Magnolia (Dbl DVD)

Paul Thomas Anderson is a remarkable creative mind. That being said, `Magnolia' isn't as strong as it could have been. That isn't to say that the film doesn't have merit, because it is authentic and truly earnest; perhaps too much so. The one thing that kept springing to mind while watching this film was that it lacked balance. This is the last of Anderson's films for me to see, and so it's odd for me that this is one of his most raved (possibly his most raved) film to date. While the Academy embraced his latest (and greatest) masterpiece, `There Will Be Blood', there are many vocal detractors to that film, while little is said to degrade `Magnolia'; a film that is considered by many to be an intellectual masterpiece of modern cinema.The film is good, but it is missing something.Like I said, `Magnolia' lacks balance. It surprises me, because that is one thing I find so fascinating about Anderson's other work; they are so balanced. Even something as dark as `There Will Be Blood' is emotionally landscaped in way so that you can feel the ups and downs, the highs and lows with precise effect. Anderson maps out his scenes in such a way that you `get' them. `Boogie Nights' balanced tones so effortlessly; creating such robust feelings that ran the gamut of witty and charming to eerily aggressive; and it all flowed. Even a film as `uneven' as `Punch Drunk Love' felt remarkably well thought out (despite my lack of true passion for the film, I easily consider Anderson's direction exceptional). Going all the way back to his debut, `Hard Eight', it is notable the way that Anderson plays with darkness in a way that feels eerily accessible.There are no swells in `Magnolia'. It is somewhat one-note. There is one emotion that permeates the entire film. It is depressing. One depressing scene after another depressing scene. I mean, the middle of the film felt like the end of the film because even the music was making me feel like the whole world was going to end and everyone was going to die that very moment and yet it still had over an hour and a half to go before the film ending. I have never felt so depressed watching a film in all my life; to the point where the conclusion truly brings no resolve or lifted spirits because it is too little too late.The damage had already been done.But, there is something about this film that speaks to me. As with all of Anderson's films, I feel that this is one to be seen again and again before it can be appreciated. I mentioned, in my review title, a sliver of the film's conclusion, and it is a moment that took me by complete surprise and helped me to appreciate it all the more. It felt right, despite being so off. It added a layer to this film that I wholly need to explore.I just wish that the film had more shades to it.That being said; the film is an acting goldmine. Philip Baker Hall and Jason Robards are phenomenal as the film's dying patriarchs, both of whom have debts to pay to their children. Julianne Moore is heartbreaking and completely sincere as the trophy wife with a plateful of regret. William H. Macy and Jeremy Blackman complement one another beautifully, playing the same role just decades apart. John C. Reilly is so tender and relatable as the insecure cop who catches a break with the wrong woman. But it is Philip Seymour Hoffman and Tom Cruise who really steal every scene. Their characters could be more different and yet they emote so deeply. Cruise is a firecracker, throwing charisma at everyone in his path and yet it is his emotional breakdown that feels the most real; considering that his entire persona is built upon a façade. It is Hoffman who grabbed me the most though. The way he uncovers us layers of true caring while watching over Cruise's dying father; its remarkable how much his eyes convey.The film; an interwoven collage related stories, has its moments, and the actually concept is one that I find inspired. In fact, I kind of find this film utterly fascinating. Like many have said about most all Anderson's work; it is flawed and yet it is unforgettable.Anderson has undeniably honed his skill as a director. His work on `There Will Be Blood' is almost untouchable (a directorial achievement that grows in my estimation every time I merely `think' of the film), and his promise is seen all over this film that is slightly `over-achieved'.This is not his worst film (but `worst' is not really a word to be used with his films), but that isn't a consolation when, with a little more focus given to layering the emotions, this could have been a clear masterpiece.And yet, maybe it is a masterpiece.

It's an older film, but I wanted to watch it again and I'm glad I did. Fabulous actors, story was engaging and moved me on many levels. Absolutely loved it.

