Is Paul Thomas Anderson the best living american filmmaker?
 

With the release of The Master, i believe it is safe to say that PTA is today's best american director. I had the chance to catch it at this year's Toronto International Film Festival, and The Master is just a pure work of art.
Anyone seen the movie and I'd like to hear what everyone else thinks.

Re: Is Paul Thomas Anderson the best living american filmmaker?
 

I don't think he is even the best filmmaker with the last name Anderson.

Re: Is Paul Thomas Anderson the best living american filmmaker?
 

It all depends. Best living filmmaker based on the movies they're making right now/recently? Yes, I'd say so, although a few do come close. Or best based on their entire body of work? Coppola, Allen, Spielberg and Scorsese are all still alive, but their best work (arguably) came much earlier in their careers.

I see what you did there.

Re: Is Paul Thomas Anderson the best living american filmmaker?
 

Well, he's easily one of my favourite writer/directors, but he's constantly lifting from other styles, which doesn't worry me, but I'd like to see him make something completely on his own, without the "influences".

Re: Is Paul Thomas Anderson the best living american filmmaker?
 

I'd say he's making better movies today than anyone else, and that he's the best filmmaker of my generation. So pumped for The Master.

Best living director? I'd place Lynch, Scorsese, and possibly Godard ahead of him.

I concur that P.T has given us some tremendous films. There Will Be Blood and Magnolia are superlative efforts. Magnolia may be the greatest film I've ever watched.

But best living director?
Terrence Malick is still alive. So is John Sayles, Ridley Scott, Eastwood, Fincher, Coppola, Scorsese, Tarantino, Soderbergh (yes, him too), the Coens, Spielberg.

And that's just American. We're leaving out Resnais (think he's still hanging in there), Denis, Kiarostami, Kar-Wai, and Almodovar.

All of those guys have better overall bodies of work than P.T. Out of all of those, I'd say only Sayles and Soderbergh haven't made a defining, singular crowning achievement, comparable to Magnolia or There Will Be Blood.

So, P.T. is an excellent filmmaker and I'll watch everything he ever makes. But best living American filmmaker? Let's get real here.

I think he may be. Magnolia is a masterpiece. And Boogie Nights, There Will be Blood and Punch Drunk Love are all great films. I can't wait for The Master. His films challenge the audience. But people like Spielberg, Fincher, Scorsese, Coppola, Ridley Scott, Howard, and Lucas still alive idk. He is the best director of this generation for sure.

Oh, hell no.

:nope:

Re: Is Paul Thomas Anderson the best living american filmmaker?
 

Haven't seen all of PTA's movies, I can see the appeal of There Will Be Blood, DDL performance was magnificent, but it was a bit of a snoozer for me. I probably will see The Master looks interesting.

However, I'm going throw a name in the pool. Rian Johnson. He doesn't have the catalog yet but I believe in 20 years you will be talking about him. I have no doubt Looper is going be a blast to see, can't wait to see what he has up his sleeve next. Him and Nolan have earned my trust to go see anything they put on screen in theaters.

I've not been impressed with PTA thusfar. Have seen three of his films and haven't liked any. I've not yet seen The Master but I'm hoping to like it. If nothing else, I've read nothing but glowing reviews of Phoenix's performance, so I should at least enjoy that aspect of it.

Re: Is Paul Thomas Anderson the best living american filmmaker?
 

Random someone would say 'best'. He surely hasn't made a stinker yet in my books, whereas people like Coppola have (Jack). In reality, Coppola's only good decade was the 70's.

During which he made 4 films 100 % of all filmmakers - dead or alive - are jealous of and 99,9 % of those guys never even made a film that is on the same level than either of those 4.

Eh, an artist doesn't get jealous that easily tbh. Even though I've made films, I'll use a music analogy and say that out of all the songs I've ever heard, I'm only jealous of about 4.

Looper looks good and he has potential. But Brick was... less than great.

Spielberg said that after he watched the Godfather that he wanted to give up. That he could never achieve that kind of perfection.

Ok? Spielberg's goals are more aligned with that type of audience, that means nothing really. How does citing a purposefully mainstream filmmaker prove that Copolla is perfect in the 70s? Also, there is such a thing as having nothing wrong with it but not being perfect.

^I feel like someone said the same thing about Scorsese and Raging Bull. Could have been Spielberg, actually.

Re: Is Paul Thomas Anderson the best living american filmmaker?
 

No.