MovieChat Forums > Sydney (1997) Discussion > far and away PTA's worst film

far and away PTA's worst film

posted 16 years ago by City_Lights31
49 replies | jump to latest

and the fact that this film is really very impressive on many levels only goes to show what a cinematic force PTA is...

...where does it rank on your PTA list?

...mine...

- Magnolia (10)
- There Will Be Blood (10)

^^those two are as close to cinematic perfection as any film can really wish to be...

- Punch Drunk Love (in the area of a 9)
- Boogie Nights (8.7 ish)
- Sydney (7.8 ish...maybe a solid 8)

"A day without a laugh is a wasted day." -Charlie Chaplin

[–] hypertypers 16 years ago

I like this one and Boogie Nights.

[–] sanstereo 16 years ago

1.) There Will Be Blood & Magnolia (tie)
Magnolia hit me like a ton of bricks when I saw it in the theatre, but TWBB is obviously much more maturely paced and written.
3.) Punch Drunk Love & Boogie Nights (tie)
BN is too long and they're both marginally pointless, but I think PDL comes out on top because it has more of PTA's style than BN, which is largely Scorsese/Altman influenced.
5.) Sydney

That's the way they always wind up in my mind.
There's a lot of flip flopping involved.

[–] mackinj 16 years ago

I agree completely with your list.

Magnolia and There Will Be Blood are my two favorite movies ever made.
Punch Drunk Love is right below.
I would say Sydney and Boogie Nights are equally as good of films. Hard Eight for a first *beep* film is VERY good, and Boogie Nights, although some of it seemed very repetitive of Scorsese movies, is a VERY good movie on equal levels.

[–] justincredible74 16 years ago

What can one say about PTA that hasn't already been said. The man is a master of his craft. There Will Be Blood has been playing like crazy on cable and every time it comes on i have to watch it untill i remember what i was suppose to be doing. Here's how i see things:

1. There Will Be Blood - 10 If i ever have a son his pet name will be Bastard from a Basket.

2. Punk Drunk Love - 9 Makes my insecurities smile.

3. Sydney - 8 The first PTA movie i saw.... love the way he plays with the camera. Spoke to me then speaks to me now.

4. Magnolia - 8 Every time i watch it i see something new or get a different vibe from it. Just wish Tom Cruise wasn't in it... makes me almost like him.

5. Boogie Nights - 7 Have to say this is my least fav. It's good don't get me wrong but it just doesn't move me like the others.

[–] asimovpunch 16 years ago

1. Magnolia

2. Boogie Nights

3. Punch-Drunk Love

4. Sydney (Hard Eight)

5. There Will Be Blood (I'm actually floored that so many find this to be his best, when I believe it to be incredibly flawed, for instance, the pace (for starters anyway) of the film is like a speech impediment, a stutter...sometimes the storytelling is quick, sometimes its blindingly quick, sometimes its slow, sometimes it drags.

This is simply an opinion, but watching Magnolia and Boogie Nights and Punch Drunk Love and even Hard Eight in places, PTA is not just a force with the camera and cinematography, but he knows how to tell a story and pace it.

He knows how to smoothly transition his scenes, his acts.

TWBB just seemed so topsy-turvy.
Not to mention, Daniel Day Lewis is a remarkable actor, sickeningly talented...but it didn't matter, it is PTA who compels to audience to care about his characters, and I couldn't give a *beep* about Daniel Plainview. He was intriguing certainly, his manner was something that deserved re-examining. But once he made his message clear, that he was joyless, loveless, I stopped caring really. Okay, so he's a man without care. He's dangerous. Why should i care?

[–] theredsock 16 years ago

1. Magnolia (my favorite movie of all-time)
2. Boogie Nights
3. Punch-Drunk Love
4. Sydney (Hard Eight)
5. There Will Be Blood

... and that was the second time I got crabs.

[–] Crazedbull 16 years ago

1. Magnolia (10/10)
2. There Will Be Blood (10/10)
3. Boogie Nights (10/10)
4. Punch Drunk Love (9/10)
5. Hard Eight (7/10)

[–] NeoA4 16 years ago

Boogie Nights and Sydney are my two absolute favorites of PTA.

[–] lookout2 16 years ago

Magnolia is the most complex and incredibly original story EVER WRITTEN. The message is simple but extremely impact-full shown by perfect directing 10/10

There Will Be Blood- Great adaptation with perfect cinematography and directing. Some of the most incredible acting ever on screen. 10/10

Boogie Nights- Great movie about the consequences of being a porn star. My only beef is that i don't really feel for the pornographers because they are a part of a business that i don't agree with . Also a i hate Burt Reynolds. 8/10

Have not seen PDL or Sydney

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] shroomn 16 years ago

Wow. Saying that this is film is 'really very impressive on so many levels' is such an overstatement. The movie runs way too long, and the heaviest dialog scenes with the most 'dramatic' importance are over-written, highly non-realistic and stilted in a bad way. Where it lacks in content it makes up in insane amounts of style (which is done very well but with no real strong content to support its purpose).

This is by and far his WORST film. His ensemble casts generally take care of most of his script's empty and base level content, such as Boogie Nights which is a similar 'chamber piece' but with its cast and faster action it holds its own way more.

This film is closer to a 6. For reals.

[–] KellyOverton 16 years ago

It's a wonderful film. Many may think it's his worst, but it is still better than many a Director's best.

Mr. Anderson will no doubt continue to be a landmark motion picture auteur.

[–] photo_dealer 16 years ago

One of the best i have seen in a long time, kept my interested from start to finish

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] Powerslave2358 15 years ago

1.There will be blood = 10/10
2.Magnolia = 9/10
3.Boogie Nights = 9/10
4.Sydney = 9/10
5.Punch Drunk Love = 8/10

[–] iusurvivor2001 15 years ago

Magnolia -- his Masterpiece
Boogie Nights -- his other great movie
Punch Drunk Love -- heartwarming and NOT cynical
Hard Eight -- very good character study
There Will Be Blood -- WAY overrated