Miscellaneous Movie Musings - Page 314

Snowflake · 04-09-2008, 02:16 PM

Thanks LSPE.

Alex, I did not love the cinematography nearly as much as NCFOM (which had real sweep and beauty to me) but I can appreciate your thoughts on it, and the film.

I also did not find Dano weak. You're right, weak against Day-Lewis, but I think a very respectable (if) over the top performace at the end. I do feel like the red-herring of his character dissapearing and then coming in at the end for a hand out kind of a lame plot twist.

That said, I have not read the original novel, either.

Alex · 04-09-2008, 02:27 PM

Oh, I wasn't comparing TWBB with NCFOM. The latter is far superior in my opinion and that includes cinematography.

My understanding is that TWBB really was "inspired" by Sinclair's Oil and that they are pretty divergent.

Alex · 04-09-2008, 01:08 PM

I loved the theme of conflict between religion and capitalism for control of society. I love that capitalism won and it wasn't shown as a gentle "good" victory.

I loved the performance from Day-Lewis. I loved the cinematography.

I did not love the Paul Dano performance. I thought it was really weak, especially when being forced to go toe-to-toe with Day-Lewis. I did not like the length, feeling it meandered too much and undercut its own story with a languid pace. Despite providing the resolution of the greater conflict, I though the final act was too over the top and too odd when viewed from the personal character perspective.

The end result for me was a lot of respect for Paul Thomas Anderson's vision as a filmmaker, amazement he got it made, and regret that he doesn't seem to have a filter on the worst of his excesses. In the end I left feeling "meh."

It has settled on me over the moths and I think my memory of it now is better than my experience of it was then.

Eliza Hodgkins 1812 · 05-14-2008, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

I loved the theme of conflict between religion and capitalism for control of society. I love that capitalism won and it wasn't shown as a gentle "good" victory.

I think I should have read your post first before writing mine, and just responded, "What he said," to this and the rest.

LSPoorEeyorick · 04-09-2008, 02:01 PM

If Snowflake didn't like the film, I say she has excellent taste. I saw it in the theater and it did nothing for me aside from making me acknowledge once again that Day-Lewis is a good actor. That is, until Mousepod nudged me about the whole "John Huston" thing, and that pretty much ruined the only thing I liked about this film.

innerSpaceman · 04-09-2008, 02:41 PM

It's an adaptation of a single chapter in Sinclair's "Oil," but I've no idea if it's otherwise divergent of the contents of that chapter.

To each his own, my friends. I LOVED There Will Be Blood and I was hardly alone. I was only kidding when I put Snowflake down for poor taste (but never kidding when I do the same to Gemini Cricket, heheh)

VIVA LA DIFFERENCE!

LSPoorEeyorick · 04-09-2008, 02:58 PM

Indeed! I still loved iSm when he professed his love for Crash. I just knew we were never, ever going to agree on Oscar movies. (Still, he makes for wonderful Oscar night company.) (And, sometimes, we do agree. When are we going to watch The Orphanage!?!?)

innerSpaceman · 04-09-2008, 03:41 PM

mousepod has it scheduled for soon after the BluRay is released. Eh, perfectionist.

By that time, his thread for that event series should return from seder and boob talk.

JWBear · 04-11-2008, 10:29 PM

We watched I Am Legend tonight.

I'm sleeping with the lights on....

wendybeth · 04-12-2008, 12:27 AM

Won't they find you if the lights are on? I mean, sunlight was a pretty effective deterrent, but by the end of the movie the scary people didn't seem to mind electric light. Better keep a grenade or two under your pillow.

04-09-2008, 02:16 PM	#1
Snowflake lost in the fog Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: San Francisco Posts: 7,831	Thanks LSPE. Alex, I did not love the cinematography nearly as much as NCFOM (which had real sweep and beauty to me) but I can appreciate your thoughts on it, and the film. I also did not find Dano weak. You're right, weak against Day-Lewis, but I think a very respectable (if) over the top performace at the end. I do feel like the red-herring of his character dissapearing and then coming in at the end for a hand out kind of a lame plot twist. That said, I have not read the original novel, either.
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04-09-2008, 02:27 PM	#2
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Oh, I wasn't comparing TWBB with NCFOM. The latter is far superior in my opinion and that includes cinematography. My understanding is that TWBB really was "inspired" by Sinclair's Oil and that they are pretty divergent.
	Submit to Quotes

04-09-2008, 01:08 PM	#3
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	I loved the theme of conflict between religion and capitalism for control of society. I love that capitalism won and it wasn't shown as a gentle "good" victory. I loved the performance from Day-Lewis. I loved the cinematography. I did not love the Paul Dano performance. I thought it was really weak, especially when being forced to go toe-to-toe with Day-Lewis. I did not like the length, feeling it meandered too much and undercut its own story with a languid pace. Despite providing the resolution of the greater conflict, I though the final act was too over the top and too odd when viewed from the personal character perspective. The end result for me was a lot of respect for Paul Thomas Anderson's vision as a filmmaker, amazement he got it made, and regret that he doesn't seem to have a filter on the worst of his excesses. In the end I left feeling "meh." It has settled on me over the moths and I think my memory of it now is better than my experience of it was then.
	Submit to Quotes

04-09-2008, 02:01 PM	#5
LSPoorEeyorick scribblin' Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: in the moment Posts: 3,872	If Snowflake didn't like the film, I say she has excellent taste. I saw it in the theater and it did nothing for me aside from making me acknowledge once again that Day-Lewis is a good actor. That is, until Mousepod nudged me about the whole "John Huston" thing, and that pretty much ruined the only thing I liked about this film.
	Submit to Quotes

04-09-2008, 02:41 PM	#6
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	It's an adaptation of a single chapter in Sinclair's "Oil," but I've no idea if it's otherwise divergent of the contents of that chapter. To each his own, my friends. I LOVED There Will Be Blood and I was hardly alone. I was only kidding when I put Snowflake down for poor taste (but never kidding when I do the same to Gemini Cricket, heheh) VIVA LA DIFFERENCE!
	Submit to Quotes

04-09-2008, 02:58 PM	#7
LSPoorEeyorick scribblin' Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: in the moment Posts: 3,872	Indeed! I still loved iSm when he professed his love for Crash. I just knew we were never, ever going to agree on Oscar movies. (Still, he makes for wonderful Oscar night company.) (And, sometimes, we do agree. When are we going to watch The Orphanage!?!?)
	Submit to Quotes

04-09-2008, 03:41 PM	#8
innerSpaceman Kink of Swank Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Inner Space Posts: 13,075	mousepod has it scheduled for soon after the BluRay is released. Eh, perfectionist. By that time, his thread for that event series should return from seder and boob talk.
	Submit to Quotes

04-11-2008, 10:29 PM	#9
JWBear Worn Romantic Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Long Beach California Posts: 8,435	We watched I Am Legend tonight. I'm sleeping with the lights on.... __________________ Unrestrained frivolity will lead to the downfall of modern society.
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04-12-2008, 12:27 AM	#10
wendybeth Nevermind Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 7,847	Won't they find you if the lights are on? I mean, sunlight was a pretty effective deterrent, but by the end of the movie the scary people didn't seem to mind electric light. Better keep a grenade or two under your pillow. __________________
	Submit to Quotes