October 8Oct 8 Author Saw it last night and really enjoyed it. I don't think it blew me quite as away as others. Perhaps some of the darkness of the movie felt too real. The point where Lockjaw comes for Bob and Willa is tremendous. The entire sequence with Sergio and his underground railroad is incredible. The portion in Borrego Springs is some of the best cinematography I've seen in quite a while. I'm bitter I didn't go see it in IMAX 70MM but we just couldn't make it work. I need to take in the 3 episodes of the Big Picture on it.
October 8Oct 8 19 hours ago, Iceman said: It bothers you a fuckton that somebody walked out of a movie, without saying a word to interrupt the experience of others. Just got up and left, and shared it on here, where I've shared tons of other opinions on movies and TV events. Why do you give a fuck? You know how your old username is a verb? Nobody is mad, it’s funny and perfectly Slorchian.
October 8Oct 8 I laughed at the part where sean penn was in dockers and a navy blazer driving a huge truck. he looked like a high school kid. the weird office gas chamber reminded me of bokeem woodbine at the end of that one season of fargo. i didn't see the gas coming but was expecting pesci in the garage apartment oh no. nice to see jim downey in another pta. i award him points. hail santa!
October 9Oct 9 Just got back. 10/10. For 3 hours it never let up. Leo was great, Benicio was great, the daughter was great. The ending song coming after her grandmother said she comes from a long line of revolutionaries earlier in the movie was pretty cool. Nice tight knot on the "American Girl" being born of a distinctly Black experience. Leo was hilarious throughout. That scene before the dance was great. Him falling/failing to keep up with the carnales was also great.
October 9Oct 9 19 hours ago, MAUFRAIS said: I laughed at the part where sean penn was in dockers and a navy blazer driving a huge truck. he looked like a high school kid. yeah I feel like that’s gotta be closer to 5’ 5” he looked comical at times, almost like a little person.
October 9Oct 9 yeah I feel like that’s gotta be closer to 5’ 5” he looked comical at times, almost like a little person. Saw that dude at a party once in Malibu. He was fucking short. But I’m a tall guy so it’s kinda hard to judge exactly how short. Cool guy though.
October 9Oct 9 Saw the movie for the 2nd time, this time in 70mm. I really, really liked it. I’m a PTA super fan, but I think it’s fantastic.
October 11Oct 11 Great movie. Loved the long, slow-developing '70s throwback car chase at the end. It reminded me so much of flicks like Vanishing Point (which was similarly anti-authoritarian/anti-establishment). In fact that road is pretty much a carbon copy of the hilly road in a portion of the chase in Vanishing Point. Edited October 11Oct 11 by wood
October 11Oct 11 On 10/9/2025 at 2:09 PM, nycHorn said: Saw that dude at a party once in Malibu. He was fucking short. But I’m a tall guy so it’s kinda hard to judge exactly how short. Cool guy though. He’s pretty ripped for 65 (probably a combo of testerone and HGH but whatever)
October 12Oct 12 The comment from Leo's daughter when she met Penn's character made me laugh. Don't remember the exact line, but she told him he wears lifts in his shoes right after she made fun of his shirt. One of the more memorable exchanges in the movie to me.
October 13Oct 13 2 hours ago, EvilCaseMcCoy said: Loved it. Leo is hilarious. I couldn't stop laughing after Spoiler He fell four stories into a tree then immediately got tased
October 14Oct 14 Saw it yesterday and really enjoyed it. I think for me it sits somewhere around outside the top 3 PTA films, definitely behind TWBB & PT. Leo does play a very convincing and hilarious bumbling middle aged dad. His scene with the HS teacher was on par with the dads in the small hippie community I grew up in. Probably most underrated scene in the film.
October 14Oct 14 1 hour ago, ramirezut said: definitely behind TWBB & PT. you have phantom thread in your top 2?
October 14Oct 14 you have phantom thread in your top 2?For PTA’s movies, yes. I just think he does period pieces well. Which is why this one is probably a tie with Boogie Nights.
