The Best Film Since 2000 is . . .

The North Reporting:

It's Over!
From a list of hundreds, to 64 to 1.
We have played all 32 Matches in our Best Film of 2000-Now Tournament.
Two films bested the rest of the field and faced off for the title of Best Film Since 2000:

 #1. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS vs. #2. THERE WILL BE BLOOD

It has been quite the journey to get here.
Chris and I started this Tournament way back in March.
We agreed on 22 Films and then each selected 16 more, to give us a field of 64.
Read Part I of the 64 to 32 Recap here.
Read Part II of the 64 to 32 Recap here.
Read the 32 to 16 Recap here.
Read the 16 to 8 Recap here.
Read the 8-4 Recap here.
Read the 4-2 Recap here.

THE FINALS:

The finals turned out to be a microcosm of the reason we started North/South:
We both love movies and think our opinions are always correct.
Even when Chris and I agree on the merits of a film, we will always find something to argue about.
This match was no different.

Quentin Tarantino vs. Paul Thomas Anderson.

Colonel Hans Landa vs. Daniel Plainview.
Aldo Raine vs. Eli Sunday.
This match was an absolute battle from start to finish.
The reader votes were a dead split.
Chris loves THERE WILL BE BLOOD like it's his child.
I am one of the biggest Tarantino fans around.

I would rate both INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS and THERE WILL BE BLOOD as 10s out of 10.
Picking between two such incredible, dynamic films is basically impossible:
Both have amazing, Oscar winning performances.
Both could be the best work of their decorated director's careers. 
The both have great drama, comedy, action and dialogue.

The task surely was difficult, but in a Tournament, there is one winner and many losers.
One film must reign supreme, while the other becomes one of the nameless rabble of also-rans.
At least both of these films were mutually agreed upon by Chris and I.
If one of our personal favorites won the whole thing, the winner would never let the loser forget.
In the end, one film would either drink the milkshake or get blown to smithereens.

The winner of North/South's Inaugural Tournament and the title of BEST FILM SINCE 2000 is . . .

THERE WILL BE BLOOD

Chris (The South) Here:
What more can I say about Paul Thomas Anderson's magnum opus There Will Be Blood, that has not already been said? Yes, it is one of my favorite films of all-time (I know I say that a lot, but I really mean it here) and it was definitely my pick/favorite to win throughout the duration of the tournament, so I am doubly glad it pulled out the victory. To be honest, I would have been perfectly happy if Inglourious Basterds had won, but deep down inside, I would always think Blood was the better film.


The amazing thing about There Will Be Blood is that it gets better each time I watch it and my respect/admiration of it grows more and more as time goes on. I truly believe the film will stand the test of time and become one of the all-time greats, especially of the modern era. To me, Daniel Plainview stands just as tall as other cinematic icons like Charles Foster Kane, T.E. Lawrence, and Vito Corleone.

Just a great, great film and without a doubt, the best film of the 2000s . . .

"That's all I have to say about that."

Well Chris and I hope you have enjoyed participating in the Tournament.

We hope to do more of these and we appreciate you taking the time to join us.

Although BASTERDS and BLOOD were both top seeds, this final was basically North vs. South.

The South picks up a "win" with BLOOD's Championship.

Hopefully, this makes up for him being so wrong about OZ: THE GREAT AND POWERFUL.

Awww well, never let it be said that I am a sore loser (although it has been said and it's true).

Count the title as Chris' second victory over me in the history of our friendship.
Here is a picture of the first:

Thanks for playing!

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