Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski) is Rooster Cogburn and Matt Damon  is Texas Ranger La Boeuf, in what is his first chance to work with the Brother’s Coen.  Josh Brolin (No Country For Old Men), is also in the cast.

The movie is scheduled to be released around Christmas.

If you’ve taken the time to put together a list of your own, please feel free to let us know via the comments page.

5)  Alfonso Cuarón’s film, “Children of Men” (2006).  This has been an excellent decade for Clive Owen.  There are more than a few of his movies that could be on this list.  (“The Inside Man”,  “Gosford Park“) Clive is a resistance fighter protecting what may very well be the last pregnant woman on Earth. It’s  edgy science fiction  that drew an audience primarily by word of mouth. It’s likely to be a timeless film. (Look for the wonderful cameo by the great Michael Cain).

4)” The Departed” (2006). Martin Scorsese can put together any cast he wants to and he started with Jack Nicholson to headline his American version of a twisty Hong Kong mob film called, “Infernal Affairs”.  Scorsese called on his muse,  Leonardo DiCaprio to play a deep under cover cop and the always remarkable,  Matt Damon as a spy for the mob, placed highly with the Boston mob task force. Cat and mouse doesn’t do the tension justice. This was a fantasic movie and the best Scorsese picture since” Goodfellas”.

3) “The Dark Knight”, (2008) arrived with great expectations before the untimely death of it’s co-star, Heath Ledger.  Re-tooled over the past ten years and helmed by the very gifted, Christopher Nolan (“Momento”, “Batman Begins”, “The Prestige”), “The Dark Knight” set a new standard for comic book blockbusters. The energy and special effects didn’t hide the story.  Nolan showed that a big budget summer picture can also have depth, character development and a story that refuses to let go from the opening scene.  Christian Bale wears the gear well, and will for as long as he wants to.

The movie will forever be known for Heath Ledger’s remarkable turn as the Joker.  He  joins Norman Bates and Hannibal Lecter as  one of the most most memorable film villains of all time.

2) “A History of Violence” (2005) and “Eastern Promises” (2007) paired versatile actor, Viggo Mortensen with David Cronenberg, a director known for his independent spirit and taste for the grotesque.  Because these films are equally compelling and razor sharp in their construction; it’s hard to separate the two.

1) “No Country For Old Men” was a 2007 screen adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s tight little novel of bounty hunters, unrelenting killers, a lot of drug money and a few good people fighting for their lives.  The affection that the Daily Helping has for The Brothers Coen is well documented here on this site.  As gifted as Joel and Ethan happen to be, it was this film that took them to the next level in both box office and critical appeal.  The film was honored with numerous awards, garnering three British Academy of Film awareds, two Golden Globes, and four Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director (Joel and Ethan Coen), Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (Javier Bardem, in a truly memorable Moe-like hairstyle).

2000

CROUCHING TIGER,HIDDEN DRAGON, CASTAWAY, GLADIATOR, POLLACK, HIGH FIDELITY, TRAFFIC, X-MAN, THE CONTENDER, UNBREAKABLE, U571, WONDER BOYS,CHICKEN RUN, BEST IN SHOW, ERIN BROCKOVICH, CHOCOLAT, AMERICAN PSYCHO, ALMOST FAMOUS, QUILLS, THE PATRIOT,

2001

THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS, AI ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, GOSFORD PARK, TRAINING DAY, LORD OF THE RINGS-FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING, BLACK HAWK DOWN, MULHOLLAND DRIVE, MONSTERS INC., AMELIE, DONNIE DARKO, SEXY BEAST, GHOST WORLD, OCEANS 11, MEMENTO, SHREK

2002

25TH HOUR, MINORITY REPORT, THE BOURNE IDENTITY, THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS, ADAPTATION, ROAD TO PERDITION, CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE, ABOUT A BOY, THE PIANIST, ABOUT SCHMIDT, THE HOURS,

2003

THE STATION AGENT, LORD OF THE RINGS-RETURN OF THE KING, FINDING NEMO, A MIGHTY WIND,LOST IN TRANSLATION. SEABISCUIT, COLD MOUNTAIN, SPIDERMAN, THE FOG OF WAR, AMERICAN SPLENDOR, KILL BILL VOL.1, ELF, 21 GRAMS,THE LIFE OF DAVID GALE, MYSTIC RIVER, CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS,

2004

HOTEL RWANDA, THE INCREDIBLES, NAPOLEAN DYNAMITE, RAY, ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF A SPOTLESS MIND, FINDING NEVERLAND, MILLION DOLLAR BABY, SHAUN OF THE DEAD, SIDEWAYS, SPIDERMAN 2, BORN INTO BROTHELS,KINSEY,THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH STEVE ZISSOU

2005

THE 40-YEAR-OLD VIRGIN, GRIZZLY MAN, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN, CRASH, SYRIANA, MUNICH, MILLIONS, CINDERELLA MAN, A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, MURDERBALL,THE SQUID AND THE WHALE, MARCH OF THE PENGUINS, CAPOTE,

2006

PAN’S LABYRINTH, CHILDREN OF MEN, THE DEPARTED, DREAMGIRLS, LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA/FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS, UNITED 93, THE QUEEN, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, INLAND EMPIRE, FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, CASINO ROYALE, THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND,HOLLYWOODLAND, CHARLOTTES WEB,

2007

ZODIAC, THERE WILL BE BLOOD, NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN, RATATOUILLE, THE LIVES OF OTHERS, DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY, ONCE, THE HOST, MICHAEL CLAYTON, SWEENEY TODD, PERSEPOLIS, GONE BABY GONE, JUNO, EASTERN PROMISES, THE NAMESAKE, SUPERBAD,

2008

THE DARK KNIGHT, WALL-E, THE WRESTLER, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, MILK, DOUBT,  THE READER, SYNEDOCHE NEW YORK, MAN ON WIRE, RACHEL GETTING MARRIED, IRONMAN, HAPPY GO LUCKY,THE COUNTERFEITERS, THE VISITOR, FROZEN RIVER,FROST/NIXON

2009

THE LOVELY BONES,NINE, UP, THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS, THE HURT LOCKER, PRECIOUS, AVATAR, UP IN THE AIR, PIRATE RADIO, PARANORMAL, ROLE MODELS, THE WATCHMEN, THE ROAD, STAR TREK,INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS, MOON, SUGAR, ANVIL-THE STORY OF ANVIL, FUNNY PEOPLE, DISTRICT 9, A SERIOUS MAN,