October 15Oct 15 On 10/12/2025 at 4:41 AM, UpperWestside said: The comment from Leo's daughter when she met Penn's character made me laugh. Don't remember the exact line, but she told him he wears lifts in his shoes right after she made fun of his shirt. One of the more memorable exchanges in the movie to me. "Why is your shirt so tight?" Yep, that one got me good.
October 17Oct 17 Just saw it in Vista Vision at, well, the Vista in LA (Los Felix) - the theatre Tarantino bought. So cool to see an analog movie again. It was a bit disjointed and uneven, with some strange choices (still mulling over the Lockjaw character) but still the best movie I’ve seen in years. Agree the chase scene is one for the ages. PTA listed some movies he drew from, one being The French Connection. Good parallel. Nice display in the lobby: Spoiler
October 17Oct 17 On 10/14/2025 at 4:57 PM, futureman said: you have phantom thread in your top 2? On 10/14/2025 at 6:27 PM, ramirezut said: For PTA’s movies, yes. I just think he does period pieces well. Which is why this one is probably a tie with Boogie Nights. Phantom Thread is #2, for me, as well. It’s so focused, kind of the anti-Magnolia and the ending is sublime. It also plays well as a metaphor for the film makers process and antisocial behaviors.
October 21Oct 21 Saw it this past weekend and definitely enjoyed it. Sean Penn was terrific in his role. I thought Teyana Taylor, who I knew nothing about, also stood out. The pacing was excellent -- at no point did I check the time or find my mind wandering away from the movie because it was dragging, etc. The underground railroad portion of the film was a highlight. And (no cloakroom intended) in today's world of ICE raids, it's a timely commentary on certain social issues. I don't know where I'd rate it in comparison to other PTA films, but it's definitely in the top half. I know it doesn't rate up with Boogie Nights for me, but that's an almost impossibly high bar to attain.
October 21Oct 21 3 hours ago, Carl Spackler said: I thought Teyana Taylor, who I knew nothing about, also stood out. Really? Do yourself a favor and go watch her in Kanye's "Fade" music video.
October 21Oct 21 30 minutes ago, EvilCaseMcCoy said: Really? Do yourself a favor and go watch her in Kanye's "Fade" music video. Can I keep the sound turned down while I watch it?
October 21Oct 21 4 hours ago, Carl Spackler said: I thought Teyana Taylor, who I knew nothing about, also stood out. that ass stood out.
October 22Oct 22 18 hours ago, Carl Spackler said: Can I keep the sound turned down while I watch it? Nah, her dance is choreographed so it wouldn't make sense without. Edited October 22Oct 22 by EvilCaseMcCoy
October 23Oct 23 he was a cartoon villain. And he got a cartoon end. Dr Strangelove had several cartoon villains and it was hilarious. Sean Penn was awesome in it and unlike I am Sam, I think he’ll go home with some hardware.
November 4Nov 4 Goddamn, what a hilarious and entertaining movie. Loved every minute. And LMAO at Iceman walking out after 15 minutes. Perfection.
November 14Nov 14 I had no idea what this movie was about going in. It wasn’t what I expected but I loved it. When the Tom Petty guitar chord struck at the end, it made me smile
November 15Nov 15 Going tomorrow with my daughter. Going to be raining all day, and can squeeze it in before UCLA @ tOSU
November 21Nov 21 Watched this Sunday. I didn't know much at all about the plot, but I am a PTA admirer so I was ready to roll with anything. This movie fucking rules. At about 20 minutes in, I was thinking to myself "what is this?" but man the last hour was such an amazing combination of drama, laughs, and overall fun. Along with being beautifully shot. At the start of the car chase sequence, I just started laughing and said hell yeah. Thoroughly entertaining. Too many good performances to even count. "Semen demon"
November 21Nov 21 Watched it the other day, loved it. The car chasing made the chick I was feel dizzy lol but I thought it was a great movie
November 21Nov 21 Watched it the other day, loved it. The car chasing made the chick I was feel dizzy lol but I thought it was a great movieWhile you were feeling your chick up, she felt dizzy? Good work.
December 16Dec 16 watched again this weekend...still outstanding, even funnier somehow, just a fantastic ride of a movie. i really hope PTA finally gets his Oscar, this is the best movie in a decade.
