mike n (mkn)

There Will Be Blood R

My god, I don't even know where to start with this film. In some ways, it can be seen as a compliment to and opposite of "No Country For Old Men". Where as No Country was more focused on the unstoppable *forces* of progress, Blood is more interested in the unstoppable character of Daniel Plainview. And what a character it is! If Daniel Day-Lewis doesn't win an Oscar, Hollywood can burn to the ground. There's so much else that can be talked about in this movie. Watching it was as if I was in film school. Paul Dano's performance. The ideas of family and nature/nurture, religion and its greed and greed as religion, anger, the overwhelming score (a stark contrast from No Country, which had none), the scenery and cinematography and everything else. Just see it. And all this from the guy that made Magnolia? (which I liked, but still) I'm finished.

No Country for Old Men R

Yes. Yes. Yes! No nonsense film that hearkens back to the Coens' best films. Javier Bardem is the baddest-ass in film in years.