No Country for Old Men
This Coen brothers/Cormac McCarthy quasi-western crime thriller is only flawed by its excessive exactitude, which borders on nihilism and makes it unappealing for repeated viewings. Though a heroin deal goes horribly wrong, a small-time criminal (Josh Brolin) is chased by a nearly supernatural hitman (Javier Bardem in an instantly recognizable performance—and haircut). There isn’t a false note to be found in this cascading nightmare of carnage. It is a somber investigation of where fate ends and self-determination begins, playing out against the stark nothingness of the American west. It is austere, methodical, and unforgiving.
No Country For Old Men
Get Out
When a young Black man (Daniel Kaluuya) nervously visits the upstate New York house of his wealthy girlfriend’s family and finds craziness that transcends the usual cultural and social strata, this dark sci-fi fairytale resembles an episode of The Twilight Zone in some respects. While creating a perfect metaphor for the Black experience in a “post-racism” America where those in positions of power pretend that inequality and injustice are remnants of an earlier, unenlightened era and even while they continue to benefit from both in terrible and transformative ways, Jordan Peele’s wry screenplay blends surreal laughs with genuine horror.
Get Out
