"THERE WILL BE BLOOD"

The 200-Word Review: There Will Be Blood

Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano. Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. My Grade: A-
Wow, what a performance by Daniel Day-Lewis, who invests the main character of THERE WILL BE BLOOD, Daniel Plainview, with his characteristic intensity, charisma and intelligence. BLOOD is the story of Plainview's singleminded obsession with building his early 20th century oil empire and how it slowly, inexorably drives him into psychosis. Every moment that Day-Lewis is on screen is a riveting one and fortunately for the movie he's in every scene except one (if you see the movie, see if you notice which one). Paul Dano is the only other actor with much of a screen presence in the movie, shedding his usual contemporary role here for a turn as a charismatic and complex young preacher who stands in the way of some of Plainview's conquests.

This is Day-Lewis' movie though and he towers over it. The movie's main flaw--and it is definitely a noticeable one--is that the events of the final act don't quite live up to the first two and the movie's ending, while appropriate, is abrupt and likely to leave many in the audience feeling a little cold. Given the hype and the awards given to the movie, you might expect just a little bit more. All in all though, THERE WILL BE BLOOD is a good night at the movies and definitely worth it to see one of the greatest film acting performances of all time. (A special mention should be made of Robert Elswit's magnificent widescreen cinematography and the jarring score by Jonny Greenwood [from Radiohead]. Their work not only elevates this movie it stands out as some of the best work in their respective fields this year.)

There Will Be Blood - The Latest Round of Primaries

Democrats out: Richardson, Biden and Dodd. Republicans out: Duncan Hunter (who?) Hillary wins two in a row, but Barack looms large in the upcoming South Carolina primary. McCain follows up his New Hampshire "comeback" with a win in the GOP South Carolina primary--sandwiched in between are two victories for Mitt Romney, possibly the dullest politician to be on the verge of a major party nomination since Hubert Humphrey in 1968.

Clinton and Obama got racial then pulled back from the brink of catastrophe. Fred Thompson thinks he has a chance to jumpstart his campaign ("chung chung!") in South Carolina. He may not be kidding. Everybody's got an economic stimulus package although it's unlikely anybody who gets elected president is going to be able to do much in the short term to avoid a seemingly inevitable recession.

One thing is certain--the mudslinging has only just begun as has the bloodletting. And don't be shocked if one or both major parties winds up with a brokered convention. This thing is still too close to call...

If I Wrote the Headlines (Based on Actual Internet Headlines from the Past Week)

CONGRESS CALLS FOR PROBE OF MIGUEL TEJADA, DOES NOT OFFER TO BUY A DRINK FIRST

FERRARI UNVEILS ETHANOL-FUELED MODEL
Car To Get 25 Miles Per Shot

BRITNEY SPEARS SKIPS COURT TO CANOODLE WITH PAPARAZZO
Spears Shops at Baby Gap - Buys Herself a New Skirt


Sometime, I will get around to my famous 2007 downloads, I promise. For now...

Peace.