Marathon of a different sort ...

I spent yesterday watching all five of the Oscar's Best Picture nominated movies, which are Michael Clayton, There Will Be Blood, Atonement, Juno, and No Country For Old Men. I took advantage of AMC theater offering $30 event to watch these fine movies in twelve hours a day before the Oscar. AMC even through in free popcorn all day. Did I mention my butt hurts from sitting down in a theater seat twelve hours.

Michael Clayton
This is a thriller about clean-up/janitor type lawyer named Michael Clayton played by George Clooney. Senor Clooney is as cool as ever and debonair. I threw that in for the ladies who want to check out this movie. I really like the way the movie started out with an explosion and flashback. It really adds to the movie and it is not gimmicky. At least not to me. I just really hated the oh-so predictable and cliche end. This is a good movie, but it does not get my Best Picture vote.

There Will Be Blood (aka I drink your milkshake!!!!)
I must say Daniel Lewis might just be the finest actor of recent era. At least from all the actors I watched growing up. This period piece is about a maniacal oil tycoon during California oil boom. I did not think I would be interested in oil drilling, but it was fascinating. It was interesting character movie as well. This movie may be answering this question, "What drives a man to do things and obsess?" I also saw why everyone is obsessed with the phrase, "I drink your milkshake." Mm, milkshake! I know I will be saying it many times. I also learned that a way to put out an oil fire is to take out oxygen by exploding lots of dynamites. I think Mr. Lewis deserves another Oscar for Best Actor.

Atonement
This movie is a fine story. A sad story. About what could have been. This story is about a wrongly accused man, who goes off to war, and a woman, who waits for her beloved. I felt the pace of the movie was off. A little long winded at the beginning. I got lost a couple of times during the war ear scenes. Mainly, the lack of subtitle when a dying French soldier and a nurse talking left me wondering what was said exactly. What little French I know may have gotten me more confused. I also did not get how the main male character got lost in France. Ending was okay. I thought it was appropriate.

With a big budget movie, I should not have to put up with overhead microphone appearing several times. Very annoying.

I would put this movie on my very last movie to get the Best Picture nod.

Juno
I know a comedy has yet to win an Oscar, but if there is going to be one. I would not mind if this was the one. My best guess is Juno is a sure shot for the Best Original Screenplay. Go Diablo Cody. This was my third time watching and I enjoyed it more. It is about a pregnant teenager in MN. I guess I am a sucker for any story about MN and AZ. All characters are all very likable and relatable. I also dig the way Midwestern teens talks. I am reminded of the my short time in MN. It is a human story.

No Country For Old Men
This movie is like no other. I cannot describe this movie using comparison to others. This movie is based on a novel by a MacArthur Fellowship winning novelist, Cormic McCarthy. That is like a Nobel Prize for Americans. This story is about a CRAZY killer going around killing people who done him wrong. In some crazy logic, you can see why he is ticked off. Tommy Jones, Bardem, and Brolin are all excellent. This should be the BEST PICTURE!!!!! in my humble opinion.