The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

I'd been seeing the film featured on Netflix for the past couple of months but had zero interest in it, so I was actively annoyed when it got nominated for writing. I try to watch all Oscar nominated films in several groups -- two of which are the screenplay categories. The movie is actually six separate short films sharing only a "wild west" setting, so I'll grade each separately.

1. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs -- made me feel as though my annoyance at having to watch this was justified. It was exactly what I was expecting from the film's still of Tim Blake Nelson on a horse with a guitar. The fight scenes were unexpectedly inventive, but Nelson's charms are lost on me and I just worried I was in for a couple of hours of unrelenting quirkiness. Ranks 5/6 (C-)

2. Near Algodones -- concisely told with some gorgeous shots. Franco does a subtle job with this quiet, resigned role. I liked this one a lot. Ranks 2/6 (B+)

3. Meal Ticket -- traveling showman exploits a limbless orphan orator until he finds a less taxing source of income. It's an ugly story. Ranks 4/6 (C)

4. All Gold Canyon -- prospector puts in the work to find the source of the gold specks he found panning in the river only to have someone swoop in at the last moment to grab it from him. Tom Waits holds the screen in near isolation. Ranks 3/6 (B)

5. The Gal Who Got Rattled -- I've watched this several times and admire it more with each viewing. It's a full love story told in just about 30 minutes & is every bit as effective as Romeo & Juliet or Titanic. Ranks 1/6 (A+)

6. The Moral Remains -- five stagecoach passengers share uncomfortable conversation while on their way to the hotel at Fort Morgan. It's both boring and mean but thinks it's mysterious. Ranks 6/6 (D+)

The total grade, when averaged out, should be about a B-, but I like The Gal Who Got Rattled so much that I'm going to put my thumb on the grading scale.

B