Paul Thomas Anderson. Anderson’s four films in the top 100 (work from 2009 or newer not yet eligible) puts him tied with Welles for second place behind only Kubrick (5) and that’s his case—and what a case. Sarris (after Boogie Nights) “Not since the mysteriously reclusive Terrence Malick has there been such an explosion of sheer talent on the American movie.” There are only two living directors ahead of PT right now on my all-time director’s list and that’s Scorsese and Coppola and those two giants are 28 and 32 years older respectively—this basically means Anderson is peerless in his generation.
pink/blue dye experimental watercolor splashes repeated throughout the film and the color composition throughout in Punch-Drunk Love
Best film: There Will Be Blood. By 2007 we’ve seen PT do Altman and Scorsese but I think this tends more towards Kubrick and Welles—but at the same time it’s his entirely—especially with The Master backing it up as a companion piece in 2012. That film makes it ever stronger. Another critic says “Kubrick directing Kane” and yet another says Malick directing Kane– I definitely lean Kubrick. Radiohead’s Johnny Greenwood’s first score pairing with PT and it’s miraculous—there’s crescendo’ing and synthesized orchestra—it echoes 2001’s opening- we’re watching early man here slowly, piece by piece, put things together like the apes in 2001– and all done without words (15 minutes here to open)—it is a magnificent short film opening. Determination. Elliptically edited. Confident. Medication on capitalism, greed, and monomania. It’s a behemoth as I said, the silent opening, the landscape architecture as character and metaphor, it’s physical and violent. Complex relationship with son and brother (faux brother it turns out) as son surrogate—multiple layers of PT’s father/mentor obsession as an auteur. DDL’s achievement here can’t be overstated. It’s the greatest performance of the century to date. He was always going to be a great actor but this puts it on a different plane. It’s his Raging Bull performance. On top of all this there are a ton of black comedy moments with DDL and not just the perfect ending which absolutely smashes the viewer. At separate points both Dano and DDL make each other bow to one another—they have different paths and things they follow (like the master like PSH with his religion and Phoenix with sex/drinking) but are looking for meaning. “I’m finished” with strings. Large. Bold. Brilliant.
total archiveable films: 8
top 100 films: 4 (There Will Be Blood, Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love, Boogie Nights)
top 500 films: 4 (There Will Be Blood, Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love, Boogie Nights)
top 100 films of the decade: 6 (There Will Be Blood, Magnolia, Punch-Drunk Love, Boogie Nights, The Master, Phantom Thread)
most overrated: Inherent Vice, There are two ways to view and evaluate this movie. One, in comparison with every other movie out there, in fact, more than have of the film in my archives, it’s a superior work. I’ve got it as roughly the 12thbest film of 2014 so that’s really good for almost any other director. However, as a P.T. Anderson film it can’t be viewed as anything but a failure. It is neither the formal masterwork his previous 3 films had been nor the stylistic high-wire act his 2 masterpieces from the 90’s were. There were 5 years off before both There Will Be Blood and The Master. Two years only here so maybe he’s an artist that needs more time. He only needed 3 years for Punch Drunk Love after Magnolia but PDL is only 93 minutes— this is 148. I think the flashbacks to Waterston and their time together (or just their face) is his formal trigger here- one of the best is the sequence in the rain to one of the two great Neil Young songs—the Young songs are clearly triggers to melancholy over the past.
most underrated : There isn’t really one. Critics love PT Anderson. The 4 films in my top 100 are in the TSPDT top 1000 and climbing fast- they actually have it in the same order as me.
gem I want to spotlight: Punch-Drunk Love. I’m not convinced it isn’t his best. PT’s stated goal was to “make an art-house Adam Sandler movie” and it was purposefully anti-ensemble multi-character epic like Boogie and Magnolia. Jon Brion’s brilliant and experimental score (this is the pre-Greenwood PT era which makes me think PT is the genius here on the music (not to say Greenwood and Brion aren’t both brilliant and possible geniuses as well) but there are such commonalities here with how segments of this sound (especially in scenes he’s ratchetting it up (think forklift accident here, oil rig explosion in There Will Be Blood) match shots from TWBB and the master (opening silent montage))—apparently Brion had the score played on set to inspire and set rhythm with the actors. The “He Needs Me” song is from Altman’s movie Popeye and sung by Shelley Duvall—not as many Altman connections here as his previous work but this is a big one clearly. Like his previous films Anderson allows for errors in the performance and script—“business is very business” and “hello this is back” (combination of real name “Barry” and fake name “jack”- this feeds into character as Barry is an awkward character but also it’s connected to scenes like William H. Macy’s “a$$ in her c___” flub in boogie nights. It is, strangely, still an Adam Sandler movie and accomplishes what PT set out to do. He’s not trying to change Cruise and Sandler- these are talented actors and megastars. He’s tapping into their talents for something different (better). Barry has all the sweetness and rage here he displays at different times in say Waterboy or Happy Gilmore– clearly he can both beat up a bathroom and have tender love for Watson, the excitement in the Chaplinesque dance in the grocery store and have that sweetness you see in the harmonium. PT is such a formal/visual freak/master- how many grocery stores have color coded aisles? The opening is perfection—we have a blue suit, blue lines on the wall and he shoots at an angle to make Barry, at the desk, look very very alone. Lens flares galore—but all with a blue tint or a blue/pink tint to match both the normal film décor and the pink/blue dye experimental watercolor splashes (3 times in the film— 4 if you count the end credits). The film is so formally rigid- I adore it. He’s bullied on the phone and then he goes and plays the music. The music and Watson are tied throughout the movie. The shot of Barry/Sandler running away from the brothers from Utah mirrors the shot of Phoenix running from the farmers in the master. I had to read it in a review to notice it but there is a red figure in the background the first time Barry/Sandler goes to the grocery store and sure enough—it’s Watson (who is always wearing red or pink). The Windex on Barry’s table in his sad apartment is blue. The claustrophobic scene I mention above with the escalating score (phone ringing, loud sister, forklift) is magnificent. I see 500-1000 movies a year and I’ve never seen anything like this. Watson has a storied history of playing the odd duck looking for love which is a little out of the norm (breaking the waves). The entire film is a dichotomy—formal point/count—we have the rage (car crash, breaking sliding glass door, beating up bathroom) and the adoration (Watson, harmonium, Chaplin dance). Blue atlas van lines truck- no mistake- blue lights when driving from the street, blue phone both. The silhouette kiss in Hawaii when they meet there is an absolutely masterful stunner of a shot/scene. Pink sky to open at dawn— blue/pink sky to close in Hawaii. Pink pant pajamas for Watson. Barry is difficult and obsessive (could tie into There will be blood). Beautiful Zoom-in on PSHI think it’s the best film of 2002, I think it’s a giant masterpiece, I think it changes how I feel about PT Anderson.
stylistic innovations/traits: He’s a stylistic chameleon. The mentor/mentee/protégé/father is in 5 of his 8 films—7 of the 8 set in California. We have Kubrickian dark-comedy moments and formal mastery. His visual style ranges from Goodfellas (Boogie Nights), Nashville (Magnolia) to a formally/visually impressive odd romance (PDL) to his “great American novel on film” (The Master and There Will Be Blood) which leans more Kubrick. Though it’s not P.T. Anderson’s true debut (Hard Eight), Boogie Nights marks the inauguration of a nearly unrivaled cinematic talent and would start a 20 year run where Anderson is the best director on the planet. The opening shot (a tour of the dance club) of Boogie Nights borrows from the Copacabana shot from Goodfellas, we also have shots (at least 3 scenes) of Dirk talking to himself in the mirror (from Raging Bull), and we have the I Am Cuba scene of the camera jumping into the pool in a long take (more so than The Graduate). Magnolia is Altman but with Charles Fort, exodus and the masonic, prophecy. The “Wise Up” Sing-a-long is a transcendently brilliant form-breaking moment. It’s ballsy but I love it. It’s one of the best filmmaking sequences in the decade. Equally ballsy is the choice to do the frogs—absolutely love it. I wrote about PDL and There Will Be Blood above then we go into The Master. In my studies I’ve rarely found another film that so rewards multiple viewings. I’m still working it out but Anderson’s films have an almost unparalleled penchant (maybe Kubrick… Tarkovsky) for cinematic layering—or formal layering or formal unpacking. I think I’m getting better and better as evaluator but clearly, as of 2012 I wasn’t getting it and I mainly praised this film for the performances (which are probably the best of the 2010’s decade). The formal rigor of the shot of the water… with the white wake from the boat… these are men adrift (a seaman/sailor—Freddie/phoenix), meets PSH on a boat, sings “slow boat to china” (about escaping—perhaps there’s some homosexual undercurrent here (AA seems to be holding PSH prisoner at this point)). The wake is the past. It’s one of the great formal openings in cinema history- we have PTA building Phoenix’s character just like DDL in There Will Be Blood and Sandler in PDL with the crash and the harmonium. Phoenix’s Freddie is primitive man. lost- the void. Shot of the helmet could be from Malick’s thin red line. He makes drinks (he does this at least 6 times in the movie), humps the sand lady, masturbates—women– (dream of everyone naked about half way through the film, the ending), hangs off the ship (stunning shot in 70mm).
