DVD Releases - July 7th

THERE WILL BE BLOOD

A great man once described 'There Will Be Blood' as "redefining the language of modern cinema" - he wasn't far wrong. Unjustly Paul Thomas Anderson was robbed of both Best Picture and Best Director honours by the Academy, but the film did still win two Oscars, Best Actor for Daniel Day-Lewis and Best Cinematography for Robert Elswit. For me personally, this was most certainly the greatest film of the year, if not the decade. I would advise anyone with two and a half hours to spare to witness this cinematic delight. It is by no means an easy watch and at first is perhaps difficult to enjoy, you simply sit in awe and wonder as you try to deconstruct this behemoth in your head. There is no dialogue whatsoever in the opening 25 minutes, but this goes by unnoticed due to the gripping events transpiring on screen. Contrastingly, the final scenes are crammed with dialogue, energy and are so shocking being that they are so out of kilt with the rest of the picture, that many have questioned whether they ruin what the film had until then achieved. Afterwards however, once you think about it, and I mean really think about it, you'll realise how fantastically perfect the ending actually was and that you have just witnessed something rather special.

The film hinges on the central conflict between Eli Sunday (Paul Dano) and Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis) who as an evangelical preacher and oil tycoon respectively, are immediately at odds, and it is this relationship that really drives the film. Day-Lewis' performance is without a doubt Oscar worthy and for a man whose CV boasts so many incredible performances, he manages to achieve what seemed impossible and eclipse them all in breathtaking fashion. He has completely immersed himself in Daniel Plainview and created one of the most complex and fascinating characters imaginable, who - irrespective of how many times you see the movie - is almost impossible to decipher. The film's score is also a particular delight and was created by Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood, it is sinister, foreboding, and adds a whole new dimension to the piece. Come to think about it, there is little that doesn't shine here and I could be writing for hours about every intricate detail that makes this a masterpiece, instead I urge you to go watch it as soon as you possibly so that you can experience it for yourself.

Verdict: So good that I already own it on DVD. It won't please everyone, but if you truly appreciate film then this is unmissable. Deus Ex Machina's first ever 5-star review!



THE BUCKET LIST

Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) and Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman) are about to 'kick the bucket', and thanks to a ridiculous piece of plotting that lands the billionaire and the lowly mechanic in a hospital room together, they form an unlikely friendship that will change the shape of their final months on this Earth. So from the opening moments of the film we all know how it will end, we are going to lose the characters we have grown to love over the past 90 minutes or so, but somehow it will all have to be strangely uplifting. Such a flimsy plot inevitably struggles as the titular ‘Bucket List’ tries its hardest to pad the story out and make up for the poor concept, script and direction.

The film stays afloat thanks to the two stalwarts, Freeman and Nicholson, who are just about charismatic enough to carry the film despite its numerous shortcomings. There is still however a distinct lack of imagination in their casting, both stay well within their comfort zones and you will be convinced that you've seen them both play their respective characters before, albeit under a different guise. Morgan Freeman also narrates – big mistake - every time he speaks you cringe as you half expect to hear mention of Andy Dufrane and some lines even seem directly lifted from Shawshank. Ultimately, as good as they are, the two stars are wasted here and should think more carefully about other roles they choose before they themselves kick the bucket.

Verdict: To compensate for the death being depressing, the film's central message is to 'find the joy in your life'....finding the joy in watching this film will likely prove far harder to attain.