Tuesday, January 22, 2008
I Drink Your Milkshake!
I have seen There Will Be Blood, and have updated my film blog accordingly.
The director of Magnolia has done it again. I'm still trying to process everything. A couple of random thoughts before my full review later this week:
1) Daniel Day-Lewis gives what might be the best performance of the decade. And it's weird, because I usually judge acting by how well the actor makes me forget that he's an actor. For example, if I can watch Tom Cruise in a movie and forget that I'm watching Tom Cruise, then he's done his job the best way he can and made me see only the character. With this movie, I was alternating back-and-forth between seeing Daniel Day-Lewis and Daniel Plainview. But each time the words "Daniel Day-Lewis" entered my brain, it was usually followed by something like "delivered that line really well" or "is freaking me out with how good he is." The rhythm and tone with which he delivers his lines gave me chills.
2) What a thought-provoking examination of capitalism and religion and how when taken to the extreme they are immoral and destructive. It also shows how both capitalism and religion ultimately depend on each other, despite their frequent conflicts. And why is it that both capitalism and especially religion are often associated with blood ("washed in the blood of Jesus")? I think it's fair to say that Communist China would definitely approve of the messages in this film.
3) I have no idea why Anderson chose the title he did. It's not that bloody.
In other news: this kinda scares me.
Quote of Da Moment:
"Do you think God is going to come down here and save you for being stupid? He doesn't save stupid people, Abel."
--There Will Be Blood
The director of Magnolia has done it again. I'm still trying to process everything. A couple of random thoughts before my full review later this week:
1) Daniel Day-Lewis gives what might be the best performance of the decade. And it's weird, because I usually judge acting by how well the actor makes me forget that he's an actor. For example, if I can watch Tom Cruise in a movie and forget that I'm watching Tom Cruise, then he's done his job the best way he can and made me see only the character. With this movie, I was alternating back-and-forth between seeing Daniel Day-Lewis and Daniel Plainview. But each time the words "Daniel Day-Lewis" entered my brain, it was usually followed by something like "delivered that line really well" or "is freaking me out with how good he is." The rhythm and tone with which he delivers his lines gave me chills.
2) What a thought-provoking examination of capitalism and religion and how when taken to the extreme they are immoral and destructive. It also shows how both capitalism and religion ultimately depend on each other, despite their frequent conflicts. And why is it that both capitalism and especially religion are often associated with blood ("washed in the blood of Jesus")? I think it's fair to say that Communist China would definitely approve of the messages in this film.
3) I have no idea why Anderson chose the title he did. It's not that bloody.
In other news: this kinda scares me.
Quote of Da Moment:
"Do you think God is going to come down here and save you for being stupid? He doesn't save stupid people, Abel."
--There Will Be Blood
# posted by Andrew Johnson : 1/22/2008 12:16:00 AM 
