film : magnolia

And Melora takes me to talk about Magnolia.

Nowadays there're many ensemble films like Crash or Babel. A lot of different characters at the first sight (without leading character) but they are somehow connected. I think Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia was the first one of that kind for me and it impressed me much.

Some people criticize that it's boring, pretencious, and self-indulgent picture. Firstly, I do understand them. Because it is long (188 minutes) for this normal people's stories. But it's spectacular 188 minutes. No doubt. Secondly, I prefer pretencious director to I-do-my-works-for-money director. It's more creative, and sometimes it works or not. And then people can take it or not. Thirdly, self-indulgent... Well I don't know but a lot of people enjoyed the film.


And we can't forget to say that it's terrific ensemble cast.

Tom Cruise helping men to have sex. I imagine he's very proud of this work.


Julianne Moore, dame of dirty language, finding love somewhere she didn't expect.


Luis Guzman, always there.


Alfred Molina, alwas there.


Charming Melinda Dillon (& her "I love youuu") and Philip Baker Hall.


Oscar winner (last year) Philip Seymour Hoffman, being nurse.


William H. Macy, always there and always funny.


William H. Macy's wife Felicity Huffman (in the real life), then unknown (so that some thought, poor Felicity, she was Philip Seymour Hoffman's wife) and now a desperate housewife.


And of course, Melora Walters with lovely John C. Reilly.


She's the one who left the best quote:

Now that I've met you, would you obeject to never seeing me again?

Hell!

And more and more good actors. And best supporting actors in the end, ****s.

Regret is one of the most important themes of the film. How the past makes us vulnerable and threatens the future. Also about coincidence, facts, events, will. Before starting with different stories, there's a very interesting introduction. Then everything starts and makes us think. It's not easy film to watch, just like life itself. Definitely I need to watch it again, writing here I realized that I'm forgetting things, although the its taste is still here in my head and some scenes are really hard to forget. Impressive.

Here is Aimee Mann's Video. She's kind of scary ghost here. The music was also magnificent in Magnolia.