Latest Updates - Billy Bob Thornton

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Comment by Magic Marmalade ●:

When you're in a hole... Stop digging.

This particular hole though, is ostensibly the the opposite: finding a huge bag of cash in a downed plane in the woods ought to be a good thing, surely?

... And the hole the three men in this movie begin to dig from this moment on is everything you'd expect; after all, who hasn't imagined this scenario, and further more, thought through the implications and possible bother that comes with it.

And that's the basic plot, and the inevitable story that proceeds from it.

Very simple, very elegant, and brilliantly executed.

Although this premise is perhaps not new, what this movie does excellently is not make it a gangster flick, it action movie, or reservoir dogs style affair... The money is just circumstantial, the real story is centred almost exclusively on the three characters, and how their dynamics shift in relation to each other over time.

And this is why it took me so long to finally see it, as I was under the impression it was more of a cheapo, straight to DVD heist movie, when in fact it's more of a three man stage play character study...

(In fact, there's a very strong influence from: Of mice and men, i detected)

...A very Fargo-ish vibe, albeit played more straight (minus Coens' signature humour), and I know there are many who already appreciate this movie, but I feel this has the potential to undergo the Shawshank effect, and will only become more generally appreciated over time, principally through word of mouth.

Truly brilliant.

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Comment by Magic Marmalade ●:

He did choose a good career trajectory, rather than simply falling into "Hollywood icon / heartthrob" role it seems was wanted for him, and he has a more interesting body of work as a result.

I've only really seen this and Ghost Dog by Jim Jarmusch, but love his vibe, and way of bringing art films into mainstream-ish territory - will look out for others of his now :)

(I did find Coffee And Cigarettes on DVD last year, but - rookie error! - I got it home to discover no disc inside the case :(

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Comment by alexlincs:

@Magic Marmalade in my opinion one of Depp's best and he has done more good films than he gets credit for, also my favourite Jaramusch film.

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Comment by jakal68 ●:

[YouTube Video]

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Comment by Magic Marmalade ●:

Weird and brilliant.

I'd convinced myself that I had seen this... even heard of it before, but I think I was lying to myself.

...Anyway, now I have done both, and as anyone who has seen this, could not help but be taken aback by this dazzling monochrome hallucinatory journey onto some kind of western based mystical underworld...

(Not entirely black and white, as there are very light blues, which mess with your head when viewed next to the greys, and make the mind see pinks on occasion)

...And having looked a little online after, seeing Jarmusch himself describe it as a psychedelic western, I'm inclined to agree.

it's shot in this black white blue monochrome in an almost documentary looking style, and is loaded with short cameos and appearances from an incredible array of well known figures, from actors to Iggy Pop!

As Johnny Depp's character: William Blake journeys into a town called Machine to get a job that isn't there, then gets into trouble with the company's boss and flees, setting forth thereafter on this Odyssey into an almost "up-river" journey onto the heart of darkness or light affair, guided for extended sequences by a Native American shaman like character who goes by the name of: Nobody... All the while, pursued by gang of three ruthless, yet hapless bounty hunters / killers.

"Nobody" believes Depp's character is the reincarnation of the English poet and namesake: William Blake, and seeks to help him get to where his spirit truly belongs.

You'll not see nothing like this.

(Neil Young provides big solo grungy guitar soundtrack to this trip too :)