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Venice Review: 'The Master' Is Paul Thomas Anderson's Most Complex And Distinctive Film To Date

  • By Oliver Lyttelton
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  • September 1, 2012 7:37 AM
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  • 22 Comments
Reviews
No movie has been more keenly anticipated by cinephiles in 2012 than Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master.” The filmmaker has been one of cinema’s most exciting new voices for a decade and a half now, but reached a new level of adulation with his last picture, ”There Will Be Blood,” which won awards and topped critical lists the world over five years ago. As such, the genesis and production of “The Master” was avidly followed, not least because the film was long ago said to revolve around a fictionalized surrogate of L. Ron Hubbard and his ever-controversial Scientology, and because Anderson had shot the film on 70mm film, the first major production to do so since Kenneth Branagh’s “Hamlet” in 1996.
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More: Review, Venice Film Festival, The Master, Paul Thomas Anderson, Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jonny Greenwood

Watch: Philip Seymour Hoffman Finds The Source Of All Creation In New TV Spot For 'The Master'

  • By Kevin Jagernauth
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  • August 30, 2012 1:25 PM
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  • 1 Comment
News
With Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master" set to make its official world premire in Venice on Saturday, The Weinstein Company continue their remarkable push for the enigmatic film, and in a week that has already seen a new trailer and clip, now comes a brand new TV spot that offers up even more footage from the movie, along with some stuff you've seen already.
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More: The Master

Watch: Amy Adams Wants To Attack In New Clip From 'The Master'

  • By Kevin Jagernauth
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  • August 29, 2012 10:09 AM
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  • 8 Comments
News
With Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master" heading full-steam into its official premiere at Venice (though it has already screened "unfinished" in a handful of cities), the one overriding message from everyone involved thus far is: it's not about Scientology. And indeed, our own review said that "while those looking for a scathing indictment of any well-publicized religion are certain to find similarities, in some cases even direct parallels, Anderson never creates an atmosphere of outright derision." And it's that statement Amy Adams was presumably trying to get across in her appearance on "Late Night With David Letterman" last night, before she was interrupted numerous times by the host who couldn't help himself by mentioning Scientology numerous times.
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More: The Master, Amy Adams

Fall Movie Preview: 15 Films We've Already Seen

  • By The Playlist Staff
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  • August 28, 2012 11:55 AM
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  • 5 Comments
Features
There are certain advantages to working for a film website. Aside from all the fortune (translation: payment in expired Amazon vouchers), fame (translation: getting death threats on Twitter from "Wrath of the Titans" fans) and sex (translation: desperately awkward attempts at flirting during roundtable interviews), the main one is that sometimes you get to see films a little bit early.
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More: Features, TIFF, New York Film Festival, The Master, Rust And Bone, On The Road, The Sessions

"Man Is Not An Animal": New Trailer For Paul Thomas Anderson's 'The Master'

  • By Kevin Jagernauth
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  • August 27, 2012 9:10 PM
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  • 14 Comments
News
If there has been one consensus out of the advance screenings for Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master" thus far, is that's it's not something you can prepare for. While the movie has thus far received mostly glowing notices (check out our own review here), the film has also been described as difficult to embrace and perhaps even a little cold. Certainly, it's not something that mainstream audiences are going to flock to, but The Weinstein Company know this, and their gambit to build up the buzz in the weeks leading up to its bow at Venice and TIFF and then dropping it into limited release right after, is a caculated move to strike while the iron is hot.
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More: The Master, Film Trailers

The Playlist's 10 Most Anticipated Films Of The Venice Film Festival

  • By Oliver Lyttelton
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  • August 27, 2012 11:55 AM
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  • 3 Comments
Features
Superhero movies be damned, festival season is underway. Indeed, by the time you read this, this writer will be winging his way to (hopefully) sunny Italy to spend ten days or so resolutely avoiding getting anything like a tan at the 69th Venice Film Festival. The first under the new leadership of Alberto Barbera, it's lived up to his promise of being a less glitzy, more sober take, with no major studio fare to be found, and a line up that emphasizes international auteurs over the American and British filmmakers who dominated line-ups in previous years.
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More: Venice Film Festival, The Master, To the Wonder, Spring Breakers, Passion, Spike Lee

"I Lost My Ship": Watch Another New Clip From Paul Thomas Anderson's 'The Master'

  • By Kevin Jagernauth
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  • August 20, 2012 6:15 PM
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  • 7 Comments
News
After screenings in Santa Monica, Chicago and New York City, now it's San Francisco's turn to experience Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master." And with it comes yet another clip from the film.
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More: The Master, Joaquin Phoenix, Paul Thomas Anderson

Unused Scenes From 'There Will Be Blood' Reworked For 'The Master' & More From Paul Thomas Anderson About The Film

  • By Kevin Jagernauth
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  • August 20, 2012 1:50 PM
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  • 13 Comments
News
While for most prestigious movies, audiences have to wait until after their high-falutin' red carpet festival premieres before they can see it for themselves, with "The Master," Paul Thomas Anderson is changing the game. The film had its first surprise public screening Santa Monica at the beginning of the month, had a last minute fundraising showing in Chicago last week (see our review here), and over the weekend, had two more unannounced unveilings in New York City. But even so, the curtain has been somewhat closed on the movie from the filmmaker himself, but in his first interview about the film, Paul Thomas Anderson shares his inspirations and frustrations about getting the movie out there.
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More: Paul Thomas Anderson, The Master, Amy Adams

Listen: “Application 45 Version 1″ From Jonny Greenwood's Score To Paul Thomas Anderson's 'The Master'

  • By Cain Rodriguez
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  • August 17, 2012 9:38 AM
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  • 3 Comments
News
It was only three days ago when the soundtrack details for Paul Thomas Anderson’s “The Master” were announced and now, we have our first full listen to a tune from Jonny Greenwood’s score.
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More: Jonny Greenwood, Soundtrack, The Master

Review: ‘The Master’ Proves A Brave, Sensual Yet Detached Triumph For Paul Thomas Anderson

  • By Charlie Schmidlin
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  • August 17, 2012 7:32 AM
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  • 25 Comments
Reviews
Even amongst its most wrenching scenes of unfettered anger and broken loyalty, a volatile sensuality nonetheless invades every frame of Paul Thomas Anderson’s arresting “The Master.” Populated by characters certain in their sexual and loving instincts yet stubborn in claiming responsibility for them, the film holds an unseen, persuasive force just off-screen to keep each on edge, never fully comfortable in their own skin. However, while the film’s narrative may point to faith as a cause and cure, the end result focuses instead on the reverberating pain in one’s past, and the oblique, often-maddening ways it manifests in the present through incredible performances and direction.
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More: The Master, Review, Paul Thomas Anderson, Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman

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