{"id":1829,"date":"2008-06-02T18:07:57","date_gmt":"2008-06-02T17:07:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.filmdetail.com\/?p=1829"},"modified":"2008-06-02T18:07:57","modified_gmt":"2008-06-02T17:07:57","slug":"dvd-pick-no-country-for-old-men","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.filmdetail.com\/2008\/06\/02\/dvd-pick-no-country-for-old-men\/","title":{"rendered":"DVD Pick: No Country for Old Men"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Based on Cormac McCarthy’s 2005 novel<\/a>, No Country for Old Men<\/a> <\/strong>is one of the finest films to come out of America in recent years.<\/p>\n

Set in West Texas<\/a> during 1980<\/a> and is the story of a hunter named Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin<\/a>) who comes across on a suitcase full of cash at the scene of a drug deal gone horribly wrong.<\/p>\n

Taking the money, he is then relentlessly pursued by a sinister hitman named Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem<\/a>), who has been hired to retrieve it.<\/p>\n

As Moss tries to evade Chigur a local sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones<\/a>) tries to keep pace with both men and protect Moss’s wife Carla Jean (Kelly Macdonald<\/a>).<\/p>\n

By their own high standards, the Coen Brothers<\/a> in recent years had lost their way a little with two mainstream disappointments in The Ladykillers<\/a> and Intolerable Cruelty<\/a>.<\/p>\n

No Country for Old Men was not only a startling return to form, but scooped the Best Picture Oscar earlier this year and saw them awarded writing and directing honours too.<\/p>\n

Often the winner of the Best Picture at the Oscars is a case of the Academy ignoring the better film in favour of one that makes them feel good.<\/p>\n

This is perhaps why Chicago triumphed over The Pianist<\/a> (2002), Dances with Wolves beat Goodfellas<\/a> (1990) and Ordinary People won instead of Raging Bull<\/a> (1980).<\/p>\n

But the last couple of years has seen a different mood at the Academy with The Departed winning Best Picture last year<\/a> and now this dark tale taking home the gold statuette.<\/p>\n

Alongside The Man Who Wasn’t There<\/a>, The Big Lebowski<\/a>, Fargo<\/a> and Barton Fink<\/a> it stands as one of the Coen’s very best films – if not the their finest.<\/p>\n

The performances are outstanding: Brolin is a revelation as Moss, Jones gives a career best performance as Bell and Bardem deservedly won Best Supporting Actor for his chilling portrayal of Chigur – one of modern cinema’s most memorable villains.<\/p>\n

Kelly MacDonald and Woody Harrelson also chip in with fine work, whilst regular Coen collaborator Roger Deakins<\/a> captures the dark, harsh beauty of West Texas with some truly stunning cinematography.<\/p>\n

Paramount’s DVD release for the UK is mostly very. The transfer is excellent, capturing the original colours and tones with precision and care.<\/p>\n

The extras are solid, if not spectacular, and contain the following featurettes:<\/p>\n