December 17Dec 17 Available on HBO max starting this weekend. Edited December 17Dec 17 by LonghornSean
Friday at 05:02 PM5 days oooh it's up goddamn, this movie was really 2:40? Shortest movie of that length I've ever seen Edited Friday at 05:03 PM5 days by Celery Man
Friday at 08:15 PM5 days Spoiler So why did Lockjaw go back to the Christmas Adventure office after one dude from there tried to blow his head off?
Saturday at 01:32 AM5 days 5 hours ago, Beau Vine said: Hide contents So why did Lockjaw go back to the Christmas Adventure office after one dude from there tried to blow his head off? Spoiler the assassin was not someone lockjaw had previously met. and he just really wanted to be a christmas adventurer.
Monday at 05:42 AM3 days Fantastic. I’d like to know how they filmed the scene where Leo falls off the building into the tree. There was no cut between that and Leo walking towards the camera.
Monday at 03:07 PM2 days I didn’t enjoy this as much as what I think are PTA bests— There Will be Blood, Boogie Nights, Phantom Thread. I understand these were artistic choices but: 1. The world building and context was underdeveloped in favor of the narrative and action which I found disorienting. It was clear that French 75 was leftie SLA type revolutionaries and on the other side were reactionary White supremacists but the stakes, the aims, the goals were unclear and muddy. How did the French 75 get rolled up but there’s still this huge infrastructure including a phone bank ready to go? How are we still in basically a stalemate over 16 years, how is Lockjaw and Co still basically doing the same shit wrt migrants if America has become fascist? One or other group should have consolidated gains and groups like SLA have a propensity for burning out quickly. 2. The gritty realism juxtaposed with cartoon-level characters, complete with heavy-handed naming conventions, and villainy was also jarring. I realize it’s a choice. I’m saying it’s a choice I didn’t love. 3. I couldn’t understand the timeline (did this start in like 2008 and flash towards 2026 or did it start in 2026 and flash towards 2040)? Visual cues like tech and automobile models were jumbled up. Again, I know this is a choice and it’s a choice that kept yanking me out of the world. I generally like alt-timelines and stuff but it didn’t work for me here. I needed a firmer foundation of what was actually going on and the state of play to really begin to care about the people and what was making them do things.
Monday at 03:49 PM2 days I didn’t enjoy this as much as what I think are PTA bests— There Will be Blood, Boogie Nights, Phantom Thread. I understand these were artistic choices but: 1. The world building and context was underdeveloped in favor of the narrative and action which I found disorienting. It was clear that French 75 was leftie SLA type revolutionaries and on the other side were reactionary White supremacists but the stakes, the aims, the goals were unclear and muddy. How did the French 75 get rolled up but there’s still this huge infrastructure including a phone bank ready to go? How are we still in basically a stalemate over 16 years, how is Lockjaw and Co still basically doing the same shit wrt migrants if America has become fascist? One or other group should have consolidated gains and groups like SLA have a propensity for burning out quickly. 2. The gritty realism juxtaposed with cartoon-level characters, complete with heavy-handed naming conventions, and villainy was also jarring. I realize it’s a choice. I’m saying it’s a choice I didn’t love. 3. I couldn’t understand the timeline (did this start in like 2008 and flash towards 2026 or did it start in 2026 and flash towards 2040)? Visual cues like tech and automobile models were jumbled up. Again, I know this is a choice and it’s a choice that kept yanking me out of the world. I generally like alt-timelines and stuff but it didn’t work for me here. I needed a firmer foundation of what was actually going on and the state of play to really begin to care about the people and what was making them do things. You were wanting the movie to be something it wasn’t. The world building didn’t matter. The names didn’t matter. The surface politics didn’t matter. This was a satire. Think of Dr Strangelove, with General Jack D Ripper, Major King Kong, and well Dr Strangelove.It was supposed to be timeless. The source material was a post-60’s overview of extremist movements and government response. If the depictions hit close to home, well…I saw similar criticisms of the movie Civil War about wanting to know the motivations of each side. Why are people committing acts of violence? Well, who cares?Do we really want more exposition dialogue in a 160-minute movie? We do not.
