Student Film Reviews

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1. tberg 10.17.08 / 3pm

   Im going to start off by saying I am a huge fan of the Coen Brothers’ works, such as Raising Arizona, Fargo, Barton Fink, Big Lebowski and Blood Simple. The acting is excellent in No Country For Old Men, the cinematography is brilliant, but I was disappointed with the final act. I understand that the Coens were very faithful to the book, which is to be commended, and yet there are times one has to realize that you are telling a story visually. I’m not one of those viewers who needs things overly explained or who wants everything tied up in a ribbon. The gas station is one of the best, most tension-filled scenes I have ever watched–brilliantly acted, written and edited. Brolin and the rest of the cast are terrific. I loved Tommy Lee Jones’ opening narration. I think it’s a great film….a slightly flawed film, but a great film.
2. DongHwanKim 10.18.08 / 4am

   Many people feel the same way as I do–that Daniel Day Lewis’s acting is perhaps the best one ever in his acting career. I was totally astonished by his sometimes moderate but explosive and volcanic acting throughout the film. Moreover, the plot goes back to the history of America, when oil became a precious resource. The film is about competition, religion, greed, family, and any other thing you can name related to corruption. Its composition between capitalist and Catholic is also another interesting conflict to watch; this problem is still going on, and the film implies these two groups are the groups that hold America, which feels like contradictory. This film is great to watch overall.
3. Christopher Romney 11.10.08 / 9pm

   I agree with the amazing acting that Daniel Day Lewis did in There Will Be Blood. His deceptive ability to decieve other individuals with an innocent little boy, seems to be sinful. The review seems to only establish itself on the acting of Daniel Day Lewis. No doubt his acting won the Academy Award for best actor, but like every other motion picture there are several other keys that make it spectacular. There are other important factors in a movie such as mise-en-scene, cinematography, editing, and sounds. A movie is a compilation of all these factors. And to eliminate these from a review is just devastating to the overall film.
4. Sean Thomas 03.18.09 / 7pm

   The fact that Lewis leaves the audience feeling oblique just shows that he did his job by giving the audience an admixture of confusion, amazement, and disgust. We just have the urge to applaud his performance although he plays one of the biggest and meanest workaholics (and alcoholics), a sort of love/hate relationship. For me, I love how I hate him. His facial expressions alone show so much hate and rage, it’s astonishing. Practically all of his scenes are worthy of being memorable quotes, and some have even been made into t-shirts! I almost cheer for Plainview’s revenge on Eli at the end of the movie for making him, a Christian priest/healer, recite blasphemy statements before Plainview commits the homicide. Though typically a murder would just create more conflict and tension, I find a sense of relief once it happened. This is one of my favorite movies of all time; and I have to argue, my favorite Paul Thomas Anderson movie (Closely followed by Magnolia). I instantly captured in the time of the Oil boom, and never drift out of the persona. And of course Lewis’ performance is, if not the best, my most favored performance I have seen in a film; one that I can and have watched many times.
5. William Halford 03.20.09 / 5pm

   By the end of this movie, 2 am, I lay for a second as the credits rolled completely enthralled an gasping for air, literally. Daniel Day-Lewis is, hands down, the best character actor in the industry today. Through the entire movie you keep thinking he is going to lay down and finally come to the light side as they say but he doesn’t! He tricks you into thinking he has an ounce of passion and then he sends his son and only remaining family member off to a boarding school. By the end you think he has come around and he brutally beats his one-time business partner, the Preacher. This may be an ode to an actor than a film review but Day-Lewis is Daniel Plainsview as repulsing and disorienting as he is.
6. Cecilia E. F 07.31.15 / 8pm

   I liked reading your review, I agree with you that Daniel Plainview have a dark mind, and further into the movie his hatred towards everything except his oil-empire grows. I found it interesting that it seems as though he brought on the young baby boy, named HW, into his life. It seemed as though he made that decision out of the very little compassion he had for other people, but also to appear more like a “family-man”. I got the feeling that he had an underlaying meaning with almost every decision he took in the film, everything to keep expanding his business. But as he is expanding his oil empire, he is also feeding his madness and greed.

   This is really a movie that I can watch over, and over again!
7. athina elfar 07.21.18 / 10pm

   Hate ‘There Will Be Blood’ or not, we can all agree with confidence that Daniel Day Lewis captured the hearts of all viewers with his flawless and magnificent take on who Daniel Plainview is. Lewis persuaded the audience to hate the man who he was playing and captured the essence of what a greedy oil tycoon looked and sounded like in the 20th century. Meanwhile, Paul Thomas Anderson in my view captured an enthralling drama that created anxiety and tension with the audience. The films mis-en-scene, cinematography, and more importandly soundtrack results in a classic narrative that leaves all with unease as we watch the last scene in the bowling alley.
8. Alexis Rollag 03.10.19 / 8pm

   I really enjoyed the film, “There Will Be Blood”. I was fully engaged from beginning to end. I fully agree that Daniel Day-Lewis was excellent in this film. His character, Daniel Plainview, was so interesting and complex, as were his relationships with the other characters (his son, the preacher, and the man he believed to be his brother). I also thought the music was excellent and really added to the tension and anxiety of several scenes.
9. Zack Tolson 06.11.19 / 3pm

