The Tragedy of Macbeth
★ ★★★★
I can't claim to be a Shakespeare scholar, so I can't aptly say how well The Tragedy of Macbeth holds up to other film adaptations of his work, but I was enraptured by this film. I know that I studied Macbeth at some point in my life because the story wasn't unfamiliar or surprising, but every actor in this movie savors delivering Shakespeare's iconic words. The black and white cinematography is breathtaking and builds upon the theatrical nature of this tale, yet frames the world that only cinema can accomplish. I couldn't help but think of The Seventh Seal.
The Coen Brothers have always received high praise, but it's their casting that is overlooked. Joel Coen flys solo with this project and he masterfully picked the perfect faces for these characters. He places the camera in innovative locations to add heft to the unique performances and it was nice to finally see some diversity within Shakespeare's works.
This film won't be everybody's cup of tea. It is the pure definition of arthouse cinema, but I found it a masterful tribute from one great artist to another.
