1. No Country For Old Men - Retirement
No Country For Old Men is a searing, visceral masterpiece of a film that deals with many complicated themes. On the surface it is a simple premise that details a cat and mouse game between an accidental thief and the hitman who is hunting him. The Oscar winning Coen Brothers effort has been hailed as a reinvention of the western genre in regards to its depiction of violence and lawlessness, but the extremely intricate and detailed symbolism found throughout is what really makes the film a revisionist picture. Underneath the surface story you'll find that No Country For Old Men is really a tale about retirement. This has many different implications, the most obvious being sheriff Ed Tom Bell's retirement from the police force at the end of the movie. Where his retirement is literal the film adds in more figurative signs such as Llewelyn Moss being a veteran and his wife, Carla Jean, mentioning that she works at Walmart only to have Llewelyn tell her she is now retired. The harsh depictions of violence in the movie fit into the retirement symbolism as well. Anton Chigurh's mission throughout the entire film leads to him murdering 12 people. Murder is one word that describes his goal but retire is one that fits this scenario more accurately. It's similar to Rick Deckard "retiring" Replicants as a Blade Runner. It's in this way that the Coens have perfectly blended the surface story of their film with a brilliant layer of symbolism. Think I read way too far into what are actually straightforward films? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.