The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford [Blu-ray]

I think we can all agree that there were some truly excellent films that have been released in the year 2007. No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood, Hot Fuzz, and Sicko are fine examples. And granted, there were some really awful films released that year as well (such as Disturbia and Bee Movie), but I won't go into that. Now, there have been three marvelous Western dramas of '07 that I have seen: No Country for Old Men (more of a contemporary Western), There Will Be Blood, and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. These are not your typical shoot-`em-up Westerns; they are psychological thrillers/dramas that can really give you a bad case of chills down the spine. No Country for Old Men is already one of my favorite films of all time. There Will Be Blood, although not one of my personal favorites, is still a masterpiece, and Daniel Day-Lewis deserved the Oscar for Best Actor. As for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford.....it is officially on my top favorites list. I mean it, as soon as I finished watching this movie, I began to admire it as much as I did for No Country. And while these two films are greatly different from each other, I think I love this one even more.The title of this movie does tell you what happens in the movie, but it's so much more than just the notorious assassination. In this film, we see the apparent degradation of Jesse James, while forming an eccentric friendship with Robert Ford and his brother Charley Ford. I won't go into much detail, but both Robert and Charley start to see the silent madness that is inside Jesse. And when both of their lives are in danger, they must make a crucial decision.....As I said before, this is not your typical Hollywood-style Western. You don't have massive gun battles or chariot chase scenes. What you get here is more of a psychological experience that is beautifully handled. Robert Ford was always looked down upon by people. Many people have seen him as dirt in his entire life, and that's what propels him to become somebody of great talent and inspiration. He looks up to Jesse James, and when the two slowly begin to bond as friends, Robert's respect for the man soon fades later on as he discovers something cynical about the outlaw. Jesse James himself becomes an important part of the story. Once the famous "James" gang is no more, Jesse is now on his own with none other than the Fords. He is still being hunted down by lawmen, and he starts to question his place on this earth (or at least that's how I see it). Judging by his appearance, he can look calm and well-mannered, especially with his own family. But other times, he can look silently psychotic. He can give you an icy stare, and at that moment, you have no idea what is going to happen next. Will he let you go or will he shoot you in the head? I found myself emotionally drenched because of all the emotional chaos that occurs from beginning to end.This film by Andrew Dominick reminds me of the directing style of Terrence Malick, one of my top favorite directors of all time. Dominick gives us some beautiful shots of natural scenery and trivial objects. The pacing is also familiar: anyone who has seen The Thin Red Line and The New World will know what I'm talking about. It lacks quick cut shots and mind-numbingly loud sound effects, and it's perfect for this film. I wouldn't think this character-driven story would work if it were an ADD-induced action spectacle. Speaking of action, there is very little of it. Most of it occurs in the beginning of the film (the famous train robbery scene), and the film relies heavily on characters and dialogue. This might put some people off who are expecting to see at least a bit of gunplay. If you're looking for some gunplay, then I would highly recommend the recent remake of 3:10 to Yuma, which is also a great Western film.But, of course, we shouldn't leave out Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck. These are two of the most captivating performances I've ever seen on film. Pitt and Affleck play Jesse James and Robert Ford almost perfectly. The appearances, mannerisms, and communications are really spot-on (especially Affleck). I don't know much about the real James and Ford, but these are still solid performances. Affleck should have won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, but then again, Javier Bardem (from No Country for Old Men) deserved it as well.This isn't a perfect film, but it's still a beautiful, well-made film that's emotionally gut-wrenching. Of all the Western films that have been made in the 20th Century and the new millennium, this might be my all-time favorite.Grade: A

