review: NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

Miramax  //  Buy from Amazon.com Llewelyn Moss finds a pickup truck surrounded by a sentry of dead men. A load of heroin and two million dollars in cash are still in the back trunk. When Moss takes the money, he sets off a chain reaction of catastrophic violence that not even the law -- namely aging, disillusioned Sheriff Bell -- can contain. Moss tries to evade his pursuers, in particular a mysterious mastermind who flips coins for human lives, as the crime drama broadens. What a powerful, gut-punch of a movie. A few friends had seen this film in the theater and highly recommended it, but of course I shun theaters (and the cow-like popcorn chewers) like the plague, so I waited until I received for review to sit down and enjoy. Of course, in the meantime, the film swept this year's Oscars, so I was pretty sure that I wasn't sitting down to watch a turd when I plopped the shiny disc into my DVD player. Sure enough, the film lived up to all the hype, and more. On the surface, this is a western crime drama - and in that's wildly successful - but the truly phenomenal cast, the classic Coen Brothers spin, and the powerful symbolism and commentary running under the surface make this a film I know I'm going to need to watch at least a couple more times to make sure I get the full effect of all the subtleties that are wonderfully mixed into this gripping tale. If you're just looking for a well-done movie to sit down & watch, this wil fit the bill... but if you also want some real meat on the bone, and like your movies with some true "heft," then you're sure to be delighted by this one. A true tour de force - very, very well done. Video A flawless 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer is included here, delivering a truly gorgeous viewing experience. Audio The Dolby 5.1 surround mix is warm, clean and very well done. Extras making-of featurette "Working with the Coens" featurette "Diary of a Country Sheriff" featurette trailers Closing Thoughts Mesmerizing, dramatic story + nice assortment of extras = truly great movie well worth checking out