Iron Man (2008) - Favreau's overrated MCU launchpad

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Carefully calculated stars and action elements inhabit this poster for Jon Favreau's Iron Man

Super weapons dealer Tony Stark is taken captive in Afghanistan and uses his engineering abilities there to create a deadly metal suit. Once he makes it back to California, he has to fight to retain control of his giant company!

 

Iron Man is written by Mark Fergus (First Snow (2006)), Matt Holloway (Uncharted (2022)), Art Marcum (Shadow of Fear (2004)) and Hawk Ostby (Childred of Men (2006)), based on the Marvel Comics character first presented in 1962, and directed by great New-Yorker filmmaker Jon Favreau (Made (2001)), who also plays a small part in the film. It is the first film in Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as well as in the Iron Man franchise.

It is undeniably insensitive and in very poor taste to launch a new superhero franchise by setting it amid a real, active war (the US-led War on Terror in Afghanistan), as is done in Iron Man, which ages fast, - and poorly. Less than 10 years after its release, it already looked like an uninspired, jingoistic assortment, - at any rate to everyone who has passed their teenage level of maturity life period. The eternally servile Pepper Potts character, played by Gwyneth Paltrow (Shakespeare in Love (1998)), is a backwards-leaning, weak female component in the film. Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow (2005)) is neither funny nor very good as Stark's US Air Force liaison and friend. And the action scenes are well set up but mostly consists of one CGI tin man pitted against another.

Jeff Bridges (The Fisher King (1991)) is like a totally different man than we normally know him as the corporate villain here, while Robert Downey Jr. (Due Date (2010)), - in his career's full throttle career comeback role, - is in his ace. The two make this weak franchise opener a bearable if not really worthwhile affair.

 

Related posts:

Jon Favreau: Top 10: Best Disney movies reviewed by Film Excess to date 

2016 in films - according to Film Excess
The Jungle Book (2016) - Favreau's great, widest appealing movie to date
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess   
Iron Man 2 (2010) - Favreau and Theroux's boisterous, entertaining sequel

Top 10: Best family movies reviewed by Film Excess to date 

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II] 

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

2003 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

Elf (2003) - Favreau and Ferrell supply belly laughs and Christmas magic 

Something's Gotta Give (2003) - Meyers, Jack & Diane are a killer combo (co-star)

 

 

Watch a trailer for the movie here

 

Cost: 140 mil. $

Box office: 585.7 mil. $

= Big hit (returned 4.18 times its cost)

[Iron Man premiered 14 April (Sydney, Australia) and runs 126 minutes. Development had been ongoing since 1990. The film changed hands from Universal Pictures to Fox to New Line Cinema to Marvel Studios over the course of the following years, with talents Stuart Gordon, Tom Cruise, Nicolas Cage, Quentin Tarantino, Joss Whedon, David Goyer, Nick Cassavetes and others being involved at different times. Downey Jr. was paid anywhere between 500k to 5 mil. $ for his performance (different sources; the 5 mil. $ may well have been a final sales-based compensation whereas the 500k $ was the guaranteed base pay); Howard got 3.5 mil. $. Shooting took place from March - June 2007 in Las Vegas, Nevada, California, including in Los Angeles, and in India. The film opened #1 to a 98.6 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it remained at #1 for another weekend and then spent another 3 in the top 5, grossing 318.6 mil. $ (54.4 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 34.2 mil. $ (5.8 %) and South Korea with 25.1 mil. $ (4.3 %). The film was nominated for 2 Oscars: Best Sound Editing, lost to The Dark Knight, and Visual Effects, lost to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It was also nominated for a BAFTA and a Grammy and won an AFI award, among many other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 4/4 star review, translating to 4 notches over this one. Favreau returned with Iron Man 2 (2010), the next in the Iron Man franchise, with returning stars, minus Howard who was replaced over a pay dispute. Downey Jr. returned with an uncredited cameo in The Incredible Hulk (2008) and with an actual performance in Tropic Thunder (2008). Iron Man is certified fresh at 94 % with a 7.70/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Iron Man?

Hell or High Water (2016) - Outskirts men revolt in Mackenzie and Sheridan's excellent crime drama

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+ Best Car Movie of the Year + Best Heist Movie of the Year + Best Texas Movie of the Year

 

Earthy, bright hues color this poster for David Mackenzie's Hell or High Water

A couple of middle-aged brothers rob branches of a small Texan bank with an unknown purpose and get a soon to be retired ranger and his partner on their trail.

