The Master (Opens 9/21/12)

ajzepp · « **on:** 21 Aug 2012, 08:24 am »

I briefly heard about this film a few weeks ago and have been really stoked ever since. Phillip Seymour-Hoffman is not only my favorite actor, but he is someone I consider among the best - possibly THE best - character actor working today. I've loved everything he's done from Love Liza, to Patch Adams, to his bad guy turn in MI:3, etc, etc...the guy is amazingly talented.

The Master is Paul Thomas Anderson's latest work, as well, and I just think the pairing here - along with Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Adams - is going to produce some very significant results. I don't hit the theaters as much as I used to since I busted my back, but this one will get me there the first week without question.

Here is a link of one of the early reviews from Capone over at AintitCoolNews.com
http://www.aintitcool.com/node/57718

stlrman · « **Reply #1 on:** 27 Sep 2012, 02:09 am »

This is going to be awesome! Can't wait to see this on the big screen. Killer director, and J. Phoenix is one of my favorite actors.
Todd

Rclark · « **Reply #2 on:** 27 Sep 2012, 02:15 am »

I MUST see this. Some of my favorite actors and director. Some "There Will Be Blood" action. I like it. I like a good, wierd movie.

wushuliu · « **Reply #3 on:** 15 Oct 2012, 04:55 am »

Magnificent film. I am so-so about Paul Thomas Anderson in general but man that dude has more talent in his little finger than hacks like Quentin Tarantino will ever have. Just the cinematography alone is amazing. The performances are outstanding. If Phoenix doesn't get an Oscar it would be a sin. It's more than a transformation, it's watching an entire other person altogether. I don't know if I've ever seen anything quite like it. Hoffman and Adams are terrific.

The downside is the usual Anderson penchant for nonlinearity so there are big jumps in timeline that are unexplained. Actually I think he shot so much frickin footage he just didn't have time to include it all. NONE of the scenes in the trailer for instance are in the film!

Finally anyone who is at all familiar with scientology will realize immediately that the entire, not some, the entire film is based on L Ron Hubbard. Anderson has denied this but there is no facet of the film which did not exist or occur to some degree in real life. The 'processing' questions, the book, the father/son relationship, wife, on and on. The son for instance is a dead ringer for a young L Ron. Creepy. The film hints at further darker stuff but chooses to not delve too far.

The end bothered me because well I just didn't get it but I didn't care for the end to There Will Be Blood either or Magnolia (man did I hate that movie) so...

Definite Oscar contender

wushuliu · « **Reply #4 on:** 3 Dec 2012, 09:18 am »

Wow. So no one else saw this huh. Too bad. If it weren't for Daniel Day Lewis, Phoenix would be a lock for an Oscar (in a fair world, anyway).

ajzepp · « **Reply #5 on:** 3 Dec 2012, 07:46 pm »

I'm still dying to see it...just havent' been able to get out there, so will have to wait for bluray/streaming

Rclark · « **Reply #6 on:** 3 Dec 2012, 08:08 pm »

just checked for it on Vudu HD. They just have the trailer at the moment.

kenreau · « **Reply #7 on:** 12 Mar 2013, 05:47 pm »

I heard of very favorable reviews of "The Master" +/-6 months ago and was really looking forward to it. I'm a huge fan of Phillip Seymour-Hoffman, Amy Adams and was really anxious to see Joaquin Phoenix back on the big screen (now that his rap/hip-hop career is over?

)

Fwiw, I attempted to watch this on blu-ray the past week on two separate evenings and could not make it through either time without falling to sleep...I could not make it all the way through and still ended up missing the last 15 minutes. I finally just gave up and sent it back to Netflix. Imho, the story wasn't all that interesting and the pace was a little too slow to keep my interest. The style kind of reminded me of "The Tree of Life" Kind of a slow paced waltz through life.

The only thing that kept me interested (and awake) were the fantastic performances from all the main actors. Imho, Joaquin Phoenix is now nearly the same acting caliber as Daniel Day-Lewis. Hoffman and Adams were great, but Phoenix was another level better from my observations.

Kenreau

Tyson · « **Reply #8 on:** 12 Mar 2013, 05:58 pm »

Agreed, masterful acting in service to a not very compelling story. And you are right that Phoenix was stunningly good.

Rclark · « **Reply #9 on:** 13 Mar 2013, 02:39 am »

Saw it on Vudu HD. Anyway, I loved it, I think it might be one of the greatest films ever made.

randytsuch · « **Reply #10 on:** 13 Mar 2013, 02:59 am »

Saw it on Sunday, I'm in the good acting, bad film camp. My wife was the same.

Seems like you either love it or hate it?

saeyedoc · « **Reply #11 on:** 13 Mar 2013, 02:25 pm »

Liked it at first, but way too long, lost interest.

Philistine · « **Reply #12 on:** 13 Mar 2013, 04:19 pm »

I saw it at the theater when it came out, and agree with other reviewers - phenomenal acting but a tiresome script that left me wondering 'why'. Why did I waste a few hours of my life....

neobop · « **Reply #13 on:** 13 Mar 2013, 04:46 pm »

Quote from: wushuliu on 15 Oct 2012, 04:55 am

Magnificent film. I am so-so about Paul Thomas Anderson in general but man that dude has more talent in his little finger than hacks like Quentin Tarantino will ever have. Just the cinematography alone is amazing. The performances are outstanding. If Phoenix doesn't get an Oscar it would be a sin. It's more than a transformation, it's watching an entire other person altogether. I don't know if I've ever seen anything quite like it. Hoffman and Adams are terrific.

The downside is the usual Anderson penchant for nonlinearity so there are big jumps in timeline that are unexplained. Actually I think he shot so much frickin footage he just didn't have time to include it all. NONE of the scenes in the trailer for instance are in the film!

