---

I understand. I was looking forward to it as NCFOM is one of my top 3 movies of all time. Maybe my high expectations ruined it a little for me.

No Country for Old Men was a prestigious Oscar pic from the get-go, released at the height of Oscar season, directed by two icons of cinema, The Coen Brothers, and featured one of the most memorable characters of the past decade in Anton Chigurh.

Hell or High Water released in August - usually a dumping ground for studios - from a director with only one other semi-notable credit (Starred Up), and from the trailers, honestly kind of sort of looked like a bargain bin western. "Fluke" is the wrong word, but the fact that it ended up being as great as it was, and met the acclaim it did, was not expected in the least. Even with all the praise and Oscar nominations since then, it's surprising to me that anyone would expect NCFOM-level greatness. I obviously loved HOHW, but the pedigree for that kind of expectation just isn't there.

I'm likely over-analyzing it, and it's probably as simple as two, critically acclaimed, Texas-set westerns being measured against each other, but I would have thought that it would be fairy easy to distinguish the difference in reception and pop culture impact. Not to jump all over you for not loving it or anything, it's just genuinely interesting to me how/why people compare/contrast the movies they do, and the standards they hold them to.

Sorry, also meant this as a reply to Kashchei.

I give Chris Pine a thumbs up in this movie based on the way he pronounced "Ruidoso". Sounded like a West Texan to me.

Also how could you not like Jeff Bridges' old codger Marcus? A less disillusioned character than Tommy Lee's Ed Tom in NCFOM, but still authentic.


I doubt we'll see any academy awards for HOHW, but for me it's still the best of the year.

Finally saw this. Damn good movie.

Just finished it. Fantastic. Liked it almost as much as The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada and a bit more than NCFOM.

Happy Oscars Day. Rooting for at least one win for what ultimately was my favorite film of 2016

Watching this movie as we speak, I love it so far. Such a great Texan movie.

What's everyone's favorite dialogue from this movie?

The "what don't ya want?" is great, Mr pibb is funny, but the Comanche scene I think is my favorite

We ain't got no *******ed trout

Boring. Wow. Bridges sounds like True Grit.

Bunk Moreland said:

---

What's everyone's favorite dialogue from this movie?

---

"Lord of the Plains"