THE DANMAN CAN

A good film and nice (albeit expensive) to see in 70mm (though the  VistaVision  felt underutilized) at  The Coolidge Corner Theatre , but I couldn't help but compare it to  Paul Thomas Anderson  in my mind. Which isn't a bad thing, as I haven't loved a few of his films on the first viewing either. Brady Corbet 's  The Brutalist (2024) has got some great elements (the first half was excellent and  Guy Pearce in  Orson Welles / John Huston  mode is fun) and maybe wants to say something profound about Jewish diaspora, but rather than feeling challenged by the film I was left wanting (I am impressed that it was made for under $10 million though*). *(1/20/25 update) Upon finding out this film used AI, this is less surprising.

There really is no other film like 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968). No other film before and no other film since. And there really was no other filmmaker like Stanley Kubrick . Before or since. It's a film of impeccable style, grace, and patience, filled with gorgeous visuals, sumptuous and occasionally terrifying sounds, and ponderous and unnerving moments. It's the existential sci-fi film to end all existential sci-fi films, and one to spark endless theories. This was my first time seeing 2001  on the big screen and it was something else—a stunning 70 mm print struck from the original negative. Some people in the audience had never seen the film and some saw it when it was originally released. I can only imagine what the latter must have been like, given that it still wows me, after having seen it numerous times on home video. You can find my Stanley Kubrick Feature Films Ranked list  here .

Paul Thomas Anderson is certainly a director whose films don't always bowl me over on first viewing. I wasn't in love with either  The Master   (2012) or  Inherent Vice  (2014) the first time I saw either, though I appreciated his impeccable craft in both cases. I warmed to both films on "Take 2" and in the case of Vice , reading the book before my second viewing helped a great deal. So we come to Phantom Thread  (2017), a film that I absolutely need another viewing to properly gauge how I feel about it. Again, the technique is virtually flawless—the costumes, production design and acting is all high caliber, but my first impression leaves me underwhelmed. Thread  feels a bit too straightforward for a PTA film. The characteristics and mannerisms of the two leads feel familiar for those who've seen Anderson's previous films, but there's not enough..."oddness" to them. There's subtle sociopathic jabs that occur but never any truly cathartic...

From what I hear (I've avoided reviews) The Master  (2012) has been dividing critics and fans. I would agree, it seems this could be the PTA film to most divide his audience. Unlike There Will Be Blood   (2007), The Master didn't give me that instant-the-film-ends-holy-shit-that-was-amazing feeling, but it also has a more subtle ending. I don't feel that I've fully processed this one yet, but it bears the mark of an excellent film - I already want to see it again. The Master most closely resembles TWBB , among the PTA canon, but feels less easily digestible. Anderson is still wading in Kubrick waters, but doing so swimmingly (pardon the pun). I'm not ready yet to say much more on the blog; another viewing feels necessary. But I will say that this film demands immediate discussion and leaves one pondering about the significance of what was included and what was left up to the viewer. Also, it looked gorgeous in 70 mm.