top 10
- There Will Be Blood
- Magnolia
- Punch-Drunk Love
- Boogie Nights
- The Master
- Phantom Thread
- Inherent Vice
- Hard Eight
By year and grades
| 1996- Hard Eight | R |
| 1997- Boogie Nights | MP |
| 1999- Magnolia | MP |
| 2002- Punch Drunk Love | MP |
| 2007- There Will Be Blood | MP |
| 2012- The Master | MP |
| 2014- Inherent Vice | R/HR |
| 2017- Phantom Thread | MS |
*MP is Masterpiece- top 1-3 quality of the year film
MS is Must-see- top 5-6 quality of the year film
HR is Highly Recommend- top 10 quality of the year film
R is Recommend- outside the top 10 of the year quality film but still in the archives
@Drake – current grade for OBAA?
@Harry- I have it as a Must-See after two viewings. I have plenty from last night’s Oscars I still need to see the first time (Marty Supreme chief amongst them) but I do look forward to seeing Sinners again as well.
@Drake — Is there anything particularly notable formally that stands out to you about OBAA?
@Matthew- lots to praise about it- the narrative momentum (certainly the editing plays a part in that effortless running time) and just how damn engaging it is, the performances, the writing— but I do get the flip side where it isn’t painterly and I do not think it has enough formally to make it a masterpiece. I could be missing something for sure.
@Drake – I’m glad I’m not an outlier on OBAA here, haha. Is MS the ceiling for you here or could it go up with future viewings?
@Parmeet- I could always be missing something (it took me quite a few to sort of “get” Punch-Drunk Love and The Master for example- but MS feels like the ceiling there- I just don’t see traits of a masterpiece here
Hey Drake! We did a post-OBAA PTA ranking for films and performances, this is what we got:
Films:
1. There Will Be Blood
2. The Master
3. Magnolia
4. Punch-Drunk Love
5. Boogie Nights
6. Phantom Thread
7. One Battle After Another
8. Inherent Vice
9. Licorice Pizza
10. Hard Eight
Performances:
1. Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood
2. Joaquin Phoenix in The Master
3. Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Master
4. Tom Cruise in Magnolia
5. Adam Sandler in Punch-Drunk Love
6. Daniel Day-Lewis in Phantom Thread
7. Mark Wahlberg in Boogie Nights
8. Sean Penn in One Battle After Another
9. Burt Reynolds in Boogie Nights
10. Julianne Moore in Boogie Nights
11. Amy Adams in The Master
12. Vicky Krieps in Phantom Thread
13. Emily Watson in Punch-Drunk Love
14. Leonardo DiCaprio in One Battle After Another
15. Paul Dano in There Will Be Blood
16. Philip Seymour Hoffman in Magnolia
17. John C. Reilly in Magnolia
18. Melora Walters in Magnolia
19. Julianne Moore in Magnolia
20. Joaquin Phoenix in Inherent Vice
@Matthew- very cool- thanks for sharing.
Anyone had a chance to catch One Battle After Another yet? I tried to stay away from the hype machine for it but the people may be right. It is pretty undeniable. With another MS, possibly MP under his belt, does PTA rocket into the top 10? Probably pushing top 5 for me at this stage already…
@Joel vH – caught it last night and thought it was fabulous- thanks for sharing your thoughts here
@Drake – do you think it’s a better effort than Phantom Thread?
@Harry- probably upon first viewing of each- yes- but we’ll see upon further review and closer inspection
@Drake- What stood out to you about the film? Any standout scenes in particular? Do you think any of the actors can get into your end-of-year Best Performances List?
curious to see what you mean by fabulous. visually and narratively speaking it is a worse film compared to TWBB, PDL, Magnolia and The Master. I really dont see how OBAA can reach even a MS level.
I have to say I agree with TWBB being his best, but there is one thing that bothers me. Paul Dano plays both Eli and his brother, and from what I remember PTA never specifies that they are twins, I always found that a bit confusing. Not something that damages the movie but definitely something that is confusing and a bit strange throughout the movie, in my opinion. What do you think?
@tozoco – the actor originally playing Eli dropped out and he just used Dano again. I think it is confusing to first time watchers but overall not a deep flaw
hey, drake! did you get the chance to see OBAA? if so, any thoughts?
@tozoco- Not yet- have my ticket and am going this week
Honestly, One Battle After Another was quite disappointing. Not particularly near the level of Phantom Thread let alone There Will Be Blood and Magnolia. The Sean Penn revival at the end was just a very bad joke.
Also, one of my friends said the DiCaprio character is not particularly needed in the film. Which is quite accurate when you think about it. The film in trying to break the clichés (or used to be cliches) by making the daughter strong and the hero/father weak basically makes his character the Comic Relief.
@Anderson – It’s disappointing coming from PTA but honestly from the trailers I was not expected a film that has gotten this level of hype. DiCaprio’s main contribution to the battle is providing the getaway from the car chase I suppose, but we don’t even see that do we?
Also on the topic of the strong daughter – they was some detail with her being a strong martial arts student but we never saw he use those skills right?
I’ll have to rewatch Inherent Vice to see if that film is better than this, I think it might actually be the better looking effort.
One Battle After Another initial rough thoughts
Not willing to set my thoughts in stone after one viewing but I don’t think this is in the higher tier of PTA films. It’s still a “superior” film to many others though.
Kinda feels like the short stretch in Punch Drunk Love where Sandler runs around in panic set to an aggressive percussive score.
Film is infused with a lot of energy, the opening stretch effectively sets up the history and characters. Tracking shots as characters run all throughout the film. Greenwood’s score again sounds similar to the Jon Brion Punch Drunk Love soundtrack.
Fantastic late career role for Sean Penn. Funny, raging, insecure intimidating character played very well. DiCaprio and Del Toro were also great. All these actors help the film succeed in balancing humour and drama very well.
Overall one of his most accessibly funny films, unlike There Will Be Blood or Phantom Thread where you’re not sure if you’re meant to laugh on the first watch.
Occasionally some great frames.
Higher end highly recommend for now.
I would put it higher than Inherent Vice, Licorice Pizza and Hard Eight but below Phantom Thread after one viewing.
@Harry- thanks for sharing this and putting this out there
High High praise for PTA’s latest. Reviews are mind blowing.
Many are calling it film of the decade.
