Paul-Anderson Movie Reviews

An admitted fan of obscure titles, this film is one that sits proudly on my shelf and just about everyone asks "What's this about?" It's about life. The plot revolves around a selfish and wealthy man with a wife, and a secretary and a mistress who alternately wants and then rebuffs just about everyone. Alan King is drop dead great in the most solid performance of his career as Max the high rolling lover of long suffering mistress Bones Burton (Ali McGraw). He wants her, he doesn't want her, he doesn't know what he wants. But he definitely doesn't want anyone else to have her, especially playwright Peter Weller. Let the battle of the sexes begin once again and Max is a man who never loses anything. The very rich are not at all that different than you and I, but their problems unfold a bit differently when set against the backdrop of designer clothes and jewels, are juggled by assistants and buffers, and are played out in fabulous penthouses and mansions. Somehow it seems a bit more hilarious. A good solid screenplay and an even, funny film under the direction of Sidney Lumet. It is worth buying and seeing more than once. Look for Myrna Loy who is wonderful as Max's secretary.

John Wayne stars as an engineer struggling to build a rairoad tunnel to reach the mines as his task becomes more complicated when he falls for the bosse's daughter.This is a great early John Wayne Movie!!

First I was turned off by the title, which seemed to promise a film about some form of decadence. And when my friend and I started watching this movie I was quickly prejudiced by its apparent subject matter: a self-absorbed, hard-drinking playwrite. But the intelligence and sly, low-key humor, along with a tantalizing sense of the offbeat, grabbed and then held my attention. Simon Gray, Unnatural Pursuit's writer, slowly builds character, plot and momentum. I can't recall many others who could engage my interest in what would otherwise seem so unpromising a protagonist as lead character Hamish Part. Bates, a subtle actor with the good timing of a comedian, is perfect for the lead role. The film skewers Los Angeles, bad actors, impatient directors and Texas before (with relative affection)nailing New York, the only successful destination of the play that Part has been trying to perfect. Yes, you're likely to be interested in what happens to the play. But the film uses so many surreal, comic and surprising tricks (including something which usually would be a real turn-off but which here is frequently refreshingly funny: musical interludes)that one's attention is constantly engaged by what is happening in THE MOMENT, a rare trick indeed. Humor is subtle, then riotous, with disarmingly poignant moments. One is lured into a sort of alternate universe in which midgets, alcoholism and the need for love and for being heard comprise thematic elements which slowly weave themselves unforcefully 'round the viewer. We were sorry to see it end and are now engaged in seeking out other videos of Gray's scripts, including the infamous "Butley." After experiencing "Unnatural Pursuits," almost everything else seems just a little bit stupid and predictable.

good movie, not great. interesting action scenes however a little too pyschologically bent. The jazz score although well played, is out of place. You'll recognize many vetran western actors such as Paul Fix, David Carradine, Jack Kelly, and John Anderson

good movie, not great. interesting action scenes however a little too pyschologically bent. The jazz score although well played, is out of place. You'll recognize many vetran western actors such as Paul Fix, David Carradine, Jack Kelly, and John Anderson

This 1962 black and white film is based on Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning book "To Kill a Mockingbird". Gregory Peck won an Oscar for his wonderful performance as Atticus Finch, a lawyer in Alabama during the Depression. Atticus is appointed to defend a black man who is accused of raping a white woman. Many townspeople try to get Atticus to back out of the trial but his conscience won't let him. Though Tom Robinson (the accused) is obviously innocent, the outcome of his trail is blatant proof of how prevalent prejudice is at that time. Mr. Finch's conviction to defend Tom costs him some friendships but gains him respect among the black community and the admiration of his children.

You just cannot go wrong with this movie. It shows how kids adapt to very serious situations around them but manage to keep the innocence. Gregory Peck should be a role model for us all. He shows us to stand true to our convictions no matter how hard that may seem. Winning the approval of others does not take the place of following what's in your heart. I give him a standing ovation and 5 stars.

