Positive Experience/Entertaining? HELL, YES. Wow, up until now I’ve really not liked Paul Thomas Anderson as a director, but this movie was positively Stanley-Kubrickesque.

Technically any good? WAS IT EVER. On every level this movie did impressive things with itself. First off, the story was perfectly solid–granted, it’s a little cliche, but it’s done really well. The script was INCREDIBLE with no dialogue for a goodly chunk of the movie. Then, the acting was equally incredible by all involved–Daniel Day Lewis is the Caucasian Javier Bardem. INSANELY good he was in this. In fact, it was his voice in the commercials that made me want to see this movie in the first place. The direction, while GREAT is evident–as in, this doesn’t feel like other movies. You sense a director’s hand in this simply because it’s so good. It’s kind of like that amazing view of a mountain or an ocean that makes you think you’re looking at God’s handiwork. Not to say that PTA is God–I’m just saying it feels like an artist made it. This can be both good and bad, depending on your point of view. Personally, I’ll take this kind of more obvious direction over any other kind any day.

Oh yeah and the music was great, too–minimal, for sure–but still great.

How did it leave me feeling? Stunned–I was really, really happy with this movie. Don’t let me over-hype it, though. I’m sure some people found this movie jarring, disturbing and depressing–I know I did–but that’s what art makes you do sometimes. This is the first movie I really wanted to see again in the theater.

Final Rating? STM – SEE THIS MOVIE – FIVE STARS!!! Don’t wait for DVD! Go see it now!!

And once you’ve seen it, check out IDrinkYourMilkShake.com to see what other folks are saying about this movie.