Movies

The music; the way the camera moves; the performances: this amazing ensemble piece takes everything to the next level. Although the influence of Robert Altman and Martin Scorsese can be felt throughout the whole film, P.T. Anderson doesn't copy them but merely uses some of their trademark techniques to create his very own, unique brand of film.There are so many creative ideas and standout scenes in this film: I'm sure that, similarly to how filmmakers of Anderson's generation are citing films like 'Nashville' or 'Goodfellas' as their inspiration, the next generation of aspiring directors will be citing 'Magnolia'. The film is not "just" a masterpiece, but also hugely influential and an instant classic. 10 stars out of 10.Favorite films: IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/Lesser-Known Masterpieces: imdb.com/list/ls070242495/

A taut, tense and mesmirising film that unfortunately loses power due to its length, however it is otherwise good. The film is an interesting, well acted and for the most of it well shot cinema piece, concerning how one person can affect others unintentionally. It is, however, too complex and often hard to understand, which tends to lose a viewer's attention. In addition, the film is not dissimilar from other films about interconnecting lives that the film industry has presented before us. This one however tries to add some extra meaning to the genre, only in part succeeding, because although the philosophy at the start of the film seems appropriate, the end sequence metaphor seems somewhat ill judged. Tom Cruise's superb performance earned him an Oscar nomination.