Monday at 03:59 PM2 days Yeah, I think I was pretty clear that I understood what he was going for and didn’t love it. It’s funny, as I was watching I referenced back to Civil War as doing their world-building better. The political factions weren’t clear (didn’t need to be), the origins of the war were muddy (ok), but it was an extremely convincing depiction of how regime collapse, civil war, and insurgency actually unfolds over time and space. Without a lot of exposition, it succeeded. Strangelove is an interesting comparison, what I would say there is that Strangelove is pretty convinced about what it is— a satire stocked with characters and not real people. In this movie, I got deeply human and realistic people bumping up against cartoons. You could have had the bad guys animated like in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Monday at 04:19 PM2 days Yeah, I think I was pretty clear that I understood what he was going for and didn’t love it. It’s funny, as I was watching I referenced back to Civil War as doing their world-building better. The political factions weren’t clear (didn’t need to be), the origins of the war were muddy (ok), but it was an extremely convincing depiction of how regime collapse, civil war, and insurgency actually unfolds over time and space. Without a lot of exposition, it succeeded. Strangelove is an interesting comparison, what I would say there is that Strangelove is pretty convinced about what it is— a satire stocked with characters and not real people. In this movie, I got deeply human and realistic people bumping up against cartoons. You could have had the bad guys animated like in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Be more specific. Who were the cartoons? You mean the fascists? Not sure you’ve been keeping up with current events, but…(CR)With respect to Sean Penn’s Colonel Lockjaw, it was an alltime performance and insanely funny. Here we have a deeply ambitious and broken person whose depth is limited. It’s limited because of his sociopathy and narcissism. And it’s a compilation of real life characters who are two-dimensional villains motivated by power and ego.But Penn fucking nailed this role and will be remembered for a very long time. In Strangelove, Colonel Mandrake was an everyman and he played it mostly straight with Ripper. It was great. As was the scene between Penn and Willa.Really great movie.
Monday at 07:11 PM2 days On 9/30/2025 at 8:10 PM, Reynolds Woodcock said: Reveal hidden contents I tend to be a cynic about these things, but man when that song kicked in at the end I felt the emotions running. It’s probably a parent thing, I guess. I think hope is the right word. Spoiler Yeah at the end when she hugged him but never revealed he wasn't her real father got me a little misty.
Monday at 08:19 PM2 days 4 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said: I didn’t enjoy this as much as what I think are PTA bests— There Will be Blood, Boogie Nights, Phantom Thread. I understand these were artistic choices but: 1. The world building and context was underdeveloped in favor of the narrative and action which I found disorienting. It was clear that French 75 was leftie SLA type revolutionaries and on the other side were reactionary White supremacists but the stakes, the aims, the goals were unclear and muddy. How did the French 75 get rolled up but there’s still this huge infrastructure including a phone bank ready to go? How are we still in basically a stalemate over 16 years, how is Lockjaw and Co still basically doing the same shit wrt migrants if America has become fascist? One or other group should have consolidated gains and groups like SLA have a propensity for burning out quickly. 2. The gritty realism juxtaposed with cartoon-level characters, complete with heavy-handed naming conventions, and villainy was also jarring. I realize it’s a choice. I’m saying it’s a choice I didn’t love. 3. I couldn’t understand the timeline (did this start in like 2008 and flash towards 2026 or did it start in 2026 and flash towards 2040)? Visual cues like tech and automobile models were jumbled up. Again, I know this is a choice and it’s a choice that kept yanking me out of the world. I generally like alt-timelines and stuff but it didn’t work for me here. I needed a firmer foundation of what was actually going on and the state of play to really begin to care about the people and what was making them do things. I agree with Eskimo’s responses on 1 and 3. That stuff all just seems completely unimportant in the context of this particular movie. I actually agree with you on point 2 as it relates to Lockjaw. It was one of the only aspects of the movie I bumped against. I would have preferred that he be performed in a less cartoonish manner. I get that we live in a time with actualized cartoon villains, but I just never fully bought him as a real threatening presence.
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