No Country for Old Men

I enjoyed this movie very much, and of the nominees, it was my choice for Best Picture. Unfortunately, when I saw it, my immediate reaction was one of confusion. You see, for some reason I expected a twist or a surprise. I was analyzing every interaction, trying to figure out when the film was going to change, trying to anticipate the surprise before it happened. However, if you've seen the movie you know, there is no twist, there is no surprise, and just when you think there's about to be a big reveal, the credits start to roll.

So it wasn't until I came home from the movie theater and started reading reviews online, then discussed it with other people who had seen it, that I began to appreciate it on its own merits, surprise- and twist-free. I discovered a discussion board on IMDB that was full of thoughtful insights on the movie, the characters and themes (a pleasant departure from the usual name-calling and ignorant remarks). So while I didn't instantly love the movie, it became, in retrospect and upon reflection, one of my favorites of the year.