Paul Thomas Anderson comes into his own with There Will Be Blood, a sprawling American epic that is as intimate and intense as it is grandiose and unstoppable. Having been half-hailed and half-hated for his blissful earlier experiments, including the music fueled melodrama Magnolia and the neurotic Adam Sandler tragicomedy Punch-Drunk Love, Anderson makes his long awaited return with an unquestionable masterpiece that will satisfy his longstanding fans as well as earn him new converts. The story focuses on the devilish Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) who strikes oil in the early 20th century and sets out to become a leading tycoon of the time. His pursuits bring him to a small town where the farms are failing and the people have fallen under the guidance of a young preacher and self-proclaimed prophet named Eli Sunday (Paul Dano). Sunday, a self-interested icon of the town's old ways, clashes with his new competition. The outcome in an utterly devastating visualization of the rise of cruel corporate interest as one of the domineering forces in American lives. This is a true masterpiece that should not be missed.
Monday, April 07, 2008
DVD of the Week: There Will Be Blood
Paul Thomas Anderson comes into his own with There Will Be Blood, a sprawling American epic that is as intimate and intense as it is grandiose and unstoppable. Having been half-hailed and half-hated for his blissful earlier experiments, including the music fueled melodrama Magnolia and the neurotic Adam Sandler tragicomedy Punch-Drunk Love, Anderson makes his long awaited return with an unquestionable masterpiece that will satisfy his longstanding fans as well as earn him new converts. The story focuses on the devilish Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) who strikes oil in the early 20th century and sets out to become a leading tycoon of the time. His pursuits bring him to a small town where the farms are failing and the people have fallen under the guidance of a young preacher and self-proclaimed prophet named Eli Sunday (Paul Dano). Sunday, a self-interested icon of the town's old ways, clashes with his new competition. The outcome in an utterly devastating visualization of the rise of cruel corporate interest as one of the domineering forces in American lives. This is a true masterpiece that should not be missed.
