I featured Raising Arizona earlier, and Christopher Orr in the Atlantic blogs is reviewing all of the Coen Brothers’ movies released over their 30 year career here.

He’s lukewarm about The Hudsucker Proxy, which is one of their most stylish and fun efforts–and a suitably warm-hearted holiday movie for all ages, unlike many of their works (which can be violent and grim, like No Country for Old Men.) Many of their films are morally instructive but only enjoyable if you have reached a stage of maturity to be receptive to their lessons. A good example of that is the Job-like trials of the main character of A Serious Man, a Minnesota suburban Jew who is beset by tragedy and numerous irritants making him question his commitment to doing what is right. When you understand the morality they are playing with, it becomes a wicked comedy; if you do not understand, it must seem baffling and un-entertaining. “Why watch two hours of suffering? I get enough of that in my own life!”

For more on pop culture:

“Game of Thrones” and the Problem of PowerThe Lessons of Walter White
“Blue Valentine”
“Mad Men”
The Morality of Glamour
“Mockingjay” Propaganda Posters
“Big Bang Theory” — Aspergers and Emotional/Social Intelligence
Real-Life “Hunger Games”: Soft Oppression Destroys the Poor
Reading “50 Shades of Grey” Gives You Anorexia and an Abusive Partner!
YA Dystopias vs Heinlein et al: Social Justice Warriors Strike Again
“Raising Arizona” — Dream of a Family