Double Feature: Atonement and There Will Be Blood
Yes, we get it, your movie, your score, James McAvoy in a a suit and Keira Knightley in green satin are all very pretty. Everyone is in love and/or dead and/or wracked with guilt and it’s all very tragic.
Yes, we get it, Daniel Day-Lewis has three names and is a great actor – truly intimidating and calculating and cold and awesome. Everyone is ambitious and/or crazy and/or doomed and it’s all very dramatic.
Paul Dano is a revelation, though. I’m sad that his Academy nod didn’t come through , because I think it was deserved. I feel like there is some discrimination against young men in the Oscars – because there’s always some young starlet or girl (Abigail Breslin? Come on! This year it’s Atonement’s own Saorise Ronan [um, get a name that's easier to spell and then we'll talk]) that’s nominated, but never a young guy. Too bad, Paul. I think you’re great.