Comments on: AML Movie Review: “There Will Be Blood”

By: Movie based on book-Atonemenrt

Movie based on book-Atonemenrt — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 08:49:16 +0000

I have read “Atonement” by Ian McEwan.I love this story.
also I had read the book by Ernest Hemingway was called “A Farewell to Arms”
that story was included “Love War Seperation”.I think Atonement is a little same as this story.
anyway I love this type story .also I saw the file ,Keira Knightley was excellent .
I propose to anybody have read this book watch the film ,too

By: AML Movie Review: “Definitely, Maybe” (2008)

AML Movie Review: “Definitely, Maybe” (2008) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 18:14:21 +0000

[...] that the last few movies I’d seen were No Country for Old Men, There Will Be Blood and Jumper, it was actually refreshing to get out and watch Definitely, Maybe. I make no apologies [...]

By: Jason A Clark

Jason A Clark — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 14:14:13 +0000

Yeah, like I said, I haven't seen "Atonement" or "Michael Clayton" yet, but "Gone Baby Gone" was fantastic. I've been sad all awards season long that it hasn't gotten more recognition. Any other year perhaps... Jason A Clark's last blog post..Roy Scheider 1932-2008

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:50:26 +0000

Atonement sucked IMO, I don’t feel like it should be up there with the other four, but the Academy loves those kind of films.

I’d throw in Gone Baby Gone instead of that one and feel a lot better.

By: Jason A Clark

Jason A Clark — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:40:54 +0000

I guess I was just disappointed because I had wanted it to be so much more. I had been looking forward to seeing it for so long and had heard so many great things about it. I don't know how I can go make myself watch "Atonement" now. Of the Best Picture nominees it is the one I had wanted to see the least and I've not heard much about it lately. I missed my second chance to see "Michael Clayton." I guess I'll have to catch it on DVD in another week or so. Jason A Clark's last blog post..Roy Scheider 1932-2008

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:32:48 +0000

Those are accurate assessments Jason and the same things I’ve seen throughout the review world out there…that there was no true character development, heck, even Ebert or someone pointed out that there wasn’t even a female role in the movie.

I think your note kind of explains why I felt it was told like some sort of “fantasy”, because you don’t see anything else but him and the preacher really, and nothing in the outside world matters, and we don’t even see him develop much.

Although I’m not sure that’s not what the directors and writers meant to do here…not every story needs a beginning and end.

But I did struggle a bit with it as well, but at the end, felt Lewis’ performance and the soundtrack, plus the epic-ness of it really was great.

By: Jason A Clark

Jason A Clark — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:27:32 +0000

Well, Mike, I finally got to see this movie this weekend as well. I was hoping for the best but must admit to being disappointed.

I felt the screenplay was tragically flawed. Day-Lewis was stunning as Plainview and it was his performance that elevated this film to the status it has achieved. Unfortunately, the story lacked any real defining moments for any of the characters or events that we witness.

We get Plainview and all of his psychosis but we never get anything that really tells us why he’s the way he is. We get a story that we feel is about a man becoming successful by being ruthless, but the truth is the film starts out by him becoming immediately successful so we are stripped of even the satisfaction of that. We think we see a film about a man who is both morally and spiritually corrupt but when we finish the film we are left wondering how and why we think that – the story never really takes us on that journey. We are only allowed to glimpse bits and pieces of it.

After taking a day to think about it I am left with the conclusion that the filmmakers failed in their attempts if they attempted to do anything other than show us a few fleeting scenes of one man with a corrupted soul. Without attempting to explain that corruption or even justify it the audience is left with nothing but questions; questions that have no answers.

One cannot help but watch this film and compare it to “Citizen Kane.” The only difference is that “Citizen Kane” fully developed the character of Charles Foster Kane…and they had Rosebud…which in one word, explained to the audience the reason for everything. “There Will Be Blood” failed to do that, in my opinion.

Jason A Clark’s last blog post..Roy Scheider 1932-2008