@AP- exciting- have my tickets
It’s coming. Lotsa bang bang: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2694wPBs7Ew&pp=ygUgb25lIGJhdHRsZSBhZnRlciBhbm90aGVyIHRyYWlsZXI%3D
My ranking of PTA’s films that I’ve seen
1. There Will Be Blood MP
2. The Master MP
3. Punch-Drunk Love MP
4. Magnolia MP
5. Boogie Nights MP
6. Phantom Thread MS
7. Inherent Vice HR
8. Licorice Pizza R/HR
9. Hard Eight R
25 Best Performances
1. Day-Lewis- There Will Be Blood 5
2. Phoenix- The Master 5
3. Cruise- Magnolia 5
4. PSH- The Master 5
5. Day-Lewis- Phantom Thread 5
6. Sandler- Punch-Drunk Love 5
7. Moore- Boogie Nights 5
8. Wahlberg- Boogie Nights 5
9. Reynolds- Boogie Nights 5
10. Krieps- Phantom Thread 5
11. Walters- Magnolia 5
12. C. Reilly- Magnolia 5
13. Adams- The Master 5
14. Watson- Punch-Drunk Love 5
15. Cooper- Licorice Pizza 5
16. Brolin- Inherent Vice 5
17. Phoenix- Inherent Vice 5
18. Manville- Phantom Thread 5
19. Haim- Licorice Pizza 4.5
20. Hoffman- Licorice Pizza 4.5
21. PBH- Magnolia 4.5
22. Molina- Boogie Nights 4.5
23. PSH- Magnolia 4.5
24. C. Reilly- Boogie Nights 4.5
25. Cheadle- Boogie Nights 4.5
Hey Drake, what do you think is PTA’s greatest image?
@Matthew – tough one- not sure I could go with just one- but I spent a lot of time working on the page- so I think these are prime candidates. What do you think?
@Drake Yeah – it is so tough. But I think it’s gotta be the one of Phoenix laying atop the boat for me. I wish I could find a screenshot of it in its 70mm cropping
@James for sure – also a favorite from that sequence: https://imgur.com/a/Jrep9lN
@Matthew – the oil rig explosion has several great stills, I love this one
https://shot.cafe/movie/there-will-be-blood-2007/?page=11#there-will-be-blood-2007/there-will-be-blood-2007-14841
New PTA film set to get underway on January 21st and it features DiCaprio and Penn amongst others. It’s also PTA’s first contemporary-set film since Punch-Drunk Love.
@LeBron Smith- I saw the news as well- very exciting
Final Ranking and Grades:
Study Summary:
Paul Thomas Anderson is the only living director other than Scorsese who I think could potentially be viewed as the Greatest Director Ever, a title I think probably belongs to Stanley Kubrick though Hitchcock has a very strong case. His output is much closer to Kubrick who had 13 features films that were well spread out over his career. Whereas Hitchcock has over 50 films and rarely went through more than 2 years without a film. Certainly, these types of debates can get intense. What is clear is that PT Anderson has no real weaknesses as he has multiple top 100 films and stylistic brilliance. Camera Movement, dedication to color in mise en scene, infusing music whether scores or song tracks into his films, dedication to particular themes and worldview, etc.
He is a tremendous screen writer as well with films that are fresh and original even if he has clear influences in Scorsese and Altman.
I have There Will Be Blood as the best film of the 2000s and my # 5 all time and The Master as either the best or 2nd best film of the 2010s along with The Tree of Life (2011)
I am comfortable with There Will Be Blood at # 1
# 2-4 are very close and almost interchangeable although The Master has been gaining some space with each additional viewing. Magnolia and Boogie Nights are basically neck and neck and I think are superior to Punch Drunk Love though I have that one as clear-cut MP as well.
Unlike some other Director Studies I have seen all of these films a minimum of 2 times now and most of them over 5 times. I don’t expect my ratings will change much with additional viewings; I have his top 5 as clear MP with almost no chance of lowering. Inherent Vice I have as HR and Licorice Pizza as HR/MS; I think MS is probably the ceiling for both those although for now I am good with those Grades.
Similar to the Coen Brothers you can label most of PT Anderson’s films as drama/comedies. Even his darker films like The Master have hilarious scenes like anytime someone challenges Lancaster Dodds ridiculous claims or Daniel Plainview insulting Eli throughout TWBB. His more comedic films like Pizza Licorice still have enough drama to keep you invested in the characters like the scene where the two leads part ways after a fight arguing over their changing priorities and perceived flaws. The ending of Boogie Nights is oddly endearing regardless of how one may feel about what the characters in that film do for a living.
Like many of the top-level auteurs PT Anderson has worked with many of the same actors/actresses over the years though one could argue his single most valuable collaborator is Jonny Greenwood who has done every score since There Will Be Blood
PT Anderson excels with Ensemble casts, most notably Magnolia which is perhaps the most impressive true ensemble cast film of all time given there is no one who you can really label the lead though I think Tom Cruise gives the best performance. You also have a film like Boogie Nights which has a lead, Mark Wahlberg, but is still an ensemble cast. I would argue the same with Licorice Pizza, Inherent Vice, and The Master. He also riveting character studies with There Will Be Blood, Phantom Thread, and Punch-Drunk Love. And with the ladder he did the unthinkable in getting an all-time great performance out of Adam Sandler, who despite his 90s popularity amongst teens and young adults was no one’s idea of a top-level art film actor.
Here are my Final Grades and Rankings
MP
# 1 There Will Be Blood (2007)
# 2 The Master (2012)
# 3 Magnolia (1999)
# 4 Boogie Nights (1997)
# 5 Punch Drunk Love (2002)
MS/MP
# 6 Phantom Thread (2017)
HR/MS
# 7 Licorice Pizza
HR
# 8 Inherent Vice
R
# 9 Hard Eight (1996)
@James – Excellent study! I have PTA as my ninth favourite director of all time right now.
How about top 10 performances throughout the whole filmography?
1. DDL (TWBB)
2. Joaqin (The Master)
3. PSH (The Master)
4. Sandler (Punch Drunk Love)
5. DDL (Phantom Thread)
6. Cruise (Magnolia)
7. Emily Watson (Punch Drunk Love)
8. Burt Reynolds (Boogie Nights)
9. Mark Walhberg (Boogie Nights)
10. Paul Dano (TWBB)
@Harry – thank you, it was a lot of fun. Your top 10 performances are hard to argue with
1. Daniel Day Lewis – There Will Be Blood (TWBB)
2. Joaquin Phoenix/Philip Seymour Hoffman – The Master *
4. Daniel Day Lewis – Phantom Thread
5. Adam Sandler – Punch Drunk Love
6. Tom Cruise – Magnolia
7. Vicky Krieps – Phantom Thread
8. Burt Reynolds – Boogie Nights
9. Emily Watson – Punch Drunk Love
10. Alana Haim – Licorice Pizza **
*Sorry I normally hate ties and consider them a cop out but I just can’t choose. I know the consensus on this site and probably in general favors Joaquin Phoenix and I have no problem with that. Before the study I actually had Philip Seymour Hoffman with a microscopic edge but now I have to call a tie in large part because its the way their characters interact and play off each other that makes it so magnificent to watch. I find PSH calm and exterior composure just as fascinating as Phoenix’s animalistic and unpredictable behavior. The “Maid of Amsterdam” song and dance scene is perhaps the strangest scene in any PT Anderson film aside from the frogs falling at the end of Magnolia.
** Regarding Alana Haim there is perhaps some recency bias at play since I watched it last night (my 3rd viewing total) and it continues to impress me. I have no idea if she’s about to become a big star or if it ends up being a one-off and frankly I would not be surprised either way. Certainly there are some tremendous performances I did not mention like John C Reilly in Magnolia or Julianne Moore in Boogie Nights that may be superior on a per minute basis but Haim has a lot of screen time and is tremendous start to finish.
10. Paul Dano (TWBB)
@James – with more thought I think I’ll take off Walhberg and Dano for Moore in Boogie Nights and PSH in Punch Drunk Love.
@Harry – Yeah, close calls. I am a big admirer of Moore, probably one of my 5 or 6 favorite actresses of all time. PSH does not have a lot of screen time but he makes every second count. Its probably the funniest performance in any of the PT Anderson films along with Tom Cruise’s opening scene in Magnolia.
@James Trapp – Great job – who is next?
@Drake – thank you it is appreciated. Good question, I am timing a Scorsese Study with the release of Killers of the Flower Moon in October 6 of this year. Plus I am taking some Family Time for a week later this month, all of this is to say I want to do one more study before starting Scorsese but it will have to be a shorter one, under 10 films
Nicolas Roeg
Sofia Coppola
William Friedkin
Sam Mendes
OR
a condensed Speilberg Study of the big Hits; Jaws, Close Encounters, the first 3 Indiana Jones, E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, and Saving Private Ryan
a condensed Ridley Scott Study; Alien, Blade Runner, Thelma and Louise, Gladiator, The Duellists, The Martian, American Gangster, Prometheus, All the Money in the World
@anyone feel free to weigh in otherwise I might put these 6 names in a randomizer and see what comes out
@James Trapp- I do believe in random – that’s my vote.
