Reviews

Paul Thomas Anderson is one of the greatest directors of all time. I personally, deeply enjoy all of his films including the Master despite it being so opaque. I do not however, like Magnolia, there are things I really like about it, I especially liked maybe the first third of it. The rest however, I can't, I just can't, it's just not for me. The movie is very well made, funny, intelligent, excellent music but...this movie is very, very, melodramatic. I suppose its depressing but it isn't in itself made to be a painfully depressing film, such as say "Biutiful"(I CAN"T). However, it is very straining and tiring, for me at least, after seeing 4 consecutive persons crying in a single scene with the music that the film has, I no longer react sympathetically towards each character's current predicament. I get upset, I get very upset, I want to throw things and the film builds up to that moment in such a nail clawing chalkboard kinda way. So...good movie...I suppose, but this is very different from all of Anderson's work.

First off, this is only my opinion, but really my biggest issue with this film was that it was just kinda boring. About 30 minutes in, I already knew fundamentally everything significant that would transpire in the film. Now that in itself might be a given some might argue, however at that point in the movie, I assumed I would still enjoy it as I expected some spectacular action. Had I been impressed with the fight scenes and jumping around being Spiderman I don't think I would have cared as much about the boring story because it would be redeemed in another aspect.

However, the action and special effects in the film were also...kinda...boring. In fact the most spectacular visual moment in the entire film where Spiderman jumps of the top of the tower antenna, and it falls with him as he saves himself was already shown to us in the trailer. I won't go into the fight sequences but for me there was just never really a moment that made my heart race.

Lastly the soundtrack was terrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrible, feeling very out of place in many parts, most notably the fight between the Lizard and Spiderman in the High School. I would normally assume in a scene like that, which is Spiderman and the Lizard's first real physical confrontation, for the music to be more menacing, however it opts for a very happy and victorious theme music. Considering Spiderman doesn't exactly whoop the Lizard there, it's a little out of place. There is however a memorable humorous scene in that altercation.

So...this is just kinda boring and not very exiting, as far as movies like this, I personally enjoyed more "The A Team","Red","The Avengers","Thor", the first two Spidermans, (Spiderman 3 was terrrrrrible).