The Claytonator

So I finally went ahead and caught "Michael Clayton" while it was still in theaters and enjoyed it just fine. I think it took a while to get moving, but when it did it was an intriguing dramatic thriller. All the performances were strong, it being especially entertaining to watch Tom Wilkinson act all looney. The story wasn't too confusing either (despite the subject matter). I may have missed a few minor details here and there but I think I got the big picture. Tony Gilroy definitely has a knack for sharp and intelligent scripts and he does a fine job in this. So where would it rank with other films I saw in 2007? Well it was pretty good but something would really have to impress me to make me edit my "Top Ten movies of 2007" again. Though it probably is better than "The Mist" or "28 Weeks Later" they're more like guilty pleasures and I just want to be completely honest.

So after viewing "Michael Clayton" I have officially seen all of the the best picture nominated films. So how do I think they all rank up in my mind?

1. No Country For Old Men - Easily the best film of the year, suspenseful, engaging well acted, beautifully filmed and the list goes on. Everyone seems to dislike the brief ending I think it was an appropriate decision being that it was more realistic.

2. There Will Be Blood - Not Really much of anything happens in "There Will Be Blood" but it's still a visually stunning film lead by an incredible performance. Daniel Day-Lewis really is a treat to watch and can make any movie hold your interest.

3. Juno - I wonder if "Little Miss Sunshine" has opened up the door for indie dramadies to be nominated for best picture? I liked "Juno" just fine but it really doesn't quite a strong enough film to take home best picture. Though seeing fun films like this always make it nice to see the Oscars are occasionally hip.

4. Michael Clayton - Michael Clayton is a film that's good at showcasing performances and certainly deserved the nomination but story-wise isn't quite compelling enough to get a best picture win.

5. Atonement - Definitely my least favorite, "Atonement" is pretty lucky it got released when it did because it's certainly not oscar standard, but then again there have been many films not deserving of a nomination in the past. Just hope this doesn't win.

Well that's all Folks!