"To Kill a Mockingbird" is one of the finest movies ever made. This screen adaptation of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize winning novel is extremely powerfull and has something for everyone. It offers so many "life lessons" that you will be able to learn something each time you watch it. Gregory Peck is brilliant as Atticus Finch, a lawyer and widowed fathter of two young children in the in the post-depression South. He's powerfull but at the same time humble as he simply does the "right thing" as a lawyer and as a father raising his children in the racially charged South. As Atticus Finch's children, Mary Badham and Phillip Alford give superb performances as "Scout" and "Jem" as they deal with all of life's complexities at thier age. Other notables are Robert Duvall and Estelle Evans in supporting integral roles in the storyline. The exquisite screenplay by Horton Foote's and touching score by Elmer Bernstein's puts you 'into' the movie skillfully bringing out emotions along the way. In all, Mockingbird ranks as one of the finest movies of all time and should be a "must have" in your video collection.

It's easy to think "To Kill a Mockingbird" is older than it is. Released in 1962, the same year James Bond was immortalised in "Dr. No," director Robert Mulligan chose to film in black & white, despite Hollywood's rush to adopt the new Kodachrome II color film. Since the story is set in the 1930's, the classic look of the film adds weight to its historic reality.

Adapted from Harper Lee's only book, which won a Pulitzer prize, the script itself won an academy award. Added to this is a stellar cast who manage to hold their own against the amazing performance given by, Gregory Peck, an actor at the peak of his abilities. For those who also enjoy Robert Duvall's huge body of work, it may be interesting to note this film as his first, in a non-speaking but pivotal role as Boo Radley.

It would be easy to dismiss an old film that deals with the race issue in Alabama. Some might think this topic has been done to death and, to an extent, they are right. But To Kill a Mockingbird is not solely about racism. It deals with honesty, justice, fear, childhood, quick judgements and parenthood. Even the race card is dealt with fairly, without blowing things out to sensational proportions. It shows that minor, selfish decisions, which rely on the racism in others, can breed larger evils.

An adult Jean Louise 'Scout' Finch narrates much of the story but it is her father, Atticus, around which the narrative hinges. Played with subtle dignity by Peck, Atticus is a small town Lawyer who agrees to defend Tom Robinson against charges of Rape. He agrees, in the full knowledge that many of his neighbours will hate him for defending a black man and still others will expect him to put up only a token effort. Instead, Atticus does what we know he will... his best.

There is an interesting contrast between what we see of Atticus and how his two children describe him. Apparently he's too old to do anything, like play ball, and they are a bit embarrassed by his quite ways. The trial and its associated moral battles put their father squarely in the spotlight and not in a good way. He and they are attacked and ridiculed but in the end Scout and Jem see a different picture of their old Pop. A man who is strong enough to stand against hatred, and brave enough to highlight the weaknesses of flawed white girl against the strengths of an honest black man.

The name of the film is taken from one of Attcus's rules relating to using a rifle. Jem relates his father's instruction "to remember it was a sin to kill a mockingbird...Well, I reckon because mockingbirds don't do anything but make music for us to enjoy. They don't eat people's gardens, don't nest in the corncribs, they don't do one thing but just sing their hearts out for us."

There are several Mockingbirds in this movie; the misunderstood Boo Radley, Tom Robins and even Atticus. For me though, the film is defined when Reverend Sykes asks Scout to stand up in the court gallery, after a failed defence, saying "Miss Jean Louise, stand up. Your father's passin."

Early in "Boogie Nights," Eddy Adams (having just been offered the chance to become the porn star whose rise and fall the film chronicles) is thrown out of his mother's house. He is unable to say anything but, "I'm going to do something! You'll see!" A lesser screenwriter would give Eddy an eloquent monologue. Paul Thomas Anderson allows Eddy to be inarticulate. He is smart enough to avoid making all his characters as smart as he is.

