Paul Thomas Anderson—interrupted no more!

I’m rarely a full-blown completist when it comes to any director (with Quentin Tarantino being the lone exception), but every PTA flick I’ve caught has left me stunned, joyful, and deeply moved—And that’s double-y true when I compare it against so much of the dreck and gaseous vapor that, unfortunately, comes out so regularly!

With PTA, going way back to Boogie Nights, I love how he was able to take Mark Wahlberg and turn him into a whiny pornstar.

I loved how he was able to take Daniel Day Lewis and turn him into a malignant, profit-hungry psychopath in There Will Be Blood—my favorite PTA flick. And apparently DDL drew on John Huston’s performance in Chinatown as inspiration for Daniel Plainview. (It would be interesting if that was PTA’s suggestion).

I loved how he took the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman and turned into a real life cult leader a la Elron Hubbard, while being equally impressive how he took the down-and-out loser character Joaquin Phoenix played, in The Master so unforgettable!

Even his 2021 movie Licorice Pizza was a stunning portrait of young adult life in southern California in the 1970s, while also showing what amazing actor Alana Haim could be!

So after watching One Battle, I agree it was the best movie I watched this past year—especially Sean Penn’s supporting performance. Finally, PTA’s losing streak at the Oscars is finished. And for this movie it’s especially satisfying.

Roxton Ford is the founder and publisher of The Roxton Ford Letter — a daily email newsletter of conscientious observations about books, movies, art, culture, politics, history, law, and more.

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