Magnolia, a 1999 drama film written and directed by P.T. Anderson, is in Anderson's own words, "probably the best film I'll ever make", which is wrong, as that honor goes to There Will Be Blood, at least in my eyes. The film itself is similar to, and slightly better, than another film released just a year earlier called Happiness. It's also very similar, apparently, to a 1993 Robert Altman film called Short Cuts. It features an ensemble cast of well-known big name stars such as Tom Cruise, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman, John C. Reilly, William H. Macy, and Alfred Molina, in a small supporting role. There are also relative unknowns such as Melora Walters, Phillip Baker Hall, and Jeremy Blackmon, in no less important roles. The vast majority of characters in this film are relatively unlikable, annoying, vulgar, and miserable people, many of whom have or are themselves bad fathers, cheating spouses, and incompetent workers. The film is three hours long and takes place in the San Fernando Valley of California, like all of P.T. Anderson's films. It follows all of the previously mentioned characters in search of love, happiness, forgiveness, and redemption. In addition to that all of the characters are connected, sometimes loosely, sometimes strongly, to eachother. William H. Macy plays former whiz kid Donnie Smith who was apparently struck by lightning and lost all of his "smarts", he was a contestant on a game show called "What Do Kids Know" and is now a miserable lonely man who seems lost and abandoned, in the beginning he gets fired from his job and it all goes downhill for him from there. Jeremy Blackmon plays Stanley Spector, a new "whiz-kid" on What Do Kids Know who has a sorry excuse for a father and seems to be heading down the same path as William H. Macy's character, he's also one of the most likable and sympathetic characters in the film along side John C. Reilly's character Officer Jim Kurring, who, believe it or not, is an LA Cop. His character felt far too naive and optimistic for a officer working in LA. Vermont or Alaska maybe, but definitely not in a place like Los Angeles could a cop be that innocent. However, for better or worse it's his character, and Jeremy's, that saves this film from a two star rating, so I guess he's not that bad. He has an odd romantic relationship with Claudia Gator, the daughter of What Do Kids Know host Jimmy Gator, who are played by Melora Walters and Phillip Baker Hall respectively. Claudia is a drug addict who hates her father and this is made clear in an intense early scene when he tells her he's dying from cancer. Tom Cruise plays Frank T.J. Mackey, a self help specialist who runs a seminar aimed at men that teaches them how to charm and seduce women into bed with them. In a different role from what he usually plays, Cruise as Frank is a vulgar, sleazy, and bitter man who seems to be running or hiding from something in his past, and Seduce and Destroy appears to a consequence of it. This is made clear in an interview with a woman that he agrees to during one of his seminars. Jason Robards plays his terminally ill father who spends the entire film in bed attended to by his kind male nurse played by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Franks hates his father for cheating on, and later abandoning, his cancer-stricken wife who later died, and him, who was forced to take look after her by himself. Julianne Moore plays Jason Robard's character's second wife who only married him for his money and wants to change his will to leave all of his valuables to her after he dies, and she also cheats on him. She is probably the weakest character in the film, as her performance is marred by over-acting and clumsy dialogue. She also has a vendetta against Frank, claiming he's not part of their family. In addition to these loosely connected plot threads, there is the common theme of chance and coincidence, best illustrated at the beginning of the film in a darkly humorous monologue focusing on three incredible coincidences that supposedly really happened and in a scene towards the very end which I won't spoil for you. Many people claim that Magnolia is a pretentious film and that Anderson was deliberately trying to be as obscure or confusing as possible to make it seem like a deeper or more profound film than it actually was. I believe there's a bit of truth to that, but not to the extent that some people here think. It wasn't all that confusing to me, the thing that bothered me the most was the overuse of melodrama and miserable, pathetic characters interacting with other miserable, pathetic characters. It felt almost like a soap opera, and the vulgar language was also overdone, to the point of actually taking away from the effectiveness of several scenes, especially one towards the end involving Frank. Overall it was easy to sympathize with many of the characters but hard to like them, which was a big negative for me concerning the quality and effectiveness of the film. It has a huge cast and a long running time, but it still felt oddly incomplete when the credits started to roll. Overall it was an okay film, but not great or a masterpiece, and definitely not Paul Thomas Anderson's best film.

Three hours of experimental movie.Scenes from six to seven groups of people who have different cultures not related to each other run parallel.In each of them settings, language, talk, cultures differs.After two hours viewer can still not set the relation between them.In each group fake, deception love, hate, psychopathy are emphasized.Among all maybe only relation and dialogues between police officer Jim, and Claudia is interesting.Claudia is a drug user. One day while listening loud music at home after her fight with her visiting father.Police officer Jim comes to her house after her neighbours complain and an unexpected relation starts.

Magnolia is one of those films that demands your time and concentration, it is not easy viewing. The characters are all damaged by neglect, disappointment or abuse. One of my favourite things about this movie was the haunting soundtrack by Aimee Mann. At one pont in the film many of the characters softly sing the same song to themselves, a ploy that could have been horribly cheesy but just works here. Many reviews have cited Tom Cruises's remarkable performance, in this film he gives a manic, angry performance which suits his almost wolfish features. The rest of the cast also give absolutely breathtaking performances. I particulary liked Melora Walters who plays Claudia an emotionlly wrecked drug addict. There is some comedy in her scenes and she arranges a date with a sweet policeman after quickly flushing her stash down the toilet. Much of the story centres around two dying men who have well and truly wrecked their children's chances of happiness with their selfishness. One of these men hosts a gameshow where gifted children pit their wits against adult contenstants. Jeremy Blackman who plays Stanley, one of the young contestents, is excellent. It is quite heartbreaking to see him not be allowed to go to the toilet because he would disrupt filming. His abusive father thinks it is Ok to treat his son badly as long as he ends every sentence with "I love you". The end of the film is rather strange and has a biblical ring to it. This is a fairly complicated film and, almost certainly, one that you will watch more than once.

Magnolia is one of the last great and definitive films from Hollywood ever since it was released.It is an unstoppable, compelling, dramatic and overwhelming 3hour flow of characters, thoughts, subjects, action and reaction, in a dark and lonely Los Angeles, where Angels will not come down from the Sky to save us, but maybe something else...MAgnolia is a generous, ambitious and irresistible series of portrays that together gives you the big picture of life and death in contemporary society (mostly american, but the film and the characters are so appealing that make this film universal).All its aspects are at the top: acting, script, direction, photography, editing and music, and the converge and contribute to create a symphony of voices and stories, like a one long take.The blu ray is pretty remarkable and expose all the quality of the film

I am surprised to see how many reviews have been made on this one. I found it tiring, in the sense that it requires maximum attention. Besides, the music, which per is must be very good, adds to tension, and tiredness, as in some places is out of sync with what happens. Tom Cruise (whom I do not particularly like in general) does gives an imprint to his character. After about 1 hour and 45 minutes the tension diminishes as some unbelievable rain falls on L.A. I cannot really understand why this was chosen to end the movie. Credibility is lost, and we fade into the fantastic all of a sudden. I felt a bit cheated by such ending. I give 3 starts only because, despite the long duration, this movie does provide entertainment.

Great film, basic menu but that's OK for me. Arrived very quickly too.