This is part of what earns the comparisons to the work of Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman and Jonathan Demme. Anderson allows each character in his world of '70s porn filmmakers to speak for him or herself in an epic that rises above its campy subject. His script is buoyed by awe-inspiring performances from rising stars in starmaking roles (Mark Wahlberg, Heather Graham), legends in career best work (Burt Reynolds, Robert Ridgely) and national treasures in consistently great performances (Julianne Moore, William H. Macy, Don Cheadle). Anderson is as adept at doing interesting things with the camera as he is at creating compelling characters.

The film has a plodding third act that's better on repeat viewings, and it will be off-putting to those disturbed by graphic sex and violence (although, for it subject, it has little sex and nudity: about 15 minutes out of 155), but for those who can watch "Taxi Driver" without recoiling, it is that rare film that reveals something new with each viewing.

The sound transfer on this DVD suffers for those who have theater-quality sound systems, but the extras are more a problem than the sound. Although this single-disk version is loaded with extras, it is a letdown compared to its double-disk counterpart. Most annoying, Anderson's enthusiastic commentary references deleted scenes not included on this disk but included in the two (e.g.: the fall of Becky Barnett). Shame on New Line for not including Rahad Jackson's ending, even on the double disk!

The most fun extras are the character bios, also included in the double-disk set. For the mild fan, this disk will be more than enough, but for the hardcore fan more likely to buy the DVD, at only a few dollars more, the double disk is a better bargain.

This is a surprisingly good film about a group of very wounded people who find their places in the world of adult films. It's an honest, vulnerable look into the psyche of people who could make this profession their choice. Mark Walhberg delivers a great performance as a has-been performer, forced into some degrading situations. Burt is outstanding as the patriarch of the group. Disturbing, but well done.

Loosely based on the life and times of late porn king John Holmes, Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights is a true gem of a film. Anderson weaves the classic tale of a rise and fall of a star, but puts a twist on it by placing the setting in the pornographic film industry during the 70's. Mark Wahlberg plays busboy Eddie Adams who is discovered by director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds in an Oscar nominated role) and begins to build quite a career and makes a great life for himself; until (naturally) it all comes crashing down. Anderson proves once again (just as he did in his previous film Hard 8) that he can weave an emotionally rich story with extremely well developed characters that we can releate to one way or the other, and despite the film's setting Boogie Nights comes out a real winner, and a true gem of a film. The rest of the fantastic cast includes Julianne Moore (in her Oscar nominated role), Don Cheadle, John C. Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Thomas Jane, Ricky Jay, Heather Graham, Luis Guzman, Philip Baker Hall, William H. Macy, and the late Robert Ridgely. All in all, Boogie Nights is a modern day classic that finds a writer/director at his best, and was also a star making vehicle for Wahlberg.

Early in "Boogie Nights," Eddy Adams (having just been offered the chance to become the porn star whose rise and fall the film chronicles) is thrown out of his mother's house. He is unable to say anything but, "I'm going to do something! You'll see!" A lesser screenwriter would give Eddy an eloquent monologue. Paul Thomas Anderson allows Eddy to be inarticulate. He is smart enough to avoid making all his characters as smart as he is.

This is part of what earns the comparisons to the work of Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman and Jonathan Demme. Anderson allows each character in his world of '70s porn filmmakers to speak for him or herself in an epic that rises above its campy subject. His script is buoyed by awe-inspiring performances from rising stars in starmaking roles (Mark Wahlberg, Heather Graham), legends in career best work (Burt Reynolds, Robert Ridgely) and national treasures in consistently great performances (Julianne Moore, William H. Macy, Don Cheadle). Anderson is as adept at doing interesting things with the camera as he is at creating compelling characters.

The film has a plodding third act that's better on repeat viewings, and it will be off-putting to those disturbed by graphic sex and violence (although, for it subject, it has little sex and nudity: about 15 minutes out of 155), but for those who can watch "Taxi Driver" without recoiling, it is that rare film that reveals something new with each viewing.

The sound transfer on this DVD suffers for those who have theater-quality sound systems, but the extras are more a problem than the sound. Although this single-disk version is loaded with extras, it is a letdown compared to its double-disk counterpart. Most annoying, Anderson's enthusiastic commentary references deleted scenes not included on this disk but included in the two (e.g.: the fall of Becky Barnett). Shame on New Line for not including Rahad Jackson's ending, even on the double disk!

