"I aim to kill ya"

Dr Desert Flower and I went and saw Joel & Ethan Coen's True Grit last Thursday night when it came out here in Phoenix.  It's a fine film.  If you took No Country For Old Men, and crossed it with the character development and "eh?" ending of Burn After Reading, and then mixed in a heavy dose of death from Fargo, Miller's Crossing & The Lady Killers, with a script lifted largely from the original True Grit Charles Portis novel, then you get this movie.  Put in reference to Tombstone and Unforgiven, I'd say True Grit was better (and I really did love Unforgiven) and agree with The Pompous Film Snob on this as well.

I also agree with the Pompous Film snob that Hailee Steinfeld (as Mattie) was phenomenal in this film, and completely under-appreciated.  Hell, even the poster here doesn't list her (there's No sexism in Hollywood or advertising).  She dominates every scene.  She should get Best Actress, but she won't.  Bridges was good.  Damon was not bad.  Brolin had a few lines and a small part, but near-the-top billing after No Country. 

Very well acted.  Beautiful cinematography.  Nicely written, smoothly directed.  An intense story told.  We saw it on a Thursday night to a 75% full theater.  You can wait for the DVD or the download... but it's better than most anything else that is showing in US theaters this week and weekend.