@Drake – the randomizer picked Roeg, so Roeg it is
@James – I was going to suggest Roeg anyway haha… very happy it fell that way. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts, I’m a huge admirer.
Licorice Pizza (2021)
Notes:
Starts with immature prank some High School aged kids
40 Seconds in we get tracking shot of Alana Haim who plays character named Alana walking in High School isolated from group
1:40 Gary a child actor played by the son of Philip Seymour Hoffman asks her on date despite Gary being just 15 years old and Alana being 25 years old
5:35 nice postcard like image of fast-food restaurant and an orange/purple sky on the right side of the frame
11 min reverse tracking shot of Gary and Alana walking after their date
12 min nice long shot outside Alana’s suburban house with her father in background
15:20 min more great music with “Stumblin’ In”
18:32 slow zoom in on stage with blue velvet curtain which opens to a stage with child actors doing a commercial for a bed
22 min Gary doing auditions
26:50 silent phone call followed by disastrous dinner where Lance explains that he is an atheist to Alana’s Jewish family who is not impressed
28:55 Alana vents with hilarious rant against sister
29:55 slow motion and slow zoom in on Gary discovering possible business venture
32 min blue glare from Punch Drunk Love as we get tracking shot of Gary seeking out business ventures
35:30 Gary randomly arrested for unknown reasons
38:00 reflection shot
38:28 Gary and Alana embrace after Gary let go
39:20 tracking shot of Gary and Alana running side by side while laughing
41:20 great song choice here with The Doors “Peace Frog”
42:50 slow zoom in
54:08 Alana shows off to Gary
1:01:35 dissolve edit to Sean Penn’s character who is being interviewed by Alana
1:05:00 beautiful use of lighting with cigarette smoke surrounding silhouette image of Tom Waits character
1:11:20 low angle shot tracking group walking to see Sean Penn character on motorcycle
1:13:00 nice edit sequence with Penn’s character riding motorcycle and Alana thrown off back to be rescued by Gary
1:14:45 great dissolve edits of Gary and Alana walking side by side to lying on a waterbed side by side
1:18:47 dissolve edits
1:20:20 Bradley Cooper is great, hilarious performance
1:34:22 beautiful early morning shot with blue and very light pink skyline with Gary and friends as silhouette images
1:37:07 Alana starting new job working in politics after having an apparent revelation about what she was doing with her life
1:44:20 Alana and Gary argue over their differing priorities
1:55:10 Gary running Arcade
1:55:28 blue glare
1:59:00 Alana’s idealism is shattered upon discovering that her new boss new idealized is a selfish and callous man
2:04:10 parallel editing of Alana and Gary running to meet each other
2:05:33 blue glare before the long kiss
2:06:04 another blue glare before ending shot of Gary and Alana running hand in hand
Thoughts:
PT Anderson with a heavily nostalgic film, he manages to make immature scenes involving juvenile humor rather endearing. Interesting as this film follows his only non-California based film Phantom Thread.
The song choices are great as always, this film is heavy on pop songs start to finish
Alana Haim is utterly fantastic, and Cooper Hoffman does great work as well, but Haim gives the best performance in the film, the romance is done so well and is entirely devoid of cliches. Only Richard Linklater does these types of teenage/young adult nostalgic love stories better and of course with respect to Linklater he is not in the same league visually as PT Anderson
The energy is reminiscent of PT Anderson’s earlier films, and the tone is perfect in balancing the comedy with enough dramatic moments to make the film emotionally fulfilling and prevent it from becoming aimless
Visually its not on the same level as his best work but there are a few impressive tracking shots, the blue glares present in Punch Drunk Love are used several times, the final sequence involves some nice parallel editing running toward each other
Many big names with 5-10 min scenes but Bradley Cooper’s is the best, not since Wedding Crashers has he played such a jerk of a character and its hilarious
Naturally some critics questioned a 25-year-old being romantically involved with a 15-year-old, at the time the film was made Alana Haim was 29 and Cooper Hoffman was 18; the age difference does factor into the story as Alana is impressed by Gary much of the time but occasionally questions his immature antics as she contemplates her life decisions
I have no real complaints; this is not at the same level visually as his MP level films but it still is infused with PT Anderson’s high energy and balanced drama and comedy
Verdict: HR/MS
Phantom Thread (2017)
Notes:
Starts with slow zoom out dimly lit orange tinted light
1:23 profile shot of Daniel Day Lewis character shaving and series of shots capturing his morning routine consisting of meticulous grooming
Set in London in 1950s
4:06 extreme close up on coffee
9:34 Reynold and his sister Cyril discuss his love life in a tone that is particularly cold and matter of factly almost like she is the manager of his love life which in a way she is
11:28 tracking shot with blue tint
12:50 clumsy waitress catches his attention
14:14 close up shot of Alma’s face
15:48 “for the hungry boy my name’s Alma”
18 min shot reverse shot with over shoulder shots
19:25 montage of interiors of Reynolds country house
23:03 Reynolds shares intimate details of his life with Alma including his relationship with his mother and his being a “confirmed bachelor…I’m incurable”
26:15 nice low angle shot as Reynolds places clothing on Alma
30 min Reynolds measures Alma while his sister watches and jots down notes, again in a very businesslike manner
31:12 extreme low angle shot of Alma
37:25 similar to opening scene as Alma ends up annoying Reynolds at breakfast
43:08 tracking shot of Alma
45:06 Reynolds shows vulnerability for the 1st time
46:20 beautiful dissolve edits to high angle shot of country house
48 min orange lighting in bedroom
48:44 triangle composition at breakfast table
54:24 Reynolds and Alma confront woman in dress who made a scene at the party as Alma encouraged Reynolds to retrieve the dress as the woman wearing it was unworthy
1:00:57 again Sybil speaks in overtly professional way to Alma regarding her relationship with Reynolds
1:03:03 Alma stands on top of staircase and Reynolds at bottom; this is intentional as she takes command for the 1st time in sending everyone else away and cooking dinner; naturally he is uncomfortable going outside his routines
1:09:06 small talk and subtle annoyances lead to psychological battle
1:12:10 great frame using teacup with camera looking out of the teacup to Alma carefully placing object in teacup
1:14:10 light blue tint as Reynolds walks downstairs leading to tracking shot from behind Reynolds
1:19:55 Reynolds sick in bed
1:25:42 camera spinning 360 as Cyril circles the room observing a dress being made
1:32:42 Reynolds finally admits he loves Alma and wants to be with her and finally a marriage proposal
1:37:25 beautiful dissolve edits from winter town and snowfall to inside of resort during Christmas
1:39:01 Kubrick-eque shot from Barry Lyndon, candle lit interior, beautiful mise en scene with chandelier, paintings, candles, etc.
