There Will Be Blood - a film by Paul Thomas Anderson

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly was slow, with slow deliberate pacing, but it was also incredibly intense, compelling and entertaining. This was not.
 
Sydney was good, but it's really my least favorite of Anderson's work. For me, it's:

Boogie Nights
Punch-Drunk Love
Magnolia
Sydney/Hard Eight
 
I guess I'll add TWBB to the list

1. Punch Drunk Love
2. Magnolia
3. There Will Be Blood
4. Boogie Nights
5. Hard Eight/Sydney

I was tempted to put TWBB #2, but I think Magnolia might be more rewatchable for me so I gave it the bump.
 
I found this film to be great.

It was "slow" but incredibly entertaining. Every shot was so full of emotion. It was beautifully shot and lit, and the acting was superb. Even the child actors did a good job.

The audience I saw it with really bugged me though. They laughed at parts that were clearly not supposed to be funny, and at times they took me right out of the film. Other than that, I found it great.

*spoilers*


I enjoyed the first half more (before his 'son' was deaf), because I loved that relationship. After that, it was less enjoyable. It doesn't make it a worse film, I just truly hated Daniel (protagonist, not the actor) by the end of the film. I realize this was intended, but I think he was almost too evil.
 
I saw this last night, caught the 10:00 pm showing at the Arclight in Hollywood.

I don't know what to say. I seriously had trouble sleeping last night after the film because I couldn't stop thinking about it.

I still haven't made of my mind whether it was pure brilliance or pompous mediocrity.

I can say for sure, from a technical standpoint, it was like a wet dream: the sound, the photography, the music, just wow. Incredible.

I need to think on it more...
 
BryantStanton said:
I still haven't made of my mind whether it was pure brilliance or pompous mediocrity.

I need to think on it more...
Click to expand...

lol, this is what happens with me everytime I see a new PTA flick. However, everytime I've come to the brilliance conclusion. I assume the same will be true after I see TWBB a couple more times.
 
After thinking about it all last night and today, I think I'm currently leaning toward brilliance.

It's such a rich film... so much detail... I need to see it again, but I think I'm gonna wait for wide release... the Arclight is a great theater, but I'd go broke paying $15 per viewing + gas money to drive from Long Beach.


(Spoiler?...)
EDIT: I was just having this thought today... I feel like I'd enjoy the film a lot more if I went into watching it as a character study, and less of a traditional narrative film. The whole film really is just about Daniel's character and his reactions to others and the world and how it makes him what he is. Just a random thought, it definitely made me appreciate the film a lot more, because it really makes more sense as a whole to me.
 
Last edited:
His films usually end up on the pompous mediocrity end of the scale for me (especially Magnolia), but TWBB was really, really magnificent. The only film I saw this year that was better was No Country for Old Men.

Daniel Day Lewis was just tremendous, as always, but what really struck me about TWBB is the lack of PTA's usual elaborate camera moves and melodrama. the stillness of this film is what stood out to me. Also, hiring Jonny Greenwood as the composer is the best thing he has ever done. Anderson's arrogance is finally earned with this picture, IMHO.
 
herbalmedia said:
Anderson's arrogance is finally earned with this picture, IMHO.
Click to expand...

Wha-?

You never see the guy in the media, talking about his films, making huge claims about his works, or fending off accusations he rips off other directors...or bragging about anything at all.

How does he come off as arrogant?
 
I am thinking of when he lost the Oscar for best screenplay for Magnolia. You know when they show all five nominees? His jaw literally dropped when they announced the winner, and it wasn't him. He mouthed off quite a bit afterwards, though I don't want to go misquoting him.

Perhaps that struck as me as particularly arrogant because I really didn't think Magnolia was such an amazing accomplishment. But, I concede that my assessment is really just based on that and hearsay, so I could be very wrong about his general attitude.
 
herbalmedia said:
I am thinking of when he lost the Oscar for best screenplay for Magnolia. You know when they show all five nominees? His jaw literally dropped when they announced the winner, and it wasn't him. He mouthed off quite a bit afterwards, though I don't want to go misquoting him.

Perhaps that struck as me as particularly arrogant because I really didn't think Magnolia was such an amazing accomplishment. But, I concede that my assessment is really just based on that and hearsay, so I could be very wrong about his general attitude.
Click to expand...

Hmmm...that does sound kind of cheeky. I don't think Magnolia was amazing, but it was a very good, solid film.

I'm a fan of his, and I can't wait to see There Will Be Blood...

Punch Drunk Love left a bit of a bitter taste in my mouth. It was on tv the other night, but I couldn't get into watching it. It's the least of his works in my opinion.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top