Magnolia : Magnolia is the most sublime form of decadent suburban self-hatred

Magnolia is the perfection of uncomfortable self-awareness obsessed with itself, hating its own self-hatred, unable to think clearly on any other subject, and intent on conveying this condition via its own infinitely recursive nausea. In a way, it's an amazing filmit has flawlessly demonstrated the most despicable form of emotional incest known to modern cinema. This is a superbly executed film, which I absolutely hate.

Beautiful film. Terribly underrated and under appreciated. Brilliant on soooo many different levels.

how is this widely acclaimed film underrated

I mean as far as today goes, not enough people are aware of it in my opinion. maybe I'm just in the wrong place but I don't know
Enough people who have seen or who love this film

Far more people know about Magnolia than they do about the far better Nashville or Short Cuts (which Magnolia heavily borrowed from, but didn't have as good writing or complexity to the characters).

But that is the natural consequence of a generation raised on home video without a proper education on film history. They don't recognize derivative works when they see it. Their reactions are shaped entirely by the purely random rental choices they had growing up.

But not only is Magnolia a derivative film, it isn't even a good one. This reviewer pretty much nails it, expanding on the problem that the OP suggests:

http://itsabadmovie.blogspot.com/2013/01/magnolia-1999.html

wow, i mean i hate this movie but you really made an entire account just for getting mad at anderson fans on almost every single film's board, that's crazy

this thread is beautiful, thank you

This is wrong on so many levels. If theres one thing that is most definetly good, its the acting. The acting in this, is not only good, its phenomenal. In my opinion the directing is even stronger. Some of the shots PTA is able to pull off, made my mouth drop.

Well said. I knew I noticed similarities between "Magnolia" and "Happiness" and why they both made me cringe.

Hey for more hipster nonsense you guys should check out "Ghost World" as well. If I could rewind time and unwatch a few movies those would be on the list.

yes, happiness is another. ghost world is hipster nonsense but hipster nonsense is the child of the genre of magnolia and happiness, whose genre is self-congratulatory upper middle class but deeply insecure liberal boomer nonsense. so ghost world is what you tell yourself you like when you're disgusted with your parents for liking movies like magnolia and happiness.

Your analysis cracks me up. Well said again Very eloquent, lol.

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magnolia and happiness, whose genre is self-congratulatory upper middle class but deeply insecure liberal boomer nonsense

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I always thought of it as pretentious insecurity but your definition explains it better.

Oh here we go again. "Hipster nonesense" anyone who uses that word, "hipster" is equivalent to a 14 year old boy screaming at other people for not liking the transformers movies. Grow up, will you? I know without a doubt that you also hate Birdman, the rest of PTAs film and every other film that is not a superhero flick.

Most of the characters in this film are completely unsympathetic, with few if any redeeming qualities that didn't seem forced or an afterthought (the last moment "redemption" of the Partridge family didn't seem remotely believable, and was out of keeping with the tone of the film). I don't mind unsympathetic characters, most people you meet in your daily life aren't very likeable or worthy of respect either.

The only character that didn't come across as either utterly pathetic or morally repulsive was Phil (nurse played by Philip Seymour Hoffman). The rest of the characters were idiots, losers, perverts, or disgusting narcissists, e.g.

Jim Gator (Philip Baker Hall) - raped his daughter

Earl Partridge (Jason Robards) - abandoned his son and dying wife for a mistress

Linda Partridge (Julianne Moore) - whoring trophy wife, headcase and prescription pill addict

Frank/Jack Partridge (Tom Cruise) - narcissistic sleaze

Donnie Smith (William Macy) - one of the most pathetic sad sacks ever shown on film

Claudia Wilson - coke head

Rick Spector - father who abuses and lives vicariously through his kid

Officer Jim (John Reilly) - a well-intentioned moron

Solomon (Alfred Molina) - Shylock reborn

THANKS FOR ALL THESE WORDS, NERD. I'LL ADD THEM TO MY COLLECTION

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THANKS FOR ALL THESE WORDS, NERD. I'LL ADD THEM TO MY COLLECTION

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It isn't my fault that you're (legally) an adult and still have the vocabulary and syntax of a third grader. Try reading sometime instead of playing video games and watching porn, it will work wonders for your thick head and your hairy palms.

oh, you've sunk my battleship

This post is great, because with two sentences you've gone revealed your real position and also countered provided the perfect rebuttal to your own original post.