I don't think there's any Coen brothers film that belongs in the Top 10 of all time, but others have disagreed. Moreover, in their discussion, they've ignored my beloved Fargo. Don't they know that if I think something, it must be right? Rather than sidetrack that discussion, I decided to put it to a poll. What's the Coen Brothers' best film?

Please feel free to discuss and debate.

I could have easily picked any one of 5 of them, but Raising Arizona was the freshest when I saw it and thus has created the most fond memories. Yes, I know I'm old!

Movies, like people, are multifaceted individuals. They defy attempts to arrange them linearly according to what they do. In approaching any exercise that involves whittling down a list of movies for any reason, you must first set the bar--that is, think of what defines your criteria. Then, in relation to the bar, you ask the question: which movies can compete and which ones can't?

For me, Barton Fink, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, No Country For Old Men, and A Serious Man are all valid contenders. They have technical mastery and singular human resonance. To couch it like a musician, they have chops and soul. But only one of them has that Barton Fink feeling.

Seeing Raising Arizona up there with a vote definitely cocked my eyebrow. It's a wonderful movie, but I haven't considered it as a top-tier Coen Brothers movie. I'm interested to see what people have to say about it.

I am shocked that no one has voted this one yet considering how highly esteemed it is by most of the film-watching community (although, while I liked the film, I have personally never thought as highly of it as do seemingly most people). For me, No Country for Old Men takes the crown but Miller's Crossing and Blood Simple are pretty high up there too.

Just wanted to make sure that my choice of Raising Arizona wasn't made in an attempt to yank anyone's chain. I skew big for comedy and, for some reason, the humor in that movie hit me much harder than all of the others. Maybe because the style was new to me at the time, but I've seen it twice since and still love it. My other favorites in order:

Fargo
O Brother, Where Art Thou (I live near where the tale takes place and enjoy bluegrass)
The Big Lebowski
No Country for Old Men

I've been revisiting all the available Coens and find that, like others, picking one that rises higher than the rest is challenging. I voted "A Serious Man", what I see as the Coen's most direct statement on their traditional themes. "Barton Fink" is my #1.01 selection.

Fargo is my favorite so I voted for that. I very easily could have picked Barton Fink, The Big Lebowski, or A Serious Man.

I think Raising Arizona, No Country for Old Men, Miller's Crossing, and Intolerable Cruelty are right there on the next tier. They've made no less than 8 movies that I love dearly, and, as such, I can't really argue with anyone's selections because their output is so consistently of high quality.

I'll need to re-watch The Ladykillers to gain an appreciation. I only just put the time into The Big Lebowski, a movie I've long considered to be a random pile of confusion and trying-too-hard. It turned out to be a great movie, rendering my (presumably drunken) dismissal of the film as an inferior of Pineapple Express both endearing (I was innocent, so pure a year ago... or I was drunken, depressed a year ago. Take your pick. I choose b.) and misguided.

Seven votes so far, and seven different answers. It could only be a Coen brothers thread.

I went with Fargo, though I love A Serious Man too. Raising Arizona is too much quirk with no substance, for my money's worth

I was the loner that went for The Hudsucker Proxy.

My reasoning is this...I love pretty much all of the Coen Brothers films, but this one is one of the few that I can watch whenever and whatever kind of mood i'm in. Plus it's the easiest one to get other non-film obsessed people to watch and they will enjoy it too.

There are more in depth reasons why I love this movie so much...but that's the quick and easy gut reaction to seeing this thread.

EDIT: Oh Brother Where Art Thou?, and The Ladykillers sort of fall into these criteria as well. I'd have a hard time deciding if I only had two DVD's to watch and they were Oh Brother, and The Hudsucker Proxy. The Ladykillers is very underrated too though...lol.

That's great to hear. I think a lot of times that movie has become such a cult comedy/stoner hit that people tend to overlook it for what it is. Glad you finally saw the light, Mark III.

Also, I've never seen The Ladykillers. Along with The Hudsucker Proxy, those are the 2 Coen Brothers movies missing for me. I've never had a great urge to see either one, although I've heard good things about the latter.



I so wish I had access to an essay I once read about Raising Arizona and Socialism. I find it a very funny, and oddly, very sweet movie about a man learning to grow up. It also has an awesome, awesome soundtrack.

And I wish I had access to an essay I never read called The Coens: Are They Jewish?

I really need to watch some more of these movies. If there were 5 that I should watch, which 5 would they be? Excluding No Country, because I've seen it.

That's an extremely tough question. My picks would be Blood Simple, Barton Fink, Fargo, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and A Serious Man. I guarantee though that nobody here is going to give you the same five recommendations. That's one of the great things about the Coens; they've really only had a few films that could be called "duds", and even their duds are still pretty damn good.

I ended up going with O Brother, Where Art Thou? for this poll. I doubt many would label it the Coen Brothers' best film, and honestly I'm not sure I would either, but it's still the one I can watch over and over again and always enjoy without any reservations.

Page 1: "Yes. And how."

File in the World's Shortest Books alongside Modern Italian War Heroes and The Great English Cookbook

No Country for Old Men? It's a really good movie and all (possibly great), but are y'all serious?

I voted a movie where even the incidental conversations are completely hilarious:

Good to see you around here. I love O Brother Where Art Thou dearly as well
I voted a movie where even the incidental conversations are completely hilarious:

NCFOM is a brilliant movie. It just isn't as brilliant as the one I picked.

Best film? Fuck.

This poll is hard.