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Also true about NCFOM, because those Coens just LOVE their “simple crime gone horribly awry” sub-genre. Even still, for them this one is turned up to 11.

I understand what you and others have said about the third act (and HE knows who I mean), but I just don’t agree. I think that the movie shows a natural progression of madness and alcoholism – as it applies to Daniel. Earlier he had told his “brother” that he just wanted to have enough money to get away from everyone, all of the people he hated, but ultimately that’s as much a lie as anything. He is a character who absolutely CAN’T be happy, regardless of his success or wealth or dominance or any of the things he believes are important. That entire last sequence, in which everything but his wealth is stripped away, proves how wrong his philosophy is. Even H.W. – who has no earthly reason to be kind to Daniel – reaches out to him, only to be rejected for no sound reason other than it’s Daniel’s wish to do so. What PTA has created here is VERY extreme, VERY off-putting, but I don’t think of it as a caricature. It’s more cautionary, more horrified than that. This movie does what few try to do anymore: it EARNS this ending. It’s extreme to be sure, but the outrageous way that Daniel ends up expressing himself is, I think, the only way that such a person who has lived to such extremes of fury and misanthropy would come to act.

And then there’s the booze, of course.

And Daniel’s final line – while, on the surface, might come across as a pun or jokey, silly moment – is also the most extreme way that he can express himself. This is a guy who is NEVER finished, who simply can’t stop this descent into hell that he’s created.

Vals day is also the B-Day so yes it’s creepy and weird that I attended the 8 o’clock showing of There Will Be Blood last night… by myself.

And damn, I have to say that your wonderful review is making me rethink it a bit.

First, the prize goes to PT Anderson who I believe to be a young Francis Ford Copolla full an unbelievable level of arrogance and passion and self-destruction. This movie is way movies used to be made. And while No Country is good, it’s low-hanging fruit in my opinion for the Coens. I mean really, look at the story then look at the Coens track record and tell me that it’s not going to be wonderful.

PT on the other hand is ambitious as hell. I’m still in awe that he was able to make Boogie Nights and do it so well considering he was in his late 20s when he did it.

You’re right about all that you said and until the 3rd act I was right with you on everything. But once it moves to 1927 and we see Plainview in the house the movie falls apart for me. Lewis becomes so over the top, such a charicature of himself that I couldn’t put the movie together.

So all in all, not a complete movie for me but a success nonetheless for PT has made a movie like they haven’t for a long long time.

Yep. LOVE that these films give the audience room to move. We all had to go have coffee & conversation after we saw them. (Some of us put whiskey in our coffee, o’ course…)

They’re easily my two favorite films of the year, though I somewhat arbitrarily annointed the Coen film as THE best. Truly I’d prefer not to have to pick one.

As for rewatching movies, I usually don’t very often, especially not in theaters. I’ll catch them from time to time, but it’s a rare movie I’m inspired to turn around and buy another ticket for. All told, I’ve seen these two films 4 times each and they’ve delivered every single time. Not only that, I feel ready to see them again already.

And I see nothing wrong with checking out a great film on a day that happens to be Valentine’s. Any good woman should enjoy it just the same.

- wait a second. You’re seeing this on Valentine’s Day? You know, that holiday created for the ladies?

You intend to stay married, right?

I’m not saying your wife will hate it – there’s no tangible reason she would or should – but this movie’s blackness is brutal! It’s not exactly huggy-smoochy material and there’s approximately one female speaking part in the whole movie.