Oscar readiness continues!

So I went to visit Liz and Zack last weekend because they promised me a weekend full of Oscar movies and games of Settlers of Catan, both of which I am totally addicted to. Liz pretty much stomped us on Catan (Ali and Zack – 1 game each; Liz – 4 games), but at least she didn’t make me dig a trench. Only Kristen will get that. Anyway, Liz’s house is a superfun place to stay. Everyone should go! She and Zack make you really good food and cookies and you get to do fun stuff like go to the movies to see There Will Be Blood, the last of the five Best Picture nominees that I needed to see.

The movie was fantastic. So much so, that I will only be mildly disappointed (as opposed to devastated) if it beats No Country For Old Men as Best Picture. It’s about the rise of an oil man in the early decades of the 20th century. It was beautifully filmed and just told a great story, like something from back in the 50s when movies could just tell a great story and not have to worry about making lots of money. And I got to cross off 8 slots on my nominations list. So. much. fun.

Daniel Day-Lewis already has the Best Actor Oscar in his possession. Seriously, he’s probably carrying it around in his man-bag right now, it’s so much his by right. He completely disappeared into the role. You’d never imagine there was an unassuming, soft-spoken Englishman in there. It just makes me feel bad for Viggo Mortensen. The year he’s so awesome in Eastern Promises is the year that Daniel Day-Lewis decides to come out of hiding and make another film. Poor Viggo.

Paul Dano was also fantastic, but he always, always creeps me out when he’s in a movie. I rank him right below Cillian Murphy and just above Jonathan Rhys Meyers in that regard. And Dano was at his creepifyingly best in this one. Ciaran Hinds rounds out an excellent cast, so how could you go wrong?

I must now go read “Settlers of Catan For Dummies” so I can make a triumphant comeback on my next visit.