This week, we’re talking one of the absolute best films of the last twenty years and Otis’ birthday pick, Paul Thomas Anderson’s exploration of greed, family, religion, madness, and the rot at the soul of America, “There Will Be Blood”! Yes, it is time for the Bird Boys to repeatedly shout “I ABANDONED MY BOY! I DRINK YOUR MILKSHAKE! DRAINAGE! DRAINAAAGE!” while we talk earnestly about this near-perfect film. Released in 2007 to widespread critical acclaim, this is an authentic and auteurist vision realized from top to bottom through incredible direction, cinematography, writing, performances, thematic depth, and a powerful score. It has aged so well and, in the current climate, speaks to what is really to blame for a lot of the stuff happening just south of us. Talk about being prescient.

Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano give generational performances as Daniel Plainview (an oil man) and Eli Sunday (an evangelical preacher), two sides of the same rotten coin, with the former deservedly winning an Oscar for it. Honestly, pretty much everyone’s character is deeply flawed in this movie, but it is so delicious to watch. Plus, multiple oil-related deaths! There’s an oil well engulfed in flames! H.W. tries to light a guy on fire! Paul Dano gets beaten to death with a bowling pin! Daniel Day-Lewis becomes "predatory greed" personified! This is pure cinema, baby!

More than this, “There Will Be Blood” is a deliberate and methodical account of the descent into madness fueled by greed (both in terms of money and religious control) and a character study of the soul of America. It builds to a crescendo of insanity that is uncomfortable and complex, rich in theme and criticism. This movie is a dissertation on what is wrong with society, but it’s so well made and impeccably performed that it only gets better with every viewing. The score, composed by Johnny Greenwood of Radiohead, adds lush and frenetic layers to meticulously crafted sequences and shots. This movie is a prime example of masters of their craft moving in lockstep to service a creative vision. It’s breathtaking.

In this episode, we discuss the film and its legacy, deep dive into some of our favourite scenes, unpack the film’s themes, discuss what we think PTA was trying to say, marvel at the performances from Day-Lewis and Dano, and share some fun trivia about the film’s production. We also discuss the critical response to the film, the 2007 Oscars and the amazing year for film that was 2007, how “There Will Be Blood” has aged like fine wine, and more. We love this movie, so we got in our bag talking about it.

Next week? We review Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” and discuss his career and filmography.

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