Movie Review

[beemerboy]

I watched "There Will be Blood" on PPV this past weekend and wished I hadn't spent the money. I dunno....it seemed like 2+ hours of violence and carnage based on the Upton Sinclair book "Oil" from the 1920's.

 

For those not familiar with this author, most of his writings had a strong socialist, anti-capitalist, and anti-religion slant. On the other hand if you've never read "The Jungle" you're missing out on an incredible book that changed the way workers were treated and paved the way for federal guidelines for meat packing and food processing. Read the book and you'll never look at Spam the same way again......

 

Back to the movie; the acting is top notch and the little boy who portrays the lead character's son is quietly powerful especially after he loses his hearing.

 

That is all.

 

[DiggerJim]

Go see Iron Man and escape

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

I drink your milkshake!

[KrazyHorse]

We (and by we, I mean my 4.5 year old) are anxiously awaiting Speed Racer. Should be pretty visually stimulating, in fact I betcha Dave walks out of the theater with motion sickness.

 

He (the 4.5 yr old)is into all of the Iron Man promotional stuff, but he says he thinks the movie will be too scarey. (Good call, kid) So he is perfectly happy just running around in his Iron Man mask and wrist-shooter-thingee. I did make him listen to the whole Black Sabbath version of "Iron Man" as he did not believe me when I told him that the song was orignally released before Mommy and Daddy were born...that and to give him something else to sing besides "I am I-ron Man,dadadadadadadadadadada-DA-DA-da-da"

 

Patti

[Mike]

I watched "There Will be Blood" on PPV this past weekend and wished I hadn't spent the money. I dunno....it seemed like 2+ hours of violence and carnage based on the Upton Sinclair book "Oil" from the 1920's.

 

Back to the movie; the acting is top notch and the little boy who portrays the lead character's son is quietly powerful especially after he loses his hearing.

 

That is all.

 

I agree. While the acting was excellent, the movie didn't do anything for me. I see enough despair in life, without having to pay $9.50 to see more (and that doesn't come close to the cost of concessions ).

[Shaman97]

We (and by we, I mean my 4.5 year old) are anxiously awaiting Speed Racer.

 

I find it ironic that this particular movie is being sponsored by an auto insurance company - eSurance. But maybe not - he never crashes. :sick:

[Bob Palin]

I dunno....it seemed like 2+ hours of violence and carnage based on the Upton Sinclair book "Oil" from the 1920's.

Wasn't that the point?

 

It was an OK movie, not in the same class as some of the other Oscar nominees like No Country and Juno which were excellent.

[exwingnut]

I dunno....it seemed like 2+ hours of violence and carnage based on the Upton Sinclair book "Oil" from the 1920's.

Wasn't that the point?

 

It was an OK movie, not in the same class as some of the other Oscar nominees like No Country and Juno which were excellent.

 

I though Daniel Day Lewis's performance was excellent, the rest of the movie was ok, but his performance was excellent, IMO. It must have be better on the big screen, too.

 

Going to see Iron Man this w/e hopefully, it was may favorite comic book.

[questrider]

For those not familiar with this author, most of his writings had a strong socialist, anti-capitalist, and anti-religion slant. On the other hand if you've never read "The Jungle" you're missing out on an incredible book that changed the way workers were treated and paved the way for federal guidelines for meat packing and food processing.

Read "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser and you'll see that whatever change "The Jungle" prompted in the first quarter of the 20th century, the fast food industry--led by the McDonald's Corporation and followed by nearly everyone else--has either erased or reversed in the latter three-quarters of the 20th century, made worse by their control of how meat is slaughtered and food is processed and distributed. Eye-opening, sickening and depressing all at once. The big business machine at its finest.

 

So I don't completely derail this thread, "There Will Be Blood" is awaiting viewing this weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed "No Country for Old Men" and "Juno" though.

[beemerboy]

Wasn't that the point?

 

It was an OK movie, not in the same class as some of the other Oscar nominees like No Country and Juno which were excellent.

 

I guess so. Not being totally up to speed on Sinclair's writings you could say that I walked into this screening not knowing what to expect. Based on a few previews I'd seen I knew it had some violence but not the gratuitous type I saw and that turned me off.

 

I agree with exwingnut in that Daniel Day Lewis' performance was very, very good. I wonder why we don't see more of him.

[Bob Palin]

Lewis is known for picking his roles, he only does things he chooses and only does them his way.

[1MPH]

[quote=beemerboy

I wonder why we don't see more of him.

 

 

If you like Lewis see My Left Foot he was great in that one.

 

 

 

[4wheeldog]

[quote=beemerboy

I wonder why we don't see more of him.

 

 

If you like Lewis see My Left Foot he was great in that one.

 

 

 

And "Last of the Mohicans"......One of my all time favorites.

[soboy]

Some of the most respected movie critics in the country hyped "There Will be Blood" as a seminal movie, the kind that only comes along once a decade or so, on par with the best of the best. Not true. While Daniel Day Lewis gave an Oscar -winning performance, the movie disappointed me. They could have done so much more with it, but as it was released, it was merely good but far from great.

 

I thought "No Country for Old Men" was superb and well-deserving of best picture. A must-see unless you are squeamish.

 

Michael Clayton and American Gangster are also excellent movies, well deserving of your dollars.

 

I used to review movies for my college newspaper, it was a fun job. I have no tolerance for bad movies as a result.