MAGNOLIA
Celebrating its 20th Anniversary, this darkly hilarious, heartfelt, and life-affirming story of lost Angelinos stands the test of time on a gorgeous 35MM print.
It’s partly cloudy over the San Fernando Valley this morning, but a storm is coming for the characters of Magnolia, auteur Paul Thomas Anderson’s tale of opportunities lost and found and chance vs. fate. An egotistical dating guru for men; a wealthy soon-to-be heiress; a cop who’s lost his gun and his way; a former child television star looking for a love; a washed-up game show host. Each one must face their sordid past and their current place in the world over the course of one fateful day. Fresh off his wildly successful sophomore feature, Boogie Nights, Anderson was simply not satisfied until he told a bigger and bolder story about human connectivity. Narrated by the late Ricky Jay, Magnolia is reminiscent of Robert Altman’s Raymond Carver adaptation, Short Cuts, in that it takes a microscope to the lives of ordinary characters and reveals them as something extraordinary. Bursting at the seams with pitch-perfect performances and featuring an unforgettable, breathtaking climax, the film is a one-of-a-kind cinematic experience that, like its characters, deserves a chance (and a big screen) once again.
CAST: TOM CRUISE, JASON ROBARDS, JULIANNE MOORE, WILLIAM H. MACY
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