Magnolia [Blu-ray] [1999] [2015] [Region Free]

The first time I saw this film – I’m not kidding – I did a little jig of delight round the kitchen after it finished. It’s about an array of different lives all lived in the same area of California, storylines that overlap and intersect to varying degrees. There is no one single lead actor or story, all the threads are equally important. There are many different themes but ultimately the film is simply about people and how they love (well or badly). It’s an easy film in that sense – the humanity is right there. How Paul Thomas Anderson brings such vivid, resonant and full humanity to the movie screen is what makes it special. The acting is sublime across the board.On the other hand, I can see a lot of folks not liking Magnolia. Overblown and depressing might be the thought. There is certainly a lot of shouting and angst going on. It’s a melodrama. The film explores human vulnerability and fallibility, yet there’s a lot of hope too. Most of the film’s characters want to love and be loved but they screw up in how they go about it. The other aspect people may find difficult is how the director is audacious, sometimes verging on reckless, with cinematic convention. Only a couple of times, but enough to make you think “What the…?” I love how PTA takes risks, and it’s done with such flair and good humour, but others will think those things don’t work.PTA is on record as saying, "Magnolia is, for better or worse, the best movie I'll ever make." He’s made some very fine movies, none of them quite like Magnolia for freewheeling joyousness in being the other participant in the movie, the viewer. The critic Roger Ebert called it “a kind of operatic ecstasy”. I can’t put it better than that. Switch off everything else for three hours, watch it, and make your own mind up.

My second favourite film of all time after "A matter of life and death".Builds to a sort of self explaining finale from the seemingly unrelated events in peoples lives.Complaints that the music soundtrack is too loud, sorry Aimee Mann and Supertramp can never be too loud.

Good film. Very slow and you wonder whats the point/where is this going, but at the end, you feel its a good film.Great soundtrack

You lose yourself in the characters and you forget your watching a film

Great movie great cast but not for everyone. I myself love this movie

Excellent... my son just asked me what it was about and I really don't know... just a great film depicting fascinating characters and how their lives criss cross and intertwine. I love a film like this... just about people.... five stars

Excellent film

I really enjoyed TWBB and The Master so I thought I would give this PTA film a go. I had big expectations based on many highly rated reviews. Am I missing something here? Boring, pointless and messy. I want 3 hours back.