   Surprisingly the monster that Daniel becomes is a relatable character. It’s in human nature to feel greed, ambition, desire, which can lead to us pushing those around away in order to obtain our goals. Of course this is brought to the extreme case in the movie but it does touch on a deep understanding of human capabilities. I agree with you in that this movie wouldn’t be what it was unless Daniel did truly loved his son. It’s what makes the feelings so genuine as we see a father’s decent into darkness as the film progresses. Daniel is torn apart as seen by how he holds H.W. after he lost his hearing, his confession at the pulpit of abandoning his son, and finally as he cuts all ties with him at the end.
10. Joseph Steedman 03.06.20 / 7pm

    Daniel is an example of the potential destruction of humanity, or at least religion, through the greed that capitalism can foster in the individual. This is evident at the end of the film, as even the soft spoken preacher Eli is forced to go to Daniel for money when he knows Daniel’s contempt for him. This is further illustrated through Daniel’s ranting monologue at the end of the film. This isn’t to say that religion is humanity, but that the pursuit of money and capitalism have begun to destroy the old ways, aka religion
11. Gage corsi 07.19.20 / 2pm

    This is one of the films that I have watched and plan on breaking it down further in the future. Daniel has a strong personality and I believe that in the beginning of the film he did not have such hatreds and Devilish actions. I also bought into the historical aspect of the film which captured the harsh reality of industries such as oil. The absolute power that can be obtained by one individual can break the spirit of anyone that is not careful. I enjoyed the deeper arguments that were crucial parts in the film including religion, family relations, and power.
12. Callahan Morgan 10.12.20 / 3pm

    I appreciated the broad scope that you covered in your review. I feel as though you hit the nail on the head when you stated that “Even the most overt scenes, seemingly, have something hidden underneath, steeped in subtlety, elusive and intangible”. For me, one aspect of film form that makes There Will Be Blood feel strong is its action-first narrative approach. I think the first two scenes illustrate this perfectly, as there are no spoken words for nearly ten minutes of screen time. Daniel Plainview is a man of action, and although he enjoys giving speeches, the most telling aspects of his true character are the actions he takes. For example, manipulating the Sunday family, abandoning his adopted son, murdering his fake half brother, and murdering Eli at the end of the film. Both the screenplay from Paul Thomas Anderson and the masterful performance from Daniel Day-Lewis characterize Daniel Plainview into a highly believable sociopath capable of nothing more than hatred. It is this characterization that I think contributes to the “something hidden underneath” as you put it. The sheer immersion of the characters coupled with the historically accurate mise-en-scene contribute to the film’s strong verisimilitude.
13. Ryan Fishman 10.16.20 / 1pm

    I was extremely impressed by this film. I agree with much of what you said in your review, especially the analysis of how Daniel uses H.W. and the subtle themes that play out throughout out the entire film. However, I think the score of the movie, and the complexity of the interactions between Eli and Daniel are very important to this film. I like what you said about the importance of every interaction between Eli and Daniel, but I also think the context of each of these interactions are so important because it puts both characters morals on display, and each time they fight it makes the viewer hate Daniel even more. This hate is what fills Daniel, and I thought these together were very important to the film.
14. Reed LeBlanc 10.16.20 / 7pm

    Paul Thomas Anderson executes a great portrayal of an unstoppable man excelling in the oil field in the gritty setting of California in the end of the 1800’s. With the selection of Daniel Day Lewis to act as the main protagonist, the film itself definitely does come to life, and the progression of this man’s journey through countless impediments to ultimately succeed immensely before losing it all, including his own son, makes for a most dramatic film. With the intense realism and consequence of effects which Anderson incorporates into every event, the viewer is further immersed into the arch of the story, and such helps convey emotions greatly. I do agree that the interactions with Daniel Plainview, the protagonist, and Eli, the priest, are of the most intriguing, as each man has an unstoppable competitive nature and yet the causes are morals in which they differ are immense to say the least. The conflict between the two helps the viewer understand Daniel’s motives, and unfortunately ultimately results in the end of Daniels legacy after the murder.
15. Michael Bojorquez 06.09.21 / 7pm

    I agree that Daniel is a misanthrope. He does not want to be around people, but he feels incomplete in life because he has no personal connection. He throws himself into work and the accumulation of wealth because he is attempting to fill this hole and it helps him become superior to others. His son H.W. conveniently helps to fill that void, however after his injury Daniel sends him away to school, partly to care for him but also to remove him as a daily reminder of Daniel’s failure and inability to parent. This absence helps Daniel to wholeheartedly jump into a relationship with his long-lost brother in a rush to replace his son. In the end I think he did what he did with Eli because he just did not care anymore. He’s achieved all the success and money he could want but it hasn’t changed anything in him, and he’s lost the last real connection to the world in the banishment of his son. And I think Daniel always viewed Eli as a mirror of himself and despised him for that.
16. jersson silgado 03.25.22 / 7pm

