Comments on: Now Playing: The Master

By: Top 10 Films of 2012 | White City Cinema

Top 10 Films of 2012 | White City Cinema — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 16:19:08 +0000

[...] Paul Thomas Anderson’s sixth feature in many ways plays like a Greatest Hits album for the prodigiously talented 42-year-old writer/director. It revisits familiar elements in terms of both content (addiction, alternative families, strained father/son relationships, a charismatic con man/charlatan character and, in the memorable phrase of Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, a “sex obsessed man-child”) as well as form (a dissonant musical score, bravura long takes, depth staging and elaborate camera movements). Yet much of the film’s greatness lies in the way that, in spite of its familiarity, it was still somehow able to confound; my opinion of The Master was at its lowest immediately after I first saw it due to what I perceived to be Anderson’s awkward handling of narrative structure. But the more time has gone by, the more I feel that it is confounding in the way that only something genuinely new and exciting can be, and what I initially perceived as “flaws” now seem like virtues. There may be no catharsis, for either the characters or the viewer, but this film does so many things right: the 70mm cinematography and period detail are often awe-inspiring, and Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix give career-best performances, proving yet again that PTA is the contemporary American cinema’s finest director of actors. Full review here. [...]

By: Creepy or high quality? « nancy bishop's journal

Creepy or high quality? « nancy bishop's journal — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 20:28:23 +0000

[...] However, this may be a film that warrants a second viewing. Michael Glover Smith in White City Cinema says: ”I suspect The Master will be a polarizing movie. But it’s also a film that clearly isn’t revealing all of its secrets on a single viewing and so I’m skeptical of all judgements, including my own, until I’ve had a chance to revisit it. The Master is the first new film I’ve seen since Abbas Kiarostami’s Certified Copy that seems to cry out for multiple viewings.” http://tiny.cc/qblvlw [...]

By: Bherz

Bherz — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 04:22:28 +0000

I loved the Master. I read this review after seeing it and I agree I would have picked that scary “don’t blink or we’ll start over” questioning or “processing” of Quell to be one of the best in the movie. What stood out for me was the way Dodd and Quell needed each other and in that way the idea “Who is the Master?” is played out. Dodd keeps telling Quell he needs a master, but Dodd’s cause is so tied to Quell – it needs instinct-showing people or else who is there to cure? Quell is the master of Dodd in this way … Anyway, thought it was a really insightful film. The scene in the jail was so funny.

By: michaelgloversmith

michaelgloversmith — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 13:59:56 +0000

He had sex with her! Freddie was sexually frustrated throughout the movie; the last scene mirrors the opening where we see him having mock-intercourse with the sandcastle-woman. Then we see him jerking off into the ocean, then we see him try to fuck different women only to fail either because of his drunkenness (as with the mink coat model) or their lack of interest. I THINK the point PTA was trying to make was that Freddie’s state of perpetual sexual frustration (which is also illustrated in the rorschach test scene and the scene where he fantasizes that all of the women around him are naked) is one of the things that made him particularly susceptible to Dodd and the Cause. I think the sex scene at the end of the film (and the fact that he’s drunk again after having just previously sobered up) are meant to symbolize his successful, and presumably permanent, break from the church.

I’m really sorry to hear that about the Landmark. I’m actually going to see The Master there today with two friends, neither of whom have seen it yet. I wonder if I can find out where it’s playing in 35mm and change our plans.

By: Scott G

Scott G — Sun, 23 Sep 2012 12:19:00 +0000

Sadly, not only am I not able to see this film in 70mm, but Landmark Century is no longer showing 35mm as well. They converted to digital projection only a few days ago. Lousy timing.

The “Quell accomplishing something in the final scene that he’s wanted but failed to do throughout the rest of the movie” detail is one that I missed. Are you referring to the scene with the English woman? What did he accomplish here?

By: david

david — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 02:52:46 +0000

Man,I need to watch all his films all over again,especially There Will Be Blood,I believe my opinions must be quite different after the re-watches.Anyway,The Master is a must-see for me when it hits Chinese cinemas.

By: michaelgloversmith

michaelgloversmith — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 02:26:23 +0000

You don’t think of PTA as a visual director? Say what?! What about There Will Be Blood and its stunning 15 minute dialogue-free opening scene? Pure visual storytelling!

The only Nolan films I’ve seen are Following, Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. I must confess I do not understand the appeal.

By: david

david — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 01:15:56 +0000

I never consider PTA as a visual director,but if he has “highest combined average”,and improve in visual style,wow,that would be real great!

What do you think of Chris Nolan?I think he also showed great talent in his previous films in writing and directing,but it seems he chose the wrong way to go with all those super-hero films,I hope he would make less commercial films and make more films like The Following and The Prestige.

By: michaelgloversmith

michaelgloversmith — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 19:45:52 +0000

Thanks! It is absolutely the kind of film that gets better the more you think about it. It is also so different from your typical Hollywood movie that no matter what you read about it, you will still probably be surprised when you see it. Feel free to chime in here with your thoughts after you’ve seen it.

By: alleyandthemovies

alleyandthemovies — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 19:20:09 +0000

So, is it one of those films, the more you think about it, the better it gets? I’m ready! Great review – I’m so excited to see this film this Friday.