There will be blood follows the life of Daniel Plainview as he sacrifices his sanity in order to find success. His is a story that’s been told numerous times through many different mediums. We all can relate to these challenges even if we deny it. We’re all good and we’re all bad. We’re all sinners, even those who preach their purity on a daily basis. The point is that this movie is not for everybody. In fact, many people won’t find it engaging at all. However, it is about everybody. Whether you admit it or not, Daniel is me, and Daniel is you. It’s in our nature. The question is not “if” you will fail yourself, but how you handle yourself after you do.That being said, I did enjoy this movie. As Eric so keenly pointed out, it definitely follows the pacing of a novel, but not at the price of the story. The cinematography was always moving. Even when the shots were static, they were moving the story forward. And the acting was definitely upper tier. Eric also stated that unlike a QuentinTarantino movie where you get punched in the face until you fall down, There Will Be Blood is like a starring contest in which your knees buckle by the sheer will of Paul Thomas Anderson's glare. I, however, think it’s somewhere in between. It’s more of a slapping contest – perhaps because everyone in the movie get’s their fair share of open handed love.
So the question is do I recommend this movie, and the answer is no. It’s just not for most people. Yes, I liked it, but I don’t think the majority will. It’s not because I think I’m smarter than everyone else, or that I’m more philosophical. It’s actually because most movie goers like to be entertained as apposed to being reminded of “mans inhumanity towards man.” ;) Yes, I just used the semicolon wink…sue me. It’s a film lovers dream, and a movie watchers nightmare. If you’re somewhere in between, then give it a chance. At lease by the end of it, you’ll know what category you fall into.
I apologize if this blog sounds pretentious. I would dumb it down if I could, but my brain is growing uncontrollably fast these days. ;) Yep, there it is again.
3 comments:
I will happily admit that I am a film lover and this film was a dream. Paul Thomas Anderson's films are always loved by filmmakers. Sort of in the way Stanley Kubrick was a filmmaker's fav, but sometimes his films were lost on the masses. I completely agree that most film watchers fall into two categories and this is not really for the movie goer. That is why No Country for Old Men won the Oscar for best picture, but we will still be studying TWBB in a decade or two.
And that is why I drink your milkshake! It's drainage!
So what you're saying is that you already drank my milkshake when I wasn't looking?
Post a Comment