No Country for Old Men

No Country for Old Men is the latest from Ethan and Joel Coen adapted from a Cormac McCarthy (The Road, All the Pretty Horses) novel. I can't even begin to explain what a trip it is for the viewer.

As usual, when exiting a Coen brother film, I seriously questioned what type of childhood could these two have had in St. Louis Park, MN that made them the way they are.

You end up not knowing what to feel when the screen abruptly goes black and the movie ends. I actually really, really liked this. Dan loved it and we had some good debate on the way home, again as usual after a Coen film.

Javier Bardem is disturbing from first scene, you truly believe his character Anton Chigurh has no soul, his eyes are dead and he is almost robotic with his actions. You begin to believe he isn't human, but eventually you realize he is very human in body only.

Chigurh is the source of so much violence in the movie and eventually you don't even see the violence at his hands. In fact, by the end of the movie the Coen brothers stop showing Chigurh's acts, almost as if they know the viewer will fill in the blanks for themselves.

Josh Brolin has redeemed himself from his Goonies turn in 1986 and plays Llewelyn Moss who has had a hard life and makes some very bad decisions which affect his entire family and anyone he comes in contact with.

The movie builds the characters so very carefully bit by bit and you are there on the edge of your seat every step of the way.

The movie doesn't leave you after you walk out of the theatre it stays with you, I actually had nightmares about this movie and the air tank Chigurh carries days later.

It is an amazing movie which will be at the top of the list for Oscars when the time comes.

The Choice - Nicholas Sparks

Picked up the latest Nicholas Sparks novel "The Choice" at the library Sunday. I didn't even remember that I had requested it - must have back in May - that is how long it takes to get the latest release for these type of books.

"The Choice" tells the story of Travis and Gabby.

Yep. That's about all I have to say. It is a fast read.

I liked Sparks' first novel "The Notebook" in 1998 - however I just am so not into books like these anymore where everything fits together just right at the perfect time. It is as if he is just going through the motions for a million dollar screenplay.

Maybe I am being a bit cynical on a New Year's Day night, but when I read I am looking for more, I felt like I never got to know either Travis or Gabby and felt closer to their dogs.

Happy New Year.

Juno. Like the city in Alaska?

Shelly and I went to Juno this afternoon and we both loved it. Absolutely loved it. It is the brainchild of local Mpls blogger Diablo Cody and was never dull.

It is an odd little tale of a strange girl named Juno (after Zeus' wife - talk about big shoes to fill) who finds herself in a bit of a pickle after becoming pregnant from one encounter with orange tic-tac eating/best friend/boyfriend Paulie Bleaker.

Everyone in the movie is perfectly cast, especially Juno - she is portrayed by Ellen Page and she is phenomenal. Talk about taking acerbic wit to a new level, she always has the best lines and gives the impression she is wise beyond her years, but in the end she is just a scared 16 year old from Minnesota who has enough sense to know she isn't ready to be a mom.

Allison Janney (from the West Wing) has some of the other best lines as Juno's stepmother Bren and Jennifer Garner (who Shelly and I both love from our Alias-obsession days) does a realistic portrayal of Vanessa who is waiting for a child. Her character I didn't really like at first, but by the end of the movie you were so rooting for her and her life.

Another one of my favorites Jason Bateman plays Vanessa's husband Mark who ends up as a complete antithesis of how Vanessa evolved for the viewer. Loved him in the beginning - maybe more in the middle and by the end I couldn't stand the Kurt Cobain wannabe, commercial composer loser.

Like I said, go see Juno - it is so very good.