Finally taking advantage of living in a major city, I saw There Will be Blood yesterday and it was fan-goddamn-tastic. I’ve had a mixed opinion of Paul Thomas Anderson. I enjoyed Boogie Nights but responded with a solid “meh” to Punch-Drunk Love and I thoroughly disliked Magnolia (a film which could be the topic of a whole rant that I will assuredly never write). However, if he can keep making movie like this then, zounds Scooby, I’m all for it. Daniel Day-Lewis is fantastic, which should surprise absolutely no one, and Paul Dano, from Little Miss Sunshine and The Girl Next Door, was also quite good as the not-quite-morally-spotless preacher. I’m still undecided about the end of the film, however (slight spoilers coming, deal with it). Anderson juxtaposes (In a recent conversation with a friend, she asserted that “juxtaposition” is a typical douchebag word that people (namely college freshmen) use to sound smart. I’m inclined to agree, but it actually works here. What this says about me as a person, I will not expound on.) the overwhelming loneliness of Daniel Plainview’s life with his victory over the preacher (in a particularly bad ass fashion). So, I guess he wins in the end? maybe. Anyway, good movie.

Anyway, this was one of the last movies of 2007 that I really want to see (Juno and The Assasssination of Jesse James remaining) . So here’s my rough top ten, in a sort of particular order:

1. No Country for Old Men – by far my favorite movie of the year

2. There Will be Blood

now in no particular order:

3. Superbad

4. 28 Weeks Later

5. Hot Fuzz

6. Michael Clayton

7. Gone Baby Gone

8. Ratatouile

9. Breach

10. 3:10 to Yuma

I like the fact that a lot of good westerns came out this year, westerns rule. Oh, also This is England is pretty good. A little sad, but good.