Phantom Thread
[Blu-ray]
I’m a fan of the Best Show with Tom Scharpling and in one of the host’s many ramblings, he’s expressed his feelings for Paul Thomas Anderson (PTA) and how he believes him to be a genius: one of the few geniuses on this earth. Now, I wouldn’t go that far because I don’t really believe in geniuses. Although I do know one. What I can say about PTA is that all evidence points to him being the real deal. It’s not that he’s the Jodorowsky type to completely shun modern filmmaking and pursue it in a purely artistic sense. But the man can truly create a unique film each and every time: one that will stay with you for years to come. I’m still thinking about Magnolia and I saw it just once once 4 years ago on a tiny screen. And, the more you think about Phantom Thread, the more it makes sense that this is a PTA movie.
Phantom Thread has so many things going for it: its unusual setting, its quirky characters, its dark humor, its gorgeous shots, and its shocking ending. PTA’s talent is such that he can both create a completely unique script and shoot it in a gorgeous way. It’s seriously weird to appreciate the way a movie portrays the high-brow, romanticizing fashion and the upper class. Their lives truly look beautiful on camera, but dig a little deeper and you can find just how flawed and downright rotten these people truly are. And just as you think you’ve figured it all out, that ending comes along to make you rethink everything you thought you knew about this movie. If that’s not great moviemaking, I don’t know what is.
Phantom Thread is another success for PTA. It’s not for everyone but those who enjoy it won’t admit it publicly. It’s beautiful and disturbing and unique all at once.
