10 things I learned (or had reaffirmed) while watching Michael Clayton

#1: Tilda Swinton is SUCH a badass. When it comes to playing evil, self-possessed bitches, no one does it better.

#2: Tom Wilkinson continues to be awesome.

#3: George Clooney is a REALLY good actor sometimes.

#4: Tony Gilroy is one to watch.

#5: Legal dramas can actually be cinematic.

#6: Corporations have too much power.

#7: Really good movies rarely ever make any money.

#8: Whenever things seem REALLY bad, it's probably a good idea to step outside your car and contemplate your life.

#9: Always keep your cell phone on.

#10: I should see Michael Clayton again.

What a knockout of a film.

Major props to everyone involved, especially Tony Gilroy himself. The script was great, and the direction taut and precise. For a former screewriter, Gilroy has a very exciting visual style. And he obviously knows how to work with actors.

I seriously have never been much of a fan of George Clooney (at least as an actor; as a star/personality/hottie/activist/director//Hollywood power player, etc. he is choice), but I loved him here. This role fits him like a glove. Tilda of course was brilliant in her limited screentime. And Wilkinson was great as always as the unhinged-but-maybe-not-as-much-as-it-seems attorney.

I really wanna see it again sometime, to make better sense of the beginning and the time-shifting and all the details, which I was admittedly a little too lazy to put full effort into discerning, given that it was 11:00am on Thanksgiving. But yeah, that was a damn good movie.