The most fun extras are the character bios, also included in the double-disk set. For the mild fan, this disk will be more than enough, but for the hardcore fan more likely to buy the DVD, at only a few dollars more, the double disk is a better bargain.

This is a surprisingly good film about a group of very wounded people who find their places in the world of adult films. It's an honest, vulnerable look into the psyche of people who could make this profession their choice. Mark Walhberg delivers a great performance as a has-been performer, forced into some degrading situations. Burt is outstanding as the patriarch of the group. Disturbing, but well done.

Loosely based on the life and times of late porn king John Holmes, Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights is a true gem of a film. Anderson weaves the classic tale of a rise and fall of a star, but puts a twist on it by placing the setting in the pornographic film industry during the 70's. Mark Wahlberg plays busboy Eddie Adams who is discovered by director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds in an Oscar nominated role) and begins to build quite a career and makes a great life for himself; until (naturally) it all comes crashing down. Anderson proves once again (just as he did in his previous film Hard 8) that he can weave an emotionally rich story with extremely well developed characters that we can releate to one way or the other, and despite the film's setting Boogie Nights comes out a real winner, and a true gem of a film. The rest of the fantastic cast includes Julianne Moore (in her Oscar nominated role), Don Cheadle, John C. Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Thomas Jane, Ricky Jay, Heather Graham, Luis Guzman, Philip Baker Hall, William H. Macy, and the late Robert Ridgely. All in all, Boogie Nights is a modern day classic that finds a writer/director at his best, and was also a star making vehicle for Wahlberg.

Early in "Boogie Nights," Eddy Adams (having just been offered the chance to become the porn star whose rise and fall the film chronicles) is thrown out of his mother's house. He is unable to say anything but, "I'm going to do something! You'll see!" A lesser screenwriter would give Eddy an eloquent monologue. Paul Thomas Anderson allows Eddy to be inarticulate. He is smart enough to avoid making all his characters as smart as he is.

This is part of what earns the comparisons to the work of Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman and Jonathan Demme. Anderson allows each character in his world of '70s porn filmmakers to speak for him or herself in an epic that rises above its campy subject. His script is buoyed by awe-inspiring performances from rising stars in starmaking roles (Mark Wahlberg, Heather Graham), legends in career best work (Burt Reynolds, Robert Ridgely) and national treasures in consistently great performances (Julianne Moore, William H. Macy, Don Cheadle). Anderson is as adept at doing interesting things with the camera as he is at creating compelling characters.

The film has a plodding third act that's better on repeat viewings, and it will be off-putting to those disturbed by graphic sex and violence (although, for it subject, it has little sex and nudity: about 15 minutes out of 155), but for those who can watch "Taxi Driver" without recoiling, it is that rare film that reveals something new with each viewing.

The sound transfer on this DVD suffers for those who have theater-quality sound systems, but the extras are more a problem than the sound. Although this single-disk version is loaded with extras, it is a letdown compared to its double-disk counterpart. Most annoying, Anderson's enthusiastic commentary references deleted scenes not included on this disk but included in the two (e.g.: the fall of Becky Barnett). Shame on New Line for not including Rahad Jackson's ending, even on the double disk!

The most fun extras are the character bios, also included in the double-disk set. For the mild fan, this disk will be more than enough, but for the hardcore fan more likely to buy the DVD, at only a few dollars more, the double disk is a better bargain.

This is a surprisingly good film about a group of very wounded people who find their places in the world of adult films. It's an honest, vulnerable look into the psyche of people who could make this profession their choice. Mark Walhberg delivers a great performance as a has-been performer, forced into some degrading situations. Burt is outstanding as the patriarch of the group. Disturbing, but well done.

