The New Year's Eve Movie - A Tradition Upheld

For the I-don't-know-the-number-year in a row, Marilyn and I hit the movie theater on New Year's Eve. This year, the selection was the Coen Brothers version of "True Grit." A bit different from our usual romantic comedy fare for this night, to say the least, but a very good movie.

A couple of points:

• If you are a John Wayne fan and consider it a sacrilege to remake's the Duke's Oscar winning movie from 1968, get over it. It's OK to to remember Wayne's movie with fondness, but judge this version on its own merits.
• This movie, from what I have read, is truer to the Charles Portis novel on which it is based, which makes it different from what was essentially a vehicle for Wayne back then. I haven't read the novel myself, so I am basing that only on some reviews that I have read.
• Jeff Bridges is terrific as Rooster Cogburn. Not sure he'll get any award consideration, but this is a performance at least as good as his Oscar winning turn in "Crazy Heart" last year.
• The real star of this movie is 14 year old Hailee Steinfeld as Mattie Ross. She steals the show.
• The other "stars" are, of course, the Coen Brothers. Their unique perspective on things that made moves like "Fargo", "Burn After Reading", "No Country for Old Men" and so many others so quirky and good are all here in "True Grit."
• And there is a different kind of an ending to this version than I remember from the original "True Grit." A little more melancholy, but a more realistic one, I think.

Oh, and to those of you familiar with our little New Year's Eve tradition, rest assured that we did indeed hit the drive-thru at KFC, and enjoyed our meal of Original Recipe here at home.

Happy New Year. everybody!!