I've been meaning to see Magnolia for the longest time, and I just rented it tonight. It was the weirdest, most random, most amazing and simply the coolest film I have ever seen. I was so amazed at the intricate plots and characters.
It makes me wonder how directors and writers like P.T. Anderson come up with stuff like that... that takes an amazing amount of talent and a really passionate and interesting way of looking at the world. I thought it was fascinating how he dissected the characters' relationships with each other, their relationships with themselves, and the commentary it made on society as a whole.
Towards the beginning of the movie, a friend who was watching it with me commented (during one of Tom Cruise's speeches), "That's like everything that's wrong with our society." As the film wore on, that became more and more pervasive as we watched these characters' downward spiral, with only some to be lifted back up again.
I also really loved the idea that everything happens for a reason, and by the end of the film we have thoroughly explored each character's psyche and we realize why they act the way they do. I especially loved Tom Cruise's character's breakdown at the end of the film.
The few things I'm still not clear on... Why the title, "Magnolia?" I didn't pick up on any references to it during the movie. I'm also not sure if the frogs were supposed to be a plague like the obvious reference to the bible, or cathartic like some reviewers have suggested.
This movie was nothing I have ever seen before, which makes it a great work of art.
It makes me wonder how directors and writers like P.T. Anderson come up with stuff like that... that takes an amazing amount of talent and a really passionate and interesting way of looking at the world. I thought it was fascinating how he dissected the characters' relationships with each other, their relationships with themselves, and the commentary it made on society as a whole.
Towards the beginning of the movie, a friend who was watching it with me commented (during one of Tom Cruise's speeches), "That's like everything that's wrong with our society." As the film wore on, that became more and more pervasive as we watched these characters' downward spiral, with only some to be lifted back up again.
I also really loved the idea that everything happens for a reason, and by the end of the film we have thoroughly explored each character's psyche and we realize why they act the way they do. I especially loved Tom Cruise's character's breakdown at the end of the film.
The few things I'm still not clear on... Why the title, "Magnolia?" I didn't pick up on any references to it during the movie. I'm also not sure if the frogs were supposed to be a plague like the obvious reference to the bible, or cathartic like some reviewers have suggested.
This movie was nothing I have ever seen before, which makes it a great work of art.