Magnolia [Blu-ray] [2010] [Region Free] [NTSC]

I read a lot - at least by most people's standards. And I watch quite a few films. And the vast majority of what I read/watch leaves me feeling just so-so. Take it or leave it. Though now and then I'll think something is good. Maybe very good. Five-stars-out-of-five good. And then - very, very occasionally - you come across something which is another-order-of-magnitude good. Something which just takes your breath away and doesn't give it back until you turn the last page or watch the closing credits roll up in front of you. And you realise that what it's all been for. That's why you've ploughed through all those novels or sat through all those movies. To get to here. Last year I got there with Victor Pelevin's The Clay Machine Gun. Last night I found myself there again when I watched a film I knew nothing about but had popped on my Lovefilm list after seeing an interesting review. Magnolia. Where was I in 1999 when this was released? What was I doing? How could it possibly have come to a point where, nine years later, I'd never even heard of this film? I won't even try to describe it to you - beyond saying that it follows the interlocking lives of a series of characters in Los Angeles - but it was absolutely captivating. Several minutes into the opening montage I had that feeling of absolute 'rightness'. That sense that there was absolutely nothing in the world I'd rather be doing at this moment than sitting here, laptop propped up on my knees, watching what was unfolding in front of me. And three hours later (yes, it's long, but then, hell, so is War and Peace) I was still captivated. And open-mouthed. Literally. Towards the end my jaw actually dropped, I was so astounded and moved and transfixed by what was happening on the screen. This is a work of consummate genius, at once puzzling and heart-rending and wise and funny and tragic and uplifting. The acting is astonishing. I've never been a particular fan of Tom Cruise but in Magnolia he proves he's more than than just a pretty face with one of the most powerful performances I have ever seen. The musical score is hypnotic, and the frog scene is probably the most dramatic use of special effects in cinema history. If only everything in life were this good.

Excelente producto viene con doblaje al español

la mejor película que he visto, me cambió la vida, una edición simple pero suficiente para esta obra de arte

De lo mejor de PTAnderdon, difícil de encontrar, con elenco coral de elite y varias historias paralelas aparentemente que luego se entrelazan. No soy aficionado del cine dramático pero esta película te va a dejar huella.

I purchased the movie because the reviews were intriguing and the Blu-ray version was on sale at Amazon for less than $10. The used prices on the movie were as much or more than the new price so I figure if I hated it I could sell it and get my money back. I won't be selling it, ever. I do not believe you can watch Magnolia once and understand what is happening. It becomes clearer on subsequent views because the movie plants very clear clues throughout but in a non-linear fashion. The metaphysical side of the movie is extremely subtle but always present. The spiritual transparency reminds me of an old quote "Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous." I thoroughly enjoyed the whispy nature of the metaphysical side of the film. On the first viewing you'll probably connect with one or more of the story lines but may still be confused about the movie's point, especially by the ending. On the second viewing you begin to understand better that Earl Partridge is the patriarch of all the interconnected stories. All the stories deal with Love in its many, many forms, and quite a few are presented in Magnolia. Besides connecting with one or more story lines you begin connecting with the expressions, reactions, and resolutions we all make about Love in our lives. The third viewing is just fun to try to find all the references to Exodus 8:2, like a Where's Waldo on a moving screen. This exercise is actually more enjoyable to do with more than one person. My wife caught references I missed and visa versa. I seriously doubt we found them all after three viewings. By the second or third viewing you'll begin to understand the major message of the movie, besides Love, is "you may be through with the past but the past ain't through with you." It is this point that will keep you thinking or talking about Magnolia long after the credits fade. My wife and I talked for hours, connecting circumstances in our resolved and unresolved pasts with the experiences of the characters in the film. We both said "how'd they put our lives in that movie?" It is this point that is key; as human beings we all have similar patterns in our lives and Magnolia brilliantly displays some of the most familiar. If you have an analytical nature; if you enjoy thinking deeply about the messages of films, buy Magnolia. If you just want to be entertained, Magnolia ain't the flick for you.