THERE WILL BE......

And the Oscar goes to.....Daniel Day Lewis....for his amazing performance in the movie There Will Be Blood. By now you've probably guessed that today was, in fact, "Movie Day" and, in our quest to see all movies that have been nominated for an Academy Award, it was this movie's turn to be critiqued by moi.

While the movie was very engrossing, I think the best word to describe it would be unnerving. For two and a half hours, you're waiting for something to happen, as something "must" happen since the word blood is in the title. And the symphonic score always made you feel that danger was lurking in every scene. I don't remember ever being so mesmerized by the music that was played during a movie. While watching the credits, I realized that the score was done by Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead fame. Somehow I can't put the two together, because the music in the movie is more of a symphony and not his usual rock guitar, but I am incensed to find out that he was not even nominated for an Oscar for this work. For me to come away from that movie thinking that the music was almost another character in the film and then to find out it's not even been nominated clearly shows how Greenwood has been given the shaft by the academy voters.

As far as my statement about Daniel Day Lewis winning the Oscar for Best Actor for this performance, my reasoning is simple. He actually was acting. He wasn't just reciting some lines written for him. He put on the performance of a lifetime as he portrays an obsessed, egocentric, deranged oil man who, through deceit and lack of principles, turns a few successful oil leases into an oil empire. The character he plays is so unlike himself that you actually don't even realize that's Daniel Day Lewis on the screen. At one point, Linda actually asked me "Who Is that"? I rest my case.

This has always been my criteria for a great actor/actress.....can they be someone else on the big screen or are they still themselves just with a different hairdo or different attire? Let's face it -- Sandra Bullock is always Sandra Bullock, Meg Ryan is always Meg Ryan but Meryl Streep is whoever she needs to be for that particular film. The same here for Daniel Day. He becomes this oil tycoon to such an extent that he's probably now (in his real life) moved to Texas searching for some more black gold.

This is a sweeping American epic set on the dusty plains of Texas where all the players are soul dead. Would I recommend it as a go see? I'm not sure that I would although it's a movie I'm glad I saw and one that will stay with me for quite awhile. Let's just put it this way -- it's not for everyone.

On a lighter note, since the movie started so early, we opted for a late breakfast in lieu of an early lunch. What better place for this than Cracker Barrel. There's nothing like some hearty pancakes followed by some hearty movie going. All in all, another successful movie day, which is clearly becoming my favorite day of the week. Today I was accompanied by my FF Linda -- my cohort in critiquing all things movie related. Come to think of it, we critiqued more than movies today but that's part of the fun of "Movie Day." Till next week and.........Atonement!!!!

2008 AWARDS WON BY THERE WILL BE BLOOD

Best Actor (Oscars), Daniel Day-Lewis

Best Cinematography (Oscars), Robert Elswit

Best Actor (Golden Globes), Daniel Day-Lewis

Best Actor (BAFTA), Daniel Day-Lewis

Best Actor (SAG Awards), Daniel Day-Lewis

Best Actor (Critics' Choice Awards), Daniel Day-Lewis

Best Composer (Critics' Choice Awards), Jonny Greenwood