To some, he is a mere descendent of Robert Altman and Martin Scorsese. To others, he is the absolute G.O.A.T. It’s no secret to those attuned to the film world just how much PTA’s early work riffed off of Altman’s sensibilities, but once he hit the 2000s he found a brilliant way to straddle that line between the familiar and the new, forging a voice all his own to become one of our most interesting and acclaimed filmmakers working today. From his masterful camera movements, to his use of color, to his exceptionally complex characters, and at times his irreverent and dry humor, PTA was a foundational director for many of us younger critics, and whenever he has a new film (Licorice Pizza in this case), we can’t help but feel rejuvenated.
So among his feature length films (not including music films such as Junun and Anima), what is your favorite Paul Thomas Anderson film?
