Paul Thomas Anderson (Final Thoughts)

I wanted to conclude this first installment of Filmmaker of the Week by closing the book on Paul Thomas Anderson with a short post summarizing my thoughts and insights into this man and his films, and perhaps lead into the next filmmaker that I intend to talk about with this blog.

First of all, I am now a huge fan of Paul Thomas Anderson. All of his films are thoughtful, affecting, and ambitious, and these are the kinds of movies that make me want to be a screenwriter. People go to the movie theater for a number of different reasons and that is what makes it such a universal experience, because there is something out there for everyone. People go because they want to get something out of it and, especially with the rising ticket prices, they want it to be worth the price of admission. I want to write movies that force people to think about themselves and the rest of the world from a different perspective and to be thinking about the movie hours after they've left the theater. I want to make them laugh, cry, and smile, because that is what storytelling is all about.

Paul Thomas Anderson does not create perfect characters with no flaws, because those kind of people don't exist and no one in the audience is going to be able to relate to that person. There are a million Barry Egans in the world struggling with loneliness and the inability to express and/or control their emotions. There are even more Eddie Adams out there who are searching for a purpose in life but can't seem to find one because they're looking for all the wrong things. I'm sure there are several people out there who can relate to Frank T.J. Mackey and the anger he feels towards his father for abandoning him and his mother in the time when they needed him most. There are no superheroes when it comes to P.T. Anderson. Only real people with real problems.

I know a lot of people will watch BOOGIE NIGHTS or MAGNOLIA or THERE WILL BE BLOOD and dismiss them as long, boring, and pretentious, but if I were you, I'd give them a chance. There is nothing wrong with watching a mindless action movie or a sappy romantic comedy or a cheap slasher flick, but if you want to be challenged, give Paul Thomas Anderson a chance. You won't be disappointed. And another fun aspect of watching all of these movies is recognizing which actors are "regulars" like Philip Seymour Hoffman, John C. Reilly, and Philip Baker Hall, all of whom appear in at least three of his films. If the interesting characters don't do it for you, maybe you'll find his visual style appealing, because dagumit if P.T. Anderson doesn't know how to work that camera, especially in some of the wide shots you'll see quite a bit in THERE WILL BE BLOOD.

Paul Thomas Anderson is a writer and a director who cares about his characters and wants you to care about them too, so you'll become invested as an audience member and feel involved even as the end credits begin to roll. I haven't decided who will be next for Filmmaker of the Week, but I'm debating between Quentin Tarantino and Wes Anderson, with Anderson holding a slight lead due to the fact that his latest film MOONRISE KINGDOM receives a limited theatrical release this weekend.

'Til next time, thanks for reading! I thought this went well.