Recent Reviews for The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
Recent Reviews
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MCT:October 3, 2008,,melquiades estrada: promise me one thing, pete. if i die over here, carry me back to my family and bury me in my home town. i don' t want to be buried on this side among all the fucking billboards..."
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MCT:September 13, 2008One of the best dramas of 2005. Barry Pepper has delivered a fantastic performance under the direction of Tommy Lee Jones. Worth watching if you like crime/dramas.
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MCT:August 25, 2008
The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)
So what's it about? Ranch hand Pete Perkins looks to fulfill the promise to his recently deceased best friend by burying him in his hometown in Mexico.
My thoughts on the movie? Phenominal. My favourite of all time (at the moment :). Truly magnificent. You have to understand the point of the movie to enjoy it. Another superbly written script by Guillermo Arriaga. Both Tommy Lee and Barry Pepper give magnificent performances. Excellent cinematography comprised of stunning scenery and a really creepy but comical soundtrack. All credit goes to Tommy Lee Jones showing that he has exceptional abilities as a director.
Most memorable quote:"Promise me one thing, Pete. If I die over here, carry me back to my family and bury me in my home town. I don't want to be buried on this side among all the fucking billboards."
Rating: 5/5
Review Date: 21 June 2008
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MCT:August 3, 2008I had no idea where this was going when I first sat down to this - two hours later, it left me in a trance... a beautiful portrayal of love and those sentiments which nowadays are dismissed as foolish - it struck me somewhere deep down!
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MCT:July 15, 2008
this movie sorta snuck up on me, not heard much about it. jones plays a a grizzled ranche determined to do right by his friend. baryy pepper is ecellent as a violence prone border guard that gets in over his head. darky comic in places.
i highly reccomend ya see this one.
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MCT:July 15, 2008
It was alright. It could have been better, but it was just alright. Acting was good, but story was not real exciting. It's alright to see once; it's an either/or.
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MCT:July 10, 2008
Unpredictable. Original. Unforgettable. Tommy Lee Jones is a great man in movies this time he develope a well told story in the most entertain way. I enjoy this movie a lot.
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MCT:June 30, 2008
Both sad and funny, this film plays with the chronological order of the plot and with the perspectives of the characters. A kind of western with a solid direction from Tommy Lee Jones himself...
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MCT:June 29, 2008
Whats up with the font here people?
It seems someone gave tommy lee a bunch of rope and said " here Tommy, hang yourself!"
He certianly streched it out a ways, but this is one of the best movies i've seen in quite a while.
I laughed, I cried, I kissed your 9 dollars goodbye. -
MCT:June 27, 2008
At times 21 Grams others Don Quixote. A meaningless killing, leads to three burials and a quest with a corpse through Mexico, Guillermo Arriaga(screenwriter of Babel, Ammores Perros, 21 Grams) as always weaves in themes both global and personal, poli...(read more)tical and poetic, with a skill and restraint not often seen. Ostensibally a modern western, this film shares with those others an ostensibly simple event told through a variety of chronologies and characters, great stuff. As with those other films it does tend to have a slow pace, but it does so give the viewer a grander scenic sense of the landscape Arriaga and Tommy Lee Jones, who direction should not be overlooked, unfold for us, a literate, mindful, grossly underrated modern western which manages to say many powerful things about the world today and human life in general.
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MCT:June 24, 2008THE THREE BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA (2005)
directed by Tommy Lee Jones
starring Tommy Lee Jones, Barry Pepper, Julio Cedillo«Promise me one thing, Pete. If I die over here, carry me back to my family and bury me in my home town. I don't want to be buried on this side among all the fucking billboards.»
Tommy Lee Jones' directorial debut is a modern western about friendship and redemption with lots of dark humor, emotions and realism. Jones stars in the main role as ranch foreman Pete Perkins, an old man trying to fulfill a promise he made to a friend, by taking his body, after he was accidentally killed by a patrol border officer, to Mexico to burry him in his native land.The first part of the film is told with deconstructed narrative, jumping back and forth in time introducing the complex nature of the characters involved. It may seem confusing at first and it quickly becomes obvious its the only to make the filmgoer understand all the themes Jones and writer Guillermo Arriaga are trying to develop. In the second half of the film, everything becomes linear but Jones, as both actor and director, manages to craft grotesque scenes filled with emotions and strangeness illustrating the state of mind of his character, who is obviously losing it after the death of his best friend.
Its quite an impressive job for Jones who is definately responsible for the quality of the film, even though it never hurt to have the writer of Amores Perros and 21 Grams by your sides. He gives his best performance in over ten years, he lives his character and its something disturbing how good he is at expressing nothing and everything at the same time. As a director he knows how to make his story compelling and gives a pretty accurate picture of the boredom many people live in those small Texan towns. He never gets mixed up between his themes and handles his material perfectly.
Great cinematography and fine music add to the lyrical tone of this modern western. Its beautiful and engaging, the ending absolutely moving. Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada is definately an overlooked gem, and everyone should see it.
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MCT:June 24, 2008
In the World there are many stories to be told. Through books, through films and through media. Three Burials is a great mulit layered story and is without a wavering doubt among of them.
