Rating: 
Summary: ...join me, my sons, join me...
Review: ...i think this is just about the best movie i've seen. it's just a fun thing to watch and listen to. it's based very loosely on the book "the odyssey"...i havent read that since like the 8th grade, so now i've gotta go back and check it out again so i can catch more of the references to it.
i've owned this dvd for about 3 weeks now, and i've watched it at least 14 times...i'm starting to hum these tunes in my sleep!!
Rating: 
Summary: An acquired taste...
Review: I just watched this film and can say that I enjoyed it upon first viewing. It left me entertained and was very inventive and original, like most Coen brothers films. However, a rental might be the ideal way to go before buying to get a taste of the film or else it may leave a little to be desired. Those expecting "Fargo 2" just because this is by the Coens should go elsewhere.Purportedly based on The Odyssey, the film can be enjoyed without any prior knowledge of that book. There are plenty of moments where the film left me confused, but you tend to overlook these things in a film like this. It can be enjoyed on two levels: as a story about 3 chain-gang escapees and there adventures, or as that coupled with the symbolic references to The Odyssey. Though some of the references aren't too difficult to associate with some basic knowledge of that work (the sirens, the cyclops), it would be pretty neat to have read the book and deduce the references to it. The actors give good performances, although the characters are somewhat overshadowe by the humorous southern accents and odd situations they're put in. My main problems with the film is its characters as they don't seem to have much depth, especially John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson's characters. The main characters seem only to serve as mechanisms to further the plot by getting into sticky situations and then getting out of them again. Not a problem in a comedy, but I don't know if you can say this film fits completely under the comedy genre. The DVD is pretty well done. The Painting with Pixels extra discusses how the filmmakers achieved the film's dry, burnt coloration and it's pretty cool; the look of the film is fabulous and really takes you to the Depression-era. Also, the multi-angle feature comparing the film to its storyboards is well done (although your standard storyboard comparison), and the music video "I'm a Man of Constant Sorrow" is a good addition as well. I only gave this film 3 stars because I can't justify giving it a better rating (maybe 3 1/2). It is enjoyable in an old-fashioned slapstick adventure way, and if you're a Coen brothers fan, this will probably be up your alley. However, his film may be lost on a lot of people. Even if you're a fan of the Coens, it might be to your distaste. It's not a bad film, but if you often find yourself going "What? What happened just then?" a lot during a movie, you might want to skip this one.
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie
Review: The movie was weird and George Clooney seemed so different in this movie. It made me laugh though certain parts of the film left me confused.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Fun!
Review: O Brother Where Art Thou? starts off with a song that will have you crying tears of laughter. And it doesn't let up from there. Every time we watch it it only gets better, reminiscent of "Let It Ride" with Richard Dreyfuss. This could be George Clooney's best role ever. If you like "sleepers" that have you rolling on the floor, then this is it! (By the way, 4 1/2 stars to O Brother to Let It Ride's 5 stars)
Rating:
Summary: American Folk Classic
Review: I don't think that I have enjoyed the experience of watching a movie as much as I enjoyed watching "O Brother". The movie flows seemlessly with the music (and believe me, the music is wonderful). The Coen brothers have again managed to reach the pinnacle in direction and the actors were excellent.
Rating:
Summary: new and creative
Review: this movie is very inventive, and has new and different entertaining characterizations. putting handsome george clooney as the lead shows that he can poke fun at his gorgeous george image.
Rating:
Summary: THREE STOOGES RESURRECTED!!
Review: Ever since I noticed the hype around this movie and its soundtrack I confess I had been a bit skeptical about watching it: I'm not a fan of bluegrass music or movies that take place in the beginning of the 20th century, but the Cohen Brothers most recent masterpiece (they have The Big Lebowski and Fargo among others, in their background) proved me wrong. The whole theme for the movie can be based off Homer's "Oddisey" or even "Wizard of Oz" as one reviewer conmmented before. But the real key to the heart of this movie is the goof nature of the characters: just as Joel Cohen says in the production featurette included in the DVD, the funny trio are like the "Three Stooges." This has been one clever movie all through which I was able to laugh very hard, and the funniest thing about it is that it's not a comedy at all. More like the struggles of this runaway trio you sympathize with from the very start, to find some treasure that Ulysees Everett McGill (played by Clooney) buried before going to prison. Through their adventures they face the sirens call, they oppose the cyclops (Big Dan Teague, played by John Goodman) and hit local musical stardom not knowing about it with the song "Man of constant sorrow." The acting is very solid: Clooney, Turturro and Nelson all play great roles. The cinematography, by Roger Deakins (long time film companion of the Cohen brothers), is even more outstanding: it is the first time the entire post-production of a film is done digitally. The process used for doing this is explained in extensive detail in a very interesting featurette included in the DVD. Overall, deserving all the credit and the hype around it: it's an authentice masterpiece overall. Thanks to the Joel and Ethan Cohen for such good film making.
Rating:
Summary: The best of George Cloony, I think
Review: I did not like the way he acted in ER, and I have the Batman he portraited. How surpise..George Cloony is quite good in this musical, so is another two actors which is a little more funnier. The song impressed me from the beginning to the end. The story itselfs not very funny and so-so plot. But the way they made this movie, I felt the satisfraction up to the end. Just like watching the "3 strooges" (not funny) mixed with "Butch cassidy and the Sundance kid" with a touch of "A Coal mining dauther"
Rating:
Summary: nostalgic
Review: I watch very few of current day movies but my daughter brought the DVD on a visit. Seeing the movie brought back rememberances from the past. In 1940 at the age of 5, I saw Governor W. Lee (Pappy) O'Daniel at a street rally in Farmersville, TX. It is one of my earliest memories and obviously was impressive. It was just as depicted in the movie although I'm not sure the Texas Pappy O'Daniel was such a fool as Charles Durning's character. He, according to my older relatives, was a paragon in radio broadcasting during the '30's and probably had the force in Texas that Walter Cronkite did later nationally on TV. He was elected to head the state of Texas without any political experience. You Are My Sunshine also brought back memories of Jimmie Davis of Louisiana; living in East Texas,we heard his campaign broadcasts from the Shreveport radio station. The Down to the River to Pray segment brought back memories of my own baptism in a similar situation and the a capella singing of the choir was nothing short of beautiful.
I thought the acting was a bit over the top but provided the proper setting and emphasis to a very enjoyable movie. I have replayed the movie several times and enjoyed it even more each time. It is a movie well worth keeping and watching again from time to time.
Rating:
Summary: An off-beat, kinda charming movie
Review: George Clooney and his cohorts escape from a chain gang and are in search of a fortune he buried after he robbed a bank. Along the way, they encounter some unlikely characters and situations. Just as you think you're getting a handle on what this movie is all about, it throws you a curve and you find yourself asking "Now, where did THAT come from?" Nevertheless, George Clooney scores well as an ex-con with a great vocabulary and an obsession with keeping his hair looking its best. There's lots of great music in the background and as part of the story. Let me warn you that guys will probably like this better than women.
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