 

Hell or High Water is written by Taylor Sheridan (Sicario (2015)) and directed by David Mackenzie (The Last Great Wilderness (2002)).

It is a cool crime drama with affinity for 'the little man', - in this case the man from the country, who hasn't seen the progress of the new millennium but has instead just gotten poorer and exploited by the bank to boot. The film is rich in Texan flavor and characters and is led by four esteemed performances: Jeff Bridges (R.I.P.D. (2013)) and Gil Chesterton (Wind River (2017)) are funny as the friendly-teasing partners; Chris Pine (A Wrinkle in Time (2018)) is a torn up survivor, and Ben Foster (Inferno (2016)) goes head-first into his devil-may-care criminal character who has lost himself in the fringes and knows it, - a formidable performance.

The film is well shot (cinematography by Giles Nuttgens (Grain (2017))) with an eye for wide panoramas (that could make one expect a horse opera) and the big cars that stand out beautifully in this solid man's picture.

 

Related post:

 

David Mackenzie: 2016 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]

Hallam Foe/Mister Foe (2007) - Bell charms again in Mackenzie's flawed romantic drama

 

Watch a trailer for the film here

 

Cost: 12 mil. $

Box office: 37.9 mil. $

= Box office success (returned 3.15 times its cost)

[Hell or High Water premiered 16 May (Cannes Film Festival, Un Certain Regard section) and runs 102 minutes. Shooting took place from May - July 2015 in New Mexico. The film opened #20 to a 621k $ first weekend in 20 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #8 and in 1,505 theaters (different weeks), grossing 27 mil. $ (71.2 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 2.1 mil. $ (5.5%) and France with 1.7 mil. $ (4.5 %). The film was nominated for 5 Oscars, winning none: It lost Best Picture to Moonlight, Supporting Actor (Bridges) to Mahershala Ali in Moonlight, Original Screenplay to Kenneth Lonergan for Manchester by the Sea and Editing to Hacksaw Ridge. It was also nominated for 3 BAFTAs, won an AFI award, won 1/3 Independent Spirit awards, was nominated for 3 Golden Globes and won 2 National Board of Review awards, among other honors. Mackenzie returned with Outlaw King (2018). Bridges returned in The Only Living Boy in New York (2017); Pine in Star Trek Beyond (2016); and Foster in Warcraft (2016). Hell or High Water is certified fresh at 97 % with an 8.50/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Hell or High Water?

The Fisher King (1991) - Gilliam and Co. win with unpredictable story with major heart and amazing Williams

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A long, loony tagline and a wonderfully intense photo of the two stars make up this beloved poster for Terry Gilliam's The Fisher King

A New York radio host, who is smarter than his own good, becomes implicitly guilty of a massacre and descends into depression, until he one day meets one of the relatives of a victim of the massacre.

The Fisher King is written by Richard LaGravanese (The Comedian (2016)) and directed by Minnesotan master filmmaker Terry Gilliam (Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)), whose 6th feature it is.
Robin Williams (The Best of Times (1986)) gives one of his all-time most touching and intense performances here in Gilliams' lively, extraordinary, incredible film. Mercedes Ruhl (Bad Apple (2004, TV movie)) is also formidable in The Fisher King; her couple's scenes with Jeff Bridges (R.I.P.D. (2013)) are beautifully observed. Furthermore Michael Jeeter (Bank Robber (1993)) is memorable in a supporting part.
The Fisher King is an emotional ride that one remembers!

Related posts:

Terry Gilliam: The Brothers Grimm (2005) - Gilliam's European misadventure sort-of entertains

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) - Depp's Thompson lives and breathes in Gilliam's outrageous, drug-fueled masterpiece

