I'm an avid fan of Paul Thomas Anderson, and without a doubt in my mind he's one of the best directors working today.
Its so interesting to see him develop and change as a filmmaker over the years.
Hard Eight is a very strong directorial debut, and while it is his weakest film by far, that is by no means a negative remark. PTA's films are about characters, very flawed and very human characters. The "Father" theme is a recurring theme in almost all his films, and
Hard Eight does so with the relationship between Sydney and John.
Hard Eight is a bit rough around the edges, and it lacks the flair his latter films have. But it is still a truly solid character-driven film.
Then along comes his second film
Boogie Nights, a truly incredible film that I can't help but coming back to time and time again. He borrows heavily from Scorsese as well Altman here. Yet the movie is much more than just a mere copycat. He uses their style, but he adds in his own flourishes here and there. And overall we end up getting something truly remarkable. This film feels "alive", and there's so much I love about it. The characters,the music, the directing,etc. Its a wonderful film, and all the more impressive considering how young he was when he made it. Yet
Boogie Nights is childs-play compared to how ambitious his next film is...
Magnolia is a remarkable piece of filmmaking through and through, and for a 3-hour film it sure as hell doesn't feel like one. The movie is a wrecking ball of emotion,drama and a study of broken characters who continue to fall further and further into despair. Every single actor in this massive ensemble cast are in top form, the direction is breathtaking, and the movie hits like a sledgehammer.
Magnolia is for lack of better words,a "rollercoaster of emotion".There's still a heavy Altman/Scorsese influence here, but PTA's style is really coming into his own.
Magnolia proves that he is one of the best young filmmakers out there, and the anticipation towards his next film begins.What can he possible deliver next? Where can he go from here?
Who would have known that PTA would make two consecutive masterpieces, and one of them would be starring Adam Sandler.
Punch-Drunk Love is a film I can't even define under one category, in fact I don't even think I should try. It is an idiosyncratic,strange,odd,intoxicatingly beautiful little gem of a film. Convention is thrown out the window, as we witness the tale of Barry Egan.
Punch-Drunk Love is a delight and for me its the film that I'll always remember PTA for, it is his bonafide masterpiece. Although that title could very well be held by his next film, a modern epic by the name of
There will be Blood.
There will be Blood is a colossal piece of filmmaking and one of the definitive classics of the modern era. During my initial viewing I didn't care for it too much, although that is to be expected. As this
is a film that has to be seen numerous times to truly get a firm grasp of how incredible it is. With cinematography so stunning, acting so phenomenal and ambition so massive this is a film i feel no avid lover of cinema should miss. Daniel Plainview is one of the most memorable characters of the last decade, and in my humble opinion one of the greatest in cinema history. This film is an epic tale of a man driven by ambition,greed and the overwhelming desire to be better than his fellow man. For such a massive film, the tale is extremely personal and grounded. I love this film unconditionally, and it truly is a modern masterpiece. Or at least it comes damn close to being one.
The Master is arguably PTA's most divisive film, and for good reason.It throws away a conventional narrative out the window and it's themes are more ambiguous than before. It is a flawed film, but a great film nonetheless. Its an enthralling,absorbing film with insanely good performances,a haunting soundtrack and outright orgasmic cinematography. I do wish the film was a bit "tighter" and more focused, but I still think it is a very impressive piece of work.
And so in a few months time, we'll all be viewing PTA's latest film
Inherant Vice and I couldn't be more excited. I have no idea what to expect, but I know it will be nothing short of stellar.