Film Preview: The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

Page Revisions:

(November 11, 2018) Original

Release Date:

November 16, 2018

Synopsis:

From IMDb: “An anthology western following six different storylines centering on a man named Buster Scruggs.”

Poster Rating: C+ / B-

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Review: (#1) The cracked desert landscape makes an interesting backdrop for this poster design with horses and carriages traveling out from the central title. The colors are a bit dull and it doesn’t have nearly the visual heft it needs. (#2) This leather-bound version of the first poster is more fitting to the story, which seems to use a carriage-based tale-telling as a framing device. That makes the design, which is also more colorful and distinctive stand out better.

Trailer Rating: B- / C+

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Review: (#1 & #2) The first trailer does a better of exploring the framing device for the film, which makes it seem more mysterious. The second trailer gives more detail about what’s going on, which makes things a bit clearer, but also less interesting.

Oscar Prospects:

You always have to consider the Coen Brothers as Oscar contenders and this could be the best test yet of whether Netflix can overcome its selfish release strategy to break into the Oscar race stronger than it has yet.