Dear NIU and others,

It has been a great year for entertainment, and it has been an even greater year covering it for your pleasure. We have both learned a lot about each other, mainly that some people actually do like Motley Crue and Panic! At The Disco (who knew?). We have laughed together and cried together; I’ve raved about bands that nobody came to see and I’ve ripped on bands that sold out the Convocation Center.

Yet, there are some issues that even a well-rounded reporter like myself can’t tackle alone. I, Tony Martin, am asking for your help this summer. I will be spending most of my vacation parked on my couch, watching movies.

The only difference is that I will only be watching two movies all summer: “No Country For Old Men,” and “There Will Be Blood.” There is a rabid competition in my mind over which movie should have won ‘Best Picture’ at the Oscars. So, my goal for the summer is to watch both at least once a week. The plan is to have a clear-cut winner by August, when I will write about my three-month movie-watching experience.

Both movies are staggering works of genius. When I first saw “No Country For Old Men,” I was certain that there was not going to be a comparable film in 2007. Yet, when I finally watched “There Will Be Blood,” I was convinced of the same thing. Since us regular people have no say in who wins what at the Oscars (but Michael Bay does?), we can only do the next best thing, which is vote ourselves. So, all summer, I am asking everyone to go onto The Northern Star’s Web site, find this column and throw in your opinions.

I will be commenting on my story all summer, throwing in observations on the quality of both movies, as I watch each one. This may be the most serious issue of 2008: reflecting on 2007.

It’s hard as a writer to work without feedback, so I would hope that this campus will help me come to a conclusion about these movies.

We can have a big discussion online over the summer, and hopefully, when we all come back in August, we will have something to talk about. There is something infinitely cool about everyone having an opinion on the same topic, and I would really like it if people would have an open dialogue on comparing two amazing films with each other.

To be honest with you, NIU, so many opinions on this campus aren’t heard. Well, now is your chance to post yours on the Web site and contribute to a hard-hitting issue like this one.

In summation, there is no reason why people should have not seen these movies yet. Both of them are mind-blowingly brilliant. Be it Daniel Plainview’s shouting match with Eli Sunday or Anton Chigurh’s air gun, only one movie can be declared the best.

So do yourself a favor and participate, unless you would prefer that I argue with myself all summer – which is a very real possibility.

Thanks for the memories, NIU, and I will see you back here in August, hopefully with a better idea of the “true” best picture of 2007.

Sincerely,

Tony Martin