12 Monkeys (1995) or, What's the Time?

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 24 mil. $
Box office: 41.8 mil. $ (North America only)
= Uncertain
[The Fisher King premiered 10 September (Venice Film Festival, Italy) and runs 137 minutes. Shooting took place in New York and Los Angeles, California from May - August 1990. Gilliam devised the Grand Central Station waltz scene himself. The film opened in 10 theaters to a 311k$ first weekend in North America, peaking at #1 the following week, which it retained for another 2 weeks, before spending one week as #3 and one as #4, before leaving the top 5, grossing 41.8 mil. $ domestically. The film would have to gross 60 mil. $ to break even, which it likely did, but this is strictly speculation. It was nominated for 5 Oscars, winning one, for Best Supporting Actress (Ruhl, her only ever nomination). It lost Actor (Williams) to Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs, Art/Set Decoration to Bugsy, Score (George Fenton) to Alan Menken for Beauty and the Beast and Original Screenplay to Callie Khouri for Thelma & Louise. It won 2/5 Golden Globe nominations, was nominated for 2 BAFTAs, won 3 awards in Venice and a bunch of other honors. Roger Ebert gave the film a 2/4 star review, translating to 3 notches harder than this one. Gilliam returned with Twelve Monkeys (1995). Williams returned in Hook (1991), Bridges in American Heart (1992). The Fisher King is certified fresh at 83 % with a 6.96/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Fisher King?

The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989) or, The Seattle Jazz Squabbles

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The three stars stand awkwardly close while grinning on this uncomfortable poster for Steve Kloves' The Fabulous Baker Boys

Two piano-playing brothers in Seattle are forced to reinvent their jazz act and decide to add a sexy escort as a singer, SPOILER who naturally embarks on a relationship with one of them, and there's the trouble.

The Fabulous Baker Boys is written and directed by debuting Steve Kloves (Wonder Boys (2000), screenplay). For me it is a tedious downer; though it was highly praised by critics at its release.
It feels pseudo-sophisticated and is filled with mellow jazz. Michelle Pfeiffer (Grease 2 (1982)) plays the sexpot singer, and she was practically worshiped for her sexual radiance, which to me, - although I like her as an actress, - is not earth-shattering here, (she is way sexier in Tim Burton's masterpiece Batman Returns (1992) in my opinion.) Kloves' script is not believable and not thought through on more than one occasion here.
The story is driven by some torpid characters, especially Jeff Bridges' (Pablo (2012)) Jack. The trio seem like they are slumbering through quite a few scenes, and not many scenes stand out for good, but those that do are: SPOILER Bridges going amuck at a charity show; the brothers starting a fight; and Bridges and Pfeiffer reconnecting in the end.
The Fabulous Baker Boys is way overrated; it is overall a poor film.

Related posts:

Steve Kloves: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010) - Harry's abysmally dour and long penultimate chapter (screenplay) 
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) or, The Anemic British Teen Wizards Fly Again! (screenplay)
Mentioned movie: Batman Returns (1992) - Burton gives us the ultimate, Gothic spin on Gotham City and its sinister characters

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 11.5 mil. $
Box office: 18.4 mil. $ (North America only)
= Uncertain
[The Fabulous Baker Boys was released 13 October (USA) and runs 114 minutes. Only 3 years after Kloves' script was acquired was the film green-lit. Pfeiffer trained voraciously to be able to do her own singing in the film. Shooting took place from December 1988 - March 1989 in Seattle, Washington and in California, including Los Angeles. The film opened #6 to a 3.3 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it declined from then. The film's international gross numbers are not made public. If it made 25 mil. $ total, it would rate as a flop, but if it made 30 mil. $, it would count as a box office success; both scenarios are possible. The film was nominated for 4 Oscars, winning none: It lost Best Actress to Jessica Tandy in Driving Miss Daisy, Cinematography (Michael Ballhaus) to Freddie Francis for Glory, Editing to Born on the Fourth of July and Score (Dave Grusin) to Alan Menken for The Little Mermaid. The film won 1/2 Golden Globe nominations, 1/3 BAFTA noms, a Grammy, 2 National Board of Review awards and many other honors. Roger Ebert gave it a 3.5/4 star review, translating to 3 notches higher than this review. Kloves returned with Flesh and Bone (1993). J. Bridges returned in Texasville (1990); his co-star big brother Beau Bridges (Stargate SG-1 (2005-07)) in Just Another Secret (1989, TV movie) and theatrically in The Wizard (1989); Pfeiffer in The Russia House (1990). The Fabulous Baker Boys is fresh at 96 % with a 7.41/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of The Fabulous Baker Boys?

Tron: Legacy (2010) - Feast your eyes on Garrett Hedlund in dazzling sci-fi sequel

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1 Film Excess nomination:

Best Digital Effects (lost to Alice in Wonderland)

 

One of the exciting, neon-heavy posters for Joseph Kosinsk's Tron: Legacy

 

The son of a media mogul, who vanishes in his childhood, finds as a young man a way into an alternate, digital reality, where is father has been the whole time.