As a fan of the western genre I look forward to pretty much every western I hear is in the works since they come so few and far between nowadays. I am also a huge fan of Sergio Leone and Terrence Malick; two directors who use extremely long takes with exquisite deep focus photography. I had never heard of Andrew Dominik until I researched this film, and when I checked his history and saw that he had only done one other film called Chopper I felt skeptical as to what he would do with The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford. Then I saw the trailer which sent chills up my spine and even made my eyes water, and this film became my top priority for the fall.The film follows Robert Ford and two of his brothers as they join the James brothers for one final robbery. Robert Ford played brilliantly by Casey Affleck sees Jesse James as his idol. He followed his stories throughout his childhood and he wants nothing more than to be accepted by this man. Affleck portrays Ford as a very insecure and quiet man who almost feels ashamed for being himself. Being the youngest of five brothers one can assume he is tired of being at the bottom and one day wants the fame and attention that someone like Jesse James gets. Brad Pitt plays the complex Jesse James brilliantly with a performance that will send chills up your spine. His character is pretty hard to analyze. One can infer that James is a man who enjoys his reputation but sometimes longs for a life without the attention so that he can be happy with his wife and family. Another important character in this film is that of Charley Ford who is played by the great Sam Rockwell. With this film Rockwell proves he is capable of amazing things as an actor. He adds many dimensions to the character that otherwise would be meaningless to the overall plot. Charley Ford is just as complex as his brother Robert Ford or Jesse James. The cast is overall amazing and each person involved with this film puts on the performance of their career.As the story progresses things become more and more tense. It's important to note how Dominik handles a film where the ending is given away in the title. The movie isn't for everyone. The 2 hour and 40 minute running time may ward of some movie goers, but it's nothing to be intimidated by. I did see a few people walk out of the screening I went to, which always strikes me as rude no matter what you think of the film. Dominik handled this project very much in a way that Terrence Malick handled The Thin Red Line. The characters are more focused than in a Malick film, but the structure is very similar. This film is all about the characters, which is why we almost forget that Jesse James dies at the hand of Robert Ford in the end. Everything leads up to that moment, which as a scene by itself is breathtaking. I don't think I have trembled in my seat as much as I did with that scene; truly crafted by a masterful filmmaker.Creatively speaking the most important thing to note is Roger Deakins' absolutely stunning cinematography. I have never seen a more beautifully shot film in my entire life of watching movies. The colors and the lighting are just so phenomenal. The use of soft focus while contrasted with incredible deep focus shots blew me away. The most amazingly shot scene is definitely the train robbery at the beginning where everything is lit by lanterns and every light source glows with radiance. I am calling it now that this film will win Deakins an Oscar, because if it doesn't then I will lose considerable respect for the Academy. No one can deny the brilliance of the cinematography in this film and how it paints a deep layer of emotion for the story.Another creative marvel of the film is the haunting score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. The duo caught my attention with their gritty score to the Australian made western, The Proposition. Once I heard that they were doing this film it became even higher priority for me to see. The score is very interesting in that there isn't that much score in the nearly 3 hour film. There were three central themes they played throughout to basically create atmosphere and create transition points in the narrative; although their score during the assassination scene is the real reason why it's as brilliant as it is. It's a score that truly deserves people's attention and is worth owning when it's released.I was shaken by this film; it really got to me. The raw power of the visuals and the performances take the audience on a haunting character exploration of idolization and self dignity. This isn't a typical western of the genre and it really isn't a revisionist western either. It's unique and original and you will not forget this film. Casey Affleck, Brad Pitt and Sam Rockwell give the performances of their careers. Andrew Dominik's meticulous attention to detail and craftsmanship proves his capability of being a great filmmaker. Top it off with the genius photographic talents of Roger Deakins and the musical brilliance of Nick Cave and Warren Ellis and you have one of the greatest films I have seen in my life. This is a masterpiece.

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El pedido ha llegado hoyPor error dije”que no habia llegado “Mis disculpas

very good

En 1881, Jesse James est un hors-la-loi légendaire. Il a 34 ans. Sa célébrité lui provient de multiples braquages. Au lendemain de la guerre de Sécession, il représente une rébellion qui lui vaut d'être considéré comme un Robin des Bois. Ford, qui a grandi en idolâtrant James, et désireux de rejoindre le gang, se lance dans une mission à Glendale, dans le Missouri, où les membres du Gang James-Younger préparent l'attaque du dernier train de leur carrière. Le film commence sur cette rencontre à l'automne de 1881.Sa carrière tirant à sa fin, Jesse James devient conscient de l'impossibilité de faire face à une armée de plus en plus vaste de shérifs, d'agents fédéraux et des hommes de Pinkerton. Il sent que, inévitablement, l'un des siens le vendra pour une grosse récompense. Refusant de donner aux hommes de loi une telle satisfaction, James prépare sa propre mort et cultive subtilement les fébriles attentions du plus servile et lâche de ses associés : le vingtenaire Robert Ford. Avec les railleries, il encourage ses envies, sa fascination meurtrière, et l'amène à devenir son propre assassin, de sorte que sa propre légende restera intacte après sa mort.Pendant plusieurs mois, Ford côtoie son idole, et partage sa vie errante jusqu'à ce que Jesse James s'arrête dans sa maison, auprès de sa femme et de ses enfants. C'est là que Robert Ford le tue. Par la suite, il rejoue cet assassinat sur des scènes de théâtre. Mais le héros reste toujours Jesse James.