Finally anyone who is at all familiar with scientology will realize immediately that the entire, not some, the entire film is based on L Ron Hubbard. Anderson has denied this but there is no facet of the film which did not exist or occur to some degree in real life. The 'processing' questions, the book, the father/son relationship, wife, on and on. The son for instance is a dead ringer for a young L Ron. Creepy. The film hints at further darker stuff but chooses to not delve too far.

The end bothered me because well I just didn't get it but I didn't care for the end to There Will Be Blood either or Magnolia (man did I hate that movie) so...

Definite Oscar contender

I realize this post is from October, but it seems strange to me. What does Quentin Tarantino have to do with this, he's just an example of what you hate? Tarantino is great at what he does, making violent movies like the classic Eastwood films and incorporating martial arts for a comedic mix. It's fantasy, and if you feel guilty for enjoying it, or don't enjoy it, I'd venture a guess that his films are more popular than Andersons'.

Quote

Fwiw, I attempted to watch this on blu-ray the past week on two separate evenings and could not make it through either time without falling to sleep...I could not make it all the way through and still ended up missing the last 15 minutes. I finally just gave up and sent it back to Netflix. Imho, the story wasn't all that interesting and the pace was a little too slow to keep my interest. The style kind of reminded me of "The Tree of Life" Kind of a slow paced waltz through life.

The only thing that kept me interested (and awake) were the fantastic performances from all the main actors. Imho, Joaquin Phoenix is now nearly the same acting caliber as Daniel Day-Lewis. Hoffman and Adams were great, but Phoenix was another level better from my observations.

Quote

Saw it on Sunday, I'm in the good acting, bad film camp. My wife was the same.

Seems like you either love it or hate it?

Quote

Liked it at first, but way too long, lost interest.

Oh boy, another boring-ass movie from Anderson. Guess he's on a roll, Tree of Life wasn't boring enough, and that one added insult to injury, not only wasting my time but being theologically offensive, now he made the L Ron Hubbard story, boring, not that I care. He hasn't the guts to admit it's the Hubbard story, guess that protects him from lawsuits.

Anderson should stick to what he's good at - taking someones story and making a movie like There Will Be Blood. That was based on an Upton Sinclair story. I wonder if it was acknowledged?

At this point in his career, it's Anderson who is the hack. Cinematography is the only thing he's doing right. He should be behind the camera and let someone competent do the directing and editing. He should go back to making a movie out of a good story, that way he might make some great ones. Right now he's obviously reached his level of incompetence.
neo

jimdgoulding · « **Reply #14 on:** 13 Mar 2013, 05:42 pm »

I liked and respected There Will Be Blood, also. I have no doubt that Hoffman is really on his game in this one under discussion. Funny, wasn't it this director who first cast him in Boogie Nights?

Tyson · « **Reply #15 on:** 13 Mar 2013, 05:50 pm »

Just for clarity, PTA did not direct "Tree of Life", that was Terrence Malick - who is another director that has gotten more ponderous as he's gotten older (same as Aronofsky). Re: PTA, I think There Will Be Blood, Magnolia, Boogie Nights, and Hard 8 were all excellent movies. One less than stellar movie doesn't make him washed up!

wushuliu · « **Reply #16 on:** 13 Mar 2013, 07:06 pm »

Quote from: neobop on 13 Mar 2013, 04:46 pm

I realize this post is from October, but it seems strange to me. What does Quentin Tarantino have to do with this, he's just an example of what you hate? Tarantino is great at what he does, making violent movies like the classic Eastwood films and incorporating martial arts for a comedic mix. It's fantasy, and if you feel guilty for enjoying it, or don't enjoy it, I'd venture a guess that his films are more popular than Andersons'.

If that referred to all of Tarantino's work I'd say fine, but you're describing one maybe two of his films. You're actually describing Robert Rodriguez, who has zero pretensions about his skills.

Quote

At this point in his career, it's Anderson who is the hack. Cinematography is the only thing he's doing right. He should be behind the camera and let someone competent do the directing and editing. He should go back to making a movie out of a good story, that way he might make some great ones. Right now he's obviously reached his level of incompetence.
neo

I don't care for PTA in general but I recognize he has talent out the @ss. Has the eye. Like Spielberg. They know where to put the camera. It's an instinct and he's had it from day one.

I agree for anyone who is not already fascinated by scientology and Hubbard, the film may be boring. Frankly it's the only Anderson film I really like (My gf LOVES Punch Drunk Love - god I hate it). But for all that is holy, you have to give respect to Phoenix for that performance. Most actors would give their soul to pull off something like that.

Rclark · « **Reply #17 on:** 13 Mar 2013, 09:04 pm »

Oh no the movie is so much deeper than just scientology. It applies to any religion or concept of human power.

neobop · « **Reply #18 on:** 14 Mar 2013, 01:54 am »

Oops, mixed up Anderson and Malick, that's a big plus for Anderson I hated Tree Of Life, it was pretentious and boring. Great plot too, except it didn't have any.

Seems to me Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Kill Bill are classics. All three are satirically and gruesomely violent - cult films maybe, but millions liked them including the critics. He didn't do those? Rodriguez collaboration came later with Grindhouse, didn't it? I didn't see Inglorious Bastards or Django Unchained, but I don't think he deserves the title hack. Peter Bogdanovich called him the single most influential director of his generation.
neo

jarcher · « **Reply #19 on:** 14 Mar 2013, 02:10 am »

Add me to the "good acting / mediocre movie" camp. It was a big let down as I'm otherwise a PTA fan & this movie was the critic's darling. I don't expect a Kung fu action flic, but this movie was just to slow & meandering, and I'm usually pretty patient about movies.