Close Up: Paul Thomas Anderson

Layered Butter

Unrequited love, relentless & reckless abandon, the fragility of the human soul, a snapshot of Americana through the eyes of filmmaker, Paul Thomas Anderson. In this week’s special close-up episode of Layered Butter; Raf, Rod & Jordan explore the Californian peaks and valleys through the lens of celebrated filmmaker, Paul Thomas Anderson. On the cusp of the release of his 9th film of his revered filmography, Licorice Pizza; Layered Butter delves into the world of PTA; from his formalism to his melodrama, his fascination and obsession with seemingly impossible people and his nostalgic yearning for love, acceptance and understanding in an ever-changing world. From schemers and con artists to cult leaders and wanderers to dreamers and romantics; Paul Thomas Anderson weaves through dynamic ensemble features to intimate narratives are emotional, magnetizing and cathartic in execution, beauty and scale. What makes a PTA film distinctly a PTA film? Is it the kinetic, dizzing energy of the camera? Or is it the off-beat characters stumbling across the turn of a century? Does PTA excel at ensemble epics like his earlier work in Magnolia or Boogie Nights? Or do we prefer the intimacy of Phantom Thread or the Master? Of course, how can we forget every single performance in his films – from his muse Philip Seymour Hoffman to Daniel Day-Lewis’ towering Daniel Plainview. Whether or not you’re a fan, any PTA film is an event; a monument in American storytelling and an essential voice in original filmmaking. All this – and even our first reactions to the beginning of award season with the announcement of the Golden Globe & Critics Choice Award Nominations and more in this week’s episode of Layered Butter.

Preshow:
27th Critic’s Choice Awards Nominations:
http://criticschoice.com/2021/12/film-nominations-announced-for-the-27th-annual-critics-choice-awards/
79th Golden Globe Awards Nominations:
https://www.goldenglobes.com/articles/golden-globes-2022-nominations-79th-golden-globes-were-announced
Main Feature:
Paul Thomas Anderson on What A Movie Great – New Yorker Profile
https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/paul-thomas-anderson-on-what-makes-a-movie-great
Paul Thomas Anderson: Masterworks
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/51075392-paul-thomas-anderson

Film Club
Rodrigo’s Pick: There Will Be Blood (2007)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0469494/
Jordan’s Pick: Ed Wood (1994)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109707/