Tron: Legacy is the sequel to Steven Lisberger's TRON (1982), the first computer-animated feature film, a Disney release that flopped at the time but has since become a cult item among some. Lisberger returned to produce the second film, which is written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz (Once Upon a Time (2011-16), creators, both) and directed by debuting Joseph Kosinski (Oblivion (2013)).

The film starts really well. It has an incredible look; super-polished, futuristic, beautifully designed and part-animated. Somewhere around half way into Tron: Legacy, I zoned out of it for a bit, because the story turns very abstract. - There is also something about almost totally animated action scenes that can often (as here) only be exciting and wow us up to a certain point. 

Michael Sheen (Heartlands (2002)) channels David Bowie in his performance, which is a little strange, (take that as a recommendation or a warning.) Garrett Hedlund (Pan (2015)) is good as the protagonist. Despite flaws, Tron: Legacy is a fascinating film.

 

Related posts:

 

2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III] 

2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]

2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: 170 mil. $

Box office: 400 mil. $

= Flop

[Tron: Legacy premiered November 30 (Tokyo) and runs 125 minutes. Development of the film began in 2005. Filming took place from April - July 2009 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and in LA and lasted 67 days. The film was shot partially in 3D and required massive visual effects work, including a computer-generated, 30 years younger version of returning star Jeff Bridges. Its score is by Daft Punk and subsequently sold more than 500k copies in North America.The film opened #1 to a 44 mil. $ first weekend in North America, where it fell to #3 in its second week and stayed in the top 5 for a total of 4 weeks, grossing 172 mil. $ (43 % of the total gross). The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were Japan with 25.1 mil. $ (6.3 %) and Russia with 21.3 mil. $ (5.3 %). The film was nominated for the sound editing Oscar, which it lost to Inception. Talk of a sequel has been steady since its release, but it seems unlikely that Disney will pursue it. Tron: Legacy is rotten at 51 % with a 5.9 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

What do you think of Tron: Legacy?

True Grit (2010) - The Coens' grand western present

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4 Film Excess nominations:

Best Non-Adult Actor: Hailee Steinfeld (lost to Kiernan Shipka for Mad Men S4)
Best Score: Carter Burwell (lost to Treme S1)
Best Costumes: Mary Zophres (lost to Pat Field for Sex and the City 2)
Best Cinematography: Roger Deakins (lost to Wally Phister for Inception)

 

+ Best Western of the Year

 

Jeff Bridges doesn't appear to welcome bullshitters on this poster for Ethan & Joel Coen's True Grit

 

A strong 14 year-old girl, Mattie Ross, has lost her father to a traveling bandit. She wants revenge, so she pays the decisive Marshall Rooster Cogburn to lead her to the miscreant. 

True Grit is the 15th feature from Oscar-nominated Minnesotan master writer-director brothers Ethan and Joel Coen (Fargo (1996)), the second adaptation of Charles Portis' (Norwood (1966)) same-titled 1968 novel, adapted first as True Grit (1968) with John Wayne in the part that won him his only Oscar. It seemed to me an obvious folly to try to readapt Portis' novel that already had resulted in one classic western, and I feel confident that the Coens knew this taking on the project. Still, amazingly, they succeed in making a hell of a new take on the story. - Their movie is quite different from the earlier version, reportedly closer to the novel in terms of plot and tone.

Oscar-nominated Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski (1998)) makes Cogburn his own, wisely not appearing to channel any inner Wayne he might forster. Hailee Steinfeld (Barely Lethal (2015)) is credible and feisty as the girl with grit galore, and the two create many enjoyable moments in True Grit. Matt Damon (Syriana (2005)) as a Texas ranger whose self-confidence gets tested and Josh Brolin (Hollow Man (2000)) as the villain are also good, and Barry Pepper (Saving Private Ryan (1998)) is terrific. The film is distinguished by its sweeping production values, breathtaking photography by Roger Deakins (Doubt (2008)), and a truly formidable score by Carter Burwell (The Fifth Estate (2013)), - as well as wonderful costumes by Mary Zophres (Dumb and Dumber (1994)).

True Grit is thoroughly enjoyable, brandishing grand characters that spit out marvelous dialog as if it was chewing tobacco. A story of tough people during tough times and a very American tale.

