Rating: 
Summary: ABSOLUTELY AWESOME
Review: WITHOUT DOUBT ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES OF THE LAST THREE YEARS, AFTER THE CRITICAL SUCCESS OF BOOGIE NIGHTS EVERYBODY WAS LOOKING AT WHAT PT ANDERSON WAS GOING TOO DO NEXT. WELL WHAT AN PERFECT MOVIE. EVERY SINGLE PERFORMANCE WAS OUTSTANDING ESPECIALLY TOM CRUISE AND PHILIP BAKER HALL. ANOTHER THING AIMEE MANNS MUSIC WAS SO PERFECT IT MADE IT EVEN BETTER. I HAVE JUST WATCHED THE DVD AND THE DOCUMENTARY WITH PT ANDERSON REALLY SHOWED ME HOW MUCH DETAIL WAS PUT INTO WHAT LOOKS LIKE ON FILM AS BEING QUITE EASY. THE MOVIE HAS A RUNNING TIME OF OVER 3 HOURS BUT I WOULD LIKED IT TO OF BEEN LONGER. HOW THIS DID NOT WIN ANY OSCARS IT A MYSTERY TO ME, ESPECIALLY THE BEST SUPPORTING CATEGORY.WITH THIS MOVIE PT ANDERSON HAS CREATED SOMETHING WHICH IN A COUPLE OF YEARS WILL BE ONE OF THE TALKED MOVIES OF ALL TIME. LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT HE WILL DO NEXT. IF YOU LIKE MOVIES AND YOU HAVEN'T BOUGHT MAGNOLIA YET PLEASE DO SO TO AVOID EMBARRASSMENT FROM YOUR FRIENDS WHEN YOU TELL THEM.
Rating: 
Summary: Perfect!
Review: This movie is absolutely perfect.....perfectly awful. After sitting through three hours of watching this train-wreck of a film, I contemplated taking legal action against the studio for abuse. I had high expectations going into this film because I enjoyed Paul Thomas Anderson's last effort in 1997's "Boogie Nights". In this movie, he tries too hard to be Robert Altman. The lives of different characters slowly intertwine as the movie unfolds. The problem is that the characters are so unlikable and unsavory that you can't help but hope that they all would be killed in the end. The only saving element is the oscar-nominated performance of Tom Cruise. His character (Frank "T.J." Mackey) is a laughable self-help guru for men. It is only during his scenes that the movie comes alive. His testosterone-fuelled speeches at an all-male convention are the best. Unfortunately, he is only on screen for a total of twenty minutes. If you feel compelled to rent or buy this DVD, just look for the Cruise scenes on the menu. Save yourself two and a half hours of agony and skip the rest of the movie.
Rating: 
Summary: Less (Far Less) Then Meets the Eye
Review: Widely praised upon it's theatrical release, this exhausting, indulgent, and finally infuriating melodrama belongs to what might be called "The Cuisinart School of Filmmaking." Tossing in a myriad of characters and plotlines in an effort to emulate the work of filmmaker Robert Altman, director-writer, Paul Thomas Anderson has created a train-wreck of a movie in which a few riveting scenes in isolation are intermingled with phlegmatic, frequently aimless scenes that encourage the worst Acting Class tics from his performers. Ostensibly about death and how people cope amidst a universe of increasing randomness, the film includes a dying actor, a pained sex-guru, a drug addict, a naive cop, and more, all of whom react with understandable astonishment in the final reel when a Biblical occurrence brings matters to a thudding and unintentionally hilarious halt. The performances are a mixed bag, with stirring work from the likes of Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore and Jason Robards, along with an achingly flat performance from Tom Cruise, who approaches his sex-guru role with a screeching, amateur forcefulness, as if he's willing himself to "Act, goddammit, act!"
Rating: 
Summary: I'm not sure if I liked it or not.
Review: To its credit this is an engrossing marvelously directed film that sucks the viewer in and refuses to let go. It is also one of the best cast and acted movies I've ever seen. The performances aren't great in that grand over the top way where everyone says "What a great performance!" The perfromaces are great in that you forget that you are watching actors and start to believe that the characters you see are real people. On the downside, the movie never manages to go anywhere, and the stories never converge and are never satisfactorly concluded. And what exactly was the point? Still, this is a must see movie for anyone who really appreciates film, but I wouldn't want to own it or even see it a second time.
Rating: 
Summary: From Hard Eight On It Keeps Getting Better
Review: P.T. Anderson once again shows his brilliance. With another Phillip Baker Hall(The Insider, Hard Eight) team-up Magnolia was a brilliant Altmanesc story of one day in the valley. Astounding fast pace directing and fantastic performances make this a runner-up for the best picture of 99' next only to "Being John Malkovich". This is proof that the indy scene is where you look for future talant. Let's just hope it's financial failiure doesn't discourage P.T.
Rating:
Summary: One of the worst movies I've seen.
