Barton Fink

Directed By Joel Coen
Starring John Turturro, John Goodman, Michael Lerner, Judy Davis, John Mahoney & Steve Buscemi

A playwright (Turturro) is lured to Hollywood by producer (Lerner) and sucumbs to writer's block, only to find advice from his obnoxious neighbor (Goodman) who may be the devil.

The Big Lebowski

Directed By Joel Coen
Starring Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, David Huddleston, John Turturro & Steve Buscemi

Outrageous comedy about an unemployed bowler named Jeff Lebowski (Bridges) who calls himself "The Dude", his crazy friend Walter (Goodman), and the mix up that ensues when a wealthy businessman, also named Jeff Lebowski (Huddleston) is told his wife is kidnapped. Goodman steals the show in one of the funniest performances in decades; and Turturro is a hoot as Jesus the bowler.

Blood Simple

Directed By Joel Coen
Starring Frances McDormand, John Getz, Dan Hedaya & M. Emmett Walsh

Slimy story about a cheating couple who try to scam her wealthy husband. Walsh is fantastic as a sadistic hitman. The Coens' debut film.

Fargo

Directed By Joel Coen
Starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Peter Storemare & John Carroll Lynch

A pregnant police chief (McDormand) investigates the case of a car salesman (Macy) who has his own wife kidnapped.

The Hudsucker Proxy

Directed By Joel Coen
Co-written with Sam Raimi Starring Tim Robbins, Paul Newman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bill Cobbs, Charles Durning, Bruce Campbell & John Mahoney

A country bumpkin (Robbins) is brought on as the new president of Hudsucker Industries by slick executive Newman with the intent of causing the downfall of the company. An homage to films of the 1930s with exceptional performances all around and amazing production design.

Intolerable Cruelty

Directed By Joel Coen
Co-written with Robert Ramsay, Matthew Stone & John Romano. Starring George Clooney, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Billy Bob Thornton, Geoffrey Rush, Cedric the Entertainer

Screwball comedy about a divorce lawyer (Clooney) who falls in love with a golddigger (Zeta-Jones).

The Ladykillers

Directed By Joel & Ethan Coen
Based on the 1955 film written by William Rose. Starring Tom Hanks, Marlon Wayans, Irma P. Hall, Ryan Hurst, Tzi Ma, J.K. Simmons & Stephen Root

Superior remake about a con artist (Hanks) who scams his way into the home of an old lady (Hall) so he and his band of outlaws and tunnel underground into the safe of a riverboat casino. Hanks has never been funnier and Simmons is great as the explosives expert with IBS.

The Man Who Wasn't There

Directed By Joel Coen
Starring Billy Bob Thornton, Frances McDormand, James Gandolfini, Scarlett Johansson, Jon Polito, Michael Badalucco & Tony Shalhoub

A barber (Thornton) kills his wife's (McDormand) lover and she goes to jail as the prime suspect.

Miller's Crossing

Directed By Joel Coen
Starring Gabriel Byrne, Marcia Gay Harden, Albert Finney, John Turturro, Jon Polito & Steve Buscemi

A gangster (Byrne) gets in the middle of a gangland war, caused by the brother (Turturro) of his mistress (Harden).

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Directed By Joel Coen
Loosely based on Homer's "The Odyssey" Starring George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, Charles Durning, John Goodman & Holly Hunter

Three convicts escape the chain gang in depression era South and try to make their way back home. Wacky hijinx ensue. Best sequences involve the "Wizard of Oz"-like penetration of a KKK meeting and a bank robbery with Babyface Nelson.

Raising Arizona

Directed By Joel Coen
Starring Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, John Goodman, William Forsythe, Frances McDormand & Trey Wilson

A convict (Cage) who just got married to a cop (Hunter) kidnaps one of a wealthy man's (Wilson) quintuplets. Goodman steals the show as an escaped convict who tries to ransom the baby.