The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (Joel and Ethan Coen, 2018)

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Rating: Q=7, P=5 / Can't Get Enough

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=4, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=2

Western, Tall Tales, Vignettes, Philosophical

Growing up, I heard and read lots of fairy tales and folk stories. It's no surprise that I grew to love them, since my mother taught folklore classes and studied the traditional European stories that were told through the ages, around a campfire, on a journey... In America they are tall tales or, in this case, ballads. I also enjoy westerns and stories about the frontier, so The Ballad of Buster Scruggs was a delight for me. This film is actually a collection of vignettes, all with a rather dark or sobering mood, but all beautiful and poignant. The artistry combined with the stories is admirable--very captivating and makes you think.

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Ford v Ferrari

Ford v Ferrari (James Mangold, 2019)

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Rating: Q=7, P=5 / Can't Get Enough

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=2

1966, Car Racing, Le Mans, Complex Relationships, Drama

 This was a total surprise to me and I was even more surprised in how much I enjoyed the story. Car racing? Me? But this film is so much more than a story about Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles and the 1966 Le Mans. It's a story about competition, taking risks, following a dream, doing the so-called impossible, and living every moment to the fullest. It's also a story about the complexity of friendship. Matt Damon and Christian Bale are great together. A very feel-good film.

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