Click HERE to see this thread with all of the graphics, features, and links.

I can't believe there's not a thread for this great movie. Paul Thomas Anderson rocks. So does PSH.

Respect the cock.

Great movie. I loved Tom Cruise's character in particular.

Originally posted by Wolfie
Great movie. I loved Tom Cruise's character in particular.
Same here. Thought he did an awesome job.

Really enjoyed Magnolia too, interesting film indeed.

This is just on television as we speak and I've just been reminded what a good film it is.

This is a great film

Tom Cruise's character was really good but I thing Philip Seymour Hoffman was amazing in it.

It's very hard to pick out the best performance from such a great and on form ensemble, but I guess Cruise's character has the best lines and opportunity to really give it a go and he doesn't disappoint a all. You can call Cruise a hell of a lot of thing, but one things he is not is a bad actor.

The child actor who plays Stanley does well for being...urm, a child actor.

I recall buying the 2 disc special edition of this from a guy on Ebay, only to descover it had a disc missing! Bad feedback for that *******.

Anyways, really interesting movie. I love the way the increasing severity of the weather is symbolic of what the characters are going through, and the rain of frogs climax is incredible.

It's one of those movies you need to watch at least three times to fully appreciate. I still need to give it a few more viewings just to get the full experience.

Shame it starts with that completely untrue story about the man falling off the building. That fact that no coincidence like that has ever happened kinda undermines the premise a little.

Originally posted by Ushgarak
Shame it starts with that completely untrue story about the man falling off the building. That fact that no coincidence like that has ever happened kinda undermines the premise a little.

well good thing it is a movie and not a documentary then eh.


I think the movie loses itself in obscurity near the end

It's not a documentary, no, but it IS a comment on coincidence in life, and to lead with an entirely false example of that blunts the message.

Originally posted by Ushgarak
Shame it starts with that completely untrue story about the man falling off the building. That fact that no coincidence like that has ever happened kinda undermines the premise a little.

Shame other people make avid use of there imagination then, isn't it

Tame the c*nt.

I sorta liked it.

Originally posted by exanda kane
Shame other people make avid use of there imagination then, isn't it

It's not imagination, they thought it was true. It's an oft-reported myth, one of those thinga that it meant to prove how such amazing things sometimes happen.

The very fact that it was entirely made up does undermine the message fundamentally.

I was obviously referring to the viewer, not Paul Thomas Anderson and lackeys. I have no quarrel accepting it as a truth for the purposes of the melodrama, it serves as a humurous and intriguing introduction to what is a very long, but also very watchable film.

It almost keeps you interested for the whole 3 hours, and for a contemporary melodrama that is an achievment in itself.

pt anderson's opus. boogie nights is nearly as brilliant, and punch drunk love is almost perfect in its simplicity, but magnolia takes the prize.

can't wait for there will be blood

Haha, William H. Macy gets a frog in the teeth. This movie was pretty cool, though the message was given in a somewhat abstract way. I didn't get the frog scene or what it meant. I like the blooper where John C. Reilly is singing on the bed with his pants down.

Originally posted by exanda kane
I was obviously referring to the viewer, not Paul Thomas Anderson and lackeys. I have no quarrel accepting it as a truth for the purposes of the melodrama, it serves as a humurous and intriguing introduction to what is a very long, but also very watchable film.

It almost keeps you interested for the whole 3 hours, and for a contemporary melodrama that is an achievment in itself.

Well, then by accepting a lie as truth you are rather missing the message of the movie. If the movie is based around how coincidence works in life, but their main example of that is made up, its power is greatly reduced.

It is a much, MUCH stronger statement if the coincidences it outlines are genuine ones.

Originally posted by Ushgarak
Well, then by accepting a lie as truth you are rather missing the message of the movie. If the movie is based around how coincidence works in life, but their main example of that is made up, its power is greatly reduced.

It is a much, MUCH stronger statement if the coincidences it outlines are genuine ones.

Hell, you'd be lost with anything art-house wouldn't you?

To presume that one has to acknowledge the moral of a story to enjoy it is a particuarly superficial way of looking at things. It may undermine the premise of chance, in your eyes, but none the less the merits of the film far exceed any criticism your judgement lies on it. Magnolia isn't your usual Hollywood film. It needs no sentimental message to connect with the masses. The strong performances, involving script and acute direction invalidate any silly criticisms like that.

Liked the film a lot, have the 2 disc dvd and pretty much agree with exanda!

Just saw this movie.

Amazing performances, a nice collection of possible themes as to what Anderson was trying to convey, and something that kept me interested for 3 hours.

Undoubtedly I will have to watch this film a few more times to fully appreciate it. Anderson makes some of the strangest films.