Related posts:

Ethan and Joel Coen: Hail, Caesar! (2016) - The Coen brothers serve a whimsical, flashy letdown

Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) or, The Man Who Wasn't Dylan   

2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]  

2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]

2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]

2010 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
Burn After Reading (2008) or, Idiocy 2008 
The Big Lebowski (1998) - The stoner comedy to reign over all

Top 10: The best big hit movies reviewed by Film Excess to date
Barton Fink (1991) or, The Writer's Hell

Here's a short interview with Matt Damon about his performance in the film

Cost: 38 mil. $

Box office: 252.2 mil. $

= Huge hit

[True Grit was released December 22 and runs 110 minutes. Open casting sessions for the role of Mattie Ross were held in Texas with 15,000 girls applying and Steinfeld landing the part, her theatrical feature debut. Filming took place from March - April 2010 in New Mexico and Texas. The film opened #2, behind Little Fockers, with a 24.8 mil. $ opening weekend in North America, where it stayed #2 for another week, before it climbed to #1 and spent a total of 6 weeks in the top 5. It grossed 171.2 mil. $ domestically (67.9 % fo the total gross), becoming the first Coen movie to cross 100 mil. $ domestically as well as their highest grossing film to date. The 2nd and 3rd biggest markets were the UK with 13.4 mil. $ (5.3 %) and France with 11.5 mil. $ (4.6 %). Roger Ebert gave the film 3.5/4, equal to the rating it gets here. The film got nominated for 10 Oscars: For Best Picture, Director, (both lost to The King's Speech), Adapted Screenplay, (lost to The Social Network), Actor (Bridges), (lost to Colin Firth in King's Speech), Actress (Steinfeld), (lost to Melissa Leo in The Fighter), Art Direction, (lost to Alice in Wonderland), Cinematography, (lost to Wally Phister for Inception), Costumes, (also lost to Alice), Sound Mixing and Sound Design, (both lost to Inception). - It won none, and was additionally nominated for 8 BAFTAs, winning one, for cinematography. True Grit is certified fresh at 96 % with an 8.4 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of True Grit?

Crazy Heart (2009) or, The Weary Kind

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+ Best Music Movie of the Year

A scruffy-looking Jeff Bridges with a guitar on the poster for Scott Cooper's Crazy Heart

QUICK REVIEW:

Bad Blake lives the destructive life on the road as a touring musician, which comes with his name and the shitty venues he gets booked at. He meets a wonderful woman in Santa Fe, but SPOILER the booze gets to become fateful for him.

Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski (1998)), winning his only Oscar so far for the effort, acts well, and so does his co-stars,Colin Farrell (Minority Report (2002)) and Maggie Gyllenhaal (Secretary (2002)), who was Oscar-nominated for her performance.
The music by T Bone Burnett (Walk the Line (2005)) and Stephen Bruton (Picture This: The Times of Peter Bogdanovich in Archer City, Texas (1991)) is terrific, and Burnett also won the Best Original Song Oscar along with Ryan Bingham (The Bridge (2013-14)) for their The Weary Kind.
Crazy Heart is a fine, warm, down-played Americana serving, a romantic drama in a blanket of country music. However, it is actually so subdued in its languid pace that it just manages to get by on its charm without getting boring. The suspense curve is almost non-existing.
It is the successful debut of Virginian Scott Cooper (Out of the Furnace (2013)), who adapted the script from a 1987 novel by Thomas Cobb. Cooper is busy now with the big gangster movie Black Mass (2015) about Whitey Bulger.

Related posts:

2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 

Watch the trailer here

Cost: 7 mil. $
Box office: 47.4 mil. $
= Big hit
[Funded by Country Music Television, the film was pitched for a direct-to-DVD-release, but was then picked up for theatrical release by Fox Searchlight Pictures and made 39.4 mil. (83 % of its gross) in the US, where it hit home with a lot of people.]

What do you think of Crazy Heart?
Other fine country music movies?

The Big Lebowski (1998) - The stoner comedy to reign supreme

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+ 2nd Best Movie of the Year

+ Best Comedy of the Year 

Star Jeff Bridges with humorously spaced-out shades and a very funny tag-line adorn this poster for Ethan and Joel Coen's The Big Lebowski

 

LA-residing stoner/bowling man, the unemployed Jeffrey 'The Dude' Lebowski gets involved in a kidnapping case through a case of mistaken identity  (SPOILER and his own provocation that someone has pissed on his beloved carpet rug.) A really important bowling tournament is also coming up, so the timing for these problems is really just off. His good bowling pals help him out but also heavily convolute things.