1:39:10 candles superimposed in frame over Alma and the Doctor speaking at dinner party
1:42:00 sound cuts out highlighting growing disconnect between Reynolds and Alma
1:44:52 beautiful sequence of shots at New Year Party, great framing using 2nd story seats at theatre
1:45:25 balloons fall at midnight
1:46:54 Reynolds and Alma stare at each other in silence
1:52:20 Alma returns to get poisonous mushrooms, shot in blue tint
1:52:52 nice depth of field shot followed by close up on Alma’s hands chopping food
1:57:44 Reynolds willingly eating poison mushrooms
2:01:45 blue glare like in Punch Drunk Love
2:02:45 voiceover during final sequences
2:02:36 gorgeous shot in ballroom with colored balloons all around
Thoughts:
PT Anderson’s 2nd team up with Daniel Day Lewis, this time playing Reynolds Woodcock. PT Anderson really comes up with great names, Lancaster Dodds, Daniel Plainview, and now Reynolds Woodcock
A meticulous character study of a man who paradoxically needs regimented schedules but also craves the excitement of new relationships. Reynolds is a complex character indeed as he is demanding, often rude and dismissive, controlling, and arrogant but he is also more self-conscious than his confident exterior would have you believe, he is a Mama’s boy, and it is clear the death of his mother impacted him deeply as his older sister at times treats him more like a son than brother. Reynolds is very passionate about his craft and obviously very good at what he does, he can be simultaneously
Daniel Day Lewis is on a different level in There Will Be Blood, but a strong case could be made for this as his 2nd best performance, excited to revisit Gangs of New York (2002) and Age of Innocence (1993) for my Scorsese study
The film amongst other things examines power dynamics, I love Alma standing upon the top of the stairs looking down at Reynolds during the scene where she makes him a meal and forces him outside of his comfort zone
The linking of food and sex is not exactly a novel concept, but I love the ridiculous breakfast order, it’s a magnificent scene
This is a patient film; it paces itself well, focuses on routines. It is quite different than PT Anderson’s other films, for one thing it is the only one set outside of California and it is much lighter on plot than his other films
It is more serious than most of his other work but the scene where Alma convinces Reynolds to get the dress back from the woman she considers a disgrace is quite funny even if its slightly mean spirited
Another great collaboration with Jonny Greenwood whose score is excellent and much more understated than his other collaborations with PT Anderson which is fitting as this is a much more subdued film, its soothing I actually listen to it when I fall asleep sometimes
There are some gorgeous shots, none better than the New Years Ball sequence later in the film, the framing and use of color with the balloons
Verdict: MS/MP
@James Trapp- Keep up the good work James – sorry if I missed it here but how many times is this for you on Phantom Thread?
@Drake – thank you, I think this would be # 3 or # 4. I think I actually watched it twice in back to back days, one time by myself and the following night with my family.
I have Punch Drunk Love as the stronger of two but both are tremendous. Curious to see how you would rank the following 4 performances from those 2 films
Emily Watson
Adam Sandler
Vicky Krieps
Daniel Day Lewis
@James Trapp – Strong work from all four- feel like Krieps is #4, Watson #3- have to give it some thought for those top two
@Drake – all 4 are great I would go
1. DDL
2. Sandler
3. Krieps
4. Watson
But the fact that it took me a while to pick DDL over Sandler is pretty surreal and says a lot about Sandler’s acting skills when truly allowed to reach his potential when paired with a legendary auteur. Almost unimaginable to think that one of Adam Sandler’s top 2 performances is in the same league as one of DDL top 3 or 4 performance.
@James-I have seen all of DDL’s main movies apart from Lincoln. But this is easily the most annoying/dislikeable DDL character. I would love to give this movie another look. But It’s not an easy film to get through with a character like him. Even though the movie has a lot of great costume and beautiful to look at mostly.
@Anderson – I know what you mean, Reynolds is in many ways even less likeable than Daniel Plainview even though his crimes (and by crimes I don’t necessarily mean it literally as Reynolds does not break any laws) are fairly minor by comparison. Reynolds behaves like a petulant child much of the time and is so self-absorbed that he does not care about other people’s feelings. However, in both of their collaborations PT Anderson and DDL create such rich characters, distinct from other famous movie characters. DDL is known for taking method acting to ridiculous extremes and the hard work pays off in a big way.
Where I disagree with you a bit is the notion that this is difficult to get through. Now, had the relationship between Reynolds and Alma played out the same way across the entirety of its 130 min run time I would absolutely agree. What makes this film interesting in terms of the relationship between its two lead characters is the way that Alma eventually is able to eventually gain the upper hand in the relationship, at least for a time. Its these back and forth shifting dynamics of their relationship that make the film interesting from a narrative and character perspective.
@James-Difficult to get through is not the right word. I meant I’m not super excited to rewatch this film. It’s hard to root for the DDL character and he isn’t even a villain or choose violence the way Daniel Plainview did.
@Anderson – Its less rewatchable than most of his other films, I would agree with you on that. And unlike There Will Be Blood and it does not have any singularly spectacular scenes. It also does not have any really likable characters, it takes place in a rather cold world. It is much more understated which I think is smart since it would be a fool’s errand to attempt to outdo There Will Be Blood. But I do get what you are saying.
DDL’s most reachable film is probably Mann’s The Last of the Mohicans. It is so good. Haha. I am glad he did this role. Very different from his other ones.
Inherent Vice (2014)
Notes:
Starts with narration from female character in 1970 California
Joaquin Phoenix as Doc, a PI who smokes pot heavily and has crazy side burns aka mutton chops
6:44 silhouette used briefly
7:40 title in green neon lettering set with orange tinted frame
11:42 very slow zoom in on TV with Josh Brolin character in TV screen
14:20 Michael K Williams, great cast
16:21 dissolve edit from map to interior of car
18:15 sordid locations
20 min great transition from Doc knocked out with baseball bat to laying on beach
20:30 nice composition with row of police officers in background and Doc in foreground waking up to dead biker
23:35 Del Toro and Josh Brolin sharing screen a year before Sicario, Brolin playing “Bigfoot” Bjornsen
25:18 great composition of Bjornsen’s extremely well decorated house, set as contrary to Doc’s mess of a house
27:09 beautiful dissolve edits
34:44 pan capturing LAPD engaging in illegal activities
35:16 low angle shot of massive white and black checkered bed
37:42 Reese Witherspoon makes appearance as a DA whose appearance is obvious counter to the hippie Doc
43:45 another great dissolve, this time into very foggy night alone beach
53:27 red tint to heavy dark blue tint as Doc does drugs
57:30 nice doorway frames and silhouette
1:05:00 Police Department Building shown is as immaculate white building during picture perfect weather
1:13:24 idyllic post card image
1:16:24 immaculate interiors of beautifully decorated building that Doc walks into to meet with doctor played by Martin Short
1:24:00 Doc and his crew pulled over as “3 or more considered a possible cult” hilarious
1:24:48 white board filled with Doc’s notes
1:36:00 Doc sneaking around facility with FBI agents who interviewed him earlier
1:38:50 strong dissolve edit using newspaper articles and Eric Roberts character
1:41:18 phone conversation between Doc and Bigfoot, hilarious and brilliant scene with parallel editing showing the differences in their characters home lives
1:54:55 not sure I love the voice over narration that comes and goes throughout the film
1:59:24 nice smoke filled on left side of frame and back of Doc’s head on right side of frame
2:02:33 over the shoulder shot as Doc leaves with shallow focus
2:08:00 hilarious back and forth with Martin Donovan character
2:16:14 shot of water using frame of beach houses, similar shot in opening of film
Thoughts:
PT Anderson gives us a film set in early 70s mystery/noir set in California
The actual plot of the mystery is intentionally confusing a la The Big Sleep
An absolute all star of a cast, loaded start to finish with many humorous performances, the lead Joaquin Phoenix is quite good as the pot head PI and Josh Brolin is probably the 2nd most important character playing a somewhat strait-laced police detective, there is a hilarious scene later in the film where he gets chewed out by his uptight wife who yells at Doc on the phone
Given PT Anderson’s known affinity for Robert Altman its impossible not to think of The Long Goodbye (1973), a personal favorite of mine, in that film Elliot Gould played a much different version of Philip Marlowe, he was constantly out of the times basically a relic of a man from the 1940s out of touch with the 1970s while in this film Doc is fitting in perfect with the 1970s culture
I watched this once before around its release and did not love it but the highly stylized use of color and lighting is impressive
Verdict: HR
@ James – Love this; you do great notes. I think Inherent Vice is absolutely gorgeous visually. Thanks for noting so many of the nice compositions, and of course the wonderful long dissolves, which honestly are among my favourites in any film I’ve seen. Many great observations here, and I agree with most of what you say. For my own part, I *am* sure I love the voiceover narration that comes and goes (and I would say that Joanna Newsom is perfectly cast for the part).
