No Country For Old Men

I wanted to see this movie ever since it came out because it got great reviews.  And, as Lady Fortune would have it (totally kidding...sheesh), I was asked to choose a movie for some of us to see tonight, so I chose No Country For Old Men.  The time was good, the place was good, the movie seemed to be good (one of the year's best), so I selected this movie for my friends and me to watch tonight.

Well, most of the people I saw it with didn't seem to like it, but I walked out satisfied.  I thought it was a very good movie...not one I'd immediately place into my "Top 10" list, but one that definitely kept my attention from beginning to end.  To those interested in seeing it, it's a really tense movie.  It has a lot of blood and violence, and there are surprising moments, so if you don't like either of those you might want to stay away from this film.  However, in my humble, ignorant layman's opinion, I thought that this was one of the stronger movies I've seen lately...in the sense that the acting, cinematography, and script, along with just about every other technical aspect was airtight, stellar.  In that sense, it reminded me of Road To Perdition.

So, I walked out of the theater with an admiration for what I saw.  But, as I talked and thought about it more, I started to like it more and more.  I won't reveal it here, but I think the central message of the movie was conveyed quite wonderfully.

When I came home, I do what I always do after I've seen a movie I liked or admired: I went to IMDB and looked at the quotes.  As I read through the listed quotes for No Country For Old Men, I found myself growing to absolutely love the movie.  It's like listening to a great album, but it's so great that you don't grasp the lyrics on the first listen, so you go and look up the lyrics and after reading them you grow to totally adore the CD.  Oh, man, some of the lines in this movie were so great...

As with all good movies, there was a hint of the Gospel.  I'll admit, in this movie it was very small (there was a much more prominent nod to Ecclesiastes here)...but it was there, particularly in this exchange:

Anton Chigurh: You know how this is going to turn out, don't you?
Llewelyn Moss: Nope.
Anton Chigurh: I think you do. So this is what I'll offer - you bring me the money and I'll let her go. Otherwise she's accountable, same as you. That's the best deal you're gonna get. I won't tell you you can save yourself, because you can't.

I won't sully this gorgeous allegory (though, like all illustrations, it is imperfect), but if you don't see it, just replace "Anton Chigurh" with "Satan," and "Llewelyn Moss" with "Jesus."

See it?  Please tell me you do.  I want you to marvel at our salvation with me...

How beautiful is our Savior?

Ellis: You can't stop what's comin'. It ain't all waitin' on you. That's vanity.