Loyalty, companionship without limits, a longing for old lifestyles and the redemption of a total asshole in the form of Barry Peppers Norton. -
MCT:June 16, 2008
Tommy lee Jones plays a rancher whose best friend, he being the title character Melquiades Estrada is killed by Border patrol cop Mike Norton(Pepper). So the rancher takes it upon himself to grant his friends final wish to be buried back home in Mexico. Of course the film isn't as straighcut as it sounds often delving in and out of flashbacks.
Very powerful performances if anything Jones and Pepper at least deserved some sort of oscar nominations because they were nothing short of amazing.
Very moving and real story dealing with themes such as redemption, simply beautiful -
MCT:June 9, 2008
Superb directorial debut from Tommy Lee Jones, who also stands out in front of the camera. Powerful drama that is nicely tempered with some humorous moments. Great script from Guillermo Arriaga (Amorres Perros, Babel). Good companion piece to 'No Country for Old Men,' though not nearly as dark.
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MCT:June 6, 2008
This movies was funny, but sad, but more funny than sad. It was really good. I watched it at 5 o'clock this morning.
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MCT:May 27, 2008This film suprised me as I thought it was funnier than good violence.Its Main plot is some guy gets buried 3 times.Overall a good modern western
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MCT:May 26, 2008
Once you get past the first half hour (which is told out of order), you'll actually get to a pretty good modern day western. However, people with weak stomachs should beware!
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MCT:May 16, 2008
The best modern western or western period as of late, Jones crafted a harsh film dealing partially with the immigration question, but more so with redemption. The best performance I have ever seen from Barry Peppers is in this film as the desperate and slightly cocky border patrol officer who makes a big mistake. Great story by Guillermo Arriaga as well as a offbeat score by Marco Beltrami making for a truly unique western.
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Han Solo is the prisoner of the gangster Jabba the Hutt, and his friends must rescue him. But Chewie is imprisoned, and Leia, R2-D2, and C-3PO become the Hutt's slaves. When Luke returns in an attempt to rescue his companions they are all sentenced t...
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MCT:May 15, 2008
Excellent!! Tommy Lee Jones at his best!! I had to get used to the time-jumps at the beginning. But the movie really took-off. Incredible characterization.
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MCT:May 13, 2008
the characters were appealing and the interlinked plot was a nice touch. Tommy lee jones was good but the ending was a let down.
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MCT:May 10, 2008
Awesome modern take on the western. Beautifully shot and well characterised. the timeline is initially confusing but it soon settles down. fantastic stuff.
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MCT:May 8, 2008
''Promise me one thing, Pete. If I die over here, carry me back to my family and bury me in my home town. I don't want to be buried on this side among all the fucking billboards.''
Ranch hand Pete Perkins looks to fulfill the promise to his recently deceased best friend by burying him in his hometown in Mexico which means tracking down his killer but all is not what it seems...
Tommy Lee Jones: Pete Perkins
Barry Pepper: Mike Norton
In the World there are many stories to be told. Through books, through films and through media. Three Burials is a great mulit layered story and is without a wavering doubt among of them.
Loyalty, companionship without limits, a longing for old lifestyles and the redemption of a total asshole in the form of Barry Peppers Norton.
This film does a good job of showing the real way people who embrace the old ways still live in the modern world under there own laws. Horses, spurs and Leather boots coincide with pickups and mobiles.
The wife Lu Ann says that Mike Norton is beyond redemption. He is completely self absorbed and unaware of others. Even sex with his wife is wooden and lifeless.
The music is pure indulgence and helped with the luscious visuals and landscapes. The journey is what's important here and Tommy Lee as a Director and Actor proves he's up there with the very best painting his own Klimt or Picasso, Buriels shows he's not just an actor but like Clint Eastwood a man who knows film, who knows what needs to be done directorial wise.
This felt like a modern Western not your Wild West one but one similar to No Country in depth and story. Listening to the Country music which i must listen to again really did stick within me.
Two men who take a Journey one for redemption unaware of it at first, the other on the surface revenge, then later if you look deeper for honour and a loved friend.
If you love a Story that's heartfelt and warm, that will lift your spirits when your sad, then Burials must be seen. -
MCT:April 5, 2008
An excellent film about redemption, revenge and friendship. Jones gives a powerful and understated performance and is well supported, especially by the two female leads. The direction and writing are taught with barely a wasted word or shot. Whilst there are few real surprises there is some wonderful ambiguity that gives the viewer the chance to think for themselves. Each of the characters is flawed in their own way, but through their interactions with each other they provide something the other needs - redemption, friendship, someone who believes in them, a purpose. Let's hope Jones has a few more ideas in his bag and this is the start of something good from him.
Barry Pepper also gives a very surprising performance. I love him in 'Private Ryan' and I can say the same thing here. He is Hollywood's one of the most underrated actors. -
MCT:March 23, 2008
I could see exactly what Tommy Lee Jones character was striving for. He wanted honour for his dead illegal immigrant Mexican friend after making him a solemn promise that he never thought he'd have to uphold. No-one else was going to do it for him so he made the killer accountable.