One point I have to disagree with is the claim that Doc is “fitting in perfect with the 1970s culture”. I think that Doc (very much like The Long Goodbye’s Marlowe) is very much out of step with the cynical new 1970s culture that has emerged out of the much more idealistic 1960s culture that Doc still identifies with, even while others have moved on—and I would tend to identify that cultural transition (60s to 70s; idealism to cynicism), along with the nostalgia it occasions, as *the* principal theme of the film. Doc is waking up, as though from a hangover, to the realization that he perhaps is the only one, among those he knows, who truly believed in and remains committed to the 1960s ‘hippie’ values memorialized in the closing epigraph: “Under the paving stones, the beach.” Doc as a character is almost an embodiment of that vision of ‘the sixties’, much as Bigfoot embodies (and yearns for, and is angered by the loss of) the 1950s. You could see Shasta as a personification of the betrayal of ‘sixties’ values.
What I really love about the film is how that poignant nostalgia for the idealistic sociopolitical moment of the 1960s (assuming it was ever truly “real” as advertised, which Doc and the film questions) is expressed in the images. You can see it in those gorgeous memory-dissolves. I find Doc to be a very admirable, moving, quixotic character—he’s the real deal, committed to the core to ‘hippie’ idealism, even if he’s starting to realize that maybe no one else really was. It’s certainly not a perfect film, but I absolutely love it. Must-see for me.
@Logan5 – thank you, interesting point about Doc being a relic of the 60s. I did not think about it until now but Inherent Vice is set just one year after Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood which is also set in California one year earlier. You may be correct and perhaps I need to brush up on my US History haha. However, throughout the film Doc does encounter many other people using drugs where as in The Long Goodbye there does not seem to be a single character who has just about anything in common with Elliot Gould’s version of Philip Marlow. I definitely agree with you on the Josh Brolin character “Bigfoot” who I think gives the films 2nd best performance.
The Master (2012)
Notes:
Starts with shot of blue ocean water and a white wave trailing the boat
Joaquin Phoenix as Freddy, a WW2 vet stationed in Hawaii
1:48 canted angle with Freddy chopping coconuts
5:16 spectacular overhead shot of Freddy lying on top of boat in foreground with everyone else in background on the lower level
7:30 close up shot of Freddy
12:10 green/yellow tint
14:18 shallow focus on background characters behind Freddie in the foreground working as department store photographer
16:12 dissolve edit taking Freddie from department store camera man to working in fields
19:15 shallow focus again as Freddie runs away and catches a Yacht, we get our first sighting of PSH character Lancaster Dodds
21:10 beautiful painterly image of boat moving under a bridge at sunset
24:30 Dodds thinks quite highly of himself
30 min Freddy starting to fit in, less shallow focus shots as well as less long shots as Freddy starts to mingle with Lancaster Dodds “The Movement”
34:54 great splitting on the frame with the water on the right side and boat on left
37:30 beginning of the processing scene, which is justifiably famous, PT uses frequent close ups on the faces of Freddy and Dodds who have a intense back and forth
50:17 another cutaway shot to the water moving in a specific pattern behind the boat
52:26 great blocking in composition with both Freddy and Dodds smoking cigarettes
53:10 doorways used to create frames in frames
57:34 Dodds does not take legitimate questions and pushback well when questioned by John Moore
1:00:19 pig f**k
1:00:55 Dodds and his family/followers tightly packed in elevator as score increases in tempo
1:07:40 starts of perhaps the most baffler scene in the film when Dodds recites a song and dance while all the women in The Cause are naked
1:15:25 low angle shot of Dodds standing in theatrical manner with The Cause followers behind him as an arrest warrant is served
1:16:55 Dodds and Freddy in adjacent prison cells with Dodds cool, calm, and collected and Freddy going crazy after resisting multiple officers and then destroying the cell
1:19:00 Dodds and Freddy finally have a yelling match
1:24:28 framed filled to the brim as Freddy is given series of pointless tasks
1:25:20 extreme close ups of faces
1:32:28 flashback to Freddy building sandcastle on beach from opening
1:39:25 nice framing of Freddy and Dodds with Dodds in middle in light
1:40:24 Freddy as changed man
1:41:48 filled room with Dodds speaking in front of crowd with Freddy part of the crowd
1:42:34 Freddy face in focus, with shallow focus of surrounding people, moves to close up shot of Dodds face which is isolated in the frame
1:45:20 Freddy back to his violent ways
1:47:00 Dodds can’t answer legitimate question from a member of The Cause played by Laura Dern and loses his cool similar to before with John Moore
1:47:20 rare use of long shot as they are in Arizona Desert traveling with motorcycle playing “pick a point”
1:48:16 Dodds looks genially happy and free traveling on motorcycle
1:53:27 Freddy visiting home in Massachusetts looking for Doris, first time Freddy’s roots are shown
1:56:20 Freddy is handed phone by usher at movie theater and somehow Dodds has found Freddy despite being in England
1:57:55 the white waves following the ship is repeated again
2:00:42 face to face reunion between Dodds and Freddy in Dodd’s massive dimly lit office
2:05:00 Dodd’s recollection of their meeting of from a past life is incredibly poignant but also hilarious
2:06:44 “slow boat to China”
2:09:40 Freddy having sex with random girl from bar and starts the processing in bed
Thoughts:
PT Anderson gives us one of the most fascinating and perplexing films of all time. The first time I saw this I had no idea of what to make of it, there are very few films that reward multiple viewings as well as this one
I’ve always had a fascination with con artists and megalomania characters and certainly PSH Lancaster Dodds would quality on both counts here
This might be the best two-way acting performance with Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman both giving career best performances, for PSH its his 5th and sadly last collaboration with PT Anderson but the first where he is given such as large role and its electrifying; they are both all-time great and they bring out the best in each other with their characters who are in many ways opposites; Freddy is so raw with his emotions with from his frequent outbursts, violent nature, and sexually aggressive behavior toward just about every woman in the film. He serves as the perfect counter to Lancaster Dodds who is cool, calm, and collected (aside from scenes featuring skeptics), and lives a life with a specific purpose even is he is a charlatan
There is heavy use of closeups including the justifiably famous “processing scene” which is so electrifying despite the fact that the scene consists of a back and forth conversation set in one location which is a description that one the surface might seem uncinematic but is far from it
This film is enigmatic with many interpretations; there is the continued PT Anderson theme of father/son relationships whether that literal father/son or “father figure”/son; the loosely based story of Scientology and the nature of cults; the emphasis on postwar struggles; the search for family and purpose; and many other interpretations, there are probably few films that can generate more interpretations than this one and trying to limit the film to any one interpretation would be a major disservice. I think I have stressed some interpretations more than others over my viewings of this film over the years
The repeated use of waves following the ship throughout the film is genius use of form, these shots are maintained periodically throughout the film and are a brilliant visual representation of the flow of time
I love the score as much as any PT film aside from There Will Be Blood, similar to Punch Drunk Love, the score seems to capture the internal emotions of the films lead character, Freddy, there is a scene very early with Freddy hacks a coconut off of a tree as the tempo is set by the score
Shallow focus is used throughout the film, one of the best shots is early in the film with Freddy working as department store photographer, this is maintained throughout the film although it goes away near the middle section when Freddy starts to grow closer with The Cause
Lancaster Dodds is a great name, PSH plays him so perfectly, his façade of knowledge and confidence does not hold up well against dissenters and skeptics as shown in the scenes with John Moore and even one of his own followers played by Laura Dern. The song and dance scene with Dodds moving around the room with all the female members of The Cause naked is so incredibly bizarre yet amazing to watch, I am still not sure what to make of it
The “slow boat to China” scene at the end of the film his both incredibly poignant and comical in the reference to Dodds finally remembering where they met in a past life; “We were members of the Pigeon Post. During a four-and-a-half-month siege of the city by Prussia forces. We worked and rigged balloons that delivered mail and secret messages across the communications blockade”
Verdict: MP
@James Trapp – I’m loving reading these. Thank you!
@Drake – thank you, as of now the only directors that I have covered in my director studies I would place above PT Anderson are Kurosawa, Welles, and Coppola. Terence Malick is close as well though I think I would give the small edge to Anderson
Will you update your PTA ranking on the site when you’re done going back through all of these?