Review: In my history of being an avid filmgoer, no film maker has been more offensive, pretentious, and without a point than P.T. Anderson. The intro to this film was so worthless, but sadly, seemed the film's greatest attempt at being clever - and it goes downhill from there. Lack of editing seems evident throughout all of his films, but this one offends like no other. The idea of great actors + no script = art house success is a crime to the idea of cinema. This summer held too much evidence that the end of cinema is near, this movie is the swan song of the decline. I wouldn't recommend this to my worst enemy. Well, maybe... Depends on how much I disliked them. Avoid like herpes. But then again, my favorite directors are S.Kubrick and W.Allen - and I didn't get the joke in Boogie Nights. Or was the boredom and depression I suffered intentional?
Rating:
Summary: I know, 260 something reviews--why read this one?
Review: MAGNOLIA Paul Thomas Anderson made a small, thoughtful film a few years back, the film Hard Eight (which he calls Sydney) is an earnest little movie that introduced his fluid camera work and ear for dialogue to an world still charged with a Tarantino need for quick words, quick violence all wrapped in a shimmery, ultra-bright package. (NOTE: Don't get me wrong--I saw Pulp Fiction three times at the multiplex... IN ONE DAY!) No one knew what was on the horizon. Then, BAM! BOOGIE NIGHTS. It cracked. It sizzled. It lasted nearly three, count 'em, THREE HOURS. But we stayed with it, rode it out, and loved the outcome. P.T. Anderson had arrived. And we loved him. He gave us a rush that our Tarantino-less days needed, desired, craved. Then, last Christmas, the next magnum opus from Mr. Anderson graced the silver screen. This multi-character driven story spanning three hours (P.T. must tie his editor in the corner or something) of gut wrenching melodrama that would probably cause Rob Altman to pee his pants in delight over (and the illustrous maverick director wasn't the only one wet) made the dreary Christmas season a true treat for me. Anderson's present was more than I could have ever hoped for. I loved the film on several levels. The prologue jarred me to attention, the suicide/murder a sight to behold. The actors moved me, from Robard's death rattling coot to Cruise's crazed sex god to Moore's drug addled trophy wife to Macy's braces obsessed former kid genius, it seemed like one big muclear (bomb) family of losers that were as real as they come. And finally the story kept me from looking at my watch one time, spinning tendrils of joy and despair to all the characters involved until the bottom falls out (or the sky, I guess) and redemption comes creeping 'round the corner for all. Great film. The movie also has the endearing quality that makes a movie a classic--It gets better every time you see it. This final fact is what makes the double DVD such a sensation. The documentary, MAGNOLIA DIARY, is worth the price of admission alone. To see Anderson nearly have a nervous breakdown during the course of filming Magnolia, to hear old timer Robards anecdote on the big gila monster, to see the performance art piece involving P.T. and girlie Fiona Apple (who plays the part of the berated film(!) MAGNOLIA) is wonderful. I loved it also. The other extras are nice as well, anything tacked onto such a fine DVD as Magnolia is more than welcome in my book. Thank you Mr. Anderson. Bravo! Can't wait to see the next one (it'll probably be two days long, but I'll probably love it all the same). Now, to get back to the subject of Quentin's absence...
Rating:
Summary: A Truly Enjoyable Masterpiece
Review: High Praise must be given to this film. The greatly intwined plot deserves much credit and the actors played their roles quite superbly. The woven plot alone makes this movie slow at first, but once you start to figure out how the characters are connected to one and all, it triumphs. From the wiz kid to the old man to the cop to everyone and back again....what a ride. I don't wan't to ruin it for anybody but just remember the word FROGS. You may now applaud.
Rating:
Summary: Top 10
Review: I love movies that make you think, this was one of those movies. I also love movies where all the characters are connected in some way and they do not realize it. I thought that this was a great movie. My favorite is that *Wise Up* scene. If you think you know what this movie is about before you see it, you're completely wrong. Tom Cruise gives a wonderful performance that is completely unlike anything he has ever done. Julianne Moore and Phillip Seymore Hoffmann are great in this film. Even William H. Macy adds to the movie with the small part that he has. The soundtrack by Aimee Mann is also defiantely worth picking up. It is incredible. This movie is long, but so worth. I recommed it to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Film - Brilliant DVD
Review: This film is a true classic. It has meanings on many levels which allows it to appeal to many people, but with a bum numbbing running time of over three hours, many people may have chosen to give this film a miss. And miss they certainly did. Unbelievable performances from a huge cast, delivering emotionally potent performances in the most difficult of circumstances, allows Magnolia to win through rewarding the viewer with one of those rare movies which can touch the soul. This DVD also rewards the viewer with a myriad of quality special features. A diary of the making of Magnolia at 1 hour 15 minutes long, theatrical teaser / trailer, TV spots (which aren't great in truth) and TJ Mackey deleted scenes. Another feature which is hidden from the user is outtakes which I found very funny. To see them, click on the TV lines option and sit there for about 20 seconds and the outtakes will begin. Again, I can't emphasise enough how much I enjoyed this DVD and the features contained within. Buy now and you won't be disappointed!
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