No rest for the wicked

So, no, there were no left overs, unless you count the raviolis, which I don't, although I took some. So I made a turkey breast but it came without skin, this defeating my purpose. I think turkey skin should be sold separately in little carry out containers for those of us who smoke and eat bad things. Anyway, now I have cold turkey sandwiches. The secret to a really great cold turkey or chicken sandwich is to butter one slice of bread and than use mayo on the other. Really adds depth to a sandwich; try it.

I was planning to use today to write about Iraq--but I can't work up the energy. So, instead, I'll talk about No Country for Old Men, a magnificent film I saw over the weekend. There may be no such thing as a perfect movie, but this comes as close to perfect as any film can be. The film is as flat and bleak at Tommy Lee Jone's narration. Set in 1980, this is essentially a chase film centered on a drug deal gone bad and missing money. Three men are after each other for various reasons and what humor there is, is the nervous gallows humor kind. Jones is the ready-to-retire Texas lawman who has seen more than he needs to, Josh Brolin, in a surprisingly terrific performance, is the nice guy who finds the money, and Javier Bardem is the scary, robotic killer (armed with a nasty compressed-air gun). The movie begins with the aftermath of a massacre in the desert and ends...well, I won't tell you that. But I will tell you that this is a very satisfying journey that is filled with real horror. Of all the stellar performances (yes, Josh Brolin turns in a stellar performance), Bardem's ultimate bad guy is the best. On the surface, he seems fairly bland and nondescript but then the beast within him rises. No Country for Old Men is dark, bloody and fatalistic and as true a masterpiece as any film I have ever seen.

As a rule I love the Coen brothers' efforts. There have been a very few missteps along the way (The Ladykillers), but the journey through their films is usually satisfying. But this movie is a standout and it will stay with you long after you leave the theater.