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Notes:
Starts with shot of haunting score set to a shot of desert landscape
1 min close up on Daniel Day Lewis character named Daniel Plainview with dim light
4:34 score starts up again with hint of ominous leading to Plainview falling into hole and breaking leg
4:56 close up on Plainview’s face after brutal fall
6:24 camera pans up with repeat of opening score
7:05 dissolve edit from Plainview signing paper to camera slowly lowering into hole
9:44 drill strikes oil
10:50 low angle shot of prospectors
12:44 high angle shot of Plainview and another prospector covered in black oil before accident
13:18 Plainview’s face covered in black oil
The dialogue free 15 min sets up the Plainview character showing his indomitable will and work ethic as well as showing the ruthless and brutal nature of the business
14:55 dissolve edit from Plainview playing with young HW on a train to a shot of Plainview speaking in front of room of potential investors, the father/son “family business” is used as part of his sales pitch
19:34 oil bursts as force of nature
24:24 color palette consists of gray/green/brown with last of primary colors
35:20 Eli and Daniel’s rivalry begins with argument over payment to Eli’s Church
37:40 train moves into town as score starts up but less ominous than earlier
42:15 camera floating around the landscape in Little Boston as Plainview makes speech to the people of Little Boston as he promises a thrilling town if Plainview and his people find significant amounts of oil
44:32 nice use of frame capturing the town as photograph
47 min Eli askes Daniel for introduction during the ceremonial 1st drilling in Little Boston
49:44 camera slow zoom on Eli’s face after getting snubbed
50:50 oil rig is a spectacle
54:37 bright day light outside, Daniel steps into Church of 3rd Revelation
56:48 Eli runs Church sessions with exaggerated physical movements and body language
59:08 gorgeous painterly shot of town
1:00:50 Oil Rig vibrates violently
1:01:14 oil strikes with black oil sprouting out
1:02:15 ominous score building toward
1:03:36 Daniel leaves HW to see Rig
1:04:58 silhouette image of men watching the oil rig burn with intense orange lighting through the frame
1:05:04 camera moves back captures image using long shot
1:05:40 “ocean of oil, no one can get at except for me”
1:06:34 “HW okay?” “No he isn’t” says Daniel nonchalantly as he is completely transfixed on the Oil Rig
1:12:30 camera set low captures Eli walking toward Daniel as score moves to crescendo
1:13:20 “when are we going to get our money Daniel when?” Daniel responds by dishing out a humiliating beat down that primarily consists of open hand slaps to the face and a promise to “bury you under the ground”
1:17:20 Henry shows up “Daniels brother”
1:26:00 Daniel’s “I hate most people” speech is chilling
1:31:19 HM Tilford makes first appearance
1:34:15 Plainview threatens to cut Tilford throat for talking about HW
1:39:30 swimming scene with camera near surface
1:40:14 Daniel swims with Henry and talks about house from his past becoming suspicious after Henry does not seem to respond to a reference to the “Peach tree Dance”
1:42:25 camera zooms in on Daniel’s face as he sits inside Brothel while Henry borrows money
1:43:13 the sinister change in mood as Daniel feels betrayed by the lies, use of orange from fire in this sequence is fitting for the anger and betrayal he feels
1:48:03 Daniel cries 1st time
1:53:33 Daniel kneeling in center of front stage at Church of the 3rd Revelation as Eli uses the opportunity for revenge for the earlier humiliation from Daniel slapping him
1:55:00 Eli slaps as revenge
2:06:45 doorway frame
2:07:10 HW and Mary are married as story moves ahead to 1927
2:07:24 symmetrical composition of bowling alley inside Daniel’s Mansion
2:08:25 long shot of HW entering the mansion
2:13:04 the orphan reveal is brutal
2:15:30 profile shot of Daniel yelling angrily, transitions to flashback of Daniel being affectionate with HW as a kid
2:17:01 approaching figure is revealed to be Eli
This final sequence shows how comically absurd their rivalry has always been. They are both charlatans but only one of them (Eli) lies to himself. That final scene in the bowling alley after Eli says “We’ve seen ups and downs, haven’t we?” Daniel snickers “are things down right now Eli?” He knows exactly why he’s there
2:21:50 you’re a false prophet
2:28:30 the milkshake speech
The over-the-top theatrics of the bowling alley sequence ending with Daniel murdering Eli is one of the more polarizing aspects of the film but I think it is utterly brilliant and a worthy ending
Thoughts:
Daniel Day Lewis gives arguably the best performance in Cinema History, for me it’s a Mount Rushmore level performance amongst male actors with De Niro in Raging Bull, Pacino in Godfather II, and Brando in On the Waterfront
Daniel Plainview is a complex character; he is selfish, greedy, ruthless, and violent at times but despite his claim that at the end of the film that he simply used the boy for business purposes, it seems obvious that Daniel does care for him and would not have reacted that way otherwise. Despite his flaws and immortality, he is not a monster. He clearly does feel affection toward HW and seems genuinely happy for a brief time before he discovers Henry is an imposter
The dialogue free opening 15 minutes is Pure Cinema at its finest, we basically learn all we need about Plainview’s character from the incredible will power and shots of him covered in
The Oil Rig sequence which occurs about an hour into the film is such an incredible set piece, the imagery and corresponding thumping score is masterful filmmaking, there is a silhouette image of the men watching the oil rig burn with intense orange lighting permeated throughout the frame
PT Anderson uses framing effectively in the rivalry between Daniel and Eli. In the final scene in the bowling alley, most of the shots leading up to the murder capture Daniel or Eli in the frame isolated, they only share the same frame briefly, this is similar to their confrontation about halfway into the film shortly after the oil rig explosion that leaves HW deaf. In that scene Eli is shown via a tracking shot where he is isolated in the frame until the face-to-face stare down where Daniel slaps and haunts Eli
There are some strong dissolve edits such as one transitioning from Daniel being affectionate toward a young HW to Daniel in front of a room of potential investors in the 1st scene with dialogue, this helps establish the link between Daniel’s later claims that HW was nothing more than a mascot for Daniel’s claim that he is a family man (a claim I don’t believe is entirely true)
Some critics have questioned Paul Dano’s performance here, but I think it works not in spite of the fact that it is over the top but largely because of it. This is not a subtle film and Daniel Day Lewis is not giving an understated performance, it he was then I would agree in critiquing the performance Dano gives but given Daniel Plainview’s character traits I think Eli’s over the top nature is completely justified
The rivalry between Daniel and Eli is hilarious petty, it ends in brutal violence, but it is started and is maintained throughout the film by these 2 stubborn men and this final sequence shows how comically absurd their rivalry has always been. They are both charlatans but only one of them (Eli) lies to himself. That final scene in the bowling alley after Eli says “We’ve seen ups and downs, haven’t we?” Daniel snickers “are things down right now Eli?” He knows exactly why he’s there
PT Anderson’s Magnum Opus is arguably the best film ever made in my opinion, when I made my top 100 list I had it at # 5 and find no reason to change it
Verdict: MP
Punch Drunk Love (2002)
Notes:
Starts with shot of Adam Sandler’s character Barry sitting at his desk inside warehouse, the desk in the only one visible and it is located in the corner; the wide lens shows Barry’s isolation, Barry wearing blue suit and blue tie, interior of warehouse is white and blue
2:30 magic hour blue and red sky
4:16 blue glare
4:40 Emily Watson’s character Lena makes first appearance, and she is wearing a red/pink shirt, which noticeably contrasts with Barry’s blue suit
red/pink glare becomes noticeable starting with Lena’s first scene
6:40 series of shots of empty street aside from parked cars, further emphasizing Barry’s solitude
10:08 title sequence consists of stunningly beautiful image of intersecting color palette
13:08 the score matching Barry’s internal rhythm
17:35 “business is very food”
19 min Barry smashes glass door
20:55 color coded isles in grocery store, talk about attention to detail
22:48 Barry closing blinds while calling the phone sex line
29:15 camera pans 360 degrees showing off Barry’s relatively empty apartment
31:12 the film’s score starts corresponding with Barry’s emotional state
31:55 the films score intensifies as Barry gets progressively more agitated
34:48 blue glare visible through frame
36:30 tracking and reverse tracking shots
39:12 Barry and Lena only 2 characters in frame and with significant space between them
42:20 Philip Seymour Hoffman makes first appearance
