THERE WILL BE BLOOD
This strange and intense new film from Boogie Nights director Paul Thomas Anderson
stars Daniel Day-Lewis as a ‘charming’ 19th Century Texan oil
prospector. Loosely based upon Upton Sinclair’s novel Oil! The 2 1⁄2
hour film obsesses over the lead sociopath and his human relationships – he
even says, “I hate most people”. See, I told you he was charming.
Thus follows a daring and disturbing American saga about a man desperate
to destroy his past and all associated with it – yep, this guy’s
got issues alright. Day-Lewis is compelling, adding another superb turn to
his gleaming list of accolades and the score, by Radiohead guitarist Johnny
Greenwood, is similarly astounding. It may be long, but I reckon it’s
worth getting a numb cinema-seat-arse for.
Verdict: Black gold
LUST, CAUTION
As you would expect from a movie aficionado like Ang Lee (Brokeback Mountain,
The Ice Storm), this is another sumptuously-shot, sensual Eastern extravaganza.
Set during World War II, the film is all about the constrained sexual relationship
that develops between Chinese student radical and aspiring actress, Wong Chia-Chi
(Tang Wei), and the Chinese traitor Mr Yee (Tony Leung). Wang is recruited
to seduce Yee by Kuang Yu Min (pop star Wang Leehom) because Yee is wanted
dead by the Chinese patriots. The sad tale of doomed romance charts the relationship
between the messed-up leads with sympathy even through the brutal S&M sex
scenes. The actors are immensely convincing in this memorable tale of troubled
politics, love and betrayal.
Verdict: Full of Eastern promise
Susie Wild spills her coke on the bloke in front