Magnolia

I thought it was disjointed and odd. Yet another bizarre movie that gets labeled beautiful or artistic just because it's so freaky. Maybe it's JUST weird, people. Just because something is out of the ordinary, or odd, it doesn't mean that it's good...it means that it's weird! Sometimes weird is good, and sometimes weird is just weird.

I label it beautiful because of the stylish camera work, cinematography, acting, dialogue, flow and how the music fits in perfectly with it!

The scene where T. Cruise and his daddy re-unite always makes me

Well, I will agree with that last part: that scene is rather emotional.

Whatever. There is only one sequence in the film that is weird, and it fits in perfectly with the rest of the film, working to just the right climax. You might say that it is weird, but it is maybe ten minutes of what is a three hour long film. And suddenly the whole thing is just weird? Whatever, I say.

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www.esotericrabbit.com

Ok, the thing with the raining frogs, that's weird in the sense that if it happened to me I would have a very hard time understanding what the hell was happening. To tell you the truth, I would probably wet my pants.

But I don't think ever there was any part of "Magnolia" that I thought was hard to understand or "weird" like "What the hell is the director trying to tell us???". I thought the film was deep, but not deep for the sake of just being deep and difficult. Neither was it too deep, it wasn't hard to comprehend. I think it's a masterpiece.

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The novelist does not long to see the lion eat grass. He realizes that one and the same God created the wolf and the lamb, then smiled, "seeing that his work was good".

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They had temporarily escaped the factories, the warehouses, the slaughterhouses, the car washes - they'd be back in captivity the next day but now they were out - they were wild with freedom. They weren't thinking about the slavery of poverty. Or the slavery of welfare and food stamps. The rest of us would be all right until the poor learned how to make atom bombs in their basements.

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OK, first of all this movie kicks ass...second, it's a lot simpler than some people are making it out to be. It's not even remotely weird. A bit complex, maybe. But not nearly as complex as other movies out there (i.e. anything by David Lynch).

The two most important parts of the movie are the very beginning and the infamous frog scene. They are both saying the same thing, while one is more obvious than the other (the opening scene of course).

In the frog scene there is a line that happens to be the most important line in the movie. It not only explains the frog scene, but it explains the entire movie as well. If you listen to the line the first time you think "what the hell does that mean?" Or maybe you don't even notice it. I knew it had some importance , but how much I had no idea.

Still confused by this frog scene, I went to do some research on "raining frogs." First thing I discovered was that it was in the Bible. I wanted this to be the answer, however, much to my chagrin, it wasn't. It just didn't tie into the movie enough. The line in the Bible reads: "And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs." It makes sense, yes. All the characters are being held by something in their past, and all are seemingly let go from it when the frogs come down. But what about the beginning. How does it tie into that. I realized that the Bible was only a part of it.

I was on hiatus from my "research" when one day I had a discussion about the movie with my cousin. We talked about how important that scene was and how strange it was as well. We talked about the fact that raining frogs was in the Bible. He then informed me that it has more than once been documented as an actual occurance. When I heard this I was thrown for a temporary loop. After my initial shock and disbelief, I began to realize that if this were true, the scene would make total sense.

To make sure this was true, I checked it out online. I discovered that this phenomenon really has happened. "That's just crazy" you say? Well if you don't believe me just type in "raining frogs" on a search engine or go to this site http://allaboutfrogs.org/weird/general/raining.html .
Raining frogs HAS happened before. A wind storm will pick up the frogs from there happy home in the pond and basically toss them at a nearby town.

What this new info gave me was an insight into how important this frog scene really is to the movie. Like the stories in the opening scene, it is a strange occurance that happens with no real explanation as to why. Yeah we get the details but it still doesn't explain it. Is it coincidence? Is it fate? Is it God? No one really knows...these things just happen.

The raining frogs went from being one of the strangest scenes I have ever seen to being one of the greatest. As did the movie.

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Please see this movie if you haven't already!!!

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If more people watch hockey it will be on TV more.

Incredible film. And brilliant interpretation there.

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Pumpkins scream in the DEAD of night!

I've never been a fan of Magnolia. I do love the Boogie Nights and Hard 8 though. I was expecting a different kind of film.

Maybe now that I haven't seen it in a long time I might end up liking. Perhaps I'll give it another shot.

Tom Cruise's character was my favorite. I love the way his attitude started to change when the reported brought up his past.