43:30 sequence using close ups on character’s faces
44:50 symmetrical shot with blue vs red/pink dynamic
47:47 another moment of rage from Barry as he destroys the restaurants bathroom
49:53 score moves toward a crescendo after leaving restaurant
50:28 blue tint shots using close ups on Barry and Lena’s faces in the car
52:18 long shot of Barry walking down empty hallway of Lena’s building
54 min Barry sprinting down hallway back to Lena’s room for a first kiss
57 min Barry chased and beat up by PSH character’s hired goons
1:02:10 Barry still with blue suit but now red tie
1:02:24 beautiful silhouette image of Sander entering ramp to the plane with blue glare present
1:04:14 Barry finally stands up for himself, marking turning point
1:07:16 best shot of film with Barry and Lena embracing as silhouette images, great frame in frame here with the beach and bright blue water in background
1:15:11 Barry and Lena hit in car Barry’s driving and Lena in passenger seat, camera moving rapidly with bright colors in the frame as Barry and Lena in temporarily disoriented
1:16:32 zoom in then tracking shot of Barry leaving Lena’s room in hospital
1:18:10 score tempo increasing as Barry paces around a room while on the phone with PSH character
1:21:19 another colors montage
1:22:50 confrontation between Barry and PSH character in Utah store
1:24:38 the score returns to upbeat
1:26:30 zoom in on close up kiss with red and blue glares
Thoughts:
PT Anderson really changes up here, after two films with ensemble casts we have a meticulous character study of Adam Sandler’s character Barry who is a lonely and awkward man who owns a small but growing business
This is a fascinating film that is difficult to explain via an elevator pitch; obviously it’s a romantic comedy but also an art film with some satirical elements. Its very difficult to find another film to compare it to
Some critics have labeled this performance as Adam Sandler shedding his image from his 90s/early 2000s comedies, but I do not think that is the case here, rather PT Anderson uses that very Sandler persona to the films advantage by maximizing Sandler’s talent. His character in this film Barry, has elements of the hopeless romantic he plays in The Wedding Singer and a couple of outbursts similar to his man-child persona from Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore and even some of the earnestness from his character in Mr. Deeds
Few films use color better than PT Anderson does here, the dedication to the color palettes and patterns is consistent throughout the film with the Barry’s blue suit and Lena red/pink shirt as well as glares, blue tint, and even the grocery store scene with the color coded section, I wonder if this was made specifically for the film or if PT Anderson somehow found a Grocery Store with color coded isles, I lean toward the former
This is PT Anderson’s shortest film by far, except for Hard Eight which is only about 10 minutes longer. Despite the relatively short run time the pace never feels rushed
There is great comedy here with PSH character and really just the bizarreness of the plot, that the phone sex line group would actually send multiple people just because Barry refused to give them additional money. Then you have the airline coupon scam, Barry’s sisters constantly hounding him for various reasons, and Barry’s childish outbursts, much of the film is played straight as if these were not ridiculous at all
The love story has elements of a screwball comedy and at times seems almost satirical, particularly just the fact that Emily Watson’s Lena would be so interested in such an immature guy in the first place and the cliched “first kiss” this is all really comedic genius
Verdict: MP
Magnolia (1999)
Notes:
Starts with Ricky Jay as the narrator of several stories of ridiculous coincidences
3:25 freeze frame following man jumping off building landing in a safety net
5:10 freeze frame and yellow arrows on screen explaining the physical movements of characters like a football telecast
6:40 quick zoom to TV set with Tom Cruise’s Frank TJ Mackey
7:56 family photo of Jimmy Gator (Philip Baker Hall) and his wife and estranged daughter Claudia
14 min John C Reilly as a cop
24:36 maybe the funniest introduction to a character I’ve ever seen with Tom Cruise’s Frank “TJ” Mackey with the 2001 A Space Odyssey Music followed by “respect the **** and tame the ****”
28:02 “Seduce and Destroy”
32:40 Jimmy Gator tries to talk to Claudia
35:50 William H Macy Donnie Smith, a child prodigy with serious personal issues
50:45 Cruise going shirtless and going on monologues and literally doing flips at start of interview
53:57 “goodbye stranger” is great choice for song as Donnie enters bar
1:06:14 red and blue lighting with camera behind Jimmy Gator upon his introduction on stage
1:25:48 “quiz kid Donnie Smith”
1:31:24 close up shots used as interviewer gets closer to truth about Frank’s lies about his parents, Cruise’s acting in these scenes is incredibly strong
1:38:20 slow zoom in on Jimmy Gator as he faints
1:46:08 slow zoom in on Frank’s face as his anger grows “quietly judging you”
1:46:34 multi-color game show set
2:12:00 Earl unloads guilt in rant while camera continues to capture all the other storylines while Earl’s voice continues to tell his nurse Phil (PSH) about his failures about how he abandoned his dying wife and 14-year-old son who was forced to care for her; this is all set during a rainstorm throughout the night
2:19:38 the Aimee Mann song Wise Up in a bizarre group sing along as the films various characters simultaneously sing along
2:22:38 weather change announced as rain clears up
Thoughts:
Of all the films I have watched during my director studies this was the most difficult to takes notes on as it moves along seamlessly between the interlocking stories as PT Anderson’s camera is in constant motion, frequently panning across rooms, tracking shots, all while there are constantly shifting tones as characters move through an array of emotions as the story progresses. I actually felt I was mainly taking plot points, so I decided to forgo my traditional note taking at a certain point and just put more into the “Thoughts” Section
This film is an emotional rollercoaster with boundless levels of energy infused into it start to finish. It is utterly unrelenting with PT Anderson conducting a highwire act as he juggles numerous vignettes which connect over the course of the 3-hour run time. Just an absurd amount of energy in this film from start to finish and extraordinary ambition; PT Anderson was 29 when he made this, talk about a Wunderkind! The interconnecting vignette structure has been done before most famously perhaps by Robert Altman with Nashville (1975) and Short Cuts (1993) and much weaker films like Crash (2004) but never have I seen this level of energy maintained like this film
I love that opening sequence with Ricky Jay narrating the stories regarding fate/chance which sets up the film’s themes and structure
Speaking of run time, PT Anderson has stated that if he could go back in time, he would have trimmed down the run time a bit. While I do not disagree that there are probably scenes that could be shortened or removed, I do not think there are any glaringly obvious unnecessary sequences
Great performances all around but Cruise gives the best performance in my opinion as there is much more to his character than what meets the eye. It starts off hilariously over the top starting with the 2001 music opening and the ridiculous huckster he’s portraying. However, his character’s confident and assured exterior gradually dissolves over the course of the film, particularly with the interview, revealing a wounded and extremely vulnerable man
There are emotionally devastating scenes such as Philip Baker Hall’s Jimmy Gator visiting his estranged daughter and the scenes following that storyline revealing a horrifying confession (he all but admits to the alleged acts) and we see the damage caused to his daughter Claudia who is a deeply unhappy woman with a serious drug addiction, amongst other gut-wrenching stories. The John C Reilly part was hard to get into initially, but I actually ended up thinking he gives one of the best performances.
I read somewhere that Ingmar Bergman was impressed by this film and when I checked it out, I noticed it was listed on his MUBI favorite films page. Interestingly his 3 most recent selections were Magnolia (1999), American Beauty (1999), and Traffic (2000). There are some great close ups I this film, in particular of Tom Cruise during the interview scene where his anger boils over as the interviewer forces him to confront his past. But also, these 3 films listed contain intense emotional trauma similar to Bergman’s work
Just like with Boogie Nights the song selections are tremendous, I particularly loved the use of Goodbye Stranger by Supertramp with the William H Macy scene but really the entire soundtrack which consists largely of Aimee Mann is great
This film is operatic in scope and ambition, it is difficult to take it all in on the 1st viewing. Like pretty much all great films it rewards multiple viewings
Verdict: MP