Do not snitch and keep looking are the two lessons.
Al Pacino wins, with Philip Seymour Hoffman highlighted as a major beneficiary.
Roger Ebert gave three and a half stars, saw its greatness but doubted its perfection because of its unbending characters, lack of women, ending, and relentlessness; the panel says history disproved the doubt.
The derrick explosion wins over the wordless opening, Eli sermon, oil-soaked beating, competition confession, baptism, beach revelation, drunk lunch, H.W. rupture, Paul’s sales pitch, and milkshake murder.
The theme, emerging humor, visible oil-building process, score, ambiguity, PTA’s ascendancy, practical landscapes, script, trailer, young H.W., and “I’m finished” age best.
Jonny Greenwood’s clacking, accelerating explosion score wins; “Slow Ride” over “I’m finished” is the comic alternative.
The oil drilling is the most convincing imitation of a real craft.
Two steaks, whiskey water, and goat’s milk lead, with final-scene steak and whiskey in H.W.’s baby bottle as alternatives.
The bowling alley wins over the Pacific Ocean and opening silver mine, aided by its intentional Shining resemblance.
The beach two-shot with Henry’s face partly in sun leads a field including the dynamited well, mine fall, falling well debris, burning derrick silhouette, and vintage-lens train image.
The category is deliberately left blank because the panel supports the film’s decisions.
The real fire’s environmental damage, Miramax branding, and the oil state’s global damage are the only candidates.