 

The Big Lebowski may be one of the funniest comedies ever made, and it is certainly on my Top 3 of favorite movie by Minnesotan master filmmaker, brothers co-writer/producer Ethan and co-writer/director Joel Coen (Barton Fink (1991)). It is their 7th feature.

The film is narrated by a mysterious cowboy character (Sam Elliott (The Legacy (1978))), and its LA-set subculture crime plot is fashioned over the legacy of Raymond Chandler's noir structure of detective novels. Joel Coen has said eloquently about the point: "We wanted to do a Chandler kind of story – how it moves episodically, and deals with the characters trying to unravel a mystery, as well as having a hopelessly complex plot that's ultimately unimportant." This turned out to be an ingenious decision for the best stoner comedy of all time, The Big Lebowski.
Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart (2009)) is The Dude, a role he was lucky to get and which more than any other defined his career since. Each of the supporting actors are also great in each their own way as well: John Goodman (The Artist (2011)) is hysterical as a gun-crazed Vietnam veteran (inspired on John Milius!), and Julianne Moore (The Hours (2002)) shines as a  presumptuous feminist performance artist. All the characters and dialog are totally outrageous and hysterically funny. The film works as contemporary satire and a developing crime/stoner comedy at the same time.
The music of Lebowski is awesome, as arranged by 'music archivist' Carter Burwell (The Rookie (2002)), its dream and drug-fueled sequences are extravagant, stylish and fantastic, and the film's ending is so tar-black in its humor, - it's just plain killer!
The movie has understandably inspired considerable cult, (mostly, I suppose, in the ever-existing stoner stratum of society), and even a 'religion' called Dudeism.

 

Related posts:

Ethan and Joel Coen: Hail, Caesar! (2016) - The Coen brothers serve a whimsical, flashy letdown
Unbroken (2014) - Despite good elements, Jolie's Grand WWII Biopic is mostly distant and weak (co-writers)

2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED V] 
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED IV]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II]
2013 in films - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I]
Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) or, The Man Who Wasn't Dylan  
True Grit (2010) - The Coens' grand western present

Top 10: Best dramedies reviewed by Film Excess to date 

2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED III] 

2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED II] 
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess [UPDATED I] 
2009 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess
A Serious Man (2009) - One of the Coens' best; a philo-religious serio-comedy
Burn After Reading (2008) or, Idiocy 2008

No Country for Old Men (2007) - Undigestible McCarthy adaptation lets you hang in midair 

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) - Much to love in fabulous Coen music yarn 

1998 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 
Top 10: Best comedies reviewed by Film Excess to date
Top 10: The best big hit movies reviewed by Film Excess to date 
The Big Lebowski (1998) - The stoner comedy to reign over all

1996 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess 

Top 10: Best crime movies reviewed by Film Excess to date 

Fargo (1996) - The Coen brothers make movie magic with dark-humored crime thriller 

Top 10: Best films about filmmaking 
Barton Fink (1991) or, The Writer's Hell 

 

Jeff Bridges, John Goodman and Steve Buscemi give an interview about the film many years later here

Cost: 15 mil. $
Box office: 46.9 mil. $
= Box office success (returned 3.12 times its cost)

[The Big Lebowski premiered 18 January (Sundance Film Festival) and runs 117 minutes. Shooting took place from January - April 1997 in California, including in Los Angeles. The film opened #6 to a 5.5 mil. $ first weekend in North America, its peak position there, where it grossed 17.4 mil. $ (37.1 % of the total gross). The film continues to add to its gross through re-releases. It was nominated for a European Film award, among other honors. Roger Ebert originally gave it a 3/4 star review but since changed it to a 4/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. IMDb's users have rated the film in at #203 on the site's Top 250 list, sitting between How to Train Your Dragon (2010) and Monsters, Inc. (2001). Ethan and Joel Coen returned with O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000). Bridges returned in Arlington Road (1999); Goodman in The Blues Brothers 2000 (1998); Moore in Welcome to Hollywood (1998); Steve Buscemi (Big Fish (2003)) in The Drew Carey Show (1998, TV-series)) and theatrically in The Wedding Singer (1998); and John Turturro (Transformers (2007)) in Animals with the Tollkeeper (1998)). The Big Lebowski is certified fresh at 83 % with a 7.50/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

 

What do you think of The Big Lebowski?