how would you rank his films so far?

Started by Robyn, October 23, 2017, 09:37:05 PM

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Find Your Magali

Quote from: pynchonikon on May 31, 2021, 01:08:16 PM
I could be wrong but I have the feeling that generally the old fans of his (since late '90s/early '00s) have warmer response to his early works (especially BN-Magn-PDL) than the newer fans who seem to prefer the post-TWBB era. Could it be just emotionalism? I dunno.

I have a particular friend who is a die-hard PTA fan for at least twenty years, he digs all of his movies, but every time I bring this discussion he claims that Magnolia will always be his favorite ("Of course he's evolved as an artist since those days and I respect that, he's still great, but my emotional bonding with Magnolia is unparalleled.")

I am willing and capable of evolving alongside the director. Magnolia remains my favorite and, to me, its flaws are minor and insignificant. It's a monumental achievement.

That said, Phantom Thread (my second or third favorite movie of his) is objectively a better film than Magnolia. ....  Magnolia-era PTA could never have made Phantom Thread. Nor would Magnolia-era PTA have the patience for the long silences of The Master.

His evolution as a writer, director of actors, cinematographer is amazing to behold.

WorldForgot

Quote from: Find Your Magali on June 01, 2021, 05:49:16 PM
His evolution as a writer, director of actors, cinematographer is amazing to behold.

Highkey.

And, to me, the last three PTA projects are singular.  Inherent Vice iz a masterwork of subculture via a city, American zeitgeist, and how lived-in culture reflects on screen. Magnolia and PDL may reveal more of Paul, but IV, The Master, Phantom Thread, (and Boogie, in its deft adoration of "crew"ing) are speaking tongues beyond the auteur, intra the medium.

Lewton

The hiatus between PDL and TWBB seemed like a real turning point. What was he thinking about, reading, watching at that time, I wonder? Besides TWBB research. My guess has always been that he really got into Malick's work but he never discusses him. Everything after that hiatus just seems considerably more mellow and yet weirder and richer, and I guess less desperate for the audience's admiration?

I don't mean "desperate" in a pejorative way, though. That desperation was part of the power of those earlier movies...like, the opening of Boogie Nights works so hard to grab the viewer by the lapels and it succeeds. Then the Master is just like...accidentally brushing past those lapels in a dazed way, and it may be his best movie.

There are also those bits like Joaquin saying "blah blah blah" while reading the newspaper early on in IV or Laura Dern's hurt expression after PSH's sudden blow-up near the end of The Master. These moments just seem like they could never have happened in the early days. Can't quite put my finger on it, but something about those examples have this unrehearsed, low-key, authentic energy to them. (His earlier movies were authentic of course, but just not in the same way)

Find Your Magali

Quote from: Lewton on June 02, 2021, 03:25:25 PM

There are also those bits like Joaquin saying "blah blah blah" while reading the newspaper early on in IV or Laura Dern's hurt expression after PSH's sudden blow-up near the end of The Master. These moments just seem like they could never have happened in the early days. Can't quite put my finger on it, but something about those examples have this unrehearsed, low-key, authentic energy to them. (His earlier movies were authentic of course, but just not in the same way)

The Julianne Moore subplot in Magnolia is the weakest. I wouldn't change a thing about the pharmacy scene, but I wonder how post-PDL Paul would have handled her scenes with the doctor and the lawyer.

wilberfan

With the release of Licorice Pizza, Variety weighs-in.  (Quite an eclectic sequencing!)

Paul Thomas Anderson Films Ranked — From Worst to Best

Yes

PDL and The Master bottom 3 is asinine but hey, everyone has a PTA opinion. The AV Club I think it was had Phantom Thread #1 in their rankings which is also wild to me!

wilberfan

I didn't mind IV at the end (!!) and Magnolia at the top--but the rest was quite a jumble!  (We both had LP at #4, tho!)

d

Sorry but IV and The Master (!) at the very bottom, below Hard Eight is beyod ridiculous no matter what.

Jeremy Blackman

Quote from: d on November 28, 2021, 02:15:45 AMSorry but IV and The Master (!) at the very bottom, below Hard Eight is beyod ridiculous no matter what.

Agreed. I'm not the biggest fan of Inherent Vice, but putting anything below Hard Eight seems a bit silly. Hard Eight is obviously a good movie, but still... every other PTA feature is less of a prototype and more of a complete idea.

Montclair

My Rankings:

There Will Be Blood
Boogie Nights
The Master
Phantom Thread
Punch Drunk Love
Magnolia
Inherent Vice
Licorice Pizza
Sydney

ono

When 7 or 8 of 9 films in an auteur's canon are masterpieces, it's hard to rank them.

The Master
There Will Be Blood
Magnolia
Phantom Thread
Punch-Drunk Love
Inherent Vice
Licorice Pizza
Boogie Nights
Hard Eight

It's still too soon to call LP.  I cracked and downloaded a bootleg because it sucks being a month behind the curve.  I'll still see it proper.  But for now I'll just say that's that and walk away.

HACKANUT

Havent seen LP yet but I recently reappraised my ranking. Basically everything but Hard Eight is some caliber of masterpiece, so I love them all for different reasons.

The Master
There Will Be Blood
Inherent Vice
Phantom Thread
Punch-Drunk Love
Boogie Nights
Magnolia
Hard Eight

Who knows where LP will find itself. I'm sort of anticipating middle of the list but we'll see?

Convael

There Will Be Blood
Magnolia
Boogie Nights
Punch Drunk Love
The Master
Phantom Thread
Hard Eight
Inherent Vice

IV was such a colossal misfire IMO and Phantom Thread was just kind of forgettable. Part of what I love the most about his films is obviously the story and acting but mainly the way that they genuinely amaze and surprise you, even if you've watched tons of films. I felt that the most in his early work and TWBB and would even say that they felt similar to religious experiences, but maybe that's just part of being young. There was little to nothing about IV or Phantom Thread that felt unique, and IV had a story that was weaker than even Hard Eight.

RudyBlatnoyd

1. Inherent Vice
2. The Master
3. There Will Be Blood
4. Phantom Thread
5. Punch-Drunk Love
6. Magnolia
7. Boogie Nights
8. Hard Eight

max from fearless


1. Punch-Drunk Love
2. The Master
3. There Will Be Blood
4. Phantom Thread
5. Magnolia
6. Inherent Vice
7. Boogie Nights
8. Licorice Pizza
9. Hard Eight