Loosely based on the life and times of late porn king John Holmes, Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights is a true gem of a film. Anderson weaves the classic tale of a rise and fall of a star, but puts a twist on it by placing the setting in the pornographic film industry during the 70's. Mark Wahlberg plays busboy Eddie Adams who is discovered by director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds in an Oscar nominated role) and begins to build quite a career and makes a great life for himself; until (naturally) it all comes crashing down. Anderson proves once again (just as he did in his previous film Hard 8) that he can weave an emotionally rich story with extremely well developed characters that we can releate to one way or the other, and despite the film's setting Boogie Nights comes out a real winner, and a true gem of a film. The rest of the fantastic cast includes Julianne Moore (in her Oscar nominated role), Don Cheadle, John C. Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Thomas Jane, Ricky Jay, Heather Graham, Luis Guzman, Philip Baker Hall, William H. Macy, and the late Robert Ridgely. All in all, Boogie Nights is a modern day classic that finds a writer/director at his best, and was also a star making vehicle for Wahlberg.

Early in "Boogie Nights," Eddy Adams (having just been offered the chance to become the porn star whose rise and fall the film chronicles) is thrown out of his mother's house. He is unable to say anything but, "I'm going to do something! You'll see!" A lesser screenwriter would give Eddy an eloquent monologue. Paul Thomas Anderson allows Eddy to be inarticulate. He is smart enough to avoid making all his characters as smart as he is.

This is part of what earns the comparisons to the work of Martin Scorsese, Robert Altman and Jonathan Demme. Anderson allows each character in his world of '70s porn filmmakers to speak for him or herself in an epic that rises above its campy subject. His script is buoyed by awe-inspiring performances from rising stars in starmaking roles (Mark Wahlberg, Heather Graham), legends in career best work (Burt Reynolds, Robert Ridgely) and national treasures in consistently great performances (Julianne Moore, William H. Macy, Don Cheadle). Anderson is as adept at doing interesting things with the camera as he is at creating compelling characters.

The film has a plodding third act that's better on repeat viewings, and it will be off-putting to those disturbed by graphic sex and violence (although, for it subject, it has little sex and nudity: about 15 minutes out of 155), but for those who can watch "Taxi Driver" without recoiling, it is that rare film that reveals something new with each viewing.

The sound transfer on this DVD suffers for those who have theater-quality sound systems, but the extras are more a problem than the sound. Although this single-disk version is loaded with extras, it is a letdown compared to its double-disk counterpart. Most annoying, Anderson's enthusiastic commentary references deleted scenes not included on this disk but included in the two (e.g.: the fall of Becky Barnett). Shame on New Line for not including Rahad Jackson's ending, even on the double disk!

The most fun extras are the character bios, also included in the double-disk set. For the mild fan, this disk will be more than enough, but for the hardcore fan more likely to buy the DVD, at only a few dollars more, the double disk is a better bargain.

This is a surprisingly good film about a group of very wounded people who find their places in the world of adult films. It's an honest, vulnerable look into the psyche of people who could make this profession their choice. Mark Walhberg delivers a great performance as a has-been performer, forced into some degrading situations. Burt is outstanding as the patriarch of the group. Disturbing, but well done.

Loosely based on the life and times of late porn king John Holmes, Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights is a true gem of a film. Anderson weaves the classic tale of a rise and fall of a star, but puts a twist on it by placing the setting in the pornographic film industry during the 70's. Mark Wahlberg plays busboy Eddie Adams who is discovered by director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds in an Oscar nominated role) and begins to build quite a career and makes a great life for himself; until (naturally) it all comes crashing down. Anderson proves once again (just as he did in his previous film Hard 8) that he can weave an emotionally rich story with extremely well developed characters that we can releate to one way or the other, and despite the film's setting Boogie Nights comes out a real winner, and a true gem of a film. The rest of the fantastic cast includes Julianne Moore (in her Oscar nominated role), Don Cheadle, John C. Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Thomas Jane, Ricky Jay, Heather Graham, Luis Guzman, Philip Baker Hall, William H. Macy, and the late Robert Ridgely. All in all, Boogie Nights is a modern day classic that finds a writer/director at his best, and was also a star making vehicle for Wahlberg.