Just a few things...

1. A couple days ago I found There Will Be Blood in the $5 movie bin at Wal-Mart.  I immediately figured that someone had misplaced it.  When I saw another copy of the film, I started to wonder.  I found one of those price scanner things and quickly scanned it.  Price:  $3.00.  I was shocked but decided to not question Wal-Mart's generosity.  I purchased the film.
2. Other $5 films I found at Borders:  12 Angry Men (such an incredible film) and Much Ado About Nothing (just for Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson's performances).
3. 500 Days of Summer passed the second viewing test.  The second viewing test - I just named it - is the test given to a film that I really enjoyed the first time I saw it to see if it holds up just as well or better upon a second viewing.  Some of my favorite films like Eternal Sunshine and Children of Men aced the second viewing test.  It is during the second viewing that the film undergoes the increased scrutiny that comes once the initial experience of discovering a film's plot, characters, and themes has passed.  In the case of 500 Days of Summer I was a little worried that the second viewing wouldn't be as good as the first.  I really liked it the first time, and the film had been on my mind ever since I saw it.  I couldn't shake myself of certain images or lines or even the songs on the soundtrack.  When I saw that it would be opening in Provo, I knew immediately that I would have to see it again.  I rounded up some friends and made it happen.  And I'm glad I did.  I have to say that my second viewing was just as good as the first, maybe even a little better.  I realize the film is not perfect and would probably change a few things, but I cannot help but love the characters.  Tom and Summer are such well-crafted characters, kudos to the writing but especially the acting, and I took advantage of the second viewing to try and really understand them and why they did what they did, said what they did, and felt what they did.  This allowed me to experience an even greater empathetic connection with them, more so than what I think is the more superficial "girl done me wrong" connection that really came across after the first viewing.  I really wish I had this film on DVD and could watch it again because I feel like there is still a lot to be gleaned from it.  Fantastic film.