A film by the director of "Magnolia" and "There Will Be Blood" whose name escapes me and which I don't feel like looking up.
Sylvain and I went to the movies last night. This is the first movie we've been out to see since "Two Brothers," years ago. We didn't even know what this one was about, but Sylvain had heard it was very good and there was a 9:40 pm showing in English at a theater in Aix. Sylvain found it long, slow and boring and claims to have dozed off several times. Actually, he claims to have slept through half of the movie and to be incapable of saying what it was about. I noticed him looking at his watch less than an hour into the two hour plus showing. Usually, I'm the one falling asleep during movies. I won't claim to feel passionate about this one, and I did have to fight to keep my eyes awake several times, but, though it wasn't super exciting, I think I can say that I enjoyed it. I can't shake the feeling, however, that I missed something about it. But maybe the symbolism is only as simple as it seems. There is one disciple (Joaquin Phoenix) that the Master (Philip Seymour Hoffman) can't master as he remains prey to his baser instincts and thus beyond the "help" of the teachings of The Cause (scientology, apparently, though this term is never used in the movie). Verdict: Not a flop, but make sure you're well-rested before attempting to sit through it.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
"The Master"
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2 comments:
Paul Thomas Anderson...I was curious enough to Google and found this Atlantic review which confirmed that the film is based on Scientology: http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2012/09/the-subtle-mastery-of-the-master/262651/
I liked his previous film Magnolia very much; the review makes it sound as if the power/character issues he is exploring might conceivably relate to something in Oates...but neither your review nor the one in the Atlantic infused me with a burning desire to see the film.
We also are very infrequent movie goers...people have told me I might like Life of Pi but one friend also said there was a hard-on-animals part that she had to close her eyes to get through, which dampened my enthusiasm.
Yes, I think it could be related to Oates, but only in a very general way. I enjoyed the other two films of his I mentioned much more than this one although the acting is very good, I think.
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