Movies Rate This Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

[I Fusion I]

With his new film incoming... what do you make of his work?

Hard Eight (1996)
Boogie Nights (1997)
Magnolia (1999)
Punch Drunk Love (2002)
There Will Be Blood (2007)
The Master (2012)
Inherent Vice (2015)
Phantom Thread (2017)
Licorice Pizza (2021)

 

[ufcfan4]

Excellent in my opinion.

He strikes me as someone who very much has his own vision and adheres to it. From writing his work to being at the helm as director, he's one of those guys who pretty clearly leaves his own stamp that distinguishes his filmography.

It helps that I thoroughly enjoy quite a few of his films. I think that Boogie Nights will always be my favorite of his. But even the stuff that I don't particularly like, such as The Master, I would still deem as really well done from a technical and acting standpoint.

He's one of those filmmakers that seems impressively adept at both securing terrific performances (it helps that he works with a stable of great actors) while also being very technically and stylistically skilled.

 

[Shaun king]

Hard Eight (1996) =Shit
Boogie Nights (1997)=Shit
Magnolia (1999)= doggie shit
Punch Drunk Love (2002)=pointless shit
There Will Be Blood (2007)=forgettable shit
The Master (2012)=massive shit
Inherent Vice (2015)=betamale shit
Phantom Thread (2017)=nobody watched this shit
Licorice Pizza (2021)=teenage whiney shit.

 

[Rimbaud82]

Hard Eight (1996) =Shit
Boogie Nights (1997)=Shit
Magnolia (1999)= doggie shit
Punch Drunk Love (2002)=pointless shit
There Will Be Blood (2007)=forgettable shit
The Master (2012)=massive shit
Inherent Vice (2015)=betamale shit
Phantom Thread (2017)=nobody watched this shit
Licorice Pizza (2021)=teenage whiney shit.

 

[Takes_Two_To_Tango]

Excellent director, still has lots to show us.

 

[revoltub]

Eh.

The only movie I've really been impressed by is there will be blood, which I consider a goat movie. But the rest didnt really impress me .

Boogie nights I went in expecting greatness but found it pretty underwhelming. Magnolia the same though I liked it a little more than boogie nights.

The master started off good and then delves into something that ended up pretty uneventful and boring for me.

Phantom thread was just....I didnt like it at all.

Punch drunk love was good but I dont remember much of it.

Might like some of his other ones if i get around to it

 

[jx820]

He's a filmmaker's filmmaker. A dyed in the wool, honest to God, genius at what he does. But his movies don't translate all that well to general audience consumption. I've probably seen most of his movies at least twice, but I wouldn't list any as a favorite.

I like that for the most part they are brutally honest depictions of strange and deeply flawed characters. I love some scenes. I don't love any of the movies as a whole.

 

[KeithHackneyballpunch]

Hard Eight was a most interesting film. definitely exceeded my expectations, and great performances all around.

Boogie Nights is probably Mark Walhberg's best performance in any film.

Magnolia was rather long, but had individual, stellar peformances.

This is great acting by Tom Cruise

 

[HaulParris]

10 for the duo of Boogie Nights/There Will Be Blood

 

[I Am Legion]

Over Rated, A few hits isn't enough to be "Great". And some are outright bombs. Boring ones. But Boogie Nights and There Will Be Blood are worthy.

 

[Thai Domi]

Boogie Nights is the only one I remember ever seeing; it was pretty good.

 

[MIKOM]

You watch that tension building firecracker and cocaine heist scene from Boogie Nights and if you are not impressed then I am afraid I don't know what to say to you.

 

[I Fusion I]

He makes thematically engaging films, giving him an 8

 

[Osculater]

Hard Eight (1996) =Shit
Boogie Nights (1997)=Shit
Magnolia (1999)= doggie shit
Punch Drunk Love (2002)=pointless shit
There Will Be Blood (2007)=forgettable shit
The Master (2012)=massive shit
Inherent Vice (2015)=betamale shit
Phantom Thread (2017)=nobody watched this shit
Licorice Pizza (2021)=teenage whiney shit.

 

[StoneColdSteveAustin]

Boogie Nights is one of my favorite movies of all time and PTA is an amazing director. He makes cinema.

 

[Oeshon]

Not really my favorite. I put a 6

 

[Streeter]

Boogie nights was good. There will be blood was good ........ only due to DDL all world performance otcwas very average at best otherwise. Phsntom Thread is one of few DDL films I could never finish just due to boredom in story. Even ddl couldn't make it interesting enough to watch.

This director is I guess decent bit no where near the goats

 

[moreorless87]

His earlier career did always feel a bit like he was following on the coattails fo the Coens, one of the best to do so but I felt There Will Be Blood was when he started having a more unique style to him and the two Phenoix films that followed are probably my favourites by him.

 

[elwani]

I've watched:

Boogie Nights (1997)
Magnolia (1999)
There Will Be Blood (2007)
The Master (2012)

I have to admit none of these made any impression on me (well except roller girl)

 

[ufcfan4]

You watch that tension building firecracker and cocaine heist scene from Boogie Nights and if you are not impressed then I am afraid I don't know what to say to you.

love that scene. Textbook tension-building from PTA. Excellent work there.

Molina (particularly), Reilly, and Jane all great there, which is no surprise.

But Mark is also legitimately good in that scene. In fact, that might be some of the best acting he has ever done. I’ve heard stories that the moment where he just sort of zones out during Jesse’s Girl was not in the script and Wahlberg was just ultra tired from the shoot so PTA went with it. But even still, that moment works perfectly.

That is one of those scenes where a song (in this case multiple songs) becomes so associated with a moment in film that I can no longer hear it without thinking of the film.

Any time I hear Sister Christian, Jesse’s Girl or 99 Red Balloons, that scene immediately comes to mind. Sort of like how I can’t hear Stuck in the Middle with You without thinking of Madsen in Reservoir Dogs.