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"You will taste man flesh!" - Saruman

Interesting interpretation. I like the Biblical angle, myself, but your take on it does simplify the movie quite a bit. Good job.

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Everything is destined to reappear as simulation.
Jean Baudrillard
America, 1988

I have to ask this YODA what movies do you like. You are so insulting while trying to be so humorously condesending. It's not weird, it's very good and yes I can say that as "fact" for me( It's like when I look out the window and see the rain, it's that kind of fact and I am very sorry that you cannot see it). If it's weird it's because it's good. And the older you get the more you will hopefully appreciate it, I hope.

Well, well, well, well, well...

If we don't have another person Hell bent on driving home the "fact" [two can play at that game] that a young person can't be mature or appreciate things. Especially movies. Yoda wasn't insulting Magnolia, he was making a point in regards to odd movies in general. And the fact that you took insult...

And that, Chump, makes no sense. At all.

In any way shape or form.

Get off your high horse.

You too Silver.

You always get so bloody upset if someone older than you says that age can sometimes bring an appreciation towards things that younger people can sometimes miss. It's a damn fact Silver, that age can and does change your perspective with things. The fact that you can't see that, proves the point exactly.

Now, I'm not really taking sides with what that guy said to Yoda, because regardless of age, opinions are valid. However, you attack people who are older and blame them of being condecending, while all the time you are yourself being the same way.

Lighten up friend, all us fogies aren't out to get you. Well, maybe I am.

Oh yeah, how often do you make fun of people that like movies that you think are moronic?

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"Today, war is too important to be left to politicians. They have neither the time, the training, nor the inclination for strategic thought. I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids."

Weird?? The only thing weird here is the fact that people are labeling "Magnolia" as weird. Nowadays when a movie actually is about something and is aiming for something else than just two hours of easily digestable amusement, it's labeled "weird". You can tell me this movie sucks - but please tell me why it sucks. And "Because it's weird!" isn't even close to a respond.

Stalker23 comes in riding his high horse
a young person can't be mature or appreciate things. Especially movies.
Now to point, I didn't say that nor is that what I meant. One of my closest friends is about 15yrs younger than me. And she is one of the most mature and perceptive people I have ever met. Also SB you should have noticed that the word 'fact' was in fact in quotes. I was poking fun at myself there. As for being insulted I quite assure you that it takes a little more than that.
As for my Statement " If its weird its because its good", that's my o-p-i-n-i-o-n and I stand by it. Hey thats just me I'm weird like that . And as for being a Chump(very mature on your part) I can't be one without U, CH-MP.

The main reason I even responded to YODA about MAGNOLIA is that quite a few people seem to wear their 'disdain' for M like a badge. Its cool not to like M. If you don't like it fine. But this is a movie forum lets be a little more erudite.
P.S. SB I refrenced you in a positive way in the Film School thread just thought I would let you know.

Why thankyou.

An just in regards to opinions, Yoda too has his.

And I too put "fact" in quotes. As you can see.

A few things to note:

#1 - Everything I said is true. Weird does not equal good. Period. Good equals good. Magnolia was a strange movie. I also happen to believe it is a less-than-good movie. Decent and interesting, but not terribly compelling. To claim it is factually goo is complete nonsense.

#2 - I find ironic that you call me "insulting" and "condesending" (would you call me condescending if I pointed out that you misspelled consdescending? Probably ), yet you go on to say "the older you get the more you will hopefully appreciate it, I hope." (which wins the Oscar for redundancy, BTW.)

#3 - Nothing in my post was intended to be funny. Just straightforward: something is not good simply because it is weird. End of story.

It is all subjective. And I am a kettle.

So is that statement. Wheeeeee.

Hey kettle, you're...Ah hell, I get it.

OK Yoda,
If Magnolia is such a strange movie tell me why? You might as well say it's stupid. Tell us why it's strange. And you Believe it's a less-than-good movie. OK, alright. Why is it a less-than-good movie? Now I'm not trying to flog a dead horse here or tell you that you can't have these opinions but this is a movie forum. We all should try to be a little more expressive about our opinions. And as for being "insulting" and "condescending" I truly do hope "the older you get the more you will hopefully appreciate it, I hope." I honestly don't know what is redundant about that either.
OH, one last thing I still stand by my statement. So many movies, music, tv, etc... are so formulaic these days that when something odd, or strange, or even weird comes along that makes me happy. If it's weird it's because it's good!
End of story, I'm afraid not