    I agree that Daniel Day Lewis acting was one of the reasons as for why the movie was really good along with the fact that they used real props for most of the movie given the movie even more realism. I also agree with the fact that initially Daniel  Plainview adopted the boy H.W in order to use him to hit at the familiar strings of the people that he was attempting to get drilling rights from. He saw it easier to use peoples feelings rather than words or reason to get them to agree to what he was attempting to do, but as time passed on and his fake care for the child eventually became real love for the child. But as the child has an accident he doesn’t know what to do so he decided to send the child away. This is do to how Daniels personality is as in movie it was hinted that there father just ran away to start another family so he personally has no idea on what is the good or bad decision since he is acting from experience.ld eventually became real love for the child.
17. jersson silgado 03.25.22 / 7pm

    I agree that Daniel Day Lewis acting was one of the reasons as for why the movie was really good along with the fact that they used real props for most of the movie given the movie even more realism. I also agree with the fact that initially Daniel  Plainview adopted the boy H.W in order to use him to hit at the familiar strings of the people that he was attempting to get drilling rights from. He saw it easier to use peoples feelings rather than words or reason to get them to agree to what he was attempting to do, but as time passed on and his fake care for the child eventually became real love for the child. But as the child has an accident he doesn’t know what to do so he decided to send the child away. This is do to how Daniels personality is as in movie it was hinted that there father just ran away to start another family so he personally has no idea on what is the good or bad decision since he is acting from experience.
18. Zack Shinnick 06.17.22 / 8pm

    I was intrigued by your mentioning of Daniel Day Lewis’s character being misanthropic as it is very clear to the audience that this man pushes away and distrusts most characters in the movie. I also found it very unsettling that Daniel Day Lewis’s character adopted a boy just to reject him as soon as he developed a disability. It is incredible how disturbing Daniel Day Lewis is throughout the film as his acting is so convincing and accurate (when it comes to actor/character portrayal). I think your mentioning of Eli and Daniel’s relationship in the film is important as they have conflict throughout each act in the movie (that is worth analyzing).
19. Peter valdez 07.13.22 / 9pm

    Your review on this film was well put. However, I must disagree with you, Paul Thomas Anderson’s film There will be blood is perhaps his best work so far. Daniel Day Lewis’s performance in this film is superb. Yet, I enjoy how you mention that “Daniel soon buries this relationship as well”, quite cleverly. This film portrays the human’s condition of greed and overly ambitious drive. Also, the close frames on the characters did an outstanding job convey the emotional states. Finally, the filmmaker really exploited my expectations throughout the film, especially the ending. Thank you for your review on this film.
20. Dylan Colegrove 10.29.22 / 7pm

    Daniel Day-Lewis is a well known actor, and I would personally argue that ‘There Will Be Blood’ is one of his best films. The difference between his characters public and private role in the film was admirable, not in a sense of wanting to be, but more so of how well he pulled off the role. The greed of the oil industry yet the wholesome family man all in one character, a way of persuading the land owners in getting what he wants, genius. A true masterpiece of a film, with perfection on the mise-en-scene to truly capture the plotline and current setting. I agree that the films components are brilliant, great review.
21. Jacob Rodin 02.05.23 / 10pm

    Two of the greatest actors of all time lead the charge in this film. Didn’t have a clue about the next thing that would happen or couldn’t predict anything that was to come which is great in a world of predictability. Complex characters would be an understatement. Paul Dano can play the heck out of interesting and absurd characters like it’s no one’s business. Great film with some all-time performances! I agree it’s tough what to make of it predominantly because of the seepage of hate throughout. The anger oozes out of Daniel Plainview in a way not written or portrayed very well often. The sheer hatred for all can be off putting and makes it a tough watch in one sitting but ultimately how well made it is has you sitting and watching for two and a half hours.
22. German Ramos-Lopez 06.21.23 / 8pm

    Hi thanks for your post,
    The character reminds me of Raskolnikov, from Fyodor Dostoevsk’s novel crime and punishment in that both characters do horrific things in order to get what they want, and loose their sanity in the process. Daniel’s love for HW is tragic, because he indeed does love him, but he’s so corrupted that he can’t accept this love.
23. John Studebaker 06.27.23 / 9pm

    Being a big fan of Paul Thomas Andersons work and filmography. There Will Be Blood is one of the best films Anderson made by far. The character of Daniel Day Lewis is alienated by his power and hatred. Is a lot similar to the character of Henry in Good Fellas. No matter how much good he tries to do, he ends up making the wrong decision.
24. Atlas Cummins 03.15.24 / 12pm

    There Will Be Blood was the first Paul Thomas Anderson film I watched, and I am intrigued to watch more of his films after reading your opinion on it. I think this film is incredible, it keeps me hanging on every word for the whole two and a half hours every time I watch it. After reading that, in your opinion, this isn’t his best work, I’m quite intrigued to watch other films of his to formulate my own opinion on his work. I liked your clever wording about Daniel “turning a blind ear towards H.W.